[Game thread] Chicago @ Portland

[Mr Odd]

It's weird having expectations for this team this year. This win wasn't good enough. We should have been playing the bench for the whole 4th quarter. Detroit is going to kill us.

You hit the nail on the head with that.

[taufblazers33]

AAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

ESPN said Bo Outlaw again during the highlights

[PDXKnight]

It's weird having expectations for this team this year. This win wasn't good enough. We should have been playing the bench for the whole 4th quarter. Detroit is going to kill us.

Agreed. Chicago was missing their 3 leading scorers but they still made this a game. I'd feel fortunate if they can go 1-3 on the road.

[Mr Odd]

AAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

ESPN said Bo Outlaw again during the highlights

Its because its based from the east and
most media from there are ignorant.. .

[Wizenheimer]

at this point, any win is "good enough". It's better to have a close win against a weak team then a close loss.

[Spykes]

I don't know if anyone else heard, but the Bull apparently just bought out Viktor Khryapa.

[J~Rush]

I don't know if anyone else heard, but the Bull apparently just bought out Viktor Khryapa.

After Viktor apparently caught a flight to Portland.

[blazersmaniac8]

It's cause flights were cheaper from portland than chicago. Anyways, wins a win so w/e but funny how roy hit the last ft also I need my avy updated if someone could have the stare down from today and bish! added I'd be ecstatic, lol I hope nocioni cries himsel to sleep

[pr0nny]

At this point I'll take any win no matter the circumstances. We're not good enough to blow teams out.

[swede]

Man I almost feel bad for the bulls for that damn draft.. It is like everything is spiraling out of control now for them into rebuild mode again.

[Billy]

Breakdown of the 2004 Trail Blazers draft:

Sebastian Telfair: hanging by a thread in Minnesota

Viktor Khryapa: Out of the League

Sergei Monya: Out of the league so fast no one knows whether to spell his last name with a y or an i.

Ha: Freakin Legendary. Can clearly see why Nash felt he could be the better of the 4. Recently the number one pick in some league in Korea.

[BlackMamba]

well, the blazers needed this win.

so, how did the jack starting and martell from the bench worked out for the blazers?

[The Emcee]

so, how did the jack starting and martell from the bench worked out for the blazers?

Well I think Jack was just Jack, but Martell looked like somethin else! He was all fired up. Did you see those couple dunks?? I just wish Outlaw could get angry like that. Could probably dunk from 3pt line

[Mr Odd]

I cant get over how the Blazers were close
to losing to a Bulls team without their three
best players playing. For those of you who
think Oden & Rudy will fix this team I believe
youre in for a rude awakening.. .Hope im wrong.

They'll help, but not asmuch as I think some feel.

Please everyone, dont think Oden is the savior.. .
If you do youre only going to set yourself up for a let down.

Im not saying he wont be a great player or even a good one,
im just saying dont bank everything on him fixing this team.. .

[Billy]

I cant get over how the Blazers were close
to losing to a Bulls team without their three
best players playing. For those of you who
think Oden & Rudy will fix this team I believe
youre in for a rude awakening.. .Hope im wrong.

They'll help, but not asmuch as I think some feel.

Please everyone, dont think Oden is the savior.. .
If you do youre only going to set yourself up for a let down.

Im not saying he wont be a great player or even a good one,
im just saying dont bank everything on him fixing this team.. .

I don't think Oden is a savior for the Trail Blazers, but he certainly will help.

The hope for me is that next year Aldridge, Roy, Webster, Outlaw and the rest of the Blazers core come back stronger, bigger and smarter. Add in Oden and Rudy to a more mature group and a lot of the problems for this year are fixed.

Rebounds and interior defense are the most tangible downfalls for Portland. It seems logical when you add in a center that is supposed to be the most dominant big man to come into the league since Shaq, and whose strong points just happen to be those two areas, that you'll see improvement there.

Also scoring can be a little shaky at times--especially on the bench. Adding in one of the top guards/scorers in Europe seems to help solve some of those problems.

But for the rest, I think it's a matter of letting this group mature. It sucks to watch Jack make bone head mistakes, it sucks to see Sergio play exactly counter to what the team needs, it sucks to see Aldridge refuse to bang in the low post. The list goes on. But these guys will improve in these areas.

To expect Oden and Rudy to come in next year and wave a magic wand over the current situation does seem far fetched--I agree there. But those two, combined with the predicted maturity of the guys listed above (and more).

One last thing I would like to add is these kinds of games will prove invaluable in the future. These guys have gone through thick and thin this year and last. They know what it's like to be on each side of a blowout. They know what it's like to come back from 29 down the same as they know what it's like to blow a 25 point lead. They know what it's like to win games at the buzzer, to go into overtime and win, and to eek out close games. They also now are getting a chance to experience games against teams they actually SHOULD beat.

One thing that gets mentioned a lot about the Celtics is the fact that they don't have the experience of adversity together, and that is one of the few questions about that team. Teams like San Antonio, Dallas, and Phoenix know what it's like to have their back against a wall and they've learned who to lean on in those circumstances. Portland is starting to gain that experience. It's certainly a little discouraging to almost get beaten by an undermanned team that you should be able to blow out, but not nearly as discouraging as losing to that team. These games will help them in the future--even if they are tough to stomach right now.

[swede]

We really, really need a fiery LA in the second half of the season to be successful. We have shown the ups and downs up a jump shooting team, we need him to be a legit post presence.

All I know is I hope Rudy can drive and dish like a mad man this team is Oden (Defensive Rebounding + Consistent Inside Presence) + A really good slasher away from being consistently gooooood

[Mr Odd]

Do you see Rudy being played a lot??
Unless Jack is moved I foresee Rudy sitting.

[Billy]

Do we really want Rudy playing over Jack if Jack is the better player?

[Mr Odd]

Do we really want Rudy playing over Jack if Jack is the better player?

Whos better, Jack or Webster??

[breaker91]

I guess I'll be Mr. positive about last night's game. Despite missing their 3 best players, that Bulls team is deep and stacked with a lot of energy players who will not give up under any circumstances. But I'm not surprised they played us tough. Their record this season mystifies me, but I think they've been blow out less times this year than we have.

Rather than complaining about how little we won by, I'm impressed that the Blazers managed to play with and keep the lead to close this game out. That's a pretty big deal in my book considering they were coming off of a couple of heartbreak losses to the Cavs and Nuggets in the past week. It's a good sign that these guys have some mental toughness.