Last 3 W-L-L

BOS 100- 94

LAL 117-126

MIN 96-112

The first back to back losses of the season can easily trigger panic. CHILL THE FUCK DOWN. That isn’t for you, it’s for me. Like most basketball fans I am easily convinced that losing one or two games means that the season is over and we should tank ASAP. And as a Blazers fan having one ugly game means the whole franchise is in a downward spiral. As Terry continues to tinker with lineups and teams find (or lose) motivation to show out for a night, I am reminded of the preseason hype for the Rockets and the Celtics. Then I think about the low balling of the Trail Blazers and other teams that may have deserved it more, ahem, Sacramento. The former look like they are scrambling a bit, and the latter are making those who bet the under sweat. 15 games into the season is almost 20% of the whole 82. Yet, I’m still not sure what this Blazers team is. I think they are better than last season. I believe that they have role players that fit more into what Terry wants to do offensively. I know its conflicting to miss Ed Davis even though we are first in the league in rebounding. However, I have the crazy idea that this team hasn’t really shown us who they really are. We are seeing exactly what they told us was going to happen this year. Nurk is being used more, Evan has a more fitting role, we have shooters instead of creators in the second unit, Zach is growing, and at the end of the day we are technically still a very young team. The Boston win was great and we had one of the best halves we’ve had so far. But, that team is still trying to figure out who they are. The ****** game was a blend of hot shooting (KCP, Lonzo, and James a combined 11/15 from deep) and Lebron trying for the first time all year. Shit, I don’t blame the ‘Zers for playing like steamy garbage when you have to look at those awful purple rags of vomit clean up they call jerseys. Also, I like saying ‘Zers, I’m baffled it has caused such an rift between Blazer fans. For a fan base that prides itself on having such a diverse and wide reaching audience we sure suck at encouraging each other to express joy and love for our team in whatever way we see fit. The T-wolves game was a road trip… trip? Stumble? It was a trap game essentially. A team that just a few games ago played the basketball game equivalent of dropping a whole scoop of ice cream in your lap and just letting it melt as you sat and pouted. The Blazers on the second game of a long road trip just looked flat and made a unreasonable amount of turnovers. Sloppy execution against a team that is reinvigorated after having the ankle weights of Jimmy Butler taken off is a recipe for disaster.

Disaster aside…

*Clears throat*

THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE NEED MELO!

*CLAPS LOUDLY TO MAKE SURE I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION IN A VERY RUDE WAY BUT ALSO DISPLAYS THE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE I FEEL THAT THESE WORDS HEED*

WE DO NOT NEED MELO!

There is not situation in where we need to dust off the Melo-Signal and call for help from the cold lifeless body that is Carmelo Anthony. I’ll admit that when free agency hit this past summer I was one of many that said “Sure, let’s kick the tires on Melo, what is the worst that can happen?”. What happened in Houston was the worst that could happen. We didn’t have to experience it first hand to understand his destructive ways. Have you ever heard the phrase Learn from someone else’s mistakes. It’s even better when that someone else is the Rockets. When someone you hate does something moronic, you don’t go “That was stupid, dumb, and looked like it hurt really bad. Let me try!”.

*exhales*

Just don’t bother.

Winner s last 3 games:

Nurk – Steadfast and consistent. Averaging 17.3 pts and 14 rebounds, Nurk has been the one benefiting from two things. One, Dame working hard this off-season to find ways out of an oncoming double team, and two, Both Damian and CJ gathering a large amount of attention when driving to the rim, leaving offensive boards (5.6 over the last 3 games) and put backs (6 pts a game). Also he is dunking, which is good.

Losers last 3 games:

Evan Turner – For some wild reason Terry keeps trying to push this strategy of putting ET as the primary ball handler when CJ and Dame are in. The success that ET had when the bench was smoking hot at the very start of the year convinced Terry that it should work with the first unit as well. Stop it Coach. Please. There is a significant spacing issue when ET is in the game with the starters. I know Moe is hurt and Jake Layman gets blocked a bunch. But, man ET had sucked the last few games, and I don’t totally blame just him. Still, being a combined -36 in +/- in the last three games is terrible.

Nik – When Nik tried to smash it on Lebron I knew he would end up a loser. His “spark” off the bench hasn’t turned into a flame these last few games. He has been getting chewed up defensively and looked hesitant offensively. His inconsistency has shown us why he was so cheap on the market this summer. I’m still comfortable with him get his 15 minutes off the bench and I also think this whole ET running with the starters has hurt Nik too.