Positively Giddy in Portland
NBA July 1st. 2008, 5:55pm
Bad news, NBA fans - you only have a few hours left to hop onto the Portland Trailblazers bandwagon. Last train leaves at midnight, apparently. That was the note sent to us this afternoon from the guys over at Fan’s Attic, who passed along a link to today’s low-on-the-radar news that Spanish wunderkind Rudy Fernandez officially signed with the Blazers. This isn’t some inexperienced teenager we’re talking about - the kid’s a 23-year-old shooting guard with unlimited range. Put him and Brandon Roy or Martell Webster or Buckets Bayless on the perimeter with Greg Oden in the post …
We get the uncontrollable urge to vomit when talking heads get all knee jerk, so we’ll try to temper our enthusiasm: Assuming Oden can stay healthy for the next three months, Portland could very, very, very good next year.
A peek at the depth chart:
PG - Blake, Rodriguez
SG - Roy, Fernandez, Bayless
SF - Outlaw, Webster
PF - Aldridge, Frye, Diogu
C - Oden, Przybilla, LaFrentz
These Blazers haven’t accomplished jack. They’re teeming with that annoying, amorphous quantity known as potential. They play in the much-more-challenging Western Conference. But perhaps this is worth noting: the Blazers’ odds to win the NBA title - set by men much smarter than us before Bayless was drafted - were 25:1, which is the same as 2008 playoff teams Orlando and Denver, and better than ‘08 playoff teams Washington, Toronto, Atlanta and Philly.
79 Responses to “Positively Giddy in Portland”
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July 1st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Rudy Fernandez > Kobe
July 1st, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Tiger’s knee > Oden’s knee
July 1st, 2008 at 6:04 pm
So Fernandez is going to blow up, but he’s not good enough to start over Steve Blake?
July 1st, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Duckworth looks pissed.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:12 pm
@ RocketsFAN: Fernandez is a shooting guard. SHOOTING GUARD. Same position as Brandon Roy. Steve Blake is a PG.
Thanks for stealing my Blazer depth chart from a couple days ago TBL. But for the record the backcourt depth chart will probably look more like:
PG: Blake, Bayless, Rodriguez
SG: Roy, Fernandez
McMillan isn’t a fan of Rodriguez. Turns the ball over too much apparently. I think he deserves more burn but I can’t really argue with Nate’s results.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Once they got G.O. I was on the bandwagon and I like Rudy but can he have this kind of effect on the team
July 1st, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Fernandez will blow up. It is certain. That way I can add him to the list of Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala and Rajon Rondo as players that would have brought my Suns a title but Robert Sarver thought they were worth 3 million dollars.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:17 pm
TBL’s depth chart leaves out Fernandez, but I imagine the late 4th quarter linuep will look something like Roy, Fernandez, Outlaw, Aldridge and Oden with Roy at PG.
I also think Bayless will back up Blake primarily, not Roy. Sergio Rodriguez will still get the shaft unfortunately. Fernandez will likely start out as Roy’s backup until coach figures out where to play him. This all assumes he is legit, which as a Portland fan I assume quite easily.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
my bad on leaving our Fernandez, just added him
July 1st, 2008 at 6:18 pm
@ChiTown: how about a NSFW footnote on that link? kthxby.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Sorry bout that… WILL DO from now on though
July 1st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
@ Fan’s Attic: Agreed. Except on the part about being a Blazer fan.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I disagree with the idea that a 2guard can’t play PG. I’m not a fan of the method, but I think it can work in certain situations. Iverson plays/ed PG. Gil is more of a 2 than he is a traditional PG. And even Roy is technically a 2, but the crunch time lineup, he is the ball handler.
2 things happened though: I read Rodriguez, thought Fernandez (unless TBL’s changes have me even more confused). My brain is mush from using the computer all day. 2nd, I think Rodriguez is better than Blake, and mostly, I’m just looking to tell the world Steve Blake sucks.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
isn’t Steve Blake a FA? Or did they re-sign him and I missed that?
Blazers are going to be scary good if Oden is even 50% as good as advertised and has just a couple of these young players become legit pros. The time they’ve gone from JailBlazers to this is mighty impressive.
… even though they are going to get stomped by Yao and the Rockets next year.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I’m rather certain I’d rather have Steve than Rafer
July 1st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
@grunge… I agree completely except for the Rockets comment
Now if they get B-Diddy and James Posey then Yeah Go Rockets
July 1st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Grungdave (love the blog, wish you’d write more, realize you have a life), as a Rockets fan, I understand the Rafer hate, but Blake can’t score like Rafer does. Rafer, for all his faults, has had several games, that when his shot was on, scored in bunches, and helped unburden T-Mac. Blake is a great distributor, sets up your offense and all that, I know. Besides, what can Morey do to upgrade the PG spot.
Keep in mind, I’m a bitter Duke fan who is pissed because that farm boy clone has a better career than Jay Williams, J.J. Reddick, and Josh McRoberts combined.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Heat > Blazers
/new to this whole NBA thing.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Is Drexler tapping jerome kersey out in that pic? Duckworth takin’ it from the team…
July 1st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
mizerle,
to really start something it’s fernandez > kobe & lebron
July 1st, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Pissed: I finally sit down to watch some TV and the choices are I, Robot and … that’s it.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:03 pm
TBL, Beetlejuice is on Universal HD!!
July 1st, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Well, Da Vinci code is on, too, but I’ve skipped that movie for the last couple years on principal.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Dammit. That TV is downstairs, and i need to do blogwork for tomorrow as i watch. I could get on the macbook …
July 1st, 2008 at 8:09 pm
TBL, you gotta check out these pics of Ronaldo’s girl. [slightly NSFW]
July 1st, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Oh dear, the A-Rod/Madonna headlines have begun. I’m partial to:
Justify My Glove?
July 1st, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Forgettable face, but the rest looks like fun
Mike, any ideas for NFL previews?
July 1st, 2008 at 8:12 pm
TBL, what principle are you skipping the da Vinci Code on? There are probably a lot of reasons to skip it, not the least of which is Tom Hanks’s hair.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Not sure — are you going to do team-by-team, or by division?
I will gladly help out, as I’m sure many others will as well (Roman, Sports Gal, Spencer, CBH, et al.)
July 1st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Aw, Mike!! Thanks for including me!!
/being serious, I always get excluded from the boys club
TBL, I sent you an e-mail about the NFL today, did you see it?
July 1st, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Why don’t you just admit you have the ability to read people’s minds … THROUGH THE INTERNET!
July 1st, 2008 at 8:38 pm
still looking through today’s emails, SG … but i think i got the one about that damn ad
but for previews, i’d love to do some original shit. feel like everything’s been done.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Baron Davis to become a Clipper!! WTF?
July 1st, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Can the Clip-joint keep Brand is now the question.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
And the experiment known as Shaun Livingston is now complete.
Baron Davis and Eric Gordon? That’s an athletic pair …
July 1st, 2008 at 8:54 pm
That makes the Clippers a smallish backcourt, no? 6.3 Davis and Gordon is 6.4, assuming that EG is the starting 2 guard.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:58 pm
6-3 and 6-4 is small? On what planet?
The next question is how pissed Warriors mgmt is at Don Nelson.
When was the last time someone of Davis’ caliber chose DONALD STERLING over anyone?
July 1st, 2008 at 9:10 pm
That’s probably automatically the worst defensive backcourt in the league. They’ll be entertaining though, I’ll give them that much.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:11 pm
I’m under the impression that most 2 guards are in the 6-6 to 6-8 range. I did a quick Google on “NBA Shooting Guards” and came up with this. I understand your point about 6-3 and 6-4 not being small, but isn’t that the knock on Gordon and Jarrid Bayless as they were drafted, they were “too small” to play SG but not skilled as a passer to play PG?
July 1st, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Funny that we see great defensive teams win the title year in and year out, but people get more excited over the sexy offensive players coming their way. (Not pointing at anyone here..just basketball fans in general).
July 1st, 2008 at 9:12 pm
When was the last time someone of Davis’ caliber chose DONALD STERLING over anyone?
July 1st, 2008 at 9:12 pm
If we were talking Jordan’s era, shooting guards were definitely 3-5 inches shorter. Now they’re taller and just as athletic. Jordan sucked!
July 1st, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Is it too late to join the Clipper’s bandwagon, now that the Blazers is full?
July 1st, 2008 at 9:17 pm
any more of that talk, cursed, and your internet priviledges will be revoked for a month.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:18 pm
interesting link, Rockets.
Best part? Kobe’s only 6-6, Wade is 6-4, Pierce is a SF. I’ll give you Manu and Rip and Ray Allen’s only 6-5.
the best part is that none of those taller guys - who haven’t won jack - play any defense, anyway. (maybe McGrady - love that guy)
July 1st, 2008 at 9:20 pm
So let’s say the Clippers keed Brand but not Maggette.. how many wins does that really translate to? Especially considering the Lakers/Spurs/Jazz/Hornets/Rockets/Mavs/Suns and maybe the Nuggets should all win around 50 games.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Davis played with a 6-3 Monta Ellis in GS. Gordon could fit into that role in LA…. assuming anybody in their frontcourt could run the floor with them
July 1st, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Baron Davis, a healthy Elton Brand and Eric Gordon are worth 27 games? Let’s not go overboard, folks. This isn’t picking up Allen, Pierce and KG. As others have said, defensively, the LAC will still struggle. But there is certainly optimism in the Sterling camp.
I think 40 is realistic …
July 1st, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Why will they struggle? Defensively it starts with the post, and Brand/Kaman are plus guys.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:42 pm
defense starts in the backcourt with pressure on the ball (at least i think it does) and Davis is good, but also 31; Gordon has potential, but is also a rookie.
I’d assume the Clips are in the hunt for a seed, though …
but remember, Yao is back and the Blazers will be better
July 1st, 2008 at 9:46 pm
27 games does seem much. But can you expect 8 teams to win 50+ games again in the west? I think a 15-20 win increase is possible barring any significant injuries, and they could hover around the 8th seed.
To say they’ll struggle defensively? Outside of San Antonio, who plays defense in the west?
July 1st, 2008 at 9:46 pm
If you have great defenders guarding the rim, your perimeter defenders can get uber-aggressive.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Al Thornton had a solid season last year as well
Kaman
Brand
Thornton
Gordon/Mobley or Mobley/Gordon
Davis
Not bad on paper. Would be interesting to watch. Can’t really run with that team, at least with Kaman. I’m with TBL, I’m not sure that’s enough for the Clips to make a ton of noise.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Depends on Brand, I’d say.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:59 pm
@oconnodv: I’d argue the Rockets played solid D all season. They are ranked #2 team defensively by BasketballReference.com
July 1st, 2008 at 10:01 pm
had forgotten about Thornton. Maggette won’t be missed.
But Gordon’s always been a need-the-ball guy, Davis likes his shots, Thornton likes the ball, and we know Brand is the top option …
oh shit, office is starting …
July 1st, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Got me there RocketsFAN, forgot about them. Though that site also lists Gerald Green’s 54 points per 36 minutes, which made me laugh.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:12 pm
When are the Rockets gonna get rid of TMac so they can get past the 1st round?
July 1st, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Gordon? Is that a rumor?
July 1st, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Oh nm that phag Eric.
Was thinking Ben.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:16 pm
@ Clown: Honestly, I go back and forth on that. I honestly can’t make up my mind. Sometimes he’s incredible. Sometimes, not so much.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:22 pm
YOU CAN’T CATCH DISEASES FROM A BIRD!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:24 pm
the clips will be fine defensively. They have Quinton Ross too, who’s been touted as the next Bruce Bowen for a while now. He’s a sticky perimeter defender
July 1st, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Ruck: They let the real “next Bowen” go to Europe — James Singleton was the man.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Actually, the Clips look pretty deep on paper with Livingston (maybe? also a good defender) and Tim Thomas
July 1st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Someone like the Magic should pick up Singleton for a tryout if that’s the case. I kind of got Ross and Singleton confused for a while. Couldn’t tell which one was better
July 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Sadly, he went to Europe and blew his knee out. Not sure if he’ll ever be back.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Dah! That’s a shame
July 1st, 2008 at 10:33 pm
@ The Ruck: Are you honestly suggesting that Tim Thomas is worth anything in a non-contract year?
July 1st, 2008 at 10:35 pm
TBL, a little background on that “Dmitri” voicemail link:
http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/04/13/5272201-sun.html
July 1st, 2008 at 10:35 pm
I’m not saying he’s a James Posey or anything, but having him as an 8th or 9th man isn’t that bad. The guy’s got a solid skill set. He’s just lazy
July 1st, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Fair enough, can’t argue anything about that.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Ken Tremendous in about 5 mins on The Office.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:44 pm
What is Michael Scott’s greatest fear?
July 1st, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Nothing, but I would have also accepted snakes.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:54 pm
this is true
is he a FA?
July 1st, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Dusty Baker is not my favorite person.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
Warriors offer max deal (5-101) for Arenas? Slight downgrade if you ask me. I don’t see Arenas leaving the east though. Especially if he wants to make the playoffs.
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:54 am
I love the hype this team is getting already. It will fade away half way through the season again.
Western Conference
LA Lakers Utah New Orleans
San Antonio Dallas Denver
Phoenix Houston LA CLippers?
Portland is not better than those teams. It will be a long journey