FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Cheezhead: Is Back (For Now) said 06/26, 02:46 PM
That's a really nice pick, and it could happen, but I have another team in mind on the west coast. The Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers were in the weakest division in the West last year, with the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets being the teams that made the playoffs. Portland finished as the tenth-best team in the West last year (which is respectable seeing the teams that are in that conference) with a 41-41 record. That record came without their number one overall draft pick, Greg Oden. But they still managed to avoid a losing season.

This year they will have Brandon Roy as a reliable guard/foward--he led the team in scoring last season--and big men in Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Travis Outlaw. In tonight's draft the team has the 13th overall pick, which could be someone good like Brandon Rush. My guess is they'll be looking for a guard.

With all of that talent coming into next season, there's no doubt in my mind that Portland will be able to wake up and smell the postseason. If they went 41-41 WITHOUT Greg Oden, the top pick in last year's draft, think about what they CAN do this year with Oden on the floor and a 13th overall draft pick.

Cheezhead: Is Back (For Now) said 06/26, 07:21 PM
Okay, you want to talk injuries? Mr. Savior, T.J. Ford, who is supposed to have "addressed their weakest position" on the Pacers lineup, is also injury-prone. Fast fact: the two big names in the trade, Jermaine O'Neal and T.J. Ford, combined to miss 71 GAMES this past season. And you're saying Oden isn't the best guy to rely on? Well, it isn't too great when you rely on a man like that.

"What does that say about Portland if that's the weakest division?"

That says Portland didn't play the best ball this year. But again, Oden is going to be on the floor this year, something that Portland didn't have this year despite going .500. They also are going to have a strong draft pick, which means more fire power. Just because the Blazers did bad this year doesn't mean they can't erupt next year (Boston proves it's possible, even if it's on a larger scale).

Look, it doesn't matter who they get with their first pick in the draft, the fact is they WILL get somebody good. You cannot tell me that there isn't any talent after the 12th overall pick. And being in the worst division, a mediocre division, if all they get is "medicre at best" talent, it'll still help.

Portland will improve.

Cheezhead: Is Back (For Now) said 06/26, 08:02 PM
It doesn't matter who did what when or where. We know that Oden can play basketball. We know that he is fragile. We know that T.J. Ford can play basketball. We know that he is fragile also. So it seems to me that the Pacers and the Blazers are in the same situation, so Ford doesn't really give the Pacers an advantage in this throwdown. He can get hurt as easily as Oden can.

Like I said, the Celtics did it on a larger scale. They went from zero to NBA Champs. The Blazers are at .500 right now, which is better than worst. Sure, they aren't going to make any blockbuster trades like the Celtics did, but playing Oden this season with their first draft pick. That should be good enough to improve, and they don't need to improve as drastically as Boston did.

First off, the nine-game differential is between them and the Nuggets. Secondly, yes, Oden and the draft pick will be able to make up nine games, and maybe even more. Greg Oden brings a lot to the table, and you can't tell me somebody like that ISN'T worth a few more wins. Seriously, a number one draft pick has to do SOMETHING to a team.

Portland has more to offer this year and has what it takes to do even better and make it.