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Speed · 05-15-2003, 10:07 PM

At the All Star Break, the Blazers were 2-0 vs the Spurs and had basically the same record as the Spurs. We played the Spurs in a great game in our first game back from the break. We lost in OT on a Manu three. The Spurs got their act together and are now in a great position to win the title.

The Blazers are more talented than the Spurs, were capable of beating the Spurs (unlike the Lakers, we won at SBC by 19), were clearly capable of doing to the Lakers what the Spurs did to the Lakers, and could have won the championship.

But the Spurs had more discipline than us. More desire. And they are more professional.

If we wish to get it done, we need only look at the Spurs. We were their equal only a few months ago.

Go Blazers

dkap · 05-15-2003, 10:26 PM

I understand the sentiment, but consider the history of the two teams for the past 4 years. Portland stumbles down the stretch while San Antonio kicks it up several notches. Shouldn't be any surprise that S.A. is the team moving on and not Portland...

I hesitate to broach the issue of leadership again, but until the Blazers have it, they could have a 10 game lead at the All Star break and not be anywhere near a lock for finishing with the best record.

Dan

Speed · 05-15-2003, 10:32 PM

Wasn't Pip the clear leader before he got hurt? And wasn't he the clear leader when he came back and almost led us to history?

dkap · 05-15-2003, 10:47 PM

I don't think so, but I'd rather not go down that road again... Let me just say that he hasn't gotten hurt during the Blazers' self-implosions the previous 3 years.

Dan

dkap · 05-15-2003, 10:51 PM

Hmm, I suppose I could answer the question a slightly different way. Yes, Scottie was the leader of the team, but no, the team had very little leadership.

Dan

Ed O · 05-16-2003, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by <b>dkap</b>!
I don't think so, but I'd rather not go down that road again... Let me just say that he hasn't gotten hurt during the Blazers' self-implosions the previous 3 years.

Dan

You're including the Game 7 loss as an implosion down the stretch?

Maybe at a micro level it was, but to get to a Game 7 in a Conference Finals doesn't show a lack of intestinal fortitude IMO. The Spurs haven't done it recently, in spite of your claim that they step it up at the end of the year.

Ed O.

**HOWIE** · 05-16-2003, 01:07 AM

Hey people, that is all history now! We get a new President, GM, and maybe even some new players! I am tired of talking about the woulda, shoulda, coulda's!

It is time to look ahead for new leadership and players willing to accept their roles. We are heading in a new direction and the same rules do not apply.

Portland has lacked consistancy for a long time and with the new management focus maybe we will get some sooner than later.

dkap · 05-16-2003, 02:42 AM

Quote:

You're including the Game 7 loss as an implosion down the stretch?

Not really, no. I suppose it could be lumped into that generalization, but I would point to earlier in that regular season. Portland and L.A. had identical records (44-12?) and were each riding 11 game win streaks. L.A. won the head to head and kicked it into high gear, while Portland went into a tailspin that seriously threatened playoff momentum. The same thing has happened to varying degrees each of the 3 years since then.

Quote:

The Spurs haven't done it recently, in spite of your claim that they step it up at the end of the year.

Are you talking regular season or playoffs? I'm talking about the former. Tough to make much of a playoff claim one way or the other, seeing as how each West team has run into the same L.A. buzzsaw... I'm not much of a fan of S.A. (I thoroughly detest Poppovich), but I've got a lot of respect for their strike season-shortened championship run team. I've never seen such an intimidating, suffocating defense, not even from the Detroit Bad Boys team. When they picked up steam with about 30 games left in the season, they hardly faltered until they had the trophy. This year is shaping up pretty similar, and the intervening 3 years may well have, too, had it not been for the aforementioned Lakers hurdle (and Duncan's knee injury prior to the Phoenix loss).

Dan

hasoos · 05-16-2003, 03:19 AM

That Portland is more talented then the Spurs. They are better defensively then Portland, which means they are definitly more talented in that area. The matter of the fact is, they have a star who shows up to play every game of the year, and Portland does not. They get good defense every night. Portland does not. The difference between the men and the boys my freind.