The Blazers Have Betrayed Me
The team I love is the Portland Blazers, and this has not been a good year for them.
A few weeks ago, they fired coach Maurice Cheeks and more or less openly decided not to try to win too many games--preferring instead to play the young players.
I agreed wholeheartedly with both moves, especially as losing extensively at this stage of the game will dramatically improve the draft pick they will get this June. As it is they are likely to get the fourth or fifth pick, and thanks to the lottery system the NBA uses, they could luck into the first, second, or third pick. More losing increases the chances of that.
In short, our talented young nucleus will soon have yet another top young player, which is fantastic. Watch out for us in 2008.
But things got a little but screwed up yesterday, when we played Utah. We had been tied with Utah in the standings. But then we did the unthinkable. We beat them.
It was a callous lack of discipline. It was arrogant and immature. With the regular season ending Thursday, this will probably cost us the fourth pick in the draft.
Under the regimented discipline of Utah coach Jerry Sloan, the Jazz knew far better than we did how to lose. I tip my hat to them. They just did a better job. Hopefully we can learn from their example.
Five years from now, let's compare who the Jazz and Blazers get from this draft, and remember this game. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's a big difference.
posted by henryabbott @ Monday, April 18, 2005
2 Comments
2 Comments:
That's not a comment; it's a plea, a book, a wish. It's also nutty to suggest the group he suggests will play well next year. They're all here this year, and they didn't play very well.
Mark my words: Telfair will never lead this team to a title. Too short, and too committed to offense. Great team play starts on defense.
Rand-
Spoken like a true fan. I feel your pain.
But you know what I have come to realize? A lot of winning in this league takes place with cold, hard calculations in the back room.
Yes, pulling together and getting 100% from everyone is necessary. But so is having Shaq, or Tim Duncan, or some similar essential piece.
This pick might be our one good chance to nab one of those pieces. And we have clearly made the cold hard calculation to get it this way. This win was a mistake--it cost us the fourth pick, and even worse, it reduced our chances at the 1, 2, or 3 spot. Yes, it is a bit of a crapshoot, you're right, but you still have to do what you can to succeed. And that's losing!
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