Archive for the 'VS Series' Category

12
Oct

VS Series: Cleveland Cavaliers

By John 1 Comment
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Cleveland Cavaliers

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team by team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get started.

The Cleveland Cavaliers
Last season’s result: 0 - 2
Games this season: 2

Team Breakdown
So one word comes to mind: Lebron. The Cleveland Cavaliers are nothing without Lebron James. He is by far one of the top two NBA players (Kobe being the other). Lebron has proved time in and out that he can single handed take over and win ball games. He has done it for years, and now the Cavs are finally putting quality players around him.

The big off season acquision this year was Mo Williams. For the last few years Williams has been putting up big numbers on a bad team (Milwaukee Bucks). He is coming off a season where he averaged over 17 points per game and over 6 assists. That is great production from any point guard. Now that Williams will have Lebron on the floor, he may not get the number of shoots he is used to, but they are likely to be higher quality.

Instantly, the Cavs have to be considered a lock at the top 4 playoff seeds in the East. I might even argue they have passed Detroit to become the #2 team in the East with the addition of Williams. Many rankings out there have the Cavs quite low, but don’t forget Lebron. He can take this team to the playoffs, and he now has players around him in the form of Williams, Ilgauskas, Wallace and Szczerbiak.

Position by Position

Point Guard: Blake vs. Williams
Steve Blake is a good point guard. He is a solid leader and can help a team win games. Mo Williams is a better point guard. Blake comes up short in scoring to Williams, although Blake is a good shooter. Williams will be the #2 option for the Cavs, and he can live up to that role. His main job will be getting Lebron the ball, and he will be able to do that just fine against Blake. This is not a cut to Blake’s abilities as much as it is a testimant to the quality of player Williams has grown into the past few years. I understand that Williams was on a bad team, and it’s easy to look good on a bad team, but with Lebron on the floor, Williams will be left free enough for his impact to be felt.

Advantage: Williams

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Pavlovic / West
Delonte West was a late season aquistion, but has signed a contract extension with the Cavs, which leads me to think he may be starting in no time. Pavlovic will have to lose the starting job, but he is by far the weakest part of the Cavs starting lineup from last season. His minutes have decreased and I expect them to fall further. West should step up. He is a good shooter (.44% career) and should be energized by his new contract. The good news for the Blazers? Niether of these guys even comes close to Roy.

Advantage: Roy.

Small Forward: Webster vs. James
Hands down Lebron James is the best player on the court. I can see Roy getting called to matchup against Lebron, because he will eat Webster alive. In the two meetings last season Lebron had 37 and 24 points. In the second game, when James was held to 24 points, it was because he faced a triple team all night. Oh, and he had 10 rebounds and 11 assists in an 8 point victory. The problem here is that James is such a tough matchup for Portland. Webster and Outlaw can not guard him. The one bright spot may be Rudy Fernandez. In the Olympics, Fernandez was against Kobe on most occasions and was able to hold his own. Lebron is a bigger player, but Rudy might be the best option.

Advantage: Lebron James. No Question.

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Wallace
I really like Aldridge, I think he is a huge star in the making and gets overshadowed by Oden and Roy. Ben Wallace is getting old. He has always had zero offense and his rebounding, aka his bread and butter, is falling. He is still one of the most physical players in the NBA and that could spell trouble for Aldrdige. I have heard reports that Aldridge has put on considerable muscle, so this pick could change, but I think that Wallace will be physical enough with Aldridge to bother him. Aldridge will still get good production, but don’t expect huge games from him.

Advantage: Toss Up. If Aldridge has been working out, could go his way, if not, I pick Wallace.

Center: Oden vs. Ilgauskas
Zydrunas Ilgauskas is one of the best centers in the NBA. He averages nearly 14 points and 9 rebounds a game and is a big 7’3”. He has proved that he can be a force in the paint and demands attention away from Lebron. If he stays healthy, he can be a key to winning for the Cavs. Oden is big as well, but very inexperienced. I expect Ilgauskas to have his way with Oden. Since most NBA centers are a hybrid forward these days, Oden will rarely see a center like Ilgauskas. Experience wins this one.

Advantage: Ilgasuskas

Key Bench:
Cavaliers: Daniel Gibson, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Anderson Varejao

Not many teams are as deep as Portland. In the past, the Cavs have had no bench, but this year they do have some quality players. I think Bayless would dominate Gibson, but Szczerbiak can hang with Outlaw. I think Portland’s biggest advantage is the Pryzbilla against Varejao matchup. Varejao is a player who hustles just like Pryzbilla, but has no low post game. While Pryzbilla might not have the best offensive arenal, he has enough to capitalize on this matchup.

Advantage: Blazers.

Series Outcome: Tied 1 -1. Last season Portland dropped both games to the Cavealiers. This is a series that I say the addition of Oden, Fernandez and Bayless will win us one game. I still don’t like the matchup because we really have no one for Lebron. (They have no one for Roy though). I think each team can defend it’s home court.

10
Oct

the vs series: the new jersey nets

By Willie 1 Comment
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The New Jersey Nets

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team by team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get it on!

The Nets

Last season’s results: 1-1

Games this season: 2

Team Breakdown

Somebody call Guinness: the New Jersey Nets are about to break the record for the most eggs ever put into one basket. In the last 12 months they’ve gotten rid of the guy who made Garden State basketball relevant again, given fan favorite Richard Jefferson away for a marketing move (Yi Jianlian), and tried to convince the fan base that picks like Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson and Chris Douglas-Roberts can be corners to actual professional basketball teams. Of course, I’m surprised they had time to do anything what with praying to the basketball gods that Jay-Z can convince super-friend LeBron James to be the new face of Brooklyn basketball. How decimated will this franchise be if The King doesn’t come to his new throne?

As for the team that the Nets are going to trot out this season, let’s break it down.

Position by Position

Point guard: Steve Blake vs. Devin Harris

Harris put up the best numbers of his four-year career last season averaging 15 ppg and doling out 6.5 assists per contest. He was the key piece the Nets got back in the Kidd deal and is a cornerstone of the franchise. Definitely not a three point shooter, he uses a long body and just overall quickness to slide past defenders and get to the rack. On defense, that same length gives him a major size advantage over some of the smaller point guards in the league. He’s also a guy Portland allegedly was very close to acquiring last February so that should also speak to the quality of his game.

Advantage: Harris. He’s an above-average to good starting point guard in the league while Blake falls closer to below-average. His defensive abilities give him a major edge on Blake.

Shooting guard: Brandon Roy vs. Vince Carter

Will it be the unstoppable, jump-over-a-seven-footer, three-point-swishing, dunk machine we occasionally get to see? Or will it be the moping, bizarro VC who’s perfectly content to never step foot in the key on offense and jack up 25-footers all night long? I’m thinking the latter. Portland and New Jersey don’t get together until January 15, plenty of time for Carter to realize the Nets are sinking faster than the stock market.

Advantage: Roy if the bad-Carter comes out; push if the good-Carter shows. You know Roy will be playing his hardest every night but you never know what the enigmatic Vince will come to the arena with.

Small forward: Martell Webster vs. Bobby Simmons

Simmons used to be good averaging somewhere around 15 points a game on two decent Clippers and Bucks squad. He was a very solid third or fourth fiddle but could definitely not lead a band by himself. Unfortunately, those two years earned him a fat contract from Milwaukee and he got a bit complacent but also injured and missed all of two seasons ago. He’s one of the biggest eggs in the LeBron basket as his $10 million comes off the books at the end of this coming season. And we all know what happens in contract years. He’ll average somewhere around 14 and 5 boards on a crappy Nets team, someone like Kevin McHale will fall in love and he’ll kick back for four more years with a brand new deal. Still, could be some inspired play from Simmons.

Advantage: If it’s a healthy Martell we’re considering here, maybe it’s a push. Maybe. I’m pretty high on Simmons this year so I’d have to give him the nod. But if it’s him versus Travis Outlaw? Without question the edge goes to Outlaw.

Power forward: LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Yi Jianlian

The second-year Chinaman found out last season that NBA players play slightly harder defense than the countless chairs Yi worked out against leading up to the 2007 Draft. I seriously can’t remember another player getting as hyped as much as he did, with as little actual footage to judge from. Then there was the rumor that he wasn’t as young as his documents said. Ages ranged from 19 to 22 with some people guessing 112. Those people were wrong. Anyway, the Yi for this year will have a better grasp of what playing in the league entails. He’s seen it, struggled through it and maybe learned a little bit from it.

Advantage: Aldridge. Not close at all. Yi’s a hope for the franchise’s marketing people who want to capture all those billions of viewers who tuned in for last season’s Houston vs. Milwaukee game. He’s good at that and a good thing to rally behind other than Yao for Chinese sports enthusiasts but all the support in the world won’t help against a superiorly talented L.A.

Center: Greg Oden vs. Josh Boone/Sean Williams/Brook Lopez

Lots of youth all over the place in this one. As long as Oden’s healthy, his giant-sized stature will crush any of these three weaklings. Boone and Williams are really more power forwards being pushed into center’s duty because their team stinks. Lopez could be ok down the line but there’s no way he’s ready to take on someone so much bigger and stronger so soon. If he’s the starter by Jan. 15’s showdown in the East Rutherford, he’ll foul out by the midway point of the third quarter.

Advantage: Oden.

Key Bench:

Nets: Keyon Dooling, Trenton Hassell, Stomile Swift, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ryan Anderson

The only team the Nets’ bench puts fear into is Cleveland because they know in two years most of those guys and their big contracts will be gone, opening the door for You-Know-Who to bolt Ohio’s second-best city for New York’s best borough.

Advantage: Blazers.

Series outcome: Even though the Nets suck on paper and this is a team who’s eyeing the future like one of those hopeful fortune tellers who hope they can guess what might happen in someone’s life, I’ll call a 1-1 split with each team winning at home. The game at NJ comes in the middle of a mediocre four-game Eastern Conference road swing. It just screams throwaway/letdown game for Portland. Don’t worry. We’ll return the favor March 13 at the Rose Garden when the Nets are in full-on tank mode.

09
Oct

The VS Series: The Charlotte Bobcats

By Jeff 2 Comments
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Charlotte Bobcats

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team by team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get it on!

The Charlotte Bobcats
Last season’s result: 0-2
Games this season: 2

Team Breakdown

You may be surprised to see that the Blazers went 0-2 last season against the Bobcats. But really if you look at their starting five and a few of their bench guys, it’s not that hard to see how they were able to outmatch us. However to be fair, the Blazers were without Brandon Roy in that second game so who knows what may have happened.

On paper the Bobcats seem like a talented team. You have the versatile, athletic shooters in Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace. You have inside muscle with Emeka Okafor, a point guard who can pass and shoot in Raymond Felton and a serviceable big man in Nazr Mohammed. You also have added depth this year with Sean May and Adam Morrison coming back from injuries in addition to three-point threat Matt Carroll, former Boston College stand-out Jared Dudley and rookie DJ Augustin. Tell me you don’t see talent in that roster. But at the same time, why was this squad only able to win 32 games?

Time will tell if the team can get their act together. They seem to have the pieces that are certainly capable of winning and a tough, hard-nosed coach in Larry Brown known for turning franchises around if given enough time. Will they make the playoffs? Unlikely. The East is vastly improved over last season but look for the Bobcats to improve a few games to possibly 36-38 wins this upcoming season.

Position by Position

Point Guard: Blake vs. Felton
These two guys are fundamentally different players. Felton is sort of a wild card and will often go off in tangents and completely ignore dishing the ball around while scoring buckets for himself. However, his performance last year showed everyone that he still is a point guard and is able to dish the ball when he averaged 7.4 assists a game, a new career high. He did the same for points, scoring 14.4 per game. Felton has improved in both categories every year since he entered the league in the 2005-2006 season and I bet he’ll do it again this year.

Felton is a much more aggressive and fearless point guard compared to Steve Blake. He’s not afraid to “be the guy” in any situation whereas Steve Blake has an established role on the Blazers. That ability to do whatever he wants will enable Felton to do more with the ball.

Advantage: Raymond Felton. Like stated above, he’s an aggressive point guard who isn’t afraid to shoot. That alone will play in favor of Felton. He also averaged 21 points and 8.5 assists in the two games against the Blazers last year and I feel he’ll do the same this year. The only thing that could stop him from doing as well this time around is of course Greg Oden.

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Richardson
This is another interesting match-up for Blazer fans to see. Richardson is a more explosive, dynamic scorer with a strong ability to shoot the three ball and the ability to fly over everyone and dunk in your face. He wasn’t the Slam Dunk champion two years in a row for no reason.

The thing to note here is that Roy is a known ball-handler and adds a traditional point-guard style of play to his shooting guard position. Richardson is a more traditional shooting guard, handling the ball on mismatches on occasion but otherwise moving around the court look to get a quick catch and shoot. Both players match-up fairly evenly on the defensive side of the ball so look for both players to play their games as usual.

Advantage: Jason Richardson. He may have been condemned to obscurity when he was traded from Golden State to Charlotte but he is still one of the most potent and dangerous guards in the game. Really, the advantage could go to either player it just depends on your preference. Do you like the more methodical, tactical play of Roy or the electric and explosiveness of Richardson?

Small Forward: Webster vs. Wallace
Gerald Wallace in my opinion is probably one of the most under-looked forwards in the game today. That’s not hard to label him with considering he plays for the Bobcats. Though his style may be what some people consider “reckless,” his gambles to go for steals and big time blocks ignite his team, himself and the Charlotte faithful.

Wallace is another player who again will show Webster that he is not quite there yet. Wallace can cut to the rim even through heavy traffic for some dynamic but tough-looking inside buckets. He’s always energetic and can do a lot of things well. He can block, steal, rebound, pass and mostly importantly score.

Advantage: Gerald Wallace. Like I’ve said before, I love Martell but he still can’t roll with the big boy SFs of the league, and Wallace is one of the big boys. The one thing that Martell does have over Wallace is the ability to shoot the ball, which Wallace does not show case very often for good reason.

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Okafor
Emeka Okafor has a lot to prove this year. He was the 2004 draft 2nd overall pick, rookie of the year and just signed a 6-year $72 million deal after turning down a 5-year deal worth $60 million earlier in the summer. He’s proven to be a solid player averaging a double-double in points and rebounds every year he has been in the league. He has a great defensive presence with a propensity for shot blocking and can bang in the paint with the best of them.

The one knock I have against him is that he has to really prove he’s worth the $12 million a year he’s going to get paid the next six years. Is he really the player that the Bobcats  want to be their centerpiece for all that time? I just don’t buy it. He’s a solid player, but a franchise player? No.

Advantage: LaMarcus Aldridge. In the paint Aldridge may have a tough time scoring on the larger and more physical Okafor, so it’s a good thing Aldridge has a very reliable jump shot. If Aldridge can’t get it done in the paint he’ll stay out on the wings and drain shots anywhere between 12-20 feet.

Center: Oden vs. Mohammed
Nazr Mohammed is about to enter his 10th year in the league but I don’t suspect that’ll stop Oden from potentially schooling the old veteran. Oden is stronger, faster and younger. Mohammed scores his points in the paint and I just don’t see that happening against Oden.

Advantage: Greg Oden. He’ll be able to score inside against Mohammed and also challenge him outside with little 12-15 foot jumpers.

Key Bench:

Bobcats: DJ Augustin, Matt Carroll, Sean May, Adam Morrison, Jared Dudley

Sean May and Adam Morrison will have a lot to prove this year coming off the bench. After a handful of underwhelming and injury-filled seasons, these two guys will have to prove they were worth the Bobcat’s picks in their respective draft years. DJ Augustin is a bit of a question mark. Though he was one of the higher point-guards selected last year, he’ still very young and I’m not sure exactly how he’ll mesh with the second unit of Charlotte. He’s a skilled point-guard with good handles and should be vastly improved in a couple years.

Advantage: Blazers. The talent level of the Bobcats Bench just does not match-up to that of the Blazers. They have decent role players while we have good ones.

Series Outcome: 1-1 with the potential of going 0-2. Despite losing both games last year by double digits, I think the addition of Greg Oden is going to help immensely. The Bobcats will have to help Mohammed and double up on Oden, leaving someone open on the perimeter. The Blazers may lose the first game because it’s the end of a 4 game east coast road trip in January but they’ll win the game at home.

08
Oct

The VS Series: Oklahoma City Thunder

By John 0 Comments
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Oklahoma City Thunder

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team-by-team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get started.

The Oklahoma City Thunder
Last season’s result: 2 - 2
Games this season: 4

Team Breakdown

The team formally known as the Seattle Supersonics is an improved bunch this season. The move to Oklahoma City gives them a home court crowd that cares. That’s not a cut to Seattle, or the Sonic fans, but even the most loyal of fans should admit that there was no home court advantage in Seattle the past 2 seasons (much like in Portland for 4 of the last 5 seasons. Well, times are changing.

Kevin Durant is only in his second season, but he should have a big impact this season for the Thunder. Side note, “The Thunder” is the worst name of any NBA team, past or present. I am interested in seeing Jeff Green emerge this season. He was a surprise to me to go as high as he did in the draft, but he is a good young talent. This years draft pick, Russell Westbrook, will get plenty of plating time this season. The Thunder will get a lot of losses this season, but they will also get a few surprise wins against better teams. Durant can single handedly win a game or two this season, and I expect him to do just that.

The Thunder is an interesting team. They could be the worst team in the NBA, but they could be decent. I for one, think they will be decent. They have no shot at the playoffs, but with the huge excitement in Oklahoma City, the fans will use their will power to win a few games. Seriously, it’s possible. I even think the Thunder could finish as high as fourth in the division. Okay, so there are only five teams in the division, but still ESPN is picking the Thunder as last in their power rankings, and I am just not prepared to say that they will be that bad. Durant is good, and a team with one capable, could-be All-Star, will win some games. Add a few players around him, and they will be decent. I’d place the Thunder at about 25th in the power ranks.

The biggest flaw in the Thunder is the lack of a big man; it’s never good when your center (6’9”) is shorter then your power forward (6’10”). That has to be the shortest frontcourt in the NBA.

Position by Position

Point Guard: Blake vs. Watson
I am really conflicted over Earl Watson. Half of me want to say that he is a capable NBA point guard. He has averaged 10.7 points and 6.8 assists a game. Those are really great numbers. The other half of me is worried that Watson is only putting up these numbers because he has always played on bad teams (Seattle, Memphis, Denver for 46 games and back in Seattle). The Thunder obviously doesn’t believe in Watson, which is why they got Westbrook in the draft. I expect Westbrook to get significant playing time this season, because he is the point guard of the future for the Thunder, and they will write this season off almost immediately, that means they will dedicate the season to developing their players. Steve Blake has a lot to prove this season, as he is seen by some as a temporary fix at the point for the Blazers.

Advantage: Push. I would like to say that Blake has an advantage, but I am conflicted. Watson is a capable player and Blake will be coming off an injury.

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Mayo
The battle of the R.O.Y.’s. This is going to be a classic matchup for years to come. The could-have-been teammates will be a must watch for any true basketball fan. Durant is a scorer. He is a HUGE shooting guard at 6’9” but the only other real option is Jeff Green, and he will line up at small forward. I really like Durant in 2-3 years, but he still needs to polish his game and learn to take better shots. Roy has the experience and leadership on Durant. I don’t see Roy stopping Durant from scoring 30 points a game, but Roy will help his team win games while Durant just scores points. Durant will continue to develop into a leader, but for now, he is a better scorer then Roy, but not half the leader. Now, I say he is a better scorer, because he shoots a ton, maybe that doesn’t make him better, but my point is that Durant will get his points.

Advantage: Roy. Durant might be the next MJ, but he’s not him yet. The good news for the Blazers is that Roy is already looking like Drexler. There, I said it.

Small Forward: Webster vs. Green
This is another great matchup. I am really starting to jump on the Webster bandwagon, but I have to believe that Green will improve on an impressive rookie year. He averaged over 10 points a game did Green, which while not stellar, would make any GM happy out of their consolation pick in a draft. Because of the huge miss-match that Durant provides in size, Green will have quite a few open looks. At 6’9” he is a big small forward and Webster is only a decent defender. This matchup just confuses me. I so want to say that Webster is better, and he might be, he really might. But then again, that is only if Webster improves this year like everyone hopes. With Green, the consistency is more intact. He will see an increase in his 28 minutes per game.

Advantage: Green. Okay, so now Blazer fans all around the world give a collective “WHAT!” If Webster can improve, he would get an edge, but I can only go off his past performance and summer performance. Green has to be given the advantage. I am a huge Webster fan, but I am trying to be as unbiased as possible.

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Wilcox
I want to say this is a laugh of a matchup, and it sort of is, but it sort of isn’t. Aldridge is clearly the better player, but Wilcox is the better of the two Thunder big men. With that said, Aldridge is clearly better.

Advantage: Aldridge.

Center: Oden vs. Collison
For being only 6’9”, Colison is a great rebounder, but Oden is just too big. I really don’t care if Oden just hobbles around the court, because his size alone is better than Collison at the center position. Przybilla is a far superior center than Collison as well.

Advantage: Oden/Przybilla

Key Bench:
Thunder: Russell Westbrook, Desmond Mason, Joe Smith, Johan Petro

Joe Smith is a capable, although quickly aging, NBA player. I expect him to mentor the youth of the Thunder, but not really contribute to wins. Westbrook will emerge as the Thunder point of the future, but in all honesty, the Blazers bench is just so much better. Bayless, Fernandez and Frye, ‘nuff said.

Advantage: Blazers.

Series Outcome: The Blazers got better this summer by adding Oden, Bayless and Fernandez. The Thunder got better by getting a real home court, Westbrook and the continued growth of Durant and Green. I would love to say the Blazers sweep, but they won’t. I think the Thunder have no chance in the Rose Garden, but will make their Oklahoma City fans happy, at least once. My prediction, Portland 3 – 1.

07
Oct

The VS Series: The Miami Heat

By Jeff 0 Comments
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Miami Heat

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team by team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get it on!

The Miami Heat

Last season’s result: 2-0
Games this season: 2

Team Breakdown

The Miami Heat is a hard team to really forecast correctly. They posted the league’s worst record last season winning only 15 games and losing 67. They keep their core players with Wade, Haslem and Marion but have added a lot of new components which could prove vital. However, those additions may cause headaches for the team as the season wears on and players’ roles are grey. Several players at the point guard, power forward and center positions will constantly be battling for that starting job. I don’t see a regular starting five unit for the team until at least a quarter through the season after they’ve been able to experiment a little.

Draft picks Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers will probably be thrust into the thick of things despite being only rookies. They were picked for a reason and that is for youth and depth, which the Heat lacked. The off-season pick up of former Blazer James Jones was a huge addition for the heat. They sorely missed reliable perimeter shooting when they lost both Jason Kapono and James Posey to free agency and everyone in Portland knows how good James Jones can be.

Overall, this squad is a major improvement over last season’s. Beasley will make an impact immediately as will James Jones. Whether or not this team is a playoff team in the now much-tougher East however remains to be seen.

Position by Position

Point Guard: Blake vs. Quinn (I realize the Heat has not established a starting point guard yet but Chris Quinn is who I would imagine to be their starter considering his consistency last year)
Chris Quinn would probably be a second unit point guard elsewhere in the league but he plays for the Heat. Quinn proved last year that he is a consistent player averaging almost 8 points and 3 assists a game last season for the team. He’s a decent shooter from the field, has the ability to knock down the three and shoots very well from the charity line.

Advantage: Steve Blake. Blake has the experience and is able to dish the ball better and more often than Quinn can. Quinn is just going into his third year and has still yet to really establish himself in the league.

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Wade
Here’s another match up that Blazer fans will be itching to see this season. Expect to see scoring fests from these two guys like we saw last season. Roy averaged 24.5 points and Wade 29 points in their two games last season. The one thing to watch out for is that Wade is a much more explosive player than Brandon is. He can come off a screen and nail a tough jumper in your face or simply elevate above your face at the rim while you’re still figuring out what he just did. Wade’s size also affords him an advantage, allowing him to bang his way to the basket or to the line.

Advantage: Dwayne Wade. Both players actually play pretty similarly. But Wade is a bonafide superstar while Brandon is still one in the making.

Small Forward: Webster vs. Marion
The Matrix is someone who may be able to run circles around Webster. He’s quick, explosive and is able to things out on the perimeter and inside the paint. He is known for his versatility and can do a lot of things for a team. He’s an all-around, solid small forward that will probably make the Blazers’ slight deficiency at the three more evident. Though Marion’s numbers may have dropped slightly in his transition to the Heat, look for him to hit his career averages again this season considering this is a contract year. Look for him to especially do this against Martell Webster.

Advantage: Shawn Marion. I’m a big Martell fan and he may prove me wrong but Marion is an established scorer and he will indeed score.

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Haslem (I’m under the assumption that the Heat will go with experience for their starting PF with Beasley still seeing ample time off the bench and potentially take the starting job as the season goes on).
Udonis Haslem is well known for his defense and being tough while grabbing boards. However, he can still score points on you and that makes him all the more worrisome for the Blazers. Even though he’s the 3rd or possibly even 4th scoring option, he can still kill you if you give him open looks. Another thing to worry about is him grabbing offensive boards and giving the Heat fresh 24 shot clocks.

Advantage: LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge has supposedly put on some more muscle during the off-season and has added even more range to his already lengthy jumper. Look for Aldridge to use height to his advantage with face up jumpers and backing Haslem down in the paint and scoring with turn-arounds.

Center: Oden vs. Blount
Despite what you may think, Mark Blount is actually a decent center, averaging roughly 8 points and 3 boards in 22 minutes of play. So at least in the production to minutes ratio category, he’s not half bad but most definitely not good, especially his boards. Unlike Oden, Blunt does not pose a real threat in the paint. The Blazers aren’t going to be worrying about Blount too much on either side of the court with Greg Oden in the fray.

Advantage: Greg Oden. GO is a giant of a man and according to reports, at 275-280, will outweigh Blount by about 30 or so pounds. Oden isn’t going to treat Blount like a rag doll, but maybe like one of those over-sized teddy bears you see at fairs sometimes.

Key Bench:Blazers: Bayless, Fernandez, Outlaw, Frye, Pryzbilla
Heat: Mario Chalmers, Marcus Banks, Daequan Cook, Dorell Wright, Michael Beasley, JAMAAL MAGLOIRE

The Heat is actually packing (get it?) when it comes to their second unit. They have proven scorers in Banks, Cook and Wright and fresh energy from Mario Chalmers and Beasley. Beasley is the obvious player to watch here. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs against the Blazers second unit. They of course also have Jamaal Magloire. Greg Oden beware, Big Cat’s on the prowl.

Advantage: Blazers. This was actually a really tough call. As enamored as I am with our second unit, the Heat’s is nothing to scoff about.

Series Outcome: The Blazers went 2-0 last season against the Heat and unfortunately I’m going to have to give them a split this season. The rationale is that when the two teams first meet up, the Blazers will have already played the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Jazz, Houston and Orlando in the first 7 games. That first game is also in Miami, game two of the Blazers’ five game road trip.

06
Oct

The VS Series: Memphis Grizzlies

By John 0 Comments
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Memphis Grizzlies
Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team-by-team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get started.

The Memphis Grizzlies
Last season’s result: 3 - 0
Games this season: 4

Team Breakdown
The Grizzlies are a team that did their best to lose last season. They traded away Pao Gasol in what some what regard as one of the most one-sided trades in history. They have a very young core with Mike Conley, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo being the most notable names. At center, they will start Darko Milicic, so basically, you know the Grizzlies are in another rebuilding year. OJ Mayo should be an explosive scorer and Conley is a capable point, but this season looks bleak for the Grizzlies.

Last season, 2 of the 3 meetings between the Grizzlies and Blazers came in the first few weeks of the season. This year, they play 3 of their 4 games in the last few weeks of the season. That is very good news for Portland. Oden should be hitting his stride near the All-Star break, and with 3 matchups coming after the break; Oden will have a serious impact against the Grizzlies.

Position by Position
Point Guard: Blake vs. Conley

I am a big Mike Conley fan. In his rookie season he averaged 9.4 points and 4.2 assists. Those are very solid numbers. Blake should be 100% back and at full strength by the time the Blazers and Grizzlies play. Blake averaged a little less points (8.5) then Conley, but has the advantage in assists ( 5.1). The main edge here comes that Blake has experience. Conley only played in 53 games last season, so he is yet to play in a full season, Blake, played in 81 games last year. Blake is said to be in the best shape of his life, and I am sure Conley has progressed this summer too. The story line here is that Conley and Oden are best friends and have been teammates forever. This is their first matchup in the NBA. I expect that to give Conley some motivation. He is a good scorer and now has other scorers (Mayo) who he can distribute the ball too.

Advantage: Push. Now, I know that all the Blazers fans are going to say that Blake is better then Conley, and the Grizzlies fans would edge Conley over Blake. The truth here is that both are about the same. Their numbers are the same and their impact in the game will be the same. On any night, either guy can go for 20 points, but they can also be held to 4 -6 points. Blake has the edge in experience, but I give Conley the edge in talent. What’s that result in? A push.

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Mayo

Let me start by saying that Jaric is still a possible starter over Mayo when the Grizzlies open their season. But, like I pointed out earlier, these teams don’t play until late in the season. That means that the Grizzlies will have a sub-500 record and be desperate to put Mayo into a starting role (if he doesn’t start the season there already). I have big question marks with Mayo. He was good in college, but he wasn’t Beasley or Durant good. He was supposed to be that good when he told USC he was going there. Remember, USC didn’t recruit him; he just called them and told them he was coming. Right… Mayo will have flashes of brilliance, and is my distant third pick for the Rookie of the Year title. The problem for Mayo is that Roy was a Rookie of the Year and is an All Star. If this were the opening night matchup, Roy would own Mayo. Since Mayo will have a few months to adjust to the NBA game, Roy just has what I will call a significant advantage.

Advantage: Roy. I don’t care how good Mayo might be in his career, Roy is much better now.

Small Forward: Webster vs. Gay

Rudy Gay is a baller. He has some serious abilities on the court. I would trade Webster in a heartbeat for Gay, and that is something many Blazers fans take objection too. I honestly think Gay could be a great fit as a Blazer and might be that perfect young SF to push the Blazers over the hump. With that said, he is a much more complete player then Webster. Numbers aren’t everything, but they are something, and Gay’s numbers are fantastically better then Webster’s. Gay averages 20.1PPG, 6.2RPG and 2APG to Webster’s 10.7PPG, 3.9RPG and 1.2APG. Webster has an edge as a 38% 3pt shooter, but Gay shoots 46% from the field while Webster shoots just 42%. In other words, this is the Grizzlies miss-match.

Advantage: Gay. I know some Blazers fans love Webster, but let’s be honest, Gay is a much better and much more complete player.

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Warrick

Aldridge could very possibly be an All Star this year. Oden will be getting double-teamed and teams will focus on Roy. That will leave Aldridge with plenty of high quality looks. His problem is that he is soft. Now, he has bulked in the off-season, and could shed that soft label. Lucky for Aldridge, he is HUGE compared to the 6’9” and 219lb Warrick. Okay, not HUGE, but he does have a size advantage. Warrick is one of the few players that Aldridge should be able to rebound with ease against.

Advantage: Aldridge.

Center: Oden vs. Milicic

Oh Darko Milicic. It’s rare that a team can blunder so badly on a #2 pick as the Pistons did and still be a dominant force in the NBA. Their secret was that they just didn’t play Milicic. Maybe more NBA teams should follow that strategy. He is big, standing 7-foot and 275lbs. If these teams played opening night, I would consider giving the advantage or at least a push to Milicic. But, they don’t. These teams play 3 games after the All Star break, and Oden will be healthy and much more comfortable with the NBA game at that point. What does that mean for the always-underachieving Milicic? Not good things. Oden might be slow, but so is Milicic. Oden’s offense might be unpolished, but so is Milicics. At least Oden is agile enough to go after blocks and play some defense.

Advantage: Oden.

Key Bench:

Grizzlies: Kyle Lowry, Marko Jaric, Marc Gasol, Antoine Walker

One way to know how bad of a season it is for the Grizzlies is to monitor Walker’s playing time. He is a classic story of NBA Riches to Rags. He was the king of bean-town, and now he is the king of the bench, floating around the NBA. The more he plays, the worse the Grizzles season is going, trust me, just watch that correlation. Kyle Lowry is a solid backup point guard. He can score and distribute the ball better then most NBA backups. I would give him a person edge against Bayless or Rodriguez. Marc Gasol looked good in the Olympics, but he is not ready to compete with a NBA backup to the caliber of Przybilla. Hamed Haddadi, the 7’2” Iranian might see some playing time, but he wouldn’t be much challenge either. If Jaric does get pushed to the bench, then he is a solid player coming off the bench, and he and Lowry would make a great 2nd unit back court, even better then a Fernandez – Bayless backcourt. My rationale is simple: experience. But the Blazers bench has so much more size then the Grizzlies. Who will guard Frye? Please don’t tell me it’s Antoine Walker.

Advantage: Blazers.

Series Outcome: I would love to say that the Blazers will sweep the Grizzlies, but… Okay, I’m ganna say it, the Blazers will once again sweep the Grizzlies. The backcourts might be semi-even, and Rudy Gay has a miss-match, but Aldridge, Frye, Przybilla and Oden will just go nuts against the Grizzlies. When your best big man is Darko Milicic, you know your in trouble and in case you start thinking, oh Dark isn’t that bad, just remind yourself, he is that bad.

05
Oct

The VS Series: The Washington Wizards

By Jeff 0 Comments
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Washington Wizards

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team by team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get started.

The Washington Wizards

Last season’s result: 1-1
Games this season: 2

Team Breakdown

The Wizards play a slightly more up-tempo game compared to the Blazers with dynamic scorers in Agent Zero, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison and even Antonio Daniels from time to time. The Wizards are not known for their defensive presence and that is where the Blazers can capitalize. With several potentially prolific scorers on the roster this year (Roy, Aldridge, Oden, Bayless, Fernandez) look for the Blazers to break down the Washington defense with their youth and athleticism.

However at the same time, the offensive firepower of the Wizards is similar to the spray of an AK-47, wild, sometimes dangerous, but mostly effective. I’m not saying the Wizards are the Suns of the east, but they rely more on their offensive prowess than anything else and that may prove problematic to the Blazers.

Position by Position

Point Guard: Blake vs. Daniels
Hey funny how this works. Blake used to play for the Wizards and Antonio Daniels used to play for us! LOL. Anyways though, this match-up is actually pretty even with both Blake and Daniels putting up similar numbers last season. Both players basically played 30 minutes a game and averaged roughly 5 assists and 8.5 points per those minutes. The one noticeable difference between the two stats-wise is Daniels’ slightly higher FG%, 45% compared to Blake’s 40%.

Stats aside, the main difference between the two players are their styles of play. Daniels is much more physical and athletic point guard than Blake. Who can forget this dunk? He finishes strong around the basket instead of kicking it out ala Blake. However, using his speed Blake should be able to keep Daniels in check. If not, Daniels will have to meet up with either/both Oden and/or Aldridge and I doubt he wants to hit that brick wall. In the end, don’t look for either player to really outplay the other. You’ll see both players do what they do on a regular game-to-game basis.

Advantage: Steve Blake. I’m a big Blake fan and he is much more of a floor general to me than Daniels is. His methodical and well-paced game is what edges him out to give him the advantage.

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Arenas
The two-guard match-up will probably be the most entertaining to watch considering there are two All-Stars facing off in Roy and Arenas….if it happens. Since Arenas’ injury suffered another comeback, we may never see these two square off. Still, the last time these two met up was during Roy’s rookie season in the 05-06 campaign. However, things are different. Roy has a couple seasons on his belt and has been given the tall order of defending many of the league’s premier scorers on several occasions since that point. Is Roy going to shut down Agent Zero? Not likely. But look for Roy to perhaps stifle or put a kink into Arenas’ game. At the same time though, Arenas will score at least 20, if not 25.

Considering Arenas’ notorious inability to play defense, Brandon Roy has a chance to match or nearly match Arenas’ box score at the end of the game. Brandon can score when he wants to and this may be a match-up that the Blazers look to utilize for many possessions of their two game match-up this season.

Advantage: Hard to say at this point. Both players will score a bucket of points (get it, a bucket of points?) for their respective teams. Who the advantage will be given to will rely on which player does more of the “intangibles,” you know, those hustle points that are given to less-than stellar players to make them feel good. However, it’s too close to call but whoever does more for their team outside of just their stats sheet will get the advantage.

Shooting Guard Match-Up #2: Roy vs. Stevenson
DeShawn Stevenson is a back-up for a reason. He’s a perfectly good player to see come off the bench but that’s exactly what he is, a bench player. With another setback to Arenas’ comeback tour, Stevenson again will be asked to fill in. If his performances last year against the Blazers are any indication, don’t look for him to do much, in terms of scoring at least.

Advantage: Brandon Roy.

Small Forward: Webster vs. Butler
This one could be ugly. We’ve seen Webster get absolutely get eaten up by the more prominent 3’s in the league in seasons past and I fear that this match up will be no different. Defensively, Webster is adequate but is not exceedingly good and Caron Butler will make that evident to everyone. Butler is stronger, faster and has the ability to drive to the basket, something Webster has been working on but has not yet developed.

The best way Webster can counter-act the onslaught of Butler’s offense is with some of his own. Webster will constantly need to move without the ball, which we all know may be a problem as he likes to set up shop a little too often. However, if Webster can give himself some space between him and Butler by moving and cutting without the ball, Martell will be able to hit a few shots.

Advantage: Caron Butler. As much as I love Webster, he’s no Caron Butler.

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Jamison
This could potentially end up being a more interesting match-up than Roy vs. Arenas. Jamison is an under-sized PF but makes up for it with guard-like capabilities. He can kill you mostly outside the paint with his long-range shooting and quickness. Aldridge on the other hand is a more traditional power forward with good, strong post moves and the ability to make 15-18 foot jumpers.

The two only met up once last season, with Antawn scoring 30 on the Blazers and Aldridge with 17. I really expect nothing different to happen this season, other than Aldridge perhaps scoring a bit more and Antawn perhaps a bit less. But expect both players to put up their averages or near averages against each other. The thing to watch here is how Aldridge handles defending Antawn out on the perimeter where Jamison likes to lurk. Aldridge is quick and lanky but that does not necessarily mean he feels comfortable defending someone like Antawn Jamison 20 feet away from the basket.

Advantage: Antawn Jamison. It’s a close one but the guy is just too dynamic and athletic not to give it to him.

Center: Oden vs. Haywood
Umm…it’s Greg Oden versus Brendan Haywood. I have nothing against Haywood I’m just saying Greg Oden versus Brendan Haywood? C’mon. Sure, Haywood may have a few seasons on Oden but that doesn’t really mean much when you’ve only averaged 7.5 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 7 years. The points don’t matter that much to me, but only 6 rebounds a game? You’re 7 feet tall and 260 pounds, it can’t be that hard to grab a basketball ball. It’s like catching a baseball to these guys.

Advantage: Greg Oden. He’s faster, stronger, more athletic and will get a double-double in each of their match-ups this season. You heard it here first.

Key Bench:Blazers: Bayless, Fernandez, Outlaw, Frye, Pryzbilla
Wizards: Nick Young, DeShawn Stevenson, Darius Songalia

So it’s pretty easy to determine who has the stronger bench unit between the two. DeShawn Stevenson had a decent season last year in the absence of Arenas’ injury but don’t look for him to really do the same this time around.

Nick Young has potential but is still too young. Don’t look for that potential to hit this season.

Darius Songalia is Darius Songalia. He’s a mostly-hilarious white center who has shown that he’s got some fight in him.

Advantage: Blazers. Come on. Just look at our bench…now look at theirs.

Series Outcome: The Blazers are notorious for their woes on the road and the Rose Garden is one of the best defended home courts in the league. Look for another 1-1 split this season despite the loss of Arenas for the Wizards. The two games are played in December and January so it’s hard to tell if Arenas will be able to play in the 2nd of the two games. Regardless, the Blazers still split.

04
Oct

VS Series: Blazers v Bulls

By John 0 Comments
Categories: VS Series

The VS Series: The Chicago Bulls

Welcome everyone to the PTB VS Series. The VS Series will be a team by team breakdown of how the Blazers match up against the rest of the league. We’ll be posting a new entry in the series every day until the season opener against LA. 29 days. 29 teams. Let’s get started.

 

The Chicago Bulls

Last season’s result: 2 - 0

Games this season: 2

 

Team Breakdown

The Chicago Bulls should be a lock for the playoffs in the East, but their not. They brought in the #1 pick this year with Derrick Rose, adding a skilled PG to a team that struggled in 2007-08. Kirk Hinrich will probably lose his starting job to Rose, but maybe not on day one. Luol Deng is a skilled SF and should put up big numbers this year. The Bulls are weak down low. Noah has proven that he is not a power center and it is clear that the Bulls got the short end of the Tyrus Thomas for LaMarcus Aldridge trade.

 

The Bulls can score. Deng and Larry Hughes can both put up big numbers. Hinrich is a proven distributer, but he played very poorly for most of last year. Ben Gordon finally for the Bulls. He has claimed he will never play a game with the Bulls again, but he is going back for another season.

 

Last season two players were the key for the Bulls against the Blazers: Ben Wallace and Joe Smith. The good news for Portland, both of those players are no longer on the Bulls. I smell trouble for Chicago.

 

Most are writing the Bulls off. The Bulls have the talent to beat most NBA teams. They have a young team (Rose, Thomas, Noah), but proven players too (Deng, Hughes). I think they will miss the playoffs, but they have the talent, and if new coach Vinny Del Negro can get the Bulls to play as a team, they could win some games.

 

Position by Position

Point Guard: Blake vs. Rose

 

Kirk Hinrich may or may not start on opening night, but Rose will be the starter at some point in the season. The Bulls are going to lose too many games, and they will have to give their #1 pick a shot. He may start on day 1, I just don’t know. What I do know, is that he will see a lot of minutes. The Steve Blake v Rose matchup is a good one, but the Bayless v Rose matchup is even better. They are both skilled players and I feel Bayless will want to prove himself against Rose.

 

Advantage: Steve Blake. He is a quality starting NBA point guard. Rose will be too, but not yet.

 

Shooting Guard: Roy vs. Hughes

 

Oh Larry Hughes. He is the type of player that is good enough to be a star but doesn’t have the “it” factor. He could be putting up 25 points a game and had a real opportunity while he was in Cleveland to emerge as a great guard. He didn’t. If you look at his career numbers, he is a good player. However, his prime has past and he is sliding out of the NBA starters club. I could see him being replaced and the Bulls going to a Rose - Hinrich backcourt. They are going to struggle this year and might get creative. The flip side is that Hughes can still score and can still put up numbers. He has evolved more of a 3-point shot and could go for 20 points on any given night. He is a suspect defender though and Roy should dominate on the offensive end.

 

Advantage: Roy.

 

Small Forward: Webster vs. Deng

 

If the Bulls have a bright spot (besides Rose) it is Deng. He is a great NBA talent. He is young (23) but had already proven himself. He averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds last season. He is the top scoring option for the Bulls (although Hughes may disagree). He will dominate Webster all day, however, Outlaw matches up with Deng nicely. They are both big for the small forward position and both athletic. Outlaw will be able to run with Deng and is long enough to pose a problem for Deng. I see Webster not playing in the 4th if the game is close (although that is nothing new). The Bulls will build their franchise around Rose and Deng, and Deng will have the ball in his hands a lot. He shoots well (48%) and showed he can shoot from three (36% in 07-08).

 

Advantage: Webster has nothing on Deng. Deng gets the nod by a about a half mile.

 

Power Forward: Aldridge vs. Thomas

 

This will be a highly watched matchup since both players were traded for each other. Thomas averaged 6.8 ppg last season and was the only low post scoring option for the Bulls. That’s not good. He is not a great defender or rebounder either. He does have potential and should improve this season, however he is no where near Aldridge. Oden will demand Thomas and Noah to be on their best, and they won’t be. Aldridge will be able to take advantage of his size advantage and punish Thomas. I see Aldridge putting up 20+ points.

 

Advantage: Aldridge all day. He is far and away the better player.

 

Center: Oden vs. Noah

 

Joakim Noah is terrible. Everyone knew he would be a terrible NBA player, but no one wanted to admit it. Noah is annoying and coming off a season where he averaged under 7 points a game! He is young (23) but his upside is a lot lower then most young prospects. He hustles and he can run the court, but has little skill on the offensive end. Oden is unproven, but I would take a one armed Oden, or even a one armed Joel Przybilla over Noah. I actually think LaFrentz is better then Noah. He’s that bad!

 

Look for this matchup to show Oden’s offensive abilities. Noah will foul too much because he can’t match Oden’s size. Plus, Noah is just a spaz. I see Oden having a great game against the Bulls.

 

Advantage: Greg Oden. He might be a step slower, but his skill set is already so much better then Noah’s. Oden will dominate Noah on defense, and will be able to get in some points. We play Chicago early in the season and in the Rose Garden. I think this could be a game where Oden emerges and shows how he can dominate over a lesser center.

 

Key Bench:

Blazers: Bayless, Fernandez, Outlaw, Frye, Pryzbilla

Wizards: Kirk Hinrich, Demetris Nichols, and Ben Gordon

 

I am putting Rose at the starting PG, that means Hinrich is off the bench. This is an advantage for the Bulls, because Hinrich can lead a 2nd unit more so then Bayless can lead a Blazers 2nd unit. The unfortunate part for the Bulls is that no one on the Bulls off the bench can match Outlaw or Frye, let alone Pryzbilla off the bench. Nocioni is a good bench player, and would be a regular in the rotation for most NBA teams, but Outlaw is better. Nocioni can score, but he is not a floor leader. He lacks consistency, which means he can put up big numbers on poor defenders or suffer against an equally matched opponent.

 

Advantage: Blazers, but this advantage is not as big as it is for most bench matchups.

 

Series Outcome: Blazers 2 - 0. The Bulls are dangerous. They will come into the Rose Garden in November. This is a game Portland should win.  But, November is going to be a hard month, our first 15 games are ridiculous and that could mean Oden is seeing limited minutes. Frye and Roy will both be recovering from surgery still too. I think Portland wins this game, but it is not a lock. I see Chicago improving as Rose emerges, but Oden, Frye and Roy should be at 100% for the rematch in Chicago, so the Blazers steal that win on the road.

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