So far the Blazers took down a team who was supposedly mighty and stacked with talent, and took a loss to a team that went to the finals last year. Our 1-1 record will be put on the line again tonight at Houston. For Houston, James Harden has been scoring at will, and Lin has been rather efficient at the point. Houston will be a tough out, and we will need good defensive performances from Matthews and Batum tonight.
So far what I have seen from our team:
Starters:
LaMarcus Aldridge: Is the player we need him to be, though he struggled shooting the ball, going only 8 for 22 last night. I am not terribly worried about this, as it has only been 2 games. His shot should come soon. He also upped his RPG last night to 9 per game. So far? 8/10
Damian Lillard: Has looked the part of a starting PG. He can score the ball and dish for assists. His decision making has been tested a few times, but he has all the attributes to be a future All-Star in the league if he continues to improve. So far? 8/10
Wesley Matthews: Shot the ball very well until the last half of the OKC game. We are at our best when he is making shots, and not forcing them because he is not making any. His defense was good against Durant as well. So far? 7/10
Nicolas Batum: His first half against the Lakers looked really promising, and he finished the game with 26 points and a handful of rebounds. Against OKC, he shot 1 for 11, and was not a factor on the glass. He forced fade away threes, when in reality he should have waited for a set shot. His defense has looked good, but not as good at Matthews. So far? 6/10
JJ Hickson: The offense looks a lot better with JJ in the game. He has had double doubles in both games, and has shown athleticism to beat other posts. His made range game has looked decent as well. When he has crashed the boards, with LA too, the team has looked its best. So far? 7/10
Bench:
Sasha Pavlovic: Is he really getting the most minutes off of our bench? Uh oh... except for a 2 minute span against LA where he hit a few shots, Pavlovic has been a liability on both ends of the court. He looks lost on offense, and the offense has come to a halt a few times when he has had the ball. It has only been two games, but I am ready for the Pavlovic experiment to end. So far? 2/10
Meyers Leonard: Looks like a rookie big man. He has had moments where he has looked great, but the physicality of the game is something he is still adjusting to. Offensively, I would like to see him pop out to 15 feet more for a jump shot, as many posts who defend hm will give that shot up. Growing pains are evident, but the promise is there. So far? 5/10
Nolan Smith: Have to admit I'm glad we declined the option here. He has looked uncomfortable playing the point, and really is just an undersized 2. That said, utilized on the wing he would be more effective than Pavlovic has been. When Price comes back I want Stotts to experiment with that backcourt some. So far? 3/10
Jared Jeffries: Looks like a good 5th big man. He does the dirty work well, and is not afraid to mix it up a little bit. He knows his role, and has looked good in his 2 appearances. So far? 6/10
Joel Freeland: For some reason, he did not play against LA. In his few minutes against OKC he had a few rebounds, but was not a factor on the offensive end. Freeland would be a great partner for a pick and pop, a play we have not seen with him yet. So far? 4/10
Luke Babbitt: I love Luke and I hate Luke at the same time. His ability to come in and make 3's is very useful, though he has not looked great on the defensive end. We should use him as a left-handed version of Steve Novak, who has been an important part of the offense in NY. He should play more minutes as a stretch 4. So far? 5/10
Will Barton: Has only played 1 minute. I still think he has the best chance to be our scorer off of the bench this year, but the opportunity has not come because of Pavlovic playing ahead of him on the depth chart. I like Barton as a player, but he has not been showcased enough yet. So far? Inc.
Victor Claver: How has Claver not played yet? He looks like a matchup nightmare against bench units, as he is athletic and can shoot the ball. Unless he has an injury that we have not heard about, Claver should be getting role player minutes at the wing or stretch 4. I think Claver, like Barton, could be bright spots on a very weak bench unit. So far? Inc.
Game @5 tonight, GO BLAZERS!!!!!
