| Why are the Trail Blazers Losing? Authored by Billy Ray - December 22, 2005 - 8:26 pm
Inexperience doesn't lose games, missing outside shots to space the floor does.
Inexperience doesn't lose games, missing free throws does.
Inexperience doesn't lose games, not rebounding does.
Yes, the Portland Trail Blazers are the second youngest team in the NBA. The Blazers were not expected to do much better than they currently are. But that doesn't make the experience that is known as the 2005-06 season that much less mind boggling.
See, these Trail Blazers aren't the Atlanta Hawks of years past, or the Clippers of yore. This Blazer team has a winning coach, some good players, defined roles, and people buying into the system.
But when a team can't make outside shots, make a free throw, or gives up offensive rebounds at an alarming rate, that teams record will look just like the Hawks of years past and Clippers of yore. Simply put: these Blazers should be better.
The Blazers have a nice mix of players. From Zach Randolph who is finally starting to get his old game back, to Darius Miles who was a completely different player before a knee injury forced him out, to Juan Dixon who is showing that he can be relied upon to put points on the board from the guard position on more nights.
Yet, it's the woeful inconsistency that plagues this team and is preventing wins from actually going under the “W” column.
The Blazers shoot a woeful .306 from three and .667 from the free throw line, good for second to last and dead last in the league respectably. The Blazers chime in at third worst in the league in total rebounds per game at 38.7, just .5 above the woeful Toronto Raptors. On the other side of the ball the Trail Blazers are worst in the NBA at giving up offensive rebounds, giving up a whopping 14.0 offensive rebounds per game.
What do those numbers spell? Try 7-18.
What might be the most frustrating aspect of these numbers and the Trail Blazers win-loss record is the fact that the Blazers really haven't been that bad. Despite the 9.0 point differential (also good for dead last by the way), the Blazers have stuck in games where last years more “veteran laden” club would have been blown out.
But that proves to be small solace in a season that is quickly slipping away. After a strong 3-3 start the Blazers have slipped to 4-15.
What is obvious is that the Trail Blazers are still a long ways away from competing. What is less obvious is whether the Trail Blazers will decide to stay the course, or divert to start winning sooner.
One thing is for sure, it won't matter who the Blazers bring in, trade out, cut, or bench. Unless the Blazers start making outside shots and free throws, and start rebounding, the team is destined to win games at a 4-15 clip. |
