Site Admin
Joined: Apr 18, 2005
Posts: 105
  
Status: Offline
|
|
The Portland Trail Blazers are the youngest team in the league and will soon be NBA champions.
They have only one player over the age of 30 (Raef Lafrentz). Though he will probably be gone next season, he isn't even a key component to there team.
Lead by last year’s rookie of the year and 2008 All-Star Brandon Roy, along with most improved player candidate LaMarcus Aldridge, they are the most promising team in the league.
I mean, how can't they be? Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Jarret Jack, Channing Frye, Martell Webster, Josh McRoberts, Sergio Rodriguez, and Travis Outlaw are all 26 or younger!
Brandon Roy is obviously the leader and offensive catalyst for this team, averaging almost 20 points and six assists per game (both career highs) while averaging under two turnovers a game. He's not bad on defense, either, making just over one steal a game. He has also showed maturity and and leadership over this young team, and for a player to do so and such a young age is quite an asset. He has yet to show the ability to grind it out in the clutch and pull out tough wins, but I'm sure he will gain that skill and mental toughness as he gets older. If he continues to grow as a leader and as a player, he will be the star, and hopefully lead his team to a championship.
LaMarcus Aldridge is a beast on offense and defense, giving the Blazers a career high 18 points and almost 8 boards a game. On the defensive end, he is a big body who swats down 1.23 blocks a game. Not to mention 0.75 steals a game. Not to bad for a center.
Now we move to athletic sixth man Travis Outlaw. He delivers career highs in points with 13.3 per game and 4.4 boards per game. Not great, but definitely not a bad third option, considering he has been improving every year. I would expect that improvement to continue because he is only 24!
Time for offensive option number four, Martell Webster. Martell had a good season this year, starting a career high 70 times. Along with scoring a career high 10.7 points per game, Webster also pitches in almost 4 boards per game.
The Blazers also have a decent point guard combination in Steve Blake and Jarret Jack. Blake, who starts most games, gives the Blazers 8.5 points and 5 assists per game, while Jarret Jack gives almost 10 points and 4 assists per game. Quite a one-two punch, now isn't it.
I didn't even mention big men Channing Frye (6.5 ppg) and Joel Pryzbilla (5 ppg and 1.2 bpg). Also, former Duke Blue Devils' star Josh McRoberts is a key prospect who mostly played in the NBA D-League this season.
Last season, the Trail Blazers were 32-50. 18 games below five hundred, and the western conference was a lot weeker then this season. This season, they are 40-40 and currently sit 10th place in a very difficuly Western Conference. That is an 18 game upward climb from last season as the West got even tougher.
There is no question that the Portland Trail Blazers will sweep the NBA Western Conference in years to come.
Hmm..yet, it seems as though I'm forgetting something, what player am I missing, maybe, a future all star that hasn't played all year? Oh Ya! Greg Oden!
This team almost made the playoffs this season without there No. 1 pick and could have been All-Star Greg Oden.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1743 ... ure-120408 |
|
|
| |
|
FAQ
Search
Register
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
Sub-Forum
