SB Nation User Blog: Magnum

"Best of" Junk Drawer 11/30/09

Magnum — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:51:30 -0000

To get things started here is Time Magazine's Top 50 inventions of 2009:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1934027,00.html

Some Highlights:

An AIDS vaccine

Vertical Farming

The Bladeless Fan

Spiderweb Silk

Some other "best of" topics to discuss:

Best Album of the Decade/Year

Best Movie of the Decade/Year

Best Video Game of the Decade/Year (I got my hands on my brother's PS3 and I really like Bioshock)

Best Sports Highlight of the Year

Best Game (Blazer or other) of the Year

Best Blazers Edge post (main page, sidebar)

or Make up your own!

JD: Tragedy of the Blazers' Edge commons

Magnum — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:32:15 -0000

Tragedy of the Blazers' Edge commons:

Consider a pasture used for grazing cows which is used collectively by many herders. Each herder is trying to make as much money from his cows as possible which means maximizing their yield (fatter cows or more cows). There are a positive and negative aspect to consider:

Positive: The herder gains profit for each pound

Negative: Each cow degrades the pasture slightly

The distribution of the positive and negative results is unequal. The individual herder gains all the profit from selling more or fatter cows, but the cost of (over) using the pasture is shared by the group. A rational herder will see the benefit from grazing more cows outweighs the (shared) cost of the degradation of the pasture. All of the herders will reach the same conclusion and put more cows on the field leading to overgrazing and a potential collapse of the pasture. The individual gain outweighs the individual share of the total cost eventually leading to a disaster.

Now consider the Blazers' Edge sidebar used by Blazer fans for expressing their opinions about their favorite team. Each poster is trying to have his/her opinion heard, appreciated, "rec'd" and commented on by as many fellow fans as possible. There are a positive and negative aspect to consider.

Positive: The poster gains recognition/appreciation for his/her opinions for every post made.

Negative: The sidebar gets more crowded with every post made.

The distribution of positive and negative results is unequal. The individual poster gains all the recognition/appreciation from his/her post, but the cost of (over) using the sidebar is shared by all of Blazers' Edge. A rational poster (perish the thought) will see the benefit from posting more outweighs the (shared) cost of a clogged sidebar. All of the posters will reach the same conclusion and post more leading to a highly congested sidebar where fanposts are not visible long enough to get many comments/recs thus negating the whole reason for posting. The individual gain outweighs the individual share of the total cost eventually leading to a disaster.

Magnum's Power Index

Magnum — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:24:26 -0000

The next edition of Magnum P.I. is in. The first week of the season has been played and there are plenty of things to talk about already. Some of my pre-season rankings were a bit off so a few teams have jumped around in the rankings quite a bit.

Some highlights:

The Lakers fell out of the top spot down to 4th

The Rockets, 76ers and Thunder all made moves into the teens after being ranked in the 20s previously.

The Bucks probably didn't deserve to be ranked 28th out of 30 teams.

Note:

This isn't my prediction for how the standings will look at the end of the year. This is a ranking of how teams are playing up to that point in the season weighted toward recent performance. In this case, it is how teams look heading into the season.

For example, the difference between power rankings and a prediction for the end of the season is that teams are far healthier now then they will be in April. The Spurs are number 3, but could easily be hit with injuries again this year and fall out of the top 10, something I would take into account in a season end prediction.

1. (Previous rank: 5) Celtics 4-0

The Celtics vault to the top of the rankings after beating the Cavs in their house and obliterating the Bobcats and Bulls by a combined 61 points.

2. (2) Magic 3-0

Rashard Lewis is out for the first 10 games, but the Magic haven't missed him so far and probably won't until the Nov. 11th meeting against the Cavs.

3. (3) Spurs 2-1

Dejaun Blair looks like the steal of the 2009 draft so far and he fits well on a team that desperately needed big man help. Even though I've said it before, I think this is the last shot the Spurs have at a title, but they seem poised to capitalize.

4. (1) Lakers 2-1

A double digit loss to the Mavs at home doesn't hurt the Lakers' repeat chances, but an injured Pau Gasol does.

5. (4) Cavaliers 2-2

The Cavs have struggled out of the gate. Lebron can't continue to do it all if this team wants to get back to the finals.

6. (6) Nuggets 3-0

If Carmelo Anthony can make the jump to legitimate MVP candidate then the Nuggets have a great shot at getting back to the WCF.

7. (8) Mavericks 2-1

A big win over the defending champions on the road is a great way to bounce back from a loss in their home opener.

8. (7) Blazers 2-2

No need to worry Blazer fans. 2 losses by 7 combined points to the Nuggets and scrappy Rockets in Houston is nothing to be ashamed of. The team hasn't been firing on any more than 2 cylinders at a time yet the losses were close.

9. (13) Suns 3-0

It's a good thing the Suns went 3-0 against these cupcakes, because they have a tough 5 game Eastern road trip including games against the Magic and Cavs up ahead.

10. (14) Heat 3-0

Jermaine O'Neal's numbers came back to earth in his 3rd game, but it didn't matter. The Heat are 3-0 the first time since 2004.

11. (12) Hawks 2-1

2 double digit wins to open the season were nice, but being the team to play the Lakers after they lost in a blowout isn't15.

12. (11) Jazz 1-1

Even a minor injury to Okur is a bad omen for this Jazz team. The last thing they want is another season plagued by injuries.

13. (15) Wizards 2-1

Arenas was surprisingly good in the season opener even after being out for 2 years. I don't think anyone outside of D.C. thought Agent Zero could be a legitimate all star candidate again.

14. (10) Bulls 1-2

Beating the Spurs and losing on the road to a healthy Celtics team isn't a bad 2 game split.

15. (9) Hornets 1-2

Their early schedule seems to show that they can beat the bad teams, but will fall to the elite teams.

16. (21) 76ers 2-1

Lou Williams is doing quite well in the absence of Andre Miller. If he keeps it up he could be in the running for MIP.

17. (24) Rockets 2-1

Do you think the Lakers regret giving up Ariza yet?

18. (23) Thunder 2-1

Early season confidence could be huge for this team.

19. (17) Raptors 1-2

The Raps beat the Cavs in their home opener and then lose to the Grizzles. Huh?

20. (20) Bobcats 1-2

Losing to Cleveland and Boston is nothing to be ashamed of. Only scoring 59 points in their first game is something to be embarrassed about. The Bobcats will have trouble scoring all year, just like Cloudy.

21. (28) Bucks 1-1

Brandon Jennings has been very impressive in his first two games. His hot shooting won't continue, but he definitely put himself in the ROY race especially with Griffin currently injured.

22. (22) Pistons 1-2

They are who we thought they were: a team that overpaid for ill-fitting 2nd tier talent.

23. (27) Grizzles 1-2

They're passing the ball more than I thought they would. Will that keep up when Iverson comes back Monday?

24. (26) Timberwolves 1-2

They are a buzzer beater away from a possible 0-3 start.

25. (18) Warriors 0-2

Don Nelson plays some strange rotations, but the Warriors do have the firepower to win games.

26. (19) Pacers 0-2

2 double digit losses is a painful way to open the season. Their 3rd leading scorer is defensive stopper Dahntay Jones.

27. (16) Clippers 0-4

Can you say Clipper curse?

28. (25) Knicks 0-3

I'm tempted to say that the Knicks forgot how to play defense. However, that implies they knew how to play defense to begin with.

29. (29) Nets 0-3

In Soviet Russia, groin injures YOU.

30. (30) Kings 0-3

Do I have to think of anything for the Kings? Uh, they could win their home opener?

Blazers' Edge Power Rankings

Magnum — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:08:06 -0000

No, it's not a list of the best commenters on Blazers' Edge, although that would be an entertaining list. This is just another NBA power ranking. There are two main reasons I have decided to put together power rankings here on BE. First, the site has gotten popular enough that we could use our own rankings, especially one with a little more Blazer bias and a little less East coast +Laker bias. Second, the level of discourse in the comment section will be many times higher than what will be found on ESPN or Yahoo. I love hearing other people's opinions, but not when they consist of LEBRON IS TEH BEST!!1! CAVS PWN YOU!!!1111!

I will try to get these rankings out every Sunday during the regular season. Hopefully that will give people who hate football a little more basketball related reading. On to the rankings!

Additional Note:

This isn't my prediction for how the standings will look at the end of the year. This will be a ranking of how teams are playing up to that point in the season weighted some toward recent performance. In this case, it is how teams look heading into training camp.

1. Lakers 65-17 (record last season)

The defending champs get the nod for the top spot. The Artest for Ariza swap is a lateral move at best, but the Lakers will be the title favorites until proven otherwise.

2. Magic 59-23

The other NBA Finals participant comes in at number 2. They spent lavishly (read: overpaid) this off season and should have more lineup flexibility this season. Forget Hedo. Can Jameer Nelson repeat the numbers that earned him an All Star selection before getting injured?

3. Spurs 54-28

I'll admit it; I thought the Spurs were going to fade from contention last year and especially this upcoming season. They reloaded in the off season and now have one of the scariest 8 man rotations in basketball. They have the veteran know how and the coaching to compete for a title. Can they stay healthy?

4. Cavaliers 66-16

They added Shaq, Anthony Parker, Leon Powe, and Jamario Moon, but do any of those guys other than Shaq help them win in the playoffs? We know they can build an impressive regular season record, but does that roster have what it takes to win a ring? Whatever happens, Lebron+Shaq will make this the most interesting team in the league.

5. Celtics 62-20

The combination of overrated free agent signings, an aging roster and Garnett's questionable health status forces me to rank the Celtics 5th. This team could win the East, but it could also finish in the bottom half of the playoff seedings. The key is, obviously, Kevin Garnett.

6. Nuggets 54-28

I'm giving the Nuggets to edge over the Blazers here due to superior post season success. It's going to be very tough for the Nuggets to have a better season than last year. Other teams have big FA signings or sure to improve young players while the Nuggets have no where to go but down (I don't think any non-Nuggets homers would argue they could make the finals). Even so, they are a tough team on both offense and defense and they have the confidence of their Western conference finals appearance backing them.

7. Blazers 54-28

There are about 6 dozen reasons for us to be wildly optimistic about the upcoming season and, unlike the Nuggets, the Blazers have plenty of room for improvement. However, I'm not going to rank this team based on potential anymore; we've done that the past few seasons. I can't rank the Blazers higher until I see them on the court.

8. Mavericks 50-32

Count me among the people who are unimpressed with the Shawn Marion signing. Marion does give this team another weapon, a bit more flexibility and some insurance against injury, but he has been a large disappointment since leaving the Suns; Cuban would have been better off signing Ponce de Leon.

9. Hornets 49-33

Any team with Chris Paul leading it is a dangerous team. Look for Emeka Okafor to feast on Chris Paul lob passes and boost his scoring average up to 15 points a game. Depth will once again be a major issue this year especially as Peja Stojakovic slides further into (less than) mediocrity.

10. Bulls 41-41

I need a slightly shocking ranking and the Bulls are my pick. Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng are healthy, mid season acquisitions John Salmons and Brad Miller will be at training camp and Rose is in his second year. There is a lot to like about this team after they nearly upset the Celtics in the playoffs last season.

11. Jazz 48-34

It is unlikely the Jazz will be hit by injuries as hard as they were last season. This is a good team and if they can overcome the distraction of the Carlos Boozer trade saga (or better yet if they can trade Boozer for help on the wings) they'll be a top team in the West again.

12. Hawks 47-35

Adding Jamal "I never saw a shot I didn't like" Crawford doesn't make them contenders in the East. This is an above average team that has a date with a 4th seed and a second round exit at the hands of either Cleveland or Orlando.

13. Suns 46-36

They aren't the British Empire. Sure, the Suns will win games because they can outscore their opponents and they will probably make the playoffs, but when you have Channing Frye and 36 year old Grant Hill manning your starting forward spots you're in trouble. If the season goes well they could end up the 7th seed and if Nash or Amar'e go down they're in the lottery again.

14. Heat 43-39

Dwyane Wade can't do everything on his own if this team is going to improve. A healthy Wade will drag the Heat into the playoffs, but unless Beasley improves significantly in his 2nd year the Heat will be one and done in the playoffs again.

15. Wizards 19-63

I'm putting the Wizards at 15 to emphasize the following point. This is an average team even with Agent Zero back from injury. 45 wins is an optimistic projection.

16. Clippers 19-63

Ok, this might be a bit high for a team as dysfunctional as the Clippers, but there are some things to like here. Blake Griffin should make an impact immediately, Zach Randolph is gone, Baron Davis is healthy, Eric Gordon had an impressive rookie season and should improve in his 2nd year and they picked up Rasual Butler.

17. Raptors 33-49

Thank you, Toronto.

Even though Toronto desperately needed a scorer and facilitator on the wing, Hedo won't improve their record as much as his price tag demands. It's clear Toronto management made an effort to build around Chris Bosh, but spending money isn't the same thing as building a contender.

18. Warriors 29-53

Another slightly unconventional ranking. The Warriors have a scary amount of offensive firepower and they force teams to play their style of basketball. Weaker teams will often be overwhelmed and stronger teams don't want to catch these guys on the wrong night.

19. Pacers 36-46

The Pacers played the top teams pretty well last year and were in the race for the 8th seed without their 2nd best player.

20. Bobcats 35-47

The league's lowest scoring team (and 26th in Off. Eff.) swapped Okafor for Tyson Chandler reducing their scoring ability further. Could they finish under 90 points/game?

21. 76ers 41-41

Elton Brand, who recently turned 30, has only played 37 games in 2 seasons and the departure of Andre Miller means the 76ers will likely be starting a rookie at point guard. Ouch.

22. Pistons 39-43

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the off season. Detroit's rush to spend cap space on 2nd and 3rd tier free agents is puzzling. A two year plan capitalizing on the 2010 FA bonanza would have made more long term sense. I have two words for delusional Pistons fans: Kwame Brown.

23. Thunder 23-59

The development of their young players and the continued ascension of Kevin Durant to elite status should allow the Thunder to win 30 games. They have an outside chance at making the playoffs if things go their way, but I wouldn't count on it.

24. Rockets 53-29

The Rockets have proved they are a tough team that can win games even when playing without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. When they win those games I'll gladly bump them up the list, but at the moment it doesn't appear that they have the talent to win many games.

25. Knicks 32-50

I don't think there is much to say about the Knicks except see you in 2010.

26. Timberwolves 24-58

Ramon Sessions was a good pick up, but their ability to win games will depend on the health of Al Jefferson.

27. Grizzles 24-58

I may have to retract my statement about the Cavs having the most interesting team in basketball. The Grizzles could easily "earn" that distinction. As such, I hear by propose that the Grizzles change their name to the Black Holes. All in favor please type "aye".

28. Bucks 34-48

They played well with Redd and Bogut injured much of last season, but they shipped out most of the roster responsible for that.

29. Nets 34-38

There isn't much to talk about basketball wise in New Jersey, so how about a Yakov Smirnoff joke? In Russia, you don't play basketball, basketball plays you! (Bad teams don't deserve good jokes)

30. Kings 17-65

If I could give the Kings a lower ranking, I would. This will be their de-facto ranking unless they show dramatic improvement.

Poll

Who will be the most interesting team in basketball this season?

The Cleveland Cavaliers

29 votes

The Memphis Black Holes

47 votes

The Portland Trail Blazers (duh)

380 votes

Some other team

21 votes

Basketball sucks, I don't know why I come here

21 votes

498 votes | Poll has closed

JD- 8/21-I Can't Be The Only One!

Magnum — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:54:29 -0000

The idea behind this Junk Drawer is simple: name something you do (keep it clean, please) that you don't think anyone else does. Or, if you're not sure you're unique just list a quirk, peccadillo, or strange habit you have. Revel in your weirdness!

I'll start. I hardly ever focus my attention on what I'm "watching" on TV. I'll turn on a show I like, but then go to my computer and surf the interwebz. I do the same thing with media on my computer.

I think I'm the only person in my generation (which I'll call the i-pod generation for these purposes) who doesn't constantly listen to music in my room. I like the sound of silence.

I talk to myself all the time. It's not crazy mumblings though....more like narrating my own life.

I almost never finish a meal in one sitting. I'll eat half my food and then save it for later (usually not more than an hour). I hear multiple small meals keep your metabolism high.

When I type I cannot leave basic words misspelled. I go back and fix words as soon as I notice that I've misspelled them. This is part of a larger writing quirk. I try to make each sentence "perfect" as I go. Essentially, I don't need to do drafts or do much proofreading because I spend so much time on the first go through.

That's all I have for now.

If I use farkle in a sentence I get a cookie.

Poll

How Strange Are You?

No one remembers my name

8 votes

Women seem wicked

12 votes

Faces come out of the rain

18 votes

Streets are uneven

14 votes

52 votes | Poll has closed

Junk Drawer 8/7 My Life According to Radiohead

Magnum — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:42:10 -0000

This is one of those facebook "chain letter" type things, but I actually thought it was fun. This is my life according to Radiohead.

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)"

Pick your Artist:
Radiohead

Are you a male or female?
In Limbo

Describe yourself:
Paranoid Android

How do you feel:
Optimistic

Describe where you currently live:
House of Cards

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Planet Telex

Your favorite form of transportation:
Climbing up the Walls

Your best friend is:
The Trickster

You and your best friends are:
All I Need

What's the weather like:
Permanent Daylight

Favorite time of day:
Morning Bell

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
Idioteque

What is life to you:
Fitter, Happier

Your last relationship:
I Want None of This

Your fear:
2+2=5

What is the best advice you have to give:
I Might Be Wrong

Thought for the Day:
Karma Police

How I would like to die:
Hunting Bears

My soul's present condition:
Everything in its Right Place

Most Faithful Companion:
My Iron Lung

Here's the blank version for easy copy pasting.

Pick your Artist:

Are you a male or female?

Describe yourself:

How do you feel:

Describe where you currently live:

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:

Your favorite form of transportation:

Your best friend is:

You and your best friends are:

What's the weather like:

Favorite time of day:

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:

What is life to you:

Your last relationship:

Your fear:

What is the best advice you have to give:

Thought for the Day:

How I would like to die:

My soul's present condition:

Most Faithful Companion:

Poll

Do you like Magnum?

Yes

26 votes

No

8 votes

34 votes | Poll has closed

Junk Drawer-8/2-Fantasy Football

Magnum — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 06:29:18 -0000

A new day requires a new junk, but really I'm making this fanpost for selfish reasons. I'd like to have a Blazers' Edge Fantasy Football league and I want 2 posts in the recommended section.

I like 10 team standard scoring ESPN leagues, but you certainly don't have to join mine if you like other formats. So far, Dirty Socks, phillyduck23, The Penguin, EvilKaramazov, cloudydays, rip city coming alive, vullkem116 and L-trainFTW are in which leaves 1 open spot. The 8 of you should email me at xcrunningfool@hotmail.com so I can send you the invites.

Any level of experience in fantasy sports is welcomed, but I will ask that you be as active as possible in the league. There's nothing worse than a league where half the owners aren't even playing. So, first come first serve, just express your interest in the comment section.

For those of you not interested in fantasy football, you can talk about Michael Vick.

Update: I know there is a fanshot that is talking about advertisements on NBA jerseys, but I thought I'd bring this discussion to the JD and change the poll accordingly. How do you feel about logos and advertisements on NBA (non summer league) jerseys? Specifically, how would you feel about the Blazers doing this?

Got this link via Truehoop:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2009-07-28-jersey-ads_N.htm

Poll

How do you feel about advertisements on NBA jerseys?

I am completely against them. The world is already overflowing with ads.

10 votes

I don't like them; they would make the uniforms ugly.

13 votes

I would be okay with them IF the ticket prices were lowered too.

14 votes

I have no opinion one way or the other.

3 votes

I'm for them. Many NBA teams are struggling and could use the extra money

7 votes

I'm in the advertising industry and we will eventually put ads in your dreams.

3 votes

50 votes | Poll has closed

60 wins: What Will It Take?

Magnum — Sun, 31 May 2009 10:02:43 -0000

The last few seasons we have seen our young Blazers improve their win total from 21 to 32 to 41 to 54 wins. We all want to see another substantial increase in the win total, but it is just as hard, if not harder, to improve from an average team to a good team as it is to improve from a good team to a great team. 60 wins is a benchmark for a great team; it's not a perfect benchmark, though. For example, the Orlando Magic finished with 59 wins last season and made the finals while knocking out the best regular season team. Only 14 teams (unless I forgot how to add) in the last 9 seasons have cracked the 60 win mark. Roughly 62 wins puts you in this kind of company. Of course, winning a lot of games can be aided by an large underclass of terrible teams; a few haves can pillage a large number of have-nots to boost their win totals. The '09-'10 season could have that phenomenon with the bad economy and many teams clearing cap space for the summer of 2010 FA bonanza.

So, what can the Blazers do both as a team and as individuals to increase their win total next year? I've put together a list of areas that can be improved, but it certainly isn't exhaustive and not everything on the list must happen to get to 60. There are plenty of ways for the Blazers to improve that won't be covered below; for example, I did not list any coaching improvements. Also, with the exception of Andre Miller and Greg Oden, who I believe could single handily bring us to 60 wins with enough improvement, I didn't try to estimate how many wins any one thing might contribute. I will, however, put an asterisk by the entries I think are the most crucial.

General Team Improvements:

1. Improve Road Record (20-21) *

The Blazers need to learn to win on the road. There's no easy formula or drill for this. It is just about confidence, execution and experience. This is about as close as you can get to just saying "win more!" without coming off as ridiculous. The Blazers already have the talent to win on the road; they just need to put it all together.

2. Improve Record Against playoff teams (21-21: 15-6 home, 6-15 road)

This is similar to point number 1 and somewhat tautologous for a 54 win team. Clearly, the Blazers can beat the lesser teams so to improve they must beat the better teams; there is no other way to (significantly) improve the overall record. It is important to note that the record listed above includes wins against East playoff teams. Certainly, wins against the Pistons and Bulls are a bit different than a win against the Jazz or Hornets. Specifically improving on the road against West playoff teams (2-11) is a crucial step toward potentially winning a championship. If you want to include the Suns, the two teams split the season series 2-2 with the home team winning every game.

3. Better Defense (Def. Eff. 107.8, 13th in the league)

The Blazers were the best offensive team in the league, but only middle of the pack defensively (Basketball-reference). The Blazer defense is an area that can be improved, particularly, pick and roll defense. The Blazers need to rely less on the bigs covering up the mistakes of the wings. Some defensive improvement should be expected from a young team as learning and anticipating the professional game develops with time. Veteran defensive savvy will develop eventually, but don't expect that alone to push us into the top 10.

4. Better FT% (76.51%, 17th)

This is just a matter of practice. Also, the Blazers may want to seat our more intimidating fans behind the baskets to scare opposing free throw shooters as they give up 80.3% at the line.

5. Not falling behind early

The Blazers had the most double digit comeback wins last year which is both impressive and a red flag. There is no reason for a good team to fall behind by 10 or more points this often. How many games did the Blazers end up losing by just a few points after almost making a comeback? Playing from behind is a good skill to learn because the other team can come out hot, but mailing in the first quarter is not something an elite team does.

Player Improvements:

Brandon Roy:

If Roy improves his game again next season it would be like winning the lottery and then finding $100 on the ground. We already have one of the best players in the game so any improvement that Roy brings is just icing on the cake. I think it's safe to say any (minor) offensive improvement Roy makes won't boost our win total because he already generates many wins for us. For the sake of argument, though, Roy with a better jump shot (both 3s and 2s) would open the floor up more and reduce the pounding he takes going to the rim.

Defense is a slightly different story. Adequate is probably the best way to describe his defense. This could be an energy saving method because he's already working so hard on offense. The presence of another creator, ballhandler and scorer in Andre Miller might let Roy work a bit less on offense and therefore a bit more on defense. We'll see.

LaMarcus Aldridge: *

Everyone wants to see more beast mode from Aldridge. Here are some things I think he could do to improve.

1. Further develop his post game (counter move, spin move, etc) An array of post moves makes you less predictable and harder to defend. We'll need a (more) refined post presence while Oden is learning.

2. A quick first step on the perimeter a la Bosh. Aldridge has the quickness to get to the basket with a dribble drive. This would compliment his face up jumper nicely.

3. Better Interior Defense. Aldridge has the length and quickness to play good interior defense, but he seems to lack the awareness of what to do. Hopefully, this is fixable with some coaching and tape review.

4. Aggressive Rebounding. Przybilla goes after rebounds like I would go after a 20 dollar bill laying on the ground. I would like to see Aldridge go after rebounds like Joel does.

5. Box out better. This is simple, fundamental basketball. Just do it.

6. Add the 3 ball (but don't use it that often). If he's going to insist on being primarily a jumpshooter then extending his range to the 3 point line makes sense. A 3 point shot is much more efficient than a long 2. However, he needs to not fall in love with it like Rasheed did.

Greg Oden: *

Significant improvement from Greg could single handily bring the Blazer win total to 60. His improvement is by far the most crucial component not only for the upcoming season but for the future of this franchise. I cannot overemphasize the importance of interior defense and low post scoring.

1. Have an healthy and productive off season of training. This includes losing some weight, regaining athleticism, refining skill sets etc.

2. Develop a "go-to" move in the post. The hook shot was inconsistent at best, having at least one solid post move will make him an exponentially greater threat on offense

3. Keep those hands straight up---no bad fouls. Many of his bad fouls were the result of poor conditioning. Number 1 will hopefully take care of number 3. Just having Oden on the court for 30 minutes a game will be a vast improvement over last season.

4. Enjoy the game again

Rudy Fernandez:

As much as we love his high flying alley oop dunks and spectacular 3 point shooting, Rudy needs to expand his game. He'll never be a lockdown defender, but he can expand his offensive repertoire. Rudy demonstrating an ability to slash to the rim will keep his defender honest and open up the 3 ball more. A mid range shooting game would also be very helpful in maximizing Rudy's contribution.

Rudy should also endeavour to develop a rapport like he had with Sergio with one of our PGs, most likely Miller. Rudy likes to cut and work for back door lobs and Andre Miller has the passing ability to get him the ball.

Nicolas Batum: *

Nic Batum was the big surprise of the 08-09 season. Significant improvement from Batum would a great help toward achieving 60 wins. A lockdown perimeter defender with length, athleticism and a solid 3 point shot is exactly what the Blazers need at the 3.

As a slight aside: Nate often took Batum out of the game when we need some more offensive firepower. With the arrival of Andre Miller, I see less need for Batum to be subbed out for the sake of our offense.

Study Shane Battier, Tayshuan Prince and Scottie Pippen who all have similar body types and are known for their great defense and high BBIQ.

Add some strength.

Work on that (corner) 3

Be more aggressive. I'd like to see him flash 3 fingers at Gasol at some point next season.

Martell Webster:

Get healthy

A year off from basketball is going to leave Martell rusty. I think it would be unfair to expect him to do much other than regain his feel for the game. A healthy, non-rusty Martell Webster could be deadly come January. His 3 point shooting and potential for break out scoring is a great asset to have.

Jerryd Bayless:

It's difficult to say what Bayless could do to help this team. On one hand he could breakout next season and become a potent combo guard off the bench. On the other hand the only playing time available is 3rd string point guard and that isn't known as a difference making position. Bayless has the potential to help the team, but don't count on it this year.

Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, Joel Przybilla:

It is doubtful that any of these guys improves a significant amount, certainly nothing that would boost our win total. I'm not saying they won't be important to the team, quite the opposite, these guys have been and will be crucial to the success of the team. I'm saying that these guys have maxed out their talents, yes, even Outlaw. I will make one small exception for Steve Blake. A Miller/Blake PG rotation is much better than a Blake/Sergio rotation. Essentially, Blake>Sergio. We no longer have to worry about what happens when our starting point guard goes out.

Our New Point Guard Andre Miller: *

If you're not familiar with Andre Miller yet, please head on over to Dave's preliminary thoughts, and who benefits? posts as well as jscot's fanpost on Miller's fit on the team.

Now you're saying, "Ok, Magnum, but what does all that mean in terms of wins?"

My guess is as good as yours. I don't think Miller, ceteris paribus, boosts the Blazers to 60 wins, but I do think he helps the team. If you tied me down and used Chinese Water Torture on me until I cracked and gave you an exact number I would say Miller pushes the Blazers to 58 wins on his own. Please, keep in mind that our Pythagorean win total was 56 last season, so Miller is adding 2 games and not 4.

Poll

Even though it is early in the off season.... How many games will the Portland Trail Blazers win next season?

<42 (unthinkable, this option is for display purposes only)

7 votes

42-48 (serious regression, likely not a playoff team)

1 votes

48-52 (borderline playoff team, low seed)

17 votes

52-56 (roughly the same win total, good chance for HCA in the 1st round)

142 votes

56-60 (solid improvement, division winner, top 3 seed)

371 votes

60+ (elite team, WCF appearance likely)

155 votes

693 votes | Poll has closed

7/23-JD-Things Your Kids May Never Know About

Magnum — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:20:26 -0000

No, I don't mean that they were all accidents and that you dropped them on their heads as babies. What are some things that you grew up with that have gone the way of the dinosaurs (or will go extinct soon)?

For example these are some of mine:

VHS tapes

Floppy Disks

Film cameras

Answering machines

Payphones and phonebooks

Phones that are only used for talking to people

Blowing the dust out of nintendo cartridges

Manually unlocking car doors

Public libraries

Using a road atlas and not google maps (or another service)

Add your own and if you're really old (over 30) be sure to include things like:

Using a horse as your main form of transportation

Using Morse code

Living in a time when only white men could vote

Films without sound

Polio

Sitting for portraits

American flags with fewer than 45 stars

Reading by candlight

Dead money and cap ballast

Magnum — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:03:36 -0000

Dead money and cap ballast

"The Memphis Grizzlies already have stated they have no intention of re-signing the 27-year-old, who had to serve a 10-game drug suspension before being allowed to play last season, and it already was clear Memphis' main motive in signing him was to affect the Blazers' cap flexibility -- in part to keep them from being the type of under-the-cap trade facilitator the Grizzlies and Clippers were last season."