Superstar
Let us stop for a moment before the week begins to acknowledge something.
Damian Lillard of the Trail Blazers scored 71 points in a game last night. In 39 minutes of playing time.
Only three men have ever scored more points in an NBA game. Ever. And none of them played for Portland.
The Blazers defeated Houston by 17 points. They are still in the hunt for a playoff berth with 20 games left. But at this point, the story is not about the so-so team.
It's about Dame. And words are starting to fail.
I guess I'll be that guy...
ReplyDeleteThe Rockets are in full tank mode and aren't going to get out-tanked in a game like this. So why not go out and give one to the home fans. Project Wembanyama resumes tomorrow in Oakland.
Woe unto the next guy who comes to town, as he plays his first three or four years under Dame highlights on the Jumbotron. Dame had to suffer this with Roy highlights. It was the incessant Roy idolatry that ultimately sent Aldridge to San Antonio. Watch the team make the same mistake post-Lillard.
Lillard passed Walton as the greatest Blazer ever when he dragged that sorry 2019 roster to the conference finals all by himself. No one will equal him for at least as long as it took for someone to knock Walton off his perch.
I've been of the opinion he should be traded for a while now. I believe it's best for him and best for the Blazers. But then we end with the specter of the greatest Blazer in team history playing out the remainder of his career somewhere like Orlando or Charlotte. That's not right.
So, he's ours until the end. I suppose I'll jump on board.
Congrats on 71. You deserved better from us.
I don't even want to think about the team at this point. It's a lost cause. Dame's individual achievements are the only bright spot.
DeleteThe only star in the black (shit) hole of the Portland firmament.
ReplyDeleteThe Allen Trust and team management have totally let down Dame. You ask for loyalty, he gave it to you.
ReplyDeletePlease, please sell the team to the Knight Family, uickly.
They will sell, but not to Knight, and the Blazers will be leaving town. The deal with Paul expires in a couple of years.
DeleteThe team isn't going any further than Beaverton. The Sonics thing was a disaster for the league and they want no part of that happening again. The league is also looking forward to soaking Vegas and Seattle for expansion fees, so moves to either place are off the board. After that, there's a lot of Kansas City, St Louis, and Nashville.
DeleteSpeaking of selling to Knight, did you see the news out of DC this weekend? The first round of bidding for the Commandos didn't meet Snyder's threshold. But that's not the news. Evidently he's told Bezos he won't be selling the team to him; Snyder blames the Post for his current predicament and as such won't be selling to its owner. Does he hang on? Does he sell for less than he wants? Or does he give Bezos a one-time take it or leave it offer of say $7B? It'll be interesting to watch.
As for the Blazers, does Smolinisky cut Knight out of the deal, make peace with Jody, and go it alone? He's got the money.
They aren’t going anywhere with the two new expansion teams coming on board. We’re gonna foot a $250mm-$300mm tax bill for a new arena in a couple years though.
ReplyDeleteWe should had just renovated the Coliseum like Seattle did with theirs. We could have had a legacy building like a MSG or a Fenway Park. What other building offers near 360 degree views of the city from the concourse?
DeleteWhen I first went to the Rose Garden soon after it opened, the place looked cheap as if done on a tight schedule. The Memorial Coliseum could had been expanded quite easily as Seattle did with their arena. Add some soundproofing and some luxury suites, and you have a building unlike any other in the US.
The public money is not there for a new building. Never was, and certainly isn't now. I don't see the team staying here after it's sold. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so.
DeleteI remember how excited I was in the spring 2007. Didn’t last long.
ReplyDelete