Three turnovers in the first minute and a half really set the tone for the rest of the game. And by that I mean, the Blazers matched the league's season high for turnovers, with 28. Yikes.
I could talk about how they were down 43 points at one time, or their 30 point first half, which was Boston's best defensive first half (not to mention offensive at 65) but II think we all saw that. Saw that LA still got his points and Camby still shagged the boards like he's born to do. Saw that, once again, Raymond Felton coughed up a big hairball, with a -27 net points of productivity while on the floor. He didn't shoot as much today, which suggests he is learning, albeit slowly, that he sucks.
All I heard this game was laughing. I was watching Boston's local broadcast, and all they could do was laugh and laugh, mock and laugh. And say that Felton looked out of shape. Which is rude, to point out someone else's flaws on TV like that. I mean, the camera never shows the commentator's themselves, and if it ever did, they'd be behind a monitor and a huge desk. They likely tip the scales at 230+ judging by the tambour of their voices, so I don't know what gives them the right to mock my point guard (as a lifelong fan, that's my job), but I can't really blame them, because it's all I've heard all season.
Because it's true. Which may explain why my buddies berate me for getting on his case. Why they say he's better than his numbers. But the thing is, he's really not. Not this season, and that's what the whole season is about. It's about itself. Wrap your mind around that one. I get that he came in a bit out of shape. The move to Portland, the gaining of weight to protect himself from the winter cold, but come ON.
Everyone had the same tumultuous offseason. Everyone had adjustments to make. I might let it slide were he producing anywhere close to where he was last season. I might let it slide if he were a Dwayne Wade, and was still a baller, leagues ahead even when he isn't 100%. But the dude isn't as athletic as DWade. He's not as tall as Dwight Howard or as quick as Jamal Crawford. He clearly doesn't have enough skill to backslide and still produce. And the thing is, Chris Paul and these other ballers who came in a bit out of shape, they're in shape now. How long does it take? You're an athlete, perform like one.
And someone who did tonight was Luke Effing Babbitt. Wowzer. I knew the dude could ball, I've liked him since we got him (though the trade wasn't my favorite), but finally, he got a chunk of minutes without any pressure, and got him some. We all knew he could shoot, and he did, but how about those rebounds? Thank goodness. When we got him, I didn't like it because Martell was gangsta. He hit some jays and could jump out the gym, and he was coming off the bench regularly. Luke hasn't had that time, he hasn't grown into a role like Webster did while he was here, so I didn't like it. But dammit if some of the regulars and starters could take a page out of his book. Try. Get motherfreaking rebounds. THe dude is white and getting some good boards in the middle of three Celtics. Yes sir.
And, while we're on the subjects of seeing things today. I saw a post about Crawesome and Great Oden's Raven going to Minnesota in a three way, that gives us Ramon Sessions and Daniel "Don't Call Me Boobie" Gibson. My thoughts are, No. Not Crawesome. The dude isn't consistently 6th man, for sure. But at times he;s the only scorer we have. Oden could come back next year and eat us alive. When he's healthy, he's in the argument for Top 3 centers. But, I get the sentiment that COULD is too much of a stretch at this point. I could stomach that, I think.
But I don't understand why would would gift Crawford to Minnesota, in a trade which takes from them Ridnour, Tolliver and cash. Even more of a question is, Why would we get Sessions and KEEP Felton? Gibson isn't going to be a PG, sure, but sessions, though young, would surely be better at any given moment than Ray and Felton's already proven that a battle for starter will in no way improve his performance. You might say "Nate, what if he comes back next season in shape?" and I say "...yeah, so?" From what I've seen, the dude in shape still couldn't hit a shot twice in a row. Jamal, all day, over Felton.
I don't know, if we give up Crawdaddy in a trade like this, without dumping Felton, I won't like it.
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