Nick Van Exel calls out management-at least it looks like it to me!
"...This is an important road trip for us right now; this can really make or break the season right here," Van Exel said after the Blazers faded down the stretch and lost 100-89 at the Target Center. "We have five games left on this trip and it's important how we respond and what we do."
It's not just that the Blazers are 10-10 -- the fourth consecutive 10-10 start under coach Maurice Cheeks -- but Van Exel said the atmosphere surrounding this team has made what he called an "underachieving" start so precarious...
"It's so important right now, especially when this is a team that didn't make the playoffs last year," Van Exel said. "I mean, we are going through all this management stuff. You know, we got trades and there are guys (Shareef Abdur-Rahim) at the 'three' who are really a 'four', but they are playing him because they want to showcase him for a trade. . . . And he is one of the better players on the team. . . . I just think it's not the way we should be playing. It's tough, real tough when you go into a season like that when you are already out of balance...."
Source: OregonLive
I don't know if anyone can really disagree with Nick on this. Our team is terribly out of balance and it is a direct result of management. For years the Blazers have been stacked at some positions and understaffed at others. I agree with Nick, this is about it for the Blazers. If they do not return from the road with a winning record, there will HAVE to be changes made.
It's not just that the Blazers are 10-10 -- the fourth consecutive 10-10 start under coach Maurice Cheeks -- but Van Exel said the atmosphere surrounding this team has made what he called an "underachieving" start so precarious...
"It's so important right now, especially when this is a team that didn't make the playoffs last year," Van Exel said. "I mean, we are going through all this management stuff. You know, we got trades and there are guys (Shareef Abdur-Rahim) at the 'three' who are really a 'four', but they are playing him because they want to showcase him for a trade. . . . And he is one of the better players on the team. . . . I just think it's not the way we should be playing. It's tough, real tough when you go into a season like that when you are already out of balance...."
Source: OregonLive
I don't know if anyone can really disagree with Nick on this. Our team is terribly out of balance and it is a direct result of management. For years the Blazers have been stacked at some positions and understaffed at others. I agree with Nick, this is about it for the Blazers. If they do not return from the road with a winning record, there will HAVE to be changes made.
posted by KJM at 2:11 PM
<< Home