Out of the Shadows: C. J. McCollum & Meyers Leonard

Well, things didn’t exactly go our way this offseason. While it is still early in the process, the hammer stroke fell when LaMarcus opted to pursue greatness with the legendary San Antonio Spurs. Losing 4/5 of last year’s starting line-up wasn’t great either. As I mentioned in my last post, Portland is in a process of transition. I wanted to write this piece to highlight the positives of the situation, and touch on some impressive development steps taken by both Meyers Leonard and C. J. McCollum at the end of this past season.

For one thing, we get a fresh start. As all Portland fans know, the team has gone through many reboot phases in the past. The passing of the “Jail Blazers” and the introduction of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge was a big transition. Having both those players now be gone from the roster signals that things have once again come full circle. With Damian Lillard being the only proven star left on the team, a window has opened up for fresh faces to emerge and showcase their talents.

Last season’s playoff series with the Grizzlies was terrible. Lets just be honest. We got whooped, handily. While Portland was basically hobbling into the series, it still was going to be a tall order for us to beat Memphis even if we were at full strength. While losing the series was a major letdown after the brief triumphs of last season’s dramatic victory against the Rockets, it did still show us a few things. Meyers Leonard and C. J. McCollum have game. They are legit. Season averages for both players were decent at best, things really picked up for both players towards the end of the season.

The biggest examples of the growth came in the Memphis series. C. J. McCollum averaged 6.8 ppg, 1 apg, and 1.2 rpg during the season, and those numbers jumped up to 17.0 ppg, .4 apg, 4 rpg in the Memphis series. While C. J. was pretty much forced to take a bigger role, it was still really nice for him to seize the moment. He closed out the series with a 33 point masterpiece against one of the best defensive teams in the league. Not only was he scoring, but he was doing it with a level of finesse and confidence that we had yet to see from the young man out of Lehigh.

Looking to Meyers Leonard, man can that guy shoot! I mean I won’t lie, I was very skeptical of Meyers as a player before this season. Looking awkward on the court at times, Meyers has really gained a lot of poise and assertiveness in the way he plays the game recently. When you are as tall as he is, the 3-point shot might not always make a lot of sense to some people. Boy has Meyers shown us that he has some serious touch out there. Someone grab an umbrella, this man makes it rain! Meyers Leonard shot 51% from the field, 42% from the arc, and 93.8% from the line last season. Pretty efficient numbers if you ask me. Even if his work is in a smaller volume than a lot of other talented players, it does showcase that the big man has talent and potential to be great.

For the regular season, Meyers averaged 5.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .3 bpg. While these numbers aren’t bad for the amount of time he was getting, we definitely saw him continue to take positive strides in the Memphis series and at the end of the season. For the playoffs, we saw Meyers average 7.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1 apg, .4 bpg. While these are small increases, I think we can all agree that Meyers has taken huge strides towards finding his place in the league. Playing the stretch-4 seems like a much more natural position for the athletic big man out of Illinois. Meyers was able to throw a wrinkle into the Memphis defensive scheme by pulling Marc Gasol out of the paint and knocking down 3-point jumpers.

Looking forward, I see these two young men as questions marks still. However, I have seen so much growth that I can’t help but to feel genuine excitement to see them both hopefully step into expanded roles next season.  A smooth guard with a developing killer instinct and a freak athlete big man who can stretch the floor out to the arc are good things to have around. With both Gerald Henderson and Ed Davis posing competition for the starting jobs at these positions, it will be interesting to see who steps up. One thing I know is that we have two young talented players itching to take the next step towards greatness, and a new light is shining on our future.

Trail Blazer Youth Movement

It has been a tough last couple of days for Trail Blazer fans. With all of the drama surrounding LaMarcus Aldridge heading into free agency, we have been stuck in this teeter-totter of staying and leaving. With new teams popping up as “in the mix” for the talents of our smooth big man, my ESPN app won’t stop buzzing with teams aiming to take away my favorite player from my hometown team. As to whether or not i think Aldridge will stay, I honestly have no idea. Something tells me he won’t, and we are going to have a long season next year.

To go along with that growing uncertainty, Wes Matthews has agreed verbally to join the Dallas Mavericks. I can honestly say I did not see that one coming. Matthews was lured over to Dallas by Chandler Parsons and by the hope that DeAndre Jordan would also join the wayward team out of Texas. With Montae Ellis gone to the Indiana Pacers, The Mavericks are attempting to put a couple of solid pieces around their aging future hall of fame inductee Dirk Nowitzki.

To add to the pain, we just lost Robin Lopez to the New York Knicks. What is happening here? As of right now, we have likely lost our entire starting lineup from last season (minus Damian Lillard). Did we not actively try to re-sign Wesley and Robin? I didn’t hear anything about us making an offer at all. I really think that both of these players were a great fit in Portland and should have been higher offseason priorities.

In the hopes of not seeming pessimistic about next season, lets take a look at what we did get out of this crazy NBA whirlwind.

-Mason Plumlee, a promising young center who will likely be able to play in the pick-and-roll fairly effectively with Damian due to his high level of athleticism and ability to get to the rim.

-Noah Vonleh, a total question mark but someone who has huge upside potential. He was a lottery pick a year ago, and saw limited minutes off the bench for Charlotte last season. If he is given some time to expand his role, he could turn into the steal of the draft for us. However, it will likely take time to get a significant contribution from this raw big man.

-Gerald Henderson, a slashing 2-guard out of Charlotte who I really have not observed much to be honest. His stats are pretty decent (Approx. 12ppg, 3ast, 2 reb). However, he was playing on Charlotte. I don’t know whether we are planning to slide him into a starting role or not, but I assume he will get decent playing time in a potential sixth-man role. This depends on if we make another splash in free agency, and if CJ McCollum is given the bid of confidence to be our starter next season.

-Pat Connaughton, a big physical guard that can stroke the 3-ball. I really like this pick up. I only got to watch him play a little bit in the NCAA Tournament last year, but he can score and is active on the floor so he has potential.

-Al-Farouq Aminu, a versatile small forward with strong defensive competencies and offensive potential as well. He is long, athletic, can get to the rim, and has a decent jump shot. While he will likely be required to be more of a defensive stopper, if he is able to develop his 3-ball a bit more, he could be a strong 3 and D player as NBA analysts like to say.

-Ed Davis, a young big man who I really hope works out for us. At 6’10, he has good size to play the power forward position. He had a good season with LA last season (Approx 8.5ppg, 7.5 rpg), and has a good amount of NBA experience. Will he be our starter at this position next year? Potentially. Once again, this is could depend on how much the Blazers want to expand the role of Meyers Leonard after his growth into a strong stretch-4 player.

Well, it has been an interesting stretch here for the boys in red, black, and white. I am staying optimistic that not all hope is lost with LaMarcus Aldridge, but we shall see. At the end of the day, I will still be out there cheering for my team. I think between now and July 9th we will have a lot of our questions answered.

Damian Lillard: Remembering “The Shot”

About a year ago, Damian Lillard hit the biggest shot of his young career.

I remember watching the game down in the basement of the house me and my buddies were living in during our last year of college. Cheap beer and good company, wouldn’t have it any other way for a little Blazer’s playoff basketball against one of our biggest competitors in the West! Living with a bunch of guys from Seattle meant that we were already basking in the glory of knowing that the Seattle Seahawks had won the Super Bowl. With our mojo and spirits running high, we were ready for anything heading into that playoff series against Houston.

While it was a big shot for the young talented player out of Weber State, it was an even bigger moment for the city of Portland. I have been a basketball fan since I was a little kid, and I have watched a great deal of games in my life. Hands down, the Lillard shot was the best moment I have ever experienced as a fan. With .9 seconds on the clock, Damian Lillard aggressively maneuvered around a screen to position himself for a 3-point basket. As you can see in the picture above, Lillard was just barely able to fall away from the outstretched hand of Chandler Parsons. The beautiful part of the shot is that Lillard consciously used his momentum to jump horizontally, creating just enough space to get the shot up.

I have to say, I almost cried when that shot went down. I remember the last play of that game having a missed call at the other end. The overwhelming feeling of injustice was sinking in. Just when I was getting ready to chalk the game up to another “close call”, Lillard put a dagger into the hearts of Houston Rockets fans.

Damian Lillard is a calm, collected, ice-cold killer. This shot against Houston was not the first time he has walked into the spotlight with a flourish. Time and time again, Lillard has proven that he is comfortable taking the big shot. I wrote this article simply to reflect on the true joy that can come from identifying strongly with a sports team. The ability to feel so strongly about something as simple as a basketball game is a testament to the world we live in today. People want to be inspired. We want to feel something. For me, the Damian Lillard shot did just that.

The Brilliance Of Starbucks Marketing

As a recent coffee enthusiast, searching for the right cup to start the morning with that oh so pleasant buzz has been a challenge. While I am not overly picky, oftentimes it’s the little things that can get me to bring my business to a certain place. I wanted to highlight the exceptional marketing prowess of Starbucks. By no means do I think that Starbucks is the best cup of coffee around town, heck it’s probably pretty over-priced to be honest. However, the Starbucks brand knows how to provide customers with an experience each time they walk into the store.

What’s the key to their success? Marketing. Very, very good marketing. I recently worked in a building that featured a Starbucks right on the bottom floor as you entered in the morning! How could you resist the smell of fresh breakfast sandwiches and hot drip coffee brewing in the hustle and bustle of life? Naturally, I made more than my fair share of stops in the morning to pick up the delightfully decadent Ham & Swiss breakfast sandwich and a coffee. Food aside, the thing that somehow kept bringing me back was the Starbucks rewards program. As a smart phone user, I was easily able to load money onto my digital Starbucks card to pay for my morning splurges. If you aren’t familiar with the rewards program, basically if you download the Starbucks app and load money onto it from your linked checking account, you are able to accumulate “stars” which count towards earning free food or drinks.

Can I tell you how strangely satisfying it was to see the little digital star come dancing into the little coffee cup on the phone app? It sounds stupid right? But somehow this little incentive program was able to rope me in for over 30 stars during the course of a 4 month internship. Yikes, should have just stuck to the boring drip coffee upstairs right? Well, I have to say I enjoyed my Starbucks, and actually looked forward to it in the morning. The experience was always pleasant, with quick service and tasty food. Plus, I was mystified by the idea of becoming a “Starbucks Gold Card Holder”. Basically, you earn one star for each purchase using the mobile app, and you move up in “rewards levels” at certain marks. Once you reach 5 stars, you get green level rewards. Keep pushing all the way to 30 stars, and Starbucks sends you a customized shiny gold card with your name on it to swipe at your leisure.

Do the free food items/drinks every 12 stars really save you money? Well, not really. But I think the biggest thing about the program is that it creates a positive association between getting a good experience and earning a shiny little star to go along with it. I just recently received my gold card in the mail, and I was strangely excited to add it to my library of random cards in my wallet. All joking aside, the program turned me into a loyal Starbucks customer. As a marketing major, I have to say that I am impressed with how effective the program is in generating repeat business.

Kudos to you Starbucks, not only for those deliciously fattening breakfast sandwiches, but also for the shiny little gold stars that make you feel less guilty about it!

Why Portland Needs Wesley Matthews

It was another tough season for us Trail Blazer fans. For the second season in a row, our up-and-coming squad has got out to a hot start only to fizzle later in the season, without making a deep playoff run. Of course there have been many hiccups along the way, namely bad luck with injuries. Oh dear…injuries. Portland’s injury woes stem all the way back to Sam Bowie (we picked him instead of Michael Jordan back in the day), and have only been further perpetuated by the devastating blows of losing Brandon Roy and Greg Oden.

For those of us who have been following Portland over the years, there have been flickers of pure brilliance in the play of our hometown boys. The 2006 NBA Draft was a huge turning point for Portland. Through some solid draft day magic, we were able to secure Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge in the same draft. Crazy right? This was the beginning of the core of players that were meant to be our future. Surely times have changed with many roster variations since then, but can we all just take a moment to think about the talent that has come through the rose city? Here is probably the potentially best starting 5 Portland could have cooked up:

PG: Damian Lillard, SG: Brandon Roy, SF:Nicolas Batum, PF:LaMarcus Aldridge, C: Greg Oden

Wow…that is a championship caliber squad in a perfect world. However, things go awry when you least expect it.

This brings me back to Wesley Matthews. Portland lost the heart and soul of their team only shortly before their first-round playoff matchup with the bruising Memphis Grizzlies. Not only was Wesley having a fantastic year (15.9 ppg, 2.3 apg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 spg), but he was really solidifying into a scrappy defender and confident offensive threat. Unfortunately, we only had him for 60 games this season. Going into the first round, I was still confident that we would put up a good fight against Memphis. After acquiring Arron Afflalo, Portland was looking primed to have a shot at going deep in the playoffs. With Wesley suffering a season ending injury, Afflalo was thrust into a position he wasn’t planning for. He came into Portland with a sixth-man mentality, and that was shaken when Wes was taken out of commission.

Losing Wesley Matthews was like losing our fire. Wesley is the type of guy that you look over to at practice and just see covered in sweat, diving for loose balls, hitting back-breaking shots, and staying “in your shorts” on defense all day long. The type of guy who pesters you all game, knowing that you won’t be able to outwork him. He is gritty, determined, underrated, and under appreciated; but he loves it.

Portland was torched by Memphis perimeter players in the series, even though that is not a strong suit of their club. Memphis is an old-school back you down and hit you in the mouth kind of team. With Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol leading the front court, they were able to control the glass and win extra possessions. Even with Mike Conley going down with injury, Courtney Lee ran wild against Portland. Having Wesley there to guard him would have been very valuable. Aside from his defense and 3-point punch, the biggest thing they missed from Wesley was his leadership and determination. News articles and ESPN alerts keep popping up on my phone that have not been very encouraging for my home town team. With Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge already potentially considering leaving Portland, Wes will have a big decision to make heading into free agency. Does he come back to Portland, the city where he hit his stride and became a relevant and legitimate 2-guard? Or does he leverage the increased popularity and respect to head somewhere he can win now?

This seems to be the plight of many rip-city stars. Making the decision between staying in Portland and trying to bring a championship back to this great city, or leveraging newfound success to land big money contracts with big money teams that are farther along in their development. As a Blazer fan, of course I am biased and want these guys to stick around. Portland needs the archer back next season. Big time. I am hoping the front office of Portland knows this as well.

Introduction

Hello!

Welcome to my blog! Thanks for checking me out. Stay tuned for content revolving around sports, music, marketing, life at the tender age of 23, and all other items of interest!