Listen up Stat-heads
It’s not about the numbers.
Sure Lamarcus is starting to put up stat lines that are stereotypically reserved for All-Stars. And yes, Greg Oden has started to make his fantasy owners happy on a nightly basis.
But the story of this team, is not one of cold hard statistics. I want you to take your fantasy- basketball-dollar-beer-night-dispensing-helmet off and start singing the right praises. We are watching the development of a basketball team, not collectively filling out a tax return. It’s the triumph of emotion over mathematics.
The things to watch for and celebrate are the times like when Rudy is leading an open break, and decides to shovel pass it back to Outlaw when he could have easily finished with a tomahawk of his own. Sure that is ‘another assist’ but think about what it’s doing for team morale. It’s about getting guys excited to play. Keeping the fire up. Knowing that your teammates are always looking for ways to involve you.
It’s things like Bayless being the first one off the bench to chest bump Sergio after a momentum flushing lob to Oden driving the lane.
Does he get a stat for that?
These are the signs of a team. These are the kinds of efforts that make the game fun to play, fun to watch and ultimately lead to more wins.
So many articles I’m reading out there are focusing on the wrong things. It’s stats over the real story. I don’t want to see stats by every single player mentioned in an article.
It’s a season of individual turning points, not sustained statistical efficiency. We are watching this club turn the corner from unknown potential and start this era’s fastbreak toward greatness.
Judge this team not by the healthy scoring averages.
Judge them by unselfishness.
52 points for Roy against the Suns? Nice footnote. I’ll mark that night down not as a career best, but as the night B-Roy reached out and claimed his swagger.
Get ready Portland, your team is forging an identity. An identity that has the consistency and force to routinely overwhelm inferior opponents. Gone are the days of playing down to the opposition. Expect more blowouts. Expect a healthy, taking care of business mindset.
Who cares who the leading scorer is. The team leader is Brandon Roy. Look at the trickle down effect his confidence is having. That is the story of this team. Not Oden’s ‘nice rookie numbers.’ Leave that as the filler for talk radio.
It’s about the vibe this team is creating.
Hello Rip City, is that really you?
