If you’ve ever watched the late 1970’s classic television show The Dukes of Hazzard, you’d know it centers around a pair of cousins who cause all sorts of trouble around a local southern community. Just when it seems like they’re finally caught by the law, Bo and Luke Duke somehow find a way to escape. It’s ssdfasdfimilar to how the Trail Blazers have approached tanking their 2021 season to get a higher draft pick.
Ain’t no way the Trail Blazers are losing this one!!! They still got Anfernee Simons scoring 30 points and Josh Hart playing meaningful minutes. NOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THEY DECIDED TO BENCH BOTH OF THESE GUYS, AND JUSUF NURKIC, FOR MINOR INJURIES?!? AIN’T NO WAY THEY’RE GETTIN’ OUT OF THIS BUCKET OF SYRUP!
That was my best Dukes narrator impression… ANYWAY…
As Portland rides this four-game losing streak it’s also important to note that Anfernee Simons has been benched with a quad contusion. This is on top of Jusuf Nurkic sitting for plantar fasciitis and a good chunk of time missed by Josh Hart the past week. It’s almost as if this team is trying to erase the progress made by a four-game winning streak before the All-Star break.
No one would blame the Blazers for this very deliberate tank job. With Damian Lillard out of the lineup till next season, a bevy of assets and picks in the offseason and the prospect of eeking into the western conference playoffs, there really is no reason to try and win this season.
Good Luck, Rip City! I hope you can jump this team over a river and escape the wins you so desperately are avoiding! TANK! TANK! TANK! TANK!