(via gizmology.net)
Things went from bad to worse when the team got blown out at home by 29 against the red-hot (no longer Redd-hot, that's the Suns now) Bucks in the garbage time debuts of Hasheem Thabeet and Jonny Flynn. Despite good games from LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and of all people, Raymond Felton, Portland shot just 35% to the Bucks' 58%. Despite the score, Brandon Roy (in his first time back at the Rose Garden) was all smiles.
Yesterday's news brought the tanking full circle, as Portland claimed J.J. Hickson off waivers. After notably being included in trade rumors for Amar'e Stoudemire in 2010, Hickson has since fallen off a cliff with the departure of LeBron James. He was traded to the Kings last year, and then waived this year because he just wasn't good enough. For the Kings.
Hickson is a notably terrible defender who can play the 5 if you don't want to win. He also shoots 37% from the field (no threes made this season). His advanced stats are in the same vein of Jonny Flynn's: 89 offensive rating (108 defensive), -0.1 win shares, .416% TS. The only King that has been worse this season was Travis Outlaw. Shame we couldn't have picked him up when we got the chance.
Should things go to plan, the Blazers will have two top 10 picks in this year's draft. If the Nets finish top 3 in the lottery, they keep their pick (they would have the 4th best odds if the season ended today), so a pick in the 4-8 range would be ideal from them. Portland meanwhile, at 23 wins, has some ground to make up in the tanking sweepstakes. Milwaukee will finish with a better record, but Portland will have a hard time out-losing the nine teams below them in the standings.
Fortunately, we have Jonny Flynn and J.J. Hickson.
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