As a recent college graduate, I know just how important it can be to temper one’s expectations. Each year, a new batch of twenty-somethings emerges, bright-eyed and educated, prepared to take on a changing world in need of fresh perspectives and inspired leaders. Some dreams are realized sooner; others are postponed a bit. While the newly employed build their professional networks, their wardrobes and their credit, the rest are submitted to tired advice: “Relax. Your time will come.”
If there is one thing that college graduates and Portland Trail Blazers fans share, it is a commitment to tempered expectations. Blazers fans have become accustomed to mediocrity. After all, the franchise has a single championship – from 37 years ago. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs took one more step towards their fifth championship since 1999 in the NBA Finals last night. In San Antonio, anything less than a season ending in a champagne celebration is considered a disappointment. From fans to players to coaches and front office personnel, there is a common expectation: success.
How have the Spurs done it? Can it be attributed to the team’s pair of perennial all-stars? Possibly, but plenty of teams have dynamic duos. Is it their coach Gregg Popovich, a future hall of famer? Sure. He’s a strategic genius. Experience? All of those finals trips must amount to something. All things considered, what makes the Spurs great is a culture of winning and a set of sky high expectations.
The Spurs ruminated over the sting from last season’s disappointing loss to the Miami Heat in the NBA finals and, with the exception of Miami’s 2-point win in game two, the Spurs proceeded to dominate the rematch. Earlier in the postseason, when they weren’t uttering sweet nothings about the Blazers’ great effort in the Western Conference Semifinals, they were either resting their star players or sweeping the Blazers right off the floor of the AT&T Center. Tony Parker wined, dined and smooth talked Nicolas Batum off the court and sliced through his defense on it.
The Blazers have the star power needed to emulate the Spurs’ success. In LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, they have a power forward and point guard with all-star credentials. In Terry Stotts, they have a competent, offense-savvy head coach. What they lack is the experience, the expectations. For all of Wesley Matthews’ reassurance throughout the season that the team was ‘hungry’ and ‘confident’, we witnessed the Blazers crumble in LaMarcus Aldridge’s absence, regain their composure once he returned. We saw an inspiring and miraculous effort in their first round playoff matchup versus the Rockets, followed by a no-show in the next round.
It’s high time the Blazers and their fans throw tempered expectations to the wind. Tempered expectations take the blame for the team’s late-season near-collapse as well as their second round flop. Despite their talk, the Blazers struggled to maintain their confidence in Aldridge’s absence. Expectations exceeded, they lay down versus an experienced San Antonio team. The Blazers must learn from these experiences and set their expectations higher the next time around. When headlines emerged regarding the Heat’s attempts to lure Carmelo Anthony to Miami to join LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, you could almost hear the collective sigh from the association’s faithful. The NBA desperately needs a changing of the guard. The Blazers should insist that they be the ones to steal the reigns.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
