Game Thread 2022-23 Game #71 - BLAZERS VS CLIPPERS - MARCH 19, 2023 - SUNDAY - 6:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

[handiman]

NBA team definitely prefer younger players due to their upside relative to older players (in terms of where they draft them and, presumably, how much they pay them).

CJ was drafted as a mature college player and then took a couple of years to before becoming near-all star level in terms of scoring production. Anfernee was drafted young and took three seasons before hitting 17ppg. While that is one year longer, it's still more impressive than CJ's early career and indicates a better career arc to me.

I take it you don't factor in that Ant only gets his points when the team is awful?

 

[HansenYang]

McCollum scored 625 points in 100 total regular season games his first two seasons, and he turned 24 right before his third season.

Simons has scored 1290 points this year (after 988 points last year) and won't turn 24 until the offseason.

Simons is way, way ahead of CJ at the same age and that promises that he can be much, much better over the course of his career (both in terms of total production and peak production). Right now he's probably not as good (although he's outscoring him on a PPG basis) but his future is much brighter.

I agree he has more potential than CJ did. I still have a tough time seeing him as a net positive player with how bad he is on D & how he gets tunnel vision

 

[HansenYang]

NBA team definitely prefer younger players due to their upside relative to older players (in terms of where they draft them and, presumably, how much they pay them).

CJ was drafted as a mature college player and then took a couple of years to before becoming near-all star level in terms of scoring production. Anfernee was drafted young and took three seasons before hitting 17ppg. While that is one year longer, it's still more impressive than CJ's early career and indicates a better career arc to me.

CJ was never 'near all-star' level

 

[Ed O]

I take it you don't factor in that Ant only gets his points when the team is awful?

We don't know that, since the team has been bad the last couple of years.

 

[Ed O]

CJ was never 'near all-star' level

I don't think your opinion is an educated or popular one.

He's commonly listed/mentioned as one of the best current NBA players to not make an all-star team.
https://hoopshabit.com/2021/03/08/nba-best-current-players-never-star-game/6/
https://www.ranker.com/list/nba-players-never-made-all-star-game/patrick-alexander
https://www.si.com/nba/pelicans/nba/cj-mccollum-snubbed-nba-all-star-game-voters
https://edge.twinspires.com/nba/the-best-players-to-never-make-an-nba-all-star-team/ (best ever, not just current)
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/23/22298428/mike-conley-all-star-reservers-snub

That's five links from a quick search. I'm sure there are dozens more.

It's possible the rest of the world is wrong and you're right, of course.

 

[robe]

I don’t know if the Blazers will win, but I’m enjoying Russell Westbrook humiliation night.

Looking from the outside, Dame's PR this season is not far from Westbrook's situation few years ago. Situation he is on right now is not far from "humiliation" as well. And what is the reason he still plays 40 mins I have no idea.

 

[BBert]

I need Ant to hit 7 threes to not get eliminated in fantasy

RIP

 

[Samuel]

You're entirely right that the cost will determine whether it's worth doing it or not. I'm just frustrated with him and I feel it's inevitable he's going to get too much from us. I hope I'm wrong.

What’s your sweet spot for a deal, and what’s your walk away number, Mr. O?

We know it’s over the 112 presumably offered, ‘or’ it’s for 5 years. (It’s probably both.)

 

[DDolla]

Look at that face, we should all Thank Jody and Joe

 

[Ed O]

What’s your sweet spot for a deal, and what’s your walk away number, Mr. O?

We know it’s over the 112 presumably offered, ‘or’ it’s for 5 years. (It’s probably both.)

I suppose it depends on the direction that the team goes. If we make a big trade to get a third "star", then we have to pay Grant pretty much whatever he wants. It sucks and it would not be a good direction for the team, but trading a couple of starters and picks for a big piece would be all for naught if then we lose Grant, too.

If we keep Dame but don't make a big move, I think you look at $25m a year or so (4/$100m, or 5/$120). That would be at the Julius Randle/John Collins level, a bit of a raise, and a bit more than Simons makes. I don't think that would be enough to keep him, because I think he sees himself as a star-level player and this is his chance to cash in. I don't know what other team would pay him more than $25m, but he might take less elsewhere rather than be disrespected by the Blazers. This is pretty obviously a dead end direction for the franchise... we might be better next year by bringing the same folks back, but we're a year older and not closer to actually winning a title. It would leave us the option to trade Dame, though, without having mortgaged the future.

If we trade Dame, which would be my preference, we should look for a sign-and-trade to get draft picks and/or younger prospects. Or we should just let him walk. Let Watford take over the 4 spot for a year or two and see how he handles it while not putting a big contract on our books with a ~30 year-old guy who's demonstrated he's not good enough to get a team out of the lottery when he's one of the top two guys on an otherwise shaky team.

 

[Whyachi]

This was a home trap game. Clippers had to fight hard to beat the Magic last night. Why did the Blazers look like the team running out of gas in the 4th quarter?

 

[Strenuus]

This was a home trap game. Clippers had to fight hard to beat the Magic last night. Why did the Blazers look like the team running out of gas in the 4th quarter?

Just a reminder, if you're going to try to disparage the blazers in every post such as you do, at least understand that the magic beat the clippers last night.

 

[Whyachi]

Just a reminder, if you're going to try to disparage the blazers in every post such as you do, at least understand that the magic beat the clippers last night.

Well hold my potatoes and call me Ore-Ida
*edit - the Magic beat the Clippers last night

 

[AldoTrapani]

@THE HCP fam you see this only 4 pages

 

[blazerkor]

I take it you don't factor in that Ant only gets his points when the team is awful?

I agree he has more potential than CJ did. I still have a tough time seeing him as a net positive player with how bad he is on D & how he gets tunnel vision

Ant could end up being an all star or like CJ the tier just below. That being said he’s a terrible fit next to Dame, just as bad as CJ. Either Ant gets traded this offseason or Dame. Both need a big rangy guard with defensive chops playing next to them. If we re-sign Jerami we will have a second facilitator so we’re good to move on from either and if we can build a contender around Dame then it has to be Ant that goes.

 

[TBpup]

Looking from the outside, Dame's PR this season is not far from Westbrook's situation few years ago. Situation he is on right now is not far from "humiliation" as well. And what is the reason he still plays 40 mins I have no idea.

He has to play 58 games to be All-NBA eligible.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

He has to play 58 games to be All-NBA eligible.

So he plays another game and they shut him down? It's time i guess.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Look at that face, we should all Thank Jody and Joe

Joe? The guy that has been in charge for 1 year?

Joe didn’t hire Chauncey (who Dame likes)
Joe traded for a top 5 wing defender
Joe has added assets to trade
Joe got Grant (who Dame wanted)

 

[tykendo]

Look at that face, we should all Thank Jody and Joe

It's Olshey's fault. He left a mess for Joe to clean up. Joe and his staff will do everything in their power to change the path to a positive one. But he said it would take a few off seasons to get it done. He's had one to this date. Dame's look is understandable. At least Jody is giving Joe the op to do something. He's teaching her the game. I think she enjoys the process more than you think. It's probably a way to stay close to her brother. The pressure is on Joe and his staff to complete the task. Nothing they've done so far suggest they're slacking & give zero F's. It took asinine decisions by Hair Do to f this thing up. It will take precision to get it right.

 

[Mr. Robot]

this game we ran dame & nurk pnr a lot and it worked to perfection, nurk either finished or passed to an open teammate (around the basket or at the 3-point line) or draw a foul, so id really like to know why we dont run dame/ant & nurk pnr as much as possible, its litteraly teams best offense, cause with guy like nurk you have many options

thybulle fits really well with nurk, he loves cutting to the basket and nurk is a good and willing passer, so thybulle gets a lot of easy buckets, but theres another play thats really good for the team, its when we throw the ball to nurk at the low post and then he finds a player cutting to the basket or an open shooter at the 3-point line... this is literally how you get best out of nurk offensively

once upon a time, dame & nurk pnr was the 2nd most/best in the entire league, theres literally no reason why it cant be that good again

 

[THE HCP]

Anybody plan on watching this game?

Do "fans" really stop watching Blazer games when they suck?

 

[THE HCP]

This was a home trap game. Clippers had to fight hard to beat the Magic last night. Why did the Blazers look like the team running out of gas in the 4th quarter?

The Blazers simply looked like a team last night that didn't have as much talent as the team they were playing. People are over thinking this whole situation.

 

[handiman]

We don't know that, since the team has been bad the last couple of years.

And those two years correspond to when Ant has done all his scoring. Since you're comparing his age/scoring impact to CJ's, leaving out the team equation makes it completely meaningless.

 

[THE HCP]

@THE HCP fam you see this only 4 pages

I'm only seeing ONE page bro. I guess "fans" only show up when things are going good.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Do "fans" really stop watching Blazer games when they suck?

Yeah, we do. I have stopped watching unless I got not much else going on. If they were still in the playoff hunt I would watch for sure. Certainly won't spend money to go see them any more this year.

 

[riverman]

The Blazers simply looked like a team last night that didn't have as much talent as the team they were playing. People are over thinking this whole situation.

You actually saying Ant and Dame have no talent? They bricked a lot of 3s and turned the ball over ....yet somehow they are actually talented players....go figure. They got their butts kicked by other "talented" players...when our two leading scorers can't shoot well it's not because they lack talent...it's more like..."shit happens"

 

[THE HCP]

Yeah, we do. I have stopped watching unless I got not much else going on. If they were still in the playoff hunt I would watch for sure.

Wow. That's kinda sad man. As a kid growing up and as I got older, I NEVER missed games EVER!

 

[AldoTrapani]

It's Olshey's fault. He left a mess for Joe to clean up. Joe and his staff will do everything in their power to change the path to a positive one. But he said it would take a few off seasons to get it done. He's had one to this date. Dame's look is understandable. At least Jody is giving Joe the op to do something. He's teaching her the game. I think she enjoys the process more than you think. It's probably a way to stay close to her brother. The pressure is on Joe and his staff to complete the task. Nothing they've done so far suggest they're slacking & give zero F's. It took asinine decisions by Hair Do to f this thing up. It will take precision to get it right.

Omg she sure does love basketball I believe it. She’s still at games. Lol

 

[riverman]

Do "fans" really stop watching Blazer games when they suck?

I'm way less engaged in this team this season and last season because they still haven't found a core identity or chemistry and they are in the bottom of the league on defense ...glad I have other things to focus on when a game is on because I can only handle so many 7 minute stretches without making a basket..face it...the team has sucked in almost every 4th quarter this season. You get paid to watch games though so as a Laker fan...it must be hard work for you to hang in there eh?

 

[THE HCP]

You actually saying Ant and Dame have no talent? They bricked a lot of 3s and turned the ball over ....yet somehow they are actually talented players....go figure. They got their butts kicked by other "talented" players...when our two leading scorers can't shoot well it's not because they lack talent...it's more like..."shit happens"

Sir, I am nobody to critique other's reading comprehension, but you need to go back and re-read my post. At no point did I say, "Ant and Dame have no talent". Your reading skills this morning are ass!