Game Thread 2023-24 PRESEASON - BLAZERS VS SUNS - OCTOBER 12, 2023 - THURSDAY - 7:00 PM PST - NBATV, ROOT +

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
Cugel said:
Grant's statline makes a guy shudder. He doesn't even try to make anyone better, except opponents. He has to be gone at the deadline. He ain't doing himself any favors either. That kind of play will never net him any kudos from anyone other than Calabro.
Click to expand...
I'm worried that we would have to attach a draft pick to get rid of him.
 
Natebishop3 said:
The problem is that centers are archaic. At least the old way of playing. Jokic is out on the perimeter. Having a dude demand touches down in the paint is just not the thing anymore. Feeding a big man on the block is slow and defies analytics.
Click to expand...
Ayton needs to make those short mid range shots he was missing last night. That is really his strength.
 
After giving it a nights sleep, I think even if things were running at their peak last night, the Suns would've won. They're *significantly* better than the Blazers, and have almost zero rookies or 2nd year players getting minutes.

The Blazers played like a team that is young, massively inexperienced, had played 1 game and maybe 1 week of practice together, and not like a team full of Keljin Blevins at every position.

I think the first 41 games are going to be rough, and the last 41 are going to be not as rough. Still bad record, but at least it won't look as sloppy and in progress like it did last night.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
Maybe we should play Williams at PF after all because Moses is looking decent at the backup center.
Overall I saw glimpses of positive play by a lot of players....but they had some bad lapses. The last 3 minutes of the
2nd quarter was hard to watch. They will look better IMO in a couple of months once they settle on a rotation and
get comfortable with one another. A lot of unforced errors.
Click to expand...
Agree. This team is really missing a beast. Out-rebounded by 9 last night.
 
Whyachi said:
the Bosnian beast made things difficult for Ayton. Phoenix was playing physical with DA. I saw some complaining to the refs. Didn't like getting shoved around.
Click to expand...
Then he better shove back!
 
I have to say, I am not digging DeAndre Ayton so far. He seems softer than LaMarsha his last few years here. He shows no energy or ganas. It's like he's going through the motions....

You'd think he'd have at least gotten up to face his former team, and go against the guy they traded him for.
 
He definitely looked soft out there. Problem is, he (and Jerami) are paid like they're the #1 on the team, but they're probably more like #3 and #5.
 
beast crnjo said:
I have to say, I am not digging DeAndre Ayton so far. He seems softer than LaMarsha his last few years here. He shows no energy or ganas. It's like he's going through the motions....

You'd think he'd have at least gotten up to face his former team, and go against the guy they traded him for.
Click to expand...

1. It's preseason.
2. He just went from playing with a championship-contending team that has multiple future hall-of-famers to the NBA's version of the Muppet Babies.
3. It's preseason.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
1. It's preseason.
2. He just went from playing with a championship-contending team that has multiple future hall-of-famers to the NBA's version of the Muppet Babies.
3. It's preseason.
Click to expand...
Those are lame excuses. He had the rep for being soft on his former team too, even in the playoffs. I don't care if it's pre-season, he should be able to get up to play his former team.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
1. It's preseason.
2. He just went from playing with a championship-contending team that has multiple future hall-of-famers to the NBA's version of the Muppet Babies.
3. It's preseason.
Click to expand...
Do you say it's "Preseason" at a poker tournament?
How did that work out for you?
 
UKRAINEFAN said:
Agree. This team is really missing a beast. Out-rebounded by 9 last night.
Click to expand...

that is likely going to be a recurring theme if the starting 'wings' are Ant/Thybulle/Grant. Those 3 combined for 2 rebounds in 58 minutes last night

if you go by their career rebounding rates, you can expect those 3 to grab about 17-18% of available rebounds when they are on the floor together. That would mean the PG and C would have to get 32% of rebounds just for Portland to break even on the glass. Ayton's career mark is 19%. Williams is at 18%. Scoot may be a better rebounder than Dame (6.4% career; 7.6% last season) but that still leaves Portland at a significant disadvantage on the boards.

And everything indicates that Chauncey is going to give the Ant-Grant duo 34-35 minutes/game each. Out of 190 qualified (by games & minutes) players last season, Ant was 189th in rebound rate and Grant was 127th and it looks like he was the poorest rebounding PF. Grant was at 7.2%; Dame was at 7.6%; Thybulle 6.8%

this is the issue with this team, and has been for a few seasons now: not only are they undersized at SG/SF/PF, that lack of size creates a rotation that plays small; small & weak on the glass, and small & clueless on defense. Brogdon will help, a little, but it remains to be seen how much he'll play and how long he'll be a Blazer. Last season, Portland was 24th in the NBA in offensive rebounding and 25th in defensive rebounding. And that was with Hart rebounding like an actual PF with a 14.1% rebound rate. Blazers have nobody like him this year.
 
wizenheimer said:
that is likely going to be a recurring theme if the starting 'wings' are Ant/Thybulle/Grant. Those 3 combined for 2 rebounds in 58 minutes last night

if you go by their career rebounding rates, you can expect those 3 to grab about 17-18% of available rebounds when they are on the floor together. That would mean the PG and C would have to get 32% of rebounds just for Portland to break even on the glass. Ayton's career mark is 19%. Williams is at 18%. Scoot may be a better rebounder than Dame (6.4% career; 7.6% last season) but that still leaves Portland at a significant disadvantage on the boards.

And everything indicates that Chauncey is going to give the Ant-Grant duo 34-35 minutes/game each. Out of 190 qualified (by games & minutes) players last season, Ant was 189th in rebound rate and Grant was 127th and it looks like he was the poorest rebounding PF. Grant was at 7.2%; Dame was at 7.6%; Thybulle 6.8%

this is the issue with this team, and has been for a few seasons now: not only are they undersized at SG/SF/PF, that lack of size creates a rotation that plays small; small & weak on the glass, and small & clueless on defense. Brogdon will help, a little, but it remains to be seen how much he'll play and how long he'll be a Blazer. Last season, Portland was 24th in the NBA in offensive rebounding and 25th in defensive rebounding. And that was with Hart rebounding like an actual PF with a 14.1% rebound rate. Blazers have nobody like him this year.
Click to expand...
Hopefully, Ant and Grant will get lots of high-efficiency looks over the first couple months of the season, and then can be dealt--either separately or in tandem--once Grant's trade-eligible in December.
 
beast crnjo said:
I have to say, I am not digging DeAndre Ayton so far. He seems softer than LaMarsha his last few years here. He shows no energy or ganas. It's like he's going through the motions....

You'd think he'd have at least gotten up to face his former team, and go against the guy they traded him for.
Click to expand...
So you obviously haven’t watched Ayton over his career.
 
beast crnjo said:
Those are lame excuses. He had the rep for being soft on his former team too, even in the playoffs. I don't care if it's pre-season, he should be able to get up to play his former team.
Click to expand...
Hold on…..so you HAVE seen him play, yet you’re STILL surprised and disappointed?
 
THE HCP said:
Hold on…..so you HAVE seen him play, yet you’re STILL surprised and disappointed?
Click to expand...

I got lit up when I said his ceiling was LaMarcus (18/8, not a banger, hot and cold effort level)... people just have unrealistic expectations like helicopter soccer parents with all of our players. We hve to be one of the most annoying fanbases in the league.
 
Everything Beagle said:
I got lit up when I said his ceiling was LaMarcus (18/8, not a banger, hot and cold effort level)... people just have unrealistic expectations like helicopter soccer parents with all of our players. We hve to be one of the most annoying fanbases in the league.
Click to expand...
We are still well below Heat fans, Warriors fans, Laker fans, and Rocket fans.
 
Everything Beagle said:
I got lit up when I said his ceiling was LaMarcus (18/8, not a banger, hot and cold effort level)... people just have unrealistic expectations like helicopter soccer parents with all of our players. We hve to be one of the most annoying fanbases in the league.
Click to expand...
Ayton has never averaged less than 10 rpg in his career. I don't see how he gets down to 8 this yr with Jerami Grant next to him
 
BonesJones said:
Part of it is Ayton - He does a really bad job sealing guys off when trying to post up. Makes it hard for guys to enter the ball into him.
Click to expand...
Ayton is so mobile. Just use him on the move, as a cutter and trailer etc. Nobody's getting in his way. Limit post-ups to clear mismatches.

edit: and when there is a clear mismatch, throw him the damn ball, but do the passing right. Make it a hockey assist if necessary.
that was pretty bad watching Ayton standing in place with a stagnant offense trying to force the ball into him.
 
Last edited:
UKRAINEFAN said:
Ayton needs to make those short mid range shots he was missing last night. That is really his strength.
Click to expand...
That's why I'm not concerned. He's been efficient his entire career. As soon as he get acclimated, he should shoot at a higher clip
 
The very big positive news for me is that Scoot's problem was going to be scoring. So far, it's not a problem.

Scoot is 3 0f 7 on 3-pointers, 43%, and 11 of 20 overall shooting for the first two games.
 
I’m just not thrilled at all that Chauncey is trying to play Scoot off the ball. Might as well have kept Dame if we are gonna do that.
 
Natebishop3 said:
I’m just not thrilled at all that Chauncey is trying to play Scoot off the ball. Might as well have kept Dame if we are gonna do that.
Click to expand...
Playing Scoot off the ball is shit.

The guy made some incredible finishes in traffic last night. And he can pass. Give him those options all night long.

Scoot will be deadly if he can get to the rack whenever there's an opening. That's what I'd be asking him to do now first option.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top