Game Thread 2024-25 GAME #14 - BLAZERS VS HAWKS - NOV 17, 2024 - SUNDAY - 3:00 PM - KATU 2.2, BLAZERVISION

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Not to be that guy, but the team looks way more cohesive without having to cover for Ant on defense 35 minutes per game. Small sample size for sure, but the benefit seems to outweigh any benefits offensively.

Very small. And not very accurate IMO. First off I think Simons's defensive effort has been better this year. His offense has struggled during that stretch but he would help the team off the bench at SG next to Banton, Deni, Clingan/Williams, and Murray.

The bench is going to struggle to score on the road. They normally do. Even at home last night to a below-average team IMO, the Blazers led 97-83 with 11:30 left in the 4th quarter. They went 5 minutes without scoring and were outscored 16-0 in that stretch. They desperately needed someone who could shoot. I love defense but you got to have some offense.
 
One of the issues with Simons start this year (and he's been atrocious offensively) is that he hasn't had a SG he can play off of.

Tou, for all his positives, is not a good SG. Deni, for all his hopeful positives, is not a good SG. Scoot is not a good SG.

Sharpe would draw attention away from Simons, which should open the floor up for him.

Grant might not be a mediocre player at that point too.
 
Simons will never be the one coming off the bench. Just nip that in the bud.

you’re probably right but doesn’t mean Ant shouldn’t be the one off the bench. Honestly I think he would crush it off the bench. He’s proven the last couple of years he’s not a PG and he’s definitely not our best SG, no knock on him. Banton at PG, Simon’s at 2 and Dani at 3 or 4 is good lineup off the bench.

worried about minutes for Clingan, love him but he’s not as good as Ayton or RW. Honestly I’m going to be heart broken when/if we trade RW. He’s such a amazing fit defensively and even offensively he makes us borderline play in/late lottery team (I know not a great place to be especially this year)
 
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you’re probably right but doesn’t mean Ant shouldn’t be the one off the bench. Honestly I think he would crush it off the bench. He’s proven the last couple of years he’s not a PG and he’s definitely not our best SG, no knock on him. Banton at PG, Simon’s at 2 and Dani at 3 or 4 is good lineup off the bench.

worried about minutes for Clingan, love him but he’s not as good as Ayton or RW. Honestly I’m going to be heart broken when/if we trade RW. He’s such a amazing fit defensively and even offensively he makes us borderline play in/late lottery player (I know not a great place to be especially this year)

If Simons is out for an extended period of time (what exactly is his illness? I haven't seen), I'd rather DB Hooper start over Scoot.
 
If Simons is out for an extended period of time (what exactly is his illness? I haven't seen), I'd rather DB Hooper start over Scoot.

haven’t heard either weird because it was some sort of breathing issue.

I still want 40-50 games of Scoot starting I won’t to know if he’s our Pg of the future. DB is great coming off the bench.
 
It's like running a car dealership - you need to clear out the old inventory before promoting the new models.
I wish we could have a Black Friday Deals Day and do that with 90% of members of this place.
 
Hold them out of these next 3 games on the road and let's see what happens.
Simons is clearly trash for the flow of the game. If we can get DA to do the dirty work and not be a black hole we’re good on that front.
 
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Simon’s is clearly trash for the flow of the game. If we can get DA to do the dirty work and not be a black hole we’re good on that front.

Clearly? I think there is a little more to it than that blanket statement. Like maybe who he is on the floor with? We have seen examples in the past of when the flow has looked good and when it has not. I have been adamant that he should not be our starting PG. But that does not mean he can't thrive off the bench at SG next to a 6'8 PG.

And as far as DA being a black hole.......he is 4th on the team in shot attempts. Nobody on the team even averages 15 shots a game.
 
WE'RE #13! WE'RE #13! WE'RE #13!.. In the West... Hmm... That's not great... Maybe look at league wide...

WE'RE #20! WE'RE #20! WE'RE #20!

I refuse to let you shit on a positive thing and my excitement for the team… no matter how much you try.

We are 6-8. Many people didn't have us winning 6 games in the first 20.
glass is half full or half empty, just depends on your viewpoint. I prefer the positive side.
 
I refuse to let you shit on a positive thing and my excitement for the team… no matter how much you try.

We are 6-8. Many people didn't have us winning 6 games in the first 20.
glass is half full or half empty, just depends on your viewpoint. I prefer the positive side.
Everything in my comment was positive.
 
Maybe, maybe not. But it would be good for the team which is what I was responding to.
How can it be good for the team for Scoot, Sharpe and Banton to play less minutes? Because that would have to happen if Simons comes back. Also would be good for Simons to be somewhere else where maybe he can get more playing time and not be resented by the majority of the fan base?
 
Fun fact: Shaedon is now the teams leading scorer (per game). Grant and Simons have dropped below 20 ppg, by a fair amount too.

As it should have been from the beginning.

That's why Billups, while good at coaching what he has, is pretty crappy when the team is fully healthy at prioritizing the offense.
 
Simons is clearly trash for the flow of the game. If we can get DA to do the dirty work and not be a black hole we’re good on that front.

The problem is Ayton's bread-and-butter on offense, is the mid-range jumper without getting fouled.

It's not so much that he's a black hole. If he was taking it hard to the rim and getting fouled that would work.

The mid-range shot can be useful at the end of a game, but otherwise it should be a last resort.

If Ayton can't put the ball on the floor and attack the rim, he should be limited to doing what Clingan does.

If he's not happy or can't do that he should be sitting on the bench.

Anyway, I basically agree.
 
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The problem is Ayton's bread-and-butter on offense, is the mid-range jumper without getting fouled.

It's not so much that he's a black hole. If he was taking it hard to the rim and getting fouled that would work.

The mid-range shot can be useful at the end of a game, but otherwise it should be a last resort.

If Ayton can't put the ball on the floor and attack the rim, he should be limited to doing what Clingan does.

If he's not happy or can't do that he should be sitting on the bench.

Anyway, I basically agree.
Ayton = Aldridge
 
The problem is Ayton's bread-and-butter on offense, is the mid-range jumper without getting fouled.

It's not so much that he's a black hole. If he was taking it hard to the rim and getting fouled that would work.

The mid-range shot can be useful at the end of a game, but otherwise it should be a last resort.

If Ayton can't put the ball on the floor and attack the rim, he should be limited to doing what Clingan does.

If he's not happy or can't do that he should be sitting on the bench.

Anyway, I basically agree.
My theory... So take it for what you will.

Mid-range is good if you can't get an open three and you can't get a layup (or dunk).

If you then start hitting the mid-range it'll open up layups and/or three-pointers.

If you can't hit layups (dunks) or three-pointers then you aren't a very complete basketball player.

You want to be able to score efficiently at all three levels.
 
My theory... So take it for what you will.

Mid-range is good if you can't get an open three and you can't get a layup (or dunk).

If you then start hitting the mid-range it'll open up layups and/or three-pointers.

If you can't hit layups (dunks) or three-pointers then you aren't a very complete basketball player.

You want to be able to score efficiently at all three levels.
Your thinking along the right lines, I'd maybe just tweak your statements a bit.

It's best to get:
1 high quality inside shots
2 fast breaks
3 free throws
4 clean looks at 3.

Those should be the priority looks, especially early in the clock. For possessions those are not available a good midrange shot is a useful option, especially late in the shot clock. The worst is a turnover or a forced contested low quality shot.

Players like Ayton don't get any of those 4 best shots. They do avoid the two worst outcomes though. So they can have value in an offense, but they never have great value as players do that can get those 4 better shots.
 
Your thinking along the right lines, I'd maybe just tweak your statements a bit.

It's best to get:
1 high quality inside shots
2 fast breaks
3 free throws
4 clean looks at 3.

Those should be the priority looks, especially early in the clock. For possessions those are not available a good midrange shot is a useful option, especially late in the shot clock. The worst is a turnover or a forced contested low quality shot.

Players like Ayton don't get any of those 4 best shots. They do avoid the two worst outcomes though. So they can have value in an offense, but they never have great value as players do that can get those 4 better shots.
Yep. Agreed.

To be 7 ft tall and settling for mid-range jumpers as your first option is a problem. It's great that he can hit it. But he should definitely be attacking more.
 
I mean, I've never brought anything to the forum. I've been worthless this entire time. Lol. People hated me when they think i trolled while we were winning and People hate me when they think I'm trolling while we are supposed to lose. I get it, I'm the common denominator.

Real life matters now. People I love are about to lose their rights. So forgive me if none of this matters but a mere distraction, and there are way more things I'm passionate and interested in than this team.

Pretty much, consider me as not posting on the game threads and will stick to ancillary threads. (Which pretty much I'm not posting in much anyway lol). I'll do y'all a favor. You're welcome.

This isn't worth my energy this season. I'll see y'all next season when hopefully we have a direction and an actual shot at something - anything.

Hold me to it. I'm only human.

No one won. No one lost. I just don't care. See yall next season in the game threads.
Thank you.
 
I find every win bittersweet and the same with the losses right now. I think this team needs to try and have the best odds of landing Flagg and I do get pretty angry when Ant and/or Jerami (actually especially Jerami) are the biggest reason that we win because I don't see them in our team's future.

Wins like tonight/last night when Shaedon is showing so much growth are super fun while I'm watching but afterward I'm a little worried that we're losing sight of the big picture because even if we get good returns for Ant, Jerami and Deandre, I still don't think we'll likely have accrued enough talent to be title contenders year in and year out for a sustained period and that is really what I want.
A post like this doesn’t bother me at all. It was the empty repetitive posts by Stren. I’m grateful he’s decided to stop.
 

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