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I think one issue this season as well as last is not playing pedal to the metal 1st halves and thinking we're getting 41pt 3rd qtrs and Lillard and LA will take over in the 4th. A bench doesn't get better on the bench. We just rarely build big leads and so they never get to break a sweat, then when they do, they are cold and out of sinc. We need a stellar defensive coordinator who may not be a "players coach" A guy who doesn't go out to dinner with them or laugh in practice at their jokes. Whip cracking drill sgt. Pops timeouts and rotations were perfect all 3 games. He really knows how to kill any momentum we get going with a timeout and instant substitution. Bench stunk it up last night. No excuses. Stotts is getting out coached and the team got schooled.
 
Mediocre Man said:
EVERYONE who bothered to take an honest look at our bench, knew it was shit again this year. That says more about how historically bad our bench was last year than anything else though because it is much improved.
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Yeah; we went from "worst of all time" to just "worst this year".
 
Our bench is better than you give him credit for. Even though with Mo out we only play bench players as a 4th or 5th option on offense, if Stotts keeps giving them minutes they'll have better production.
 
Blazer4ever said:
Our bench is better than you give him credit for. Even though with Mo out we only play bench players as a 4th or 5th option on offense, if Stotts keeps giving them minutes they'll have better production.
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That's because outside of Mo, nobody on the bench can create their own offense. Giving the bench more minutes oh means the Blazers get their ass kicked even worse.
 
If Robinson or Barton don't get any good looks that's not just the bench's fault.
Half (not exaggerating...) of our possessions we go ISO with Aldridge, with the other 4 players all crowding in the other side of the court. How about some spacing? How about bringing at least one shooter to Aldridge's side? He has no one to pass to, we essentially play a 1-man offense!
Stotts used the bench more which was nice. Unfortunately the Spurs have been playing like a 100 lineups throughout the year while I'm not sure Barton and Aldridge were ever on the floor together. Stotts has to make good decisions, feel the game, make good substitutions but he has to continue to go deeper to the bench to put the best lineups on the floor.
 
The spurs had 14 players who played in 54 games or more. Only one of those 14 averaged less than 10mpg. Portland had 9 players who played in more than 52 games 2 of 9 averaged less than 10 mpg. In other words the Blazers really only gave somewhat reliable minutes to 7 players. If we wonder why the spurs bench is better its because they are utilized more during the season and more comfortable playing. I have heard many former players say if you give any NBA player time to play their production will improve with experience and comfort level on the floor.
 
Exactly!!! The only thing I would change about the bench - start using it!!
 
You know, we talk about the players learning valuable lessons from getting their butts whipped by the Spurs.

The best lesson however might just be if Stotts could learn this simple lesson re playing and developing the bench during the regular season.

Optimistically, one could hope that this season Stotts was desperately trying to just get here, so he didn't, and next year he will. Also one could argue that Pop has this luxury because of the system and continuity he and the Spurs have developed and maintained.

Alternatively, I've heard it is sometimes difficult to teach an old dog new tricks.

I guess we'll see next season.
 
Is it bad or is it inexperienced? I know mm nothing is ever really good to you. I think Barton in particular would have benefited from more reliable minutes, he is the one guy on our bench that can truly change the flow of the game with his energy, scrappy play, rebounding and simply not being the same as our other guys. Kind of a Jamaal Crawford kind of changeup, not the same kind of player but the same overall effect.
 
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