A turning point in Zach Collins’ career

[Freshtown]

A new opportunity has opened up for Zach Collins to reach a new level, one that establishes him as a force for the rest of his career.

This may be the moment we look back on and realize that everything turned as he began his ascent to stardom.

 

[B-Roy]

He's a foul magnet. That part is unlikely to be cleaned up any time soon. I'm hoping for the best but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

I’m sure our style of play will change. Kanter will take some time but I hope Collins gets more as defensive is increasingly important in the playoffs and it is a well-known fact, league-wide that Kanter kan’t.

Problems with Collins as I see it

• Offensively challenged
• Not a great rebounder
• Foul magnet

Perhaps we change our style to emphasize our remaining strengths while minimizing our weaknesses but my confidence in Stotts adapting that much is minimal.

Gramps...

 

[Pinwheel1]

He has a good standing reach at 9'3" but he needs to hold on to the ball better. He seems to fumble a lot of passes and rebounds.
I am hoping if they did start him he would not press quite as much. Maybe not go after every shot like his job depended on it. He needs to relax and stay in the game.

 

[Scalma]

He's a foul magnet. That part is unlikely to be cleaned up any time soon. I'm hoping for the best but I'm not holding my breath.

Zach has lowered his foul rate since the all star break by almost a full foul.

Kanter may start initially but I think it’ll be evident quickly that we’ll need Zach’s rim protection. His confidence should grow with more minutes, especially since they’re going to come at a position he’s comfortable in, as well as playing more alongside Dame. Dame did a lot for Nurks confidence, and I expect the same with Collins.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if Skal got a chance. Lillard talked him up unprompted a couple of weeks ago.

 

[handiman]

He's a foul magnet. That part is unlikely to be cleaned up any time soon. I'm hoping for the best but I'm not holding my breath.

BNM had some interesting data earlier this season, showing that Pryz was also highly foul prone as a reserve. Once he became a full-time starter, he got the respect of the refs and was allowed to play physical, picking up significantly fewer fouls.

 

[B-Roy]

Zach has lowered his foul rate since the all star break by almost a full foul.

Kanter may start initially but I think it’ll be evident quickly that we’ll need Zach’s rim protection. His confidence should grow with more minutes, especially since they’re going to come at a position he’s comfortable in, as well as playing more alongside Dame. Dame did a lot for Nurks confidence, and I expect the same with Collins.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if Skal got a chance. Lillard talked him up unprompted a couple of weeks ago.

He's also barely played.

 

[kjironman1]

Skal needs to get a few minutes.

 

[blazerkor]

I think that this could be for Zach what Wes's injury did for CJ. Zach could be the breakout player of these playoffs.

 

[Driew]

I think that this could be for Zach what Wes's injury did for CJ. Zach could be the breakout player of these playoffs.

Funny enough after last night's pitty party I'm now excited for the playoffs just to see if these bigs can step up.

 

[stampedehero]

Skal needs to get a few minutes.

Stotts should challenge all of the big men to take us through. ML should take upon himself to get off the DNP list in the post game stats.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Zach has lowered his foul rate since the all star break by almost a full foul.

Kanter may start initially but I think it’ll be evident quickly that we’ll need Zach’s rim protection. His confidence should grow with more minutes, especially since they’re going to come at a position he’s comfortable in, as well as playing more alongside Dame. Dame did a lot for Nurks confidence, and I expect the same with Collins.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if Skal got a chance. Lillard talked him up unprompted a couple of weeks ago.

Feels like he hasnt played much since the break either. He has got to stop fouling 3 point shooters...

 

[LayneStaley]

I think Ed Davis should start.

 

[twobullz]

Feels like he hasnt played much since the break either. He has got to stop fouling 3 point shooters...

I would take it a step further and say he needs to stop fouling jump shooters.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I would take it a step further and say he needs to stop fouling jump shooters.

Zach makes some amazing, defensive plays, that are just crazy. Then he does some of the most annoying things, I think its why he’s so polarizing. Fouling jump shooters is definitely a problem:

 

[oldmangrouch]

Sorry, but I think this ship has sailed...and sunk...and small crabs are living in Zach's eye sockets.

 

[James lamphear]

Zach has been rebound better with the time he spend on the floor he had 4 last night in the 1st half and he only play total 14 minutes last night. Plus he has hit at least one 3 last 2 games. Zach as 13 per this season so he doing a lot things right. But my feelings even though he doing things right and also do some things not very good and that is due to youth and the mental part of the game. Now Kanter fouls a lot also and Nurk been picking up dumb fouls too. I still that Stotts will go with Kanter with the starters.

 

[tlongII]

Kanter will start. No doubt about it. Zach should get more minutes though.

 

[Hoopguru]

I’m sure our style of play will change. Kanter will take some time but I hope Collins gets more as defensive is increasingly important in the playoffs and it is a well-known fact, league-wide that Kanter kan’t.

Problems with Collins as I see it

• Offensively challenged
• Not a great rebounded

• Foul magnet

Perhaps we change our style to emphasize our remaining strengths while minimizing our weaknesses but my confidence in Stotts adapting that much is minimal.

Gramps...

I think the ZMan can with the ball down low can drawl fouls as well.

 

[Cugel]

Zach is cash money and he has that swagger that the blazers really lack for the most part. He has improved on silly fouls as was mentioned. There was a stretch in January that was bad though. He truly ignites the team on D. Something stats cant show. There have been games where he's like 4 pt 3 boards but he was a provided major contributions with blocks and D.

 

[Scalma]

Zach is cash money and he has that swagger that the blazers really lack for the most part. He has improved on silly fouls as was mentioned. There was a stretch in January that was bad though. He truly ignites the team on D. Something stats cant show. There have been games where he's like 4 pt 3 boards but he was a provided major contributions with blocks and D.

What’s funny is I’m more worried about Stotts not trusting him enough to play him heavy minutes than I am about his ability to step up. Kanter should not be with the starters, our guards are already awful in pick and roll defense, he’s literally the last thing that unit needs to add.

Dame
Hood
Harkless
Aminu
Collins

Curry
Turner
Layman
Skal
Kanter

 

[bobf]

Collins has to play a lot of minutes. Same with Aminu and Harkless. Our first unit defense is going to suffer. Collins is good defensively but not in the same realm as Nurk and he might get into foul trouble. That second unit is going to be horrific defensively.

 

[boredinsalem]

Not that they (4/5) should get the majority of the minutes, but it seems like this would make the most sense.

Lillard/McCollum/Harkless/Collins/Kanter

Kanter's lack of d is mitigated by Collins/Harkless, Kanter provides the inside threat and rebounding, and Dame/CJ get to shoot us in or out of games.

Turner/Curry/Layman/Aminu/Leonard

Turner gets four shooters and doesn't have to play with Kanter anymore, which has been an unmitigated disaster.

 

[BonesJones]

Not that they (4/5) should get the majority of the minutes, but it seems like this would make the most sense.

Lillard/McCollum/Harkless/Collins/Kanter

Kanter's lack of d is mitigated by Collins/Harkless, Kanter provides the inside threat and rebounding, and Dame/CJ get to shoot us in or out of games.

Turner/Curry/Layman/Aminu/Leonard

Turner gets four shooters and doesn't have to play with Kanter anymore, which has been an unmitigated disaster.

Hood?

 

[LayneStaley]

Fuck all this, everything is whack now. Nurk is such a huge part of everything we do! Number 2 in the league in PnR offense. We are fucked.

Go Blazers.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Let me tell you something...if the Blazers were known as a "tough and gritty" team then Zach would have been the next Gobert.

Sometimes the refs decide if you are a "foul magnet" or an efficient defensive player.

 

[James lamphear]

I know Zach might be the best defender we got if not he right there with Aminu. But now with the only consistent scorer we got in the 1st unit is Dame there has to be a change in the starting lineup. That why I think Kanter will be the starter. I who love to see Zach starting just by defense but we got offensive mind coach. But tonight we will find out. But if Zach don't start I hope he see big minutes.

 

[bobf]

Let me tell you something...if the Blazers were known as a "tough and gritty" team then Zach would have been the next Gobert.

Sometimes the refs decide if you are a "foul magnet" or an efficient defensive player.

True but it is possible to work your way out of that and into the ref’s favoritism over time.

 

[bobf]

I know Zach might be the best defender we got if not he right there with Aminu. But now with the only consistent scorer we got in the 1st unit is Dame there has to be a change in the starting lineup. That why I think Kanter will be the starter. I who love to see Zach starting just by defense but we got offensive mind coach. But tonight we will find out. But if Zach don't start I hope he see big minutes.

I could be wrong but I feel like Kanters offense is too one dinensional and not the free-flowing kind that fosters team ball.

I think our best starting lineup would be Dame, Seth, Moe, Chief, Zach. But that leaves no defense for our second unit. To me that means Those five have to play heavy minites.

 

[blue9]