Bazemore, Hezonja, Little vs. Curry, Harkless, Aminu

[UKRAINEFAN]

Just looked it up cuz I was curious. Stats from last year.

3pt Shots classified as WIDE OPEN (no defender within 6'):

Hezonja: 26% on 1.4 attempts per game
Bazemore: 36% on 2.6 attempts
Hood: 44% on 1.5 attempts w/CLE, 36% on 1.7 attempts w/ POR
Tolliver: 45% on 1.1 attempts

Curry: 51% on 1.5 attempts
Meyers: 47% on 1.4 attempts
Aminu: 37% on 2.2 attempts
Harkless: 32% on 1.2 attempts
Turner: 25% on 0.6 attempts

Sorry, but Mario cannot (and should not) shoot.

Curry 51%. Why didn't we run something for him, even double screens, so he could get a few more wide open shots?

 

[tiredhunter]

I think him trying to run our offense against quality NBA players is going to be tough.

He'll be going against benches, not all will be quality. It'll be tough at times, but there'll be buckets for Ant.

 

[BigGameDamian]

The roster will look different after the Deadline, Neil will be aggressive like never before

So what your really trying to say is, Don't get too attached to players. I predict that Neil will trade for either Kevin Love, Blake Griffin or LaMarcus Aldridge.

 

[blazerfan11]

Curry 51%. Why didn't we run something for him, even double screens, so he could get a few more wide open shots?

That's a question I ask every season.

 

[hoopsjock]

Curry 51%. Why didn't we run something for him, even double screens, so he could get a few more wide open shots?

Stotts

 

[PDXFonz]

I predict that both Hezonja and Bazemore will be offensive upgrades from what ET gave us. Defensive as well for Bazemore, maybe the same for Mario. Nothing against Turner, he’s just got a particular style that never fit in our system.

 

[Binx]

Downgrade and it’s not even close. The Hazonja guy won’t even play. Little will contribute as much a Trent did last season. We lose a quality 3 point shooter and two of our best defenders.

So you think Olshey is trying to make the Blazers worse?

 

[BonesJones]

Yeah, I'm sure that Olshey just overlooked that. Bummer. They probably did something really stupid like examined his shooting form, historic shooting %, considered his age and the crappy team he was on last year and then totally overlooked the obvious conclusion that he just can't shoot.

Sure, lets just make a ton of excuses as to why Hezonja has been a G-League level bench player over the course of his career and then rely on those things magically disappearing so that he can play minutes on a "contending" team.

While were at it, we shouldve traded for Frank Ntilikina too. As a top 10 pick obviously his struggles are due to playing for the Knicks! He should be able to magically improve and help us win a championship because our system is magical and the trainers can put some magic dust in his coffee before games.

 

[BonesJones]

Stotts

Yup!

 

[BonesJones]

Just looked it up cuz I was curious. Stats from last year.

3pt Shots classified as WIDE OPEN (no defender within 6'):

Hezonja: 26% on 1.4 attempts per game
Bazemore: 36% on 2.6 attempts
Hood: 44% on 1.5 attempts w/CLE, 36% on 1.7 attempts w/ POR
Tolliver: 45% on 1.1 attempts

Curry: 51% on 1.5 attempts
Meyers: 47% on 1.4 attempts
Aminu: 37% on 2.2 attempts
Harkless: 32% on 1.2 attempts
Turner: 25% on 0.6 attempts

Sorry, but Mario cannot (and should not) shoot.

According to the guy that replied to you, obviously playing with bad players made him miss those wide open shots... I guess...?

 

[CupWizier]

Sure, lets just make a ton of excuses as to why Hezonja has been a G-League level bench player over the course of his career and then rely on those things magically disappearing so that he can play minutes on a "contending" team.

While were at it, we shouldve traded for Frank Ntilikina too. As a top 10 pick obviously his struggles are due to playing for the Knicks! He should be able to magically improve and help us win a championship because our system is magical and the trainers can put some magic dust in his coffee before games.

Why don't we just show some patience and allow the kid to at least play half a season to make a better assessment. It seems pretty stupid to argue back and forth before the guy even steps on the floor for us. As a Blazer player, I will be rooting for him and hope he is able to contribute.

 

[Reep]

Sure, lets just make a ton of excuses as to why Hezonja has been a G-League level bench player over the course of his career and then rely on those things magically disappearing so that he can play minutes on a "contending" team.

While were at it, we shouldve traded for Frank Ntilikina too. As a top 10 pick obviously his struggles are due to playing for the Knicks! He should be able to magically improve and help us win a championship because our system is magical and the trainers can put some magic dust in his coffee before games.

Not much sleep last night? Hezonja is not a total loss, and he is not the savior of the team. He is a young player, who had success in Europe, who has a nice skill set, and played on a train wreck of a team last year. I still like him better than ET, and only time will tell how he fits with the Blazers.

 

[CupWizier]

Stotts

From some stats sites we were ranked 3rd in offensive efficiency and didn't you just the other day insinuate that offense wasn't a problem for the team last year?

 

[hoopsjock]

From some stats sites we were ranked 3rd in offensive efficiency and didn't you just the other day insinuate that offense wasn't a problem for the team last year?

Sure, take a specific question about why a certain player doesn't get more 3 point opportunities and turn it into a statement about the whole offense.

 

[TBpup]

If we are only considering offense, I believe it's an upgrade. Since actual games involve both sides of the ball, I'd say it's about a wash. Better on offense, not as good on defense.

 

[THE HCP]

If we are only considering offense, I believe it's an upgrade. Since actual games involve both sides of the ball, I'd say it's about a wash. Better on offense, not as good on defense.

Thats what worries me.....we didn't really need a boost in offense. You'll always take one, but defense is how we won some big games down the stretch.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Thats what worries me.....we didn't really need a boost in offense. You'll always take one, but defense is how we won some big games down the stretch.

I like Zach / Whiteside or Zach / Nurkic as better combinations defensively then Zach / Meyers, or Nurkic / Aminu.

 

[CupWizier]

Sure, take a specific question about why a certain player doesn't get more 3 point opportunities and turn it into a statement about the whole offense.

Well, you guys have been blasting Stotts offense for awhile and just pointed out that it was a very effecient according to the rankings. You and bonesy blame Stotts for Curry not getting more 3's but whatever the team is doing seems to be working pretty good. Curry also is small and doesn't have ability to create his own shot and it showed in the playoffs when the defense gets tougher and Curry struggled to score.

 

[hoopsjock]

Thats what worries me.....we didn't really need a boost in offense. You'll always take one, but defense is how we won some big games down the stretch.

But the OP's question for some reason only involves 3 of the new players instead of all of them and doesn't include Whiteside who is probably the most important.

 

[BonesJones]

Why don't we just show some patience and allow the kid to at least play half a season to make a better assessment. It seems pretty stupid to argue back and forth before the guy even steps on the floor for us. As a Blazer player, I will be rooting for him and hope he is able to contribute.

Hes played four seasons but I'm supposed to pretend those didnt exist? Ive also never said he couldnt improve, just that (as a team tryingnto contend) I dont like relying on it.

 

[BonesJones]

From some stats sites we were ranked 3rd in offensive efficiency and didn't you just the other day insinuate that offense wasn't a problem for the team last year?

And we could be 1st.

The skill of our guards nuetralizes the deficiencies of Stotts offensive system, but it wears them out. The offensive system also completely breaks down at times against elite, agressive defense. Its not about "We ranked X last season". Id rather get easier shots than hard ones, even if both go in.

 

[CupWizier]

Hes played four seasons but I'm supposed to pretend those didnt exist? Ive also never said he couldnt improve, just that (as a team tryingnto contend) I dont like relying on it.

Relax, you will have plenty of time to evaluate him as a Blazer, which is what's important. Fresh starts are often times what a player needs.

 

[BonesJones]

Not much sleep last night? Hezonja is not a total loss, and he is not the savior of the team. He is a young player, who had success in Europe, who has a nice skill set, and played on a train wreck of a team last year. I still like him better than ET, and only time will tell how he fits with the Blazers.

What does my sleep have to with anything? Weird comment.

Same argument: Young, Europe, skills, bad teams. Nothing based on what hes actually sone in the NBA. Funny how 4 years gets written off and thrown out the window.

Also, Orlando isnt a bad situation... theyre an average NBA team. He had s osso me talented players around him to make his life easier. Didnt work. He shot terribly on open shots last year so I dont know how you can blame his team for those.

 

[BonesJones]

Relax, you will have plenty of time to evaluate him as a Blazer, which is what's important. Fresh starts are often times what a player needs.

Agreed, but a contending team shouldnt be counting on a fresh start magically turning a player whos been garbage his whole NBA career into something useful. Its funny how the people defending him refuse to acknowledge hes even been bad.

 

[hoopsjock]

Also, Orlando isnt a bad situation... theyre an average NBA team. He had s osso me talented players around him to make his life easier. Didnt work. He shot terribly on open shots last year so I dont know how you can blame his team for those.

Hezonja's 3 years in Orlando they won 35, 29, and 25 games. I'd say that's fairly bad.

 

[CupWizier]

Agreed, but a contending team shouldnt be counting on a fresh start magically turning a player whos been garbage his whole NBA career into something useful. Its funny how the people defending him refuse to acknowledge hes even been bad.

He hasn't been "garbage". He's averaged close to 9 and 10 points the last couple years in very limited time (approx 20+ minutes) and 2 years ago his shooting was pretty decent with 44% from the field and 34% from the 3.. I'm reserving any judgement until he actually plays for us as that's all that matters to me.

 

[BonesJones]

He hasn't been "garbage". He's averaged close to 9 and 10 points the last couple years in very limited time (approx 20+ minutes) and 2 years ago his shooting was pretty decent with 44% from the field and 34% from the 3.. I'm reserving any judgement until he actually plays for us as that's all that matters to me.

Okay, 2 years ago he was simply below average instead of garbage.

Nik Stauskas 2.0.

 

[BonesJones]

Hezonja's 3 years in Orlando they won 35, 29, and 25 games. I'd say that's fairly bad.

But it wasnt a bad culture and its not like how it was with the Knicks. He had Vucevic, Gordon, Oladipo, Ibaka, and Tobias Harris at different times during his tenure there. People are reaching for excuses.

 

[CupWizier]

But it wasnt a bad culture and its not like how it was with the Knicks. He had Vucevic, Gordon, Oladipo, Ibaka, and Tobias Harris at different times during his tenure there. People are reaching for excuses.

same can be applied back that you are reaching for reasons not to like him and give him a chance. I don't know why that is so hard for you

You say 2 years ago, he was below average and not garbage so what do you consider to be average for a player in about 20 minutes of playing time? Here is a comparison of Hezonja, Aminu and Harkless. We know how Harkless and Aminu improved so why can't Hezonja?

https://www.basketball-reference.co...minu&y3=2013&player_id3=aminual01&idx=players

 

[tlongII]

But it wasnt a bad culture and its not like how it was with the Knicks. He had Vucevic, Gordon, Oladipo, Ibaka, and Tobias Harris at different times during his tenure there. People are reaching for excuses.

Not sure if you're stressing about Hezonja or not, but... Who cares? It's not like we need him. I hope he surprises us and plays well, but he's not going to be the reason we make the WCF or not.