Blazers 7th in NBA PPG at 123.6

[SharpesTriumph]

Probably the biggest surprise of the early season so far.

Our defense is very impressive as I was optimistic with since we ditched Ant as well as the horrific effort of Ayton.

But I've been very impressed how much we've pushed the pace and got easy buckets. Seems like every training camp for 20+ years we hear how "this year" the Blazers will run more. It's been awesome to actually finally watch it.

There are times I thought I was almost watching last year's Thunder the way we forced steals and turned it into layups. Opponents have had real problems solving our defense.

Excited to see how this year progresses even if we ultimately have some major scoring issues and losses. This style of basketball is so much more fun to watch than mediocre guys like Ayton shooting long jump shots and getting blown by inside.

Props to Grant too... greatly exceeded expectations and he's fitting in very well on both ends to what the team is trying to do.

Also props to Splitter. Regardless of X+O this gambling issue could be a major distraction but there's been none of that. His comments and areas of focus have all been spot on.

 

[andalusian]

Well, the Blazers are 2nd in Pace and only 13 in ORTG, so they are not as good as they seem on offense, they just play so fast that there are lots of possessions.

However, 13 in ORTG is good for a team without a go-to guy and questionable shooting. The Blazers figured out that the way they can score is to run like crazy and avoid half-court defense.

I shudder to see what their ORTG is against set half-court defense, I imagine it's pretty dismal.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Well, the Blazers are 2nd in Pace and only 13 in ORTG, so they are not as good as they seem on offense, they just play so fast that there are lots of possessions.

However, 13 in ORTG is good for a team without a go-to guy and questionable shooting. The Blazers figured out that the way they can score is to run like crazy and avoid half-court defense.

I shudder to see what their ORTG is against set half-court defense, I imagine it's pretty dismal.

Yeah, the half-court offense needs to improve, or they will lose a lot of close games in the 4th. Sure, a superstar who can take over games would help, but having multiple threats can also be effective. Jrue, Sharpe, Deni, and Grant all have the potential to score in crunch time.

I just would not force it into Clingan unless he is wide open. Bigs in general are not the best option in crunch time. (although there are a few exceptions) Most can't put the ball on the floor, handle a tough pass, or shoot free throws.

 

[2Fluffy4U]

I actually think the half-court offense was not too bad. Ball movement, cutting, slashing.. minimal Iso's and Hero ball.
The most Iso plays are just Jrue or Deni running downhill and passing the ball / shooting according to the 'correct' way to play.

 

[B-Roy]

Some more fun small sample size numbers:

Matisse Thybulle is averaging 7.3 steals per 36. He has a steal rate of 9.3%. That's saying: when Matisse is on the floor, he is generating a steal on 1 out of every 10 possessions. Batshit insane, but obviously not sustainable lol.

 

[Everything Beagle]

This is ludicrous. Opponent turnover rate:

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

115 after 3 yesterday. When is the last time we did that???

 

[andalusian]

Other things to notice - the team's fact pace shows how many field goal attempts (3rd in the league) they have, but being only 23rd in FG% shows you how bad they are at shooting.

Notice that difference in ranking of 3P attempts vs 2P attempts, the Blazers really try to shoot tons of 3 points, and they are only 17th in the league in converting them -once again, they are not good at shooting. On the other hand, they convert their FT attempts at a very good clip.

On the opposite side of the ball, the fast pace allows the opponents to shoot a lot (both overall and 3 points) but the Blazers stout defense limits the conversion rate of these to the lower 1/3 of the league.

Other interesting bits, the Blazers are very good on the offensive board, pretty bad on the defensive boards. They are also pretty good at protecting the ball - while on the other side of the ball, they limit their opponents FT attempts (just good defense) and are the #1 team in the league at forcing turn overs.

The numbers mostly match the eye test, the biggest surprise for me is that their Turn Overs are not as bad as they sometime seem. The fast pace might make them seem more significant than what they really are.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

Yeah, the half-court offense needs to improve, or they will lose a lot of close games in the 4th. Sure, a superstar who can take over games would help, but having multiple threats can also be effective. Jrue, Sharpe, Deni, and Grant all have the potential to score in crunch time.

I just would not force it into Clingan unless he is wide open. Bigs in general are not the best option in crunch time. (although there are a few exceptions) Most can't put the ball on the floor, handle a tough pass, or shoot free throws.

Not concerned. With Clingkongs continual improvement and Dames return, next year our half court offense should be solid.

 

[Everything Beagle]

View attachment 76530

Other things to notice - the team's fact pace shows how many field goal attempts (3rd in the league) they have, but being only 23rd in FG% shows you how bad they are at shooting.

Notice that difference in ranking of 3P attempts vs 2P attempts, the Blazers really try to shoot tons of 3 points, and they are only 17th in the league in converting them -once again, they are not good at shooting. On the other hand, they convert their FT attempts at a very good clip.

On the opposite side of the ball, the fast pace allows the opponents to shoot a lot (both overall and 3 points) but the Blazers stout defense limits the conversion rate of these to the lower 1/3 of the league.

Other interesting bits, the Blazers are very good on the offensive board, pretty bad on the defensive boards. They are also pretty good at protecting the ball - while on the other side of the ball, they limit their opponents FT attempts (just good defense) and are the #1 team in the league at forcing turn overs.

The numbers mostly match the eye test, the biggest surprise for me is that their Turn Overs are not as bad as they sometime seem. The fast pace might make them seem more significant than what they really are.

Their 2pt attempts are really close in too: their 0-10ft attempts are way way higher than midrange attempts. It’s roughly hewn but our strategy is a really focused outside in/inside out optimization.

 

[Everything Beagle]

Looking at those distance breakdowns, Jrue and Shaedon seem to be intentionally the floor spreaders, shooting fairly evenly from anywhere while the other three on the court are optimized for close or long distance, keeping defenders from patrolling a large area. The roaming players exist to find a defender playing off their man and punish them with a quick pass inside or outside. If Shae shot better we’d be 5-0 right now, because defenders would be more tempted to leave their man, but even with him shooting poorly we’re still 3-2 with this strategy. And, unlike the 2008 Rockets, we are trying to make shots, not draw fouls. A very exciting brand of basketball that’s emergent moment to moment as opportunities present themselves. An opponent would have to be exquisitely disciplined defensively to keep from being exploited.

This strategy would thrive with Dame and Jrue on the floor hitting shots and punishing with bullet passes, while three lanky wings disrupt the passing lanes.