Exclusive Blazers Midterm Report Card

[Chris Craig]

https://www.blazersland.com/trail-blazers-mideason-grades/

 

[swish3]

Chris, I disagree with your grades for Meyers and Seth, who should both have a B or better to be consistent with the grades you have assigned.

It is not my perception that Meyers is setting awkward or unnecessary screens. Rather, I see him setting the best screens and getting Dame, CJ, Chief, Mo, Seth, Jake, Nik, and Zach excellent open shots. Meyers is probably setting the most screens, and if anything needs some coaching support (including with backing him to the refs) to better stay within the standard for legal screens. But he is always working to set screens and get players free. He has made some of the best passes both to the arc and to cutters that I have seen. He was for weeks at the top of the NBA in swish3 % shooting, and has the all-time NBA record of 76.9% for swish3 scoring in the playoffs. He is rebounding at 15.4 TRB%, and has the highest TS% of 62.3 and highest ORtg of 122 of the Blazers. He has a respectable WS/48 of 0.147. He could be contributing 16 PPG in my view if the Blazers will add a few plays for him to add 3+ swish3s per game. I'd give him a B+.

Seth also deserves a B and in my view is contributing almost as well as Evan. Seth has a swish3 % of 48.5, a TS% of 56.5, has made 100% of his FT, and is providing some defense. As long as he can keep up the great swish3 shooting, he is a welcome relief for CJ as a solid bench player.

Both Meyers and Seth can be important reasons for the increased scoring, defense, and team play that can bring an NBA Championship to the Blazers this season. I would give both of them better recognition and ratings for this Trailblazers Midseason Grades.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Chris, I like this sort of article, but I don't understand your grading scheme.

If our big 3 have A- or better, our record should be a lot better than it is. I think many will take issue with your CJ grade, in particular.

The rookies, Balwin, and Swanigan should have incompletes because of their lack of minutes instead of poor grades.

Is the whole C++ grade for Meyers because "he's like a computer?"

 

[hoopsjock]

I don't think I agree with a single one of your grades, lol.

Especially CJ, you have the wrong 3pt% for him. It's down at 33%, not 38%.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't think I agree with a single one of your grades, lol.

Especially CJ, you have the wrong 3pt% for him. It's down at 33%, not 38%.

He's a headstart teacher--they grade easier.

 

[Chris Craig]

Chris, I disagree with your grades for Meyers and Seth, who should both have a B or better to be consistent with the grades you have assigned.

It is not my perception that Meyers is setting awkward or unnecessary screens. Rather, I see him setting the best screens and getting Dame, CJ, Chief, Mo, Seth, Jake, Nik, and Zach excellent open shots. Meyers is probably setting the most screens, and if anything needs some coaching support (including with backing him to the refs) to better stay within the standard for legal screens. But he is always working to set screens and get players free. He has made some of the best passes both to the arc and to cutters that I have seen. He was for weeks at the top of the NBA in swish3 % shooting, and has the all-time NBA record of 76.9% for swish3 scoring in the playoffs. He is rebounding at 15.4 TRB%, and has the highest TS% of 62.3 and highest ORtg of 122 of the Blazers. He has a respectable WS/48 of 0.147. He could be contributing 16 PPG in my view if the Blazers will add a few plays for him to add 3+ swish3s per game. I'd give him a B+.

Seth also deserves a B and in my view is contributing almost as well as Evan. Seth has a swish3 % of 48.5, a TS% of 56.5, has made 100% of his FT, and is providing some defense. As long as he can keep up the great swish3 shooting, he is a welcome relief for CJ as a solid bench player.

Both Meyers and Seth can be important reasons for the increased scoring, defense, and team play that can bring an NBA Championship to the Blazers this season. I would give both of them better recognition and ratings for this Trailblazers Midseason Grades.

I could see Meyers having a B-. He sets good screens, but then sets secondary screens that are awkward and seem to take away from the play. He doesn't move into the open at the top of the arc for the ball enough. He should more.

 

[Chris Craig]

Chris, I like this sort of article, but I don't understand your grading scheme.

If our big 3 have A- or better, our record should be a lot better than it is. I think many will take issue with your CJ grade, in particular.

The rookies, Balwin, and Swanigan should have incompletes because of their lack of minutes instead of poor grades.

Is the whole C++ grade for Meyers because "he's like a computer?"

I agree with your assesment of CJs grade. Initially, I had given the bottom four incompletes. Thanks for your input.

 

[Chris Craig]

I don't think I agree with a single one of your grades, lol.

Especially CJ, you have the wrong 3pt% for him. It's down at 33%, not 38%.

Thanks for catching that. I fixed it. I somehow saw the wrong percentage, I think Lillards. I lowered his grade a bit to compensate for his lower shooting percentage.

 

[oldmangrouch]

By definition "C" means "average." Dame, Nurk, and CJ are the only Blazers who are above league average for their position (at least arguably). By definition, every other member of the team gets a "C" or less.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I'm giving Zach a B, maybe even deserves a B+.

FG% and FT% are way up, 3FG% slightly up, but about the same. PER is 13.7.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

By definition "C" means "average." Dame, Nurk, and CJ are the only Blazers who are above league average for their position (at least arguably). By definition, every other member of the team gets a "C" or less.

Depends on if you're grading them relative to their positions or relative to expectations.

Also, if grading relative to position, bench players should be graded relative to other bench players, so some of them would be above a C as well.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Depends on if you're grading them relative to their positions or relative to expectations.

Also, if grading relative to position, bench players should be graded relative to other bench players, so some of them would be above a C as well.

and no one really spells out their criteria, so it's not really an exercise to be taken too seriously. However, it is fun.

 

[wizenheimer]

Is the whole C++ grade for Meyers because "he's like a computer?"

now that is kind of like an 'instant classic' joke...well done

but what it does well is set-up a galaxy of of follow-up jokes

'Meyers is windows vista in a windows 10 world' (could apply to Turner as well)

'Meyers is a blue screen on defense'

there has to be some joke about Meyers and punch cards

help me out here guys....I'm floundering

 

[tlongII]

I'm giving everybody a B. It's a team game.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

now that is kind of like an 'instant classic' joke...well done

but what it does well is set-up a galaxy of of follow-up jokes

'Meyers is windows vista in a windows 10 world' (could apply to Turner as well)

'Meyers is a blue screen on defense'

there has to be some joke about Meyers and punch cards

help me out here guys....I'm floundering

I'm not sure whether you know the reference or not. Dame's rookie year (or 2nd year?), he said Meyers knew all the plays so well that he was "like a computer."

How about this: "Meyers is still using punch cards while the other players are object-oriented!"

 

[swish3]

Meyers is more like the Apple 10 Mojave system just waiting to be used for scoring power than any Windows system. He is too unconventional and colorful for some to recognize, but considering his endorsement by Dame and the team leading statistics from Basketball-ref that I quoted above, can be the scoring addition that gets us the Championship this year.

When you consider what an additional 9-12 PPG from swish3s would mean in future games and through the playoffs, the analogy that means moving ahead by changing the program to run plays that include swish3 scoring by Meyers and Seth is like being a winner through a new operating system. And what about the emphatic dunks? Let's try running the Apple idea with game plans that emphasize ball movement, assists, and passes to the best Blazer swish3 shooters on the arc and see what is possible.

 

[jlprk]

Chris, I like this sort of article, but I don't understand your grading scheme.

Depends on if you're grading them relative to their positions or relative to expectations.

Also, if grading relative to position, bench players should be graded relative to other bench players, so some of them would be above a C as well.

and no one really spells out their criteria, so it's not really an exercise to be taken too seriously. However, it is fun.

Is each grade 1) for the player's potential permanent talent, or 2) transient talent--2a) for whether he has reached his potential, or 2b) for whether he has gotten worse or better compared to last year?

 

[Chris Craig]

Is each grade 1) for the player's potential permanent talent, or 2) transient talent--2a) for whether he has reached his potential, or 2b) for whether he has gotten worse or better compared to last year?

All the above as well as 3a.) production and 3b.) effort

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I'm not sure whether you know the reference or not. Dame's rookie year (or 2nd year?), he said Meyers knew all the plays so well that he was "like a computer."

How about this: "Meyers is still using punch cards while the other players are object-oriented!"

Oh my goodness I want to call meyers FORTRAN now!!!!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Oh my goodness I want to call meyers FORTRAN now!!!!

If you really want to hit below the belt, call him COBOL