Blazers on verge of title?

[Binx]

How anyone can watch the Blazer offense founder in the post season and still declare Stotts a championship level coach is beyond me.

Well, Olshey and Lillard and the rest of the Blazer organization apparently believe he’s a championship level coach, so I guess he’s fooled them all. It’s kind of strange, since they know him better than we all do.

 

[PCmor7]

Thats how espn has made business for 30 years.

Exactly. The McDonald's of sports news. You get something that tastes OK when you are hungry. Just don't expect it to be nutritious.

 

[fumanchu]

We need improvement at the PF spot if we are going to win a championship. If you don't think Love is better than Aminu you're high on crack.

Any combination of

Harkless
Curry
Aminu
Meyers
Hood
Trent Jr
our first round pick next year
our second round pick next year

Gravy!

 

[tlongII]

Collins will be our PF.

 

[Natebishop3]

And you know that Stotts is one of the coaches who cannot?? Care to offer any evidence?

I said that I do not believe that he's going to lead us to a title, and I said that's just my opinion.

Where did I ever say that I knew it as a fact or anything to do with evidence? Are you his mother?

 

[kjironman1]

Portland is a 50 win team next year. Where that gets them? Somewhere between 3rd and 5th seed.
By the time the playoffs come around they will know a bunch more about how they will play and there may be changes around the deadline again.
Just play a solid regular season and see where the chips fall in the playoffs.

We all just witnessed that anything and any player can make a difference in the playoffs. The trick is to get there playing well and having a healthy team.

 

[dviss1]

If you don't think Love is better than Aminu you're high on crack.

Defensively, he can't hold Aminu's jock strap.

#FACTS

 

[Strenuus]

Well, Olshey and Lillard and the rest of the Blazer organization apparently believe he’s a championship level coach, so I guess he’s fooled them all. It’s kind of strange, since they know him better than we all do.

Ummm... You also dont know they think hes a championship level coach by your own words...

 

[kjironman1]

Ummm... You also dont know they think hes a championship level coach by your own words...

Olshey just gave him an extension. Pretty sure actions speak pretty loud and clear.

 

[BonesJones]

We need improvement at the PF spot if we are going to win a championship. If you don't think Love is better than Aminu you're high on crack.

Any combination of

Harkless
Curry
Aminu
Meyers
Hood
Trent Jr
our first round pick next year
our second round pick next year

Gravy!

Love is better, but hes also a much worse fit because we already have two guards that struggle to defend.

 

[calvin natt]

I must have missed the part of the season when Skal showed something that impressed people

 

[GhostOfPGA]

Defensively, he can't hold Aminu's jock strap.

#FACTS

Tbf, Aminu is a better defender than about 90% of players.

 

[Binx]

I said that I do not believe that he's going to lead us to a title, and I said that's just my opinion.

Where did I ever say that I knew it as a fact or anything to do with evidence?

You must have some reason why you feel this way. Care to share it?

 

[Binx]

Ummm... You also dont know they think hes a championship level coach by your own words...

The hell I don’t. The entire Blazer organization is trying to win a championship while Lillard is in his prime. You think they would sign Stotts to a 3-year extension if they didn’t think he could get them there?

 

[BonesJones]

The hell I don’t. The entire Blazer organization is trying to win a championship while Lillard is in his prime. You think they would sign Stotts to a 3-year extension if they didn’t think he could get them there?

I don't know, but if they think he can coach a championship team with his deficiencies then theyre blind.

 

[Natebishop3]

You must have some reason why you feel this way. Care to share it?

It has been four years and he hasn’t figured out how to beat a trap.

It has been four years and he hasn’t figured out how to defend the pick and roll.

It has been four years and our offense hasn’t evolved past Dame/CJ hero ball.

He is a nice guy and the players love him, but he’s horrible at making adjustments and he’s stubborn as hell. He clings to his security blankets like a five year old.

He’s not on the same level as Kerr or Pop. Any time he goes against a top tier coach he gets exposed.

 

[kjironman1]

It has been four years and he hasn’t figured out how to beat a trap.

It has been four years and he hasn’t figured out how to defend the pick and roll.

It has been four years and our offense hasn’t evolved past Dame/CJ hero ball.

He is a nice guy and the players love him, but he’s horrible at making adjustments and he’s stubborn as hell. He clings to his security blankets like a five year old.

He’s not on the same level as Kerr or Pop. Any time he goes against a top tier coach he gets exposed.

First off it's been 6 years hasn't it?

Next i thought we just watched them beat the trap every time CJ/Hood/Harkless/Leonard or Curry made a shot in the playoffs. Because if you are thinking they didn't you watched a different set of games than i did.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Defensively, he can't hold Aminu's jock strap.

#FACTS

Offensively Im not sure Aminu could hold his either, their career stats arent even close... Now I do understand Love’s injury concerns and contract pose quite an issue.

 

[dviss1]

I must have missed the part of the season when Skal showed something that impressed people

Go watch the last Blazer game. He was amazing.

 

[dviss1]

Offensively Im not sure Aminu could hold his either, their career stats arent even close... Now I do understand Love’s injury concerns and contract pose quite an issue.

That's the reason why Aminu is a better fit.

 

[BBert]

We just need adequate replacements for Hood, Curry, and Kanter. We’re contenders right now without question. I would think that everyone would recognize that.

We managed to replace Hood without dipping into the MLE. Simons will replace Curry. I think we find a way to keep Kanter.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Go watch the last Blazer game. He was amazing.

People always have that as the Simons game, but Skal had some legit stuff in that game, those step back 3 pointers, and jab steps, were like eye openers, had no idea he had those.

 

[kjironman1]

That's the reason why Aminu is a better fit.

Wait a minute?
Are you actually saying Aminu is a better fit after watching the last three seasons?

 

[Natebishop3]

We managed to replace Hood without dipping into the MLE. Simons will replace Curry. I think we find a way to keep Kanter.

I think we absolutely HAVE to keep Kanter because of Nurks injury.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

That's the reason why Aminu is a better fit.

Not sure I agree, but I respect your opinion.

 

[PCmor7]

Aminu's not a bad fit. He plays good defense. He boards. He's gotten pretty consistent at making his open 3s. He doesn't embarrass the organization.

It's not that he's a bad fit. It's that he is a spot on the roster that is upgradeable, and that upgrade could be the thing that lifts the Blazers to the next level. He's an average player. Not more. Not less.

 

[BBert]

Wait a minute?
Are you actually saying Aminu is a better fit after watching the last three seasons?

Just playing Devil's Advocate (I'm no Aminu fan):

Love is long in the tooth, but still a very good scorer, and a very good rebounder. Aminu's decision making on offense is the reason I'm going bald, but his defense is very good and he's a decent rebounder.

But IMO, Love would not add all that much to our offense (other than perhaps getting Dame and CJ more open looks). What he would do is take shots away from Dame and CJ. And his defense is non existent.

Based on the synergy that's needed to be a successful team, IMO Aminu is a better fit for a playoff push. That doesn't mean I want to devote much in the way of cap space to re-signing him though. But I definitely don't want to trade a bunch of assets for Love, his invisible defense, and his crazy contract.

 

[BBert]

Aminu's not a bad fit. He plays good defense. He boards. He's gotten pretty consistent at making his open 3s. He doesn't embarrass the organization.

It's not that he's a bad fit. It's that he is a spot on the roster that is upgradeable, and that upgrade could be the thing that lifts the Blazers to the next level. He's an average player. Not more. Not less.

Exactly. I'm all for upgrading from Aminu. He'd be fine coming off the bench on a reasonable (as in, really small) contract.

 

[wizenheimer]

Next i thought we just watched them beat the trap every time CJ/Hood/Harkless/Leonard or Curry made a shot in the playoffs. Because if you are thinking they didn't you watched a different set of games than i did.

I don't really have a dog in this fight since I'm not in the anti-Stotts crowd (ambivalent but I do think it might be time for a change)...

...but, I don't think some made FG's by players other than Dame is the gauge that matters, rather what matters is wins. It's the playoffs and there are no moral victories, especially in a sweep. And over the last 4 seasons, in the series when Portland has been eliminated they are 1-16. Sure, 12 of those losses have come against the Warriors (and the single win 4 seasons ago), but Portland has not made any progress against them when it counts and have now lost 10 straight.

And in all of those 17 games, the same template has been used to great success: stop-Dame-stop-the-Blazers. Opponents get a 2-for-1 with that strategy because at the same time they take out Portland's best scorer, they also shut down the only guy capable of consistently running the offense. Double bonus, and the Blazers have the same vulnerability now they had 4 years ago.

and let's set the record straight...you mentioned other guys making shots: against the Warriors, CJ shot 39% on FG's and 35% on three's; Hood shot 40% on FG's and 29% on three's.; Curry shot 35% on FG's and 37% on three's; and Aminu shot 33% on FG's and 17% on three's. And those 4 guys combined for 38 shots a game....yikes!

now, maybe this isn't so much the fault of Stotts. Maybe no coach could scheme his way out of a major roster weakness. In that case it's the fault of management, but then, there have been a whole bunch of people here celebrating the extensions for both Stotts and Olshey while telling critics to eat crow. (in this case I think the sentiment is crow = shit). So then, it's either the stop-Dame-stop-the-Blazers template is a case of don't believe your lying eyes, or one of Olshey/Stotts have dropped the ball big time. I know where I come down in that, but where do you?

 

[calvin natt]

I don't really have a dog in this fight since I'm not in the anti-Stotts crowd (ambivalent but I do think it might be time for a change)...

...but, I don't think some made FG's by players other than Dame is the gauge that matters, rather what matters is wins. It's the playoffs and there are no moral victories, especially in a sweep. And over the last 4 seasons, in the series when Portland has been eliminated they are 1-16. Sure, 12 of those losses have come against the Warriors (and the single win 4 seasons ago), but Portland has not made any progress against them when it counts and have now lost 10 straight.

And in all of those 17 games, the same template has been used to great success: stop-Dame-stop-the-Blazers. Opponents get a 2-for-1 with that strategy because at the same time they take out Portland's best scorer, they also shut down the only guy capable of consistently running the offense. Double bonus, and the Blazers have the same vulnerability now they had 4 years ago.

and let's set the record straight...you mentioned other guys making shots: against the Warriors, CJ shot 39% on FG's and 35% on three's; Hood shot 40% on FG's and 29% on three's.; Curry shot 35% on FG's and 37% on three's; and Aminu shot 33% on FG's and 17% on three's. And those 4 guys combined for 38 shots a game....yikes!

now, maybe this isn't so much the fault of Stotts. Maybe no coach could scheme his way out of a major roster weakness. In that case it's the fault of management, but then, there have been a whole bunch of people here celebrating the extensions for both Stotts and Olshey while telling critics to eat crow. (in this case I think the sentiment is crow = shit). So then, it's either the stop-Dame-stop-the-Blazers template is a case of don't believe your lying eyes, or one of Olshey/Stotts have dropped the ball big time. I know where I come down in that, but where do you?

They remain too in love with CJ which is the best way to balance this out.