Game Thread Blazers vs Suns Summer League Game Thread

[Pinwheel1]

Layman reminds me EXACTLY of Claver. Looks like a player, has a nice stroke, but can't make a shot

One thing in his favor (I hope) is this is his only his first game playing with the new (New to him) 3 pt line. Most rookies take time to adjust to the extra 2 feet.

 

[Mediocre Man]

One thing in his favor (I hope) is this is his only his first game playing with the new (New to him) 3 pt line. Most rookies take time to adjust to the extra 2 feet.

Ya. I can only judge aftet 1 game.. After 1 game, Jackson shouldn't see the floor again. Napier should be waived and Smith should be that guy instead. Crabbe sgould be matched because Pat's not that guy. Vonleh should work on post moves only, and Montero is years away.

Dominating summer league doesn't mean you will be a good pro, but has there been a good pro that played poorly throughout it? A big maybe, but I can't recall any guards or wings

 

[SwissBlazer]

Dominating summer league doesn't mean you will be a good pro, but has there been a good pro that played poorly throughout it? A big maybe, but I can't recall any guards or wings

Batum comes immediately to mind.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Batum comes immediately to mind.

Good one. I guess there have been a few

 

[SwissBlazer]

Good one. I guess there have been a few

But you are right. Shining in the SL doesn't mean shining in the NBA but it's a good indicator. Been bad in SL means 90% of the time not being NBA material.

Regarding to yesterdays game I liked what i've seen from Layman. Couldn't hit a shot but the form is there and his activity was really good. Vonleh looks like a man. Should really have hit the gym during summer. Pat-C looked really smooth out there.

I am excited to see Napier as the PG. Not only because of the player but to have a PG that's not there to find a spot in the NBA. Russ Smith will find a contract somewhere after what we saw yesterday.

 

[TBpup]

Alexander was waived by the Blazers but will be back if he clears waivers....didn't sound like he would play till after Game 2 if that was the case.

Layman seems like he should really be around 6'7" Has a fairly long neck which makes him taller....opposite of Dwight Howard who has a very short neck.

Vonleh looked better in the 1st half but still not quite aggressive enough.

Montero looks like he has all the tools but just needs to make shots. Even got a mention from the commentators on how smooth he was.

Connaughton looked like he was pressing...trying to show he could fill in for Crabbe.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Alexander was waived by the Blazers but will be back if he clears waivers....didn't sound like he would play till after Game 2 if that was the case.

Layman seems like he should really be around 6'7" Has a fairly long neck which makes him taller....opposite of Dwight Howard who has a very short neck.

Vonleh looked better in the 1st half but still not quite aggressive enough.

Montero looks like he has all the tools but just needs to make shots. Even got a mention from the commentators on how smooth he was.

Connaughton looked like he was pressing...trying to show he could fill in for Crabbe.

If you just saw a halfway decent teammate get almost 80 million dollars you might start pressing too. I would.

 

[ripcityboy]

Loved what I said saw from Layman last night. Very athletic and active and better than I thought he'd be defensely. If he can hit the three than will offer some interesting match ups off the bench.

 

[Sinobas]

After seeing that game, I can put to bed any idea that any of those guys are going to help us next year. Though I still have some hope for Layman. But man, Vonleh was a lotto pick a couple years ago and got a lot of nba experience, and he looked like horseshit. Last year the Blazers signed a couple of no name big men to the summer league that looked better than him. And Montero, he looks like he has good quickness, but that's all I can say about his game right now. Connoughton just looks like baseball player playing a pickup game.

We're probably going to be losing depth this offseason, so hopefully we never have to rely on any of these guys in an actual game.

 

[Sinobas]

But you are right. Shining in the SL doesn't mean shining in the NBA but it's a good indicator. Been bad in SL means 90% of the time not being NBA material.

Regarding to yesterdays game I liked what i've seen from Layman. Couldn't hit a shot but the form is there and his activity was really good. Vonleh looks like a man. Should really have hit the gym during summer. Pat-C looked really smooth out there.

I am excited to see Napier as the PG. Not only because of the player but to have a PG that's not there to find a spot in the NBA. Russ Smith will find a contract somewhere after what we saw yesterday.

Usually even borderlie nba talents kick butt in summer league. Like remember how good Nolan Smith looked in summer league?

 

[Sinobas]

Noah Vonleh needs to get his ass inside and learn how to be an interior presence. But he's yet another soft "big man" that just wants to be a 3pt specialist. I don't think that's going to work out for you bud. The fact that he can't even distinguish himself in summer league coming into his 3rd nba season shows he's not improving his game, at least in a way that translates onto the court.

 

[SwissBlazer]

Noah Vonleh needs to get his ass inside and learn how to be an interior presence. But he's yet another soft "big man" that just wants to be a 3pt specialist. I don't think that's going to work out for you bud. The fact that he can't even distinguish himself in summer league coming into his 3rd nba season shows he's not improving his game, at least in a way that translates onto the court.

Never forget how young he is. He physically got stroner. Now he has to figure out how to use it. Looks like one year away but after this 1st game I haven't give up on him. At all.

 

[craigehlo]

Never forget how young he is. He physically got stroner. Now he has to figure out how to use it. Looks like one year away but after this 1st game I haven't give up on him. At all.

In this case being 20 doesn't mean he has upside, it means the scouts didn't have a very large college sample size and reached too high on draft day.

Vonleh looks to me like TRob with less bounce. He's got no midrange game to open up the option for the drive and he's an average rebounder. If he wasn't the 9th pick, he's likely playing in Europe.

 

[Sinobas]

Never forget how young he is. He physically got stroner. Now he has to figure out how to use it. Looks like one year away but after this 1st game I haven't give up on him. At all.

Ah, sweet hope. He's had a lot than 1 game. I don't have that same sort of eternal home for young players to make great improvements. I've seen to many guys come right in and show what they are made of, and very few that have looked like garbage the first couple years then suddenly turned it on.

 

[SwissBlazer]

Ah, sweet hope. He's had a lot than 1 game. I don't have that same sort of eternal home for young players to make great improvements. I've seen to many guys come right in and show what they are made of, and very few that have looked like garbage the first couple years then suddenly turned it on.

Totally understandable. I really like the kid and what he could be. Maybe time will prove me wrong. I am not the one who has endless hopes for youngs to develop. Gave very quickly up on the Nolan Smiths and the Armon Johnsons of the world. Not ready yet for Vonleh.

 

[riverman]

From the distance of time Monia and Khryapa now sounds like some combination of a lung and gastrointestinal disease.....

what a load of Khryapa!

 

[jlprk]

You guys saying Vonleh isn't tough enough--he heard you and got into a fight yesterday in the 3rd quarter. Are you aware of that?

 

[Blazer4ever]

Totally understandable. I really like the kid and what he could be. Maybe time will prove me wrong. I am not the one who has endless hopes for youngs to develop. Gave very quickly up on the Nolan Smiths and the Armon Johnsons of the world. Not ready yet for Vonleh.

Say what?

 

[Blazer4ever]

Didn't watch the game but it's just the first game. SL would not be over before you realise what a player Pierre Jackson is. Napier, Pierre Jackson and Russ Smith is an incredible backcourt

 

[Schilly]

Okay.

How many times have you interviewed NBA GM's?

How many NBA practices have you been to?

How many times have you talked to scouts and coaches?

I base my opinions on decades of experience. As I said, I call it like I see it.

Let's see I haven't had the ability to do any of that. Jason Quick has though and I have a real hard giving him more than a grain of salt at best.

 

[riverman]

Loved what I said saw from Layman last night. Very athletic and active and better than I thought he'd be defensely. If he can hit the three than will offer some interesting match ups off the bench.

Layman, Vonleh and Connaughton were really banging in the post...actually impressive defense for guys who aren't that big. Connaughton was forcing his jumper all night, Layman too. No ball movement to speak of though...reminded me of a D league game. Everybody but Booker looked out of game shape too. Vonleh put on some upper body muscle

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Noah Vonleh needs to get his ass inside and learn how to be an interior presence. But he's yet another soft "big man" that just wants to be a 3pt specialist. I don't think that's going to work out for you bud. The fact that he can't even distinguish himself in summer league coming into his 3rd nba season shows he's not improving his game, at least in a way that translates onto the court.

Does the fact that Portland hasn't had a big man coach for a year now factor into this?

 

[riverman]

Does the fact that Portland hasn't had a big man coach for a year now factor into this?

They have one, we just can't remember his name

 

[Pinwheel1]

Noah Vonleh needs to get his ass inside and learn how to be an interior presence. But he's yet another soft "big man" that just wants to be a 3pt specialist. I don't think that's going to work out for you bud. The fact that he can't even distinguish himself in summer league coming into his 3rd nba season shows he's not improving his game, at least in a way that translates onto the court.

While agree he is not a 3 point shooter and needs to stop trying to be one.....I have to wonder who is telling him to keep shooting it. My guess is the coaches don't give a shit about winning summer league games and want him to keep trying. But I don't really think he is soft. He likes to mix it up and does not shy away from contact. And he shoots with both hands very well down low.

He does however need to watch some Karl Malone tape on how to secure a rebound. (Elbows)

 

[Sinobas]

While agree he is not a 3 point shooter and needs to stop trying to be one.....I have to wonder who is telling him to keep shooting it. My guess is the coaches don't give a shit about winning summer league games and want him to keep trying. But I don't really think he is soft. He likes to mix it up and does not shy away from contact. And he shoots with both hands very well down low.

He does however need to watch some Karl Malone tape on how to secure a rebound. (Elbows)

He's a strong guy physically, just as Lamarcus was reportedly, but just haven't seen much inside or finishing ability from him, he seems to like to take those jumpers and he's not good at them at all. Guys with huge hands like shaq can have a hard time shooting.

 

[Pinwheel1]

He's a strong guy physically, just as Lamarcus was reportedly, but just haven't seen much inside or finishing ability from him, he seems to like to take those jumpers and he's not good at them at all. Guys with huge hands like shaq can have a hard time shooting.

I agree he took too many jumpers. But he did attack the basket a few times as well. He did make that beautiful left handed shot on the drive and I think there were a couple other plays where the calls could have gone either way when he drove to the basket.

I would like him to stay away from the 3 point line and work his ass off on the mid range shot first. That will keep the defense honest so he can attack the basket. That one monster dunk in traffic would have changed everyone's opinion if he would have made it. Although, as I recall, the whistle had already been blown.

 

[Natebishop3]

Vonleh didn't play that well and he still put up a double double. He looked much better than Chriss, who was the 8th pick in the draft, and Vonleh is only a year older than him.

 

[Natebishop3]

Our guys looked like shit yesterday and then Neil comes out and signs Meyers, matches Crabbe...... was I right?

No.... seriously though.... was I right?

 

[Boob-No-More]

Guys with huge hands like shaq can have a hard time shooting.

That's a lame excuse used by guys with poor shooting form that refuse to work on their shot in the off season.

Ever see Sabonis' hands? They are HUGE. A basketball looks like a grapefruit in his hands. Did he have trouble shooting?

What about Kawhi "The Claw" Leonard? He was third in the entire league in 3FG% at .443, behind only J.J. Redick and Steph Curry. His shooting ability does not seem to be impaired by his hand size. His hands are almost the same size as Noah Vonleh's.

If Vonleh never develops a reliable jump shot, it won't be his hands that are at fault. They will just be a convenient excuse.

BNM

 

[Haakzilla]

...game 2 starting soon!