Coaches, how could you?

[gruetzi]

In the first half, Myers brought the Blazers back into the game with 5 for 5 shooting, assists, rebounds, and defense. How could you start the 2nd half without him?

You squandered the 7 point half-time lead to start the second half, and took many minutes before getting Myers and CJ back into the game. The true mark of winning coaching is recognizing who is helping the team and playing them.

In the second half, Blazers were 11 of 39 shooting, when you had a guy who was 5 for 5 in the first half, but you did not get him 1 shot in the second half. In my opinion, the Blazers won this one with determination, but without the good judgement they needed from the coaches. In the next games, when you have a guy who is hot, please go to him. Let's never see a player who brought 11 of the 13 points in one run, and the lead, be taken out of the game and denied the green light to keep shooting.

 

[Pinwheel1]

They both played 35 minutes. They could not have played much more. Both were +23 and really played well.

Dame was MVP, but CJ came up huge. When they drafted him I posted that although he may not start games, he will finish them. Love watching him attack the basket. Rebounds well and gets the loose balls, something this team desperately needs. He and Dame are going to be fun to watch for the next 8 years or so.

As for Meyers, he just keeps getting better and and better. His body control for his size is amazing. The way he can catch and shoot on the move always surprises me. Too bad the refs let Gasol beat the shit out of him under the basket.

 

[gruetzi]

But why would you take a player out of the game that is 5 for 5 and changed the Griz defense to allow scoring in the paint? Couldn't the coaches see that? How can you take away the momentum of the player that has the crowd with him and brought the Blazer half-time lead? Why would you not start Myers and CJ in the 3rd quarter? Play the guys hitting the shots rather than thoughtlessly playing those starters who missed shots.

And yes, I agree. Gasol was constantly wrestling, including pushing and holding, Myers on the Blazers end of the court, which were fouls that should be called. Again, the refs are not consistent in calling touch fouls on Myers when they allow wrestling holds against him on the other end of the court.

I hope the coaches will ponder my questions and avoid making the mistake of taking out or not authorizing shots from the players with the high percentages.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

The true mark of winning coaching is recognizing who is helping the team and playing them.

Which is why he wasted no time in getting them in in the third.

Why would he deviate from his starters?

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Check out the T-Shirt!

 

[MarAzul]

he wasted no time in getting them in in the third.

um, going for seven up to 10 down is wasting several things, time and position. Actually I think he has wasted 3 games and I am not sure he sees the picture yet.

 

[MarAzul]

Check out the T-Shirt!

uh, I see my all time favorite coach in caricature. I don't know what the message is.

 

[gruetzi]

Who is that on the T-shirt?

 

[KeepOnRollin]

uh, I see my all time favorite coach in caricature. I don't know what the message is.

You can call it caricature, I will call it homage. Did you see the suit Stotts wore last year when Ramsey passed away?

 

[KeepOnRollin]

Who is that on the T-shirt?

Dr. Jack

 

[Pinwheel1]

But why would you take a player out of the game that is 5 for 5 and changed the Griz defense to allow scoring in the paint? Couldn't the coaches see that? How can you take away the momentum of the player that has the crowd with him and brought the Blazer half-time lead? Why would you not start Myers and CJ in the 3rd quarter? Play the guys hitting the shots rather than thoughtlessly playing those starters who missed shots.

Again, he played him 35 minutes. He can't play the whole second half. He has to sit at some time.

Stotts didn't take away his momentum. The halftime break and Memphis' D did. Meyers did not score in the 2nd half. He was still effective by spreading the floor and playing tough D, but if you are going to sit him, you might as well keep him in his comfort zone and continue to bring him off the bench where he is used to. Plus he kept him out of foul trouble.

 

[gruetzi]

Pinwheel, I see it differently. When a player is that hot, he deserves to be in the game and shooting, and can definitely be there for over 40 min. You often mention your fear of Myers fouling out, but he is no where near that, and should stay in and score until he actually has 5 fouls. He is playing clean defense and needs to be defended by the coaches (asking for consistent calls at both ends). Taking him out with 2 or 3 fouls, even early in the game, is nonsense.

Myers brings intensity and athleticism to the Blazers that are needed for winning. It is no comfort zone for him or anyone to see the 7 point lead squandered from the bench. He is young, shows a lot of energy, and does not need a rest, especially after the half-time break. Taking a 5 for 5 shooter out of the game, and not even playing to give him a shot for many minutes after his return, does break momentum. We can hope for more extensive use of his scoring touch and strong defense in Game 5.

 

[MarAzul]

Memphis' D did

I disagree. The players that passed the ball to Meyers in the first half, did not play the second half. The players that did play left him standing open on the 3 pt line many times.
However, you are right, the defence could not fully commit to ignoring him and stuff the paint so he had an affect on offense and damn good defense on Gasol.

 

[MarAzul]

Did you see the suit Stotts wore last year when Ramsey passed away?

Yes. He looked as dumb as I did wearing that stuff. I can't believe I went to work one day with pants of that ilk, but I did. Geez!

 

[Pinwheel1]

Pinwheel, I see it differently. When a player is that hot, he deserves to be in the game and shooting, and can definitely be there for over 40 min. You often mention your fear of Myers fouling out, but he is no where near that, and should stay in and score until he actually has 5 fouls. He is playing clean defense and needs to be defended by the coaches (asking for consistent calls at both ends). Taking him out with 2 or 3 fouls, even early in the game, is nonsense.
.

At this point in his career, Meyers is not an iron man. Has he ever played 35 minutes in a single game before? I doubt if he has and I don't expect Terry to assume he can in a very physical playoff game where he is battling Gasol underneath. Would he have been as effective on defense late in the game if he had played the whole 2nd half? I don't see it.

And just because a player is hot in one half it doesn't mean he will be hot in the 2nd half. Once a player comes out they cool off. And he had to come out because it was half time.

I give all the credit in the world to Meyers for taking smart shots. He passed on quite a few 3 pt shots in the 2nd half where the defender was closing fast. I love that he does not force things.

 

[HailBlazers]

I disagree. The players that passed the ball to Meyers in the first half, did not play the second half. The players that did play left him standing open on the 3 pt line many times.
However, you are right, the defence could not fully commit to ignoring him and stuff the paint so he had an affect on offense and damn good defense on Gasol.

Man that annoyed me. The ball movement in the second half was atrocious. It's pretty simple, play inside out, attack the basket, move the ball, make the extra pass, rinse wash repeat, why they always fail to do this after its proven to work is beyond me.

The Spurs almost never fail to make the extra pass or move the ball without fervor.

 

[Natebishop3]

You can call it caricature, I will call it homage. Did you see the suit Stotts wore last year when Ramsey passed away?

Actually he wore the pants for Dr. Jack's birthday. He actually didn't want to wear them after he passed away. He felt like it wouldn't be appropriate or something along those lines.

 

[Schilly]

Starting the same guys is perfectly appropriate strategy. Very few guys on fire in a 1st half come out in the 2nd half with the same fire anyway. Give the starters another chance to get on a roll. then swap em out finish with who is on best.

 

[H.C.]

Nards played well throughout the game.
But if someone missed the adjustment Memphis made at half time to stop Nards from getting wide open looks with no close out.
Then I have the game on my box still.
If you'd like to come over and watch it again.. I'll watch it with you and point out the adjustment Memphis made to you.
Or you can acknowledge that Memphis actually adjusted their pick and roll defense of closing out on Nards in the second half..
Either way works for me.
Which explains why when he did get the ball back on the P&R that he hesitated to take the shot, and passed it up.. There was a close out.
I will also point out that Nards was effective without the ball in his hands.
Aldridge pulled his defender out, Nards pulled his defender out leaving whoever was guarding Lillard or CJ on an island with them.
It's what the Spurs do with Duncan & Bonner.

TLDR
Nards was standing by himself in the first half besides one time when Jeff Green tried to come over to help.
Second half defense adjusted and if you force Nards the ball in that situation... That would pull Nards out of his comfort zone. Let him stay comfy, and do what he do.



I don't know how someone doesn't see Stotts lobbying for equal calls for every player on the team.
It just hasn't been equal the entire series.
Stuff happens, play through it.

 

[gruetzi]

MarAzul, when you are playing as a team, the passes come to the man with the hot hand from everyone. Playing for team effectiveness has to be the key, rather than limited thinking. The pretty pass from LA to Meyers and confident score showed an example.

Pinwheel, yes, Meyers would be effective even if he played the whole second half. You can take him out if you see that he is slacking off, but only if. If Meyers had started the 2nd half instead of AA (who was 0 for 5), we could have had a few more 3 point shots rather than the scoring drought. There is no need to assume that the player bringing energy to the team should be benched until you see evidence. Especially in the playoffs, energy and superb shooting should lead the way.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Pinwheel, yes, Meyers would be effective even if he played the whole second half. You can take him out if you see that he is slacking off, but only if. If Meyers had started the 2nd half instead of AA (who was 0 for 5), we could have had a few more 3 point shots rather than the scoring drought. There is no need to assume that the player bringing energy to the team should be benched until you see evidence. Especially in the playoffs, energy and superb shooting should lead the way.

Again....he was not benched, they just stayed with the same rotation that was successful for Meyers in the first half.
And again he played most of the 2nd half and did not score. The fact that he did not start the 2nd half instead of AAA would not have changed that fact for the reasons Honkicracker points out above.

 

[BBert]

I disagree. The players that passed the ball to Meyers in the first half, did not play the second half. The players that did play left him standing open on the 3 pt line many times.
However, you are right, the defence could not fully commit to ignoring him and stuff the paint so he had an affect on offense and damn good defense on Gasol.

I was going to say, more or less, the same thing.

I don't think Meyers should have started the second half, but when he did play, I do think his teammates should have gotten him the ball on the numerous times he was open. That's on player decision making, not the coaches' fault, and it hurt us. They did better later in the game, and he wisely passed around when pressured.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Damn, we won a playoff game in which we shot 11-39 from the field in the second half. 28.2% - and it was enough!

 

[magnifier661]

Damn, we won a playoff game in which we shot 11-39 from the field in the second half. 28.2% - and it was enough!

I think that had more to do with our defense than offense obviously!

 

[MarAzul]

MarAzul, when you are playing as a team, the passes come to the man with the hot hand from everyone.

I think you should be correct.

 

[MARIS61]

Who is that on the T-shirt?

I believe that's an automatic 1 week suspension from the board for not knowing.

 

[gruetzi]

Hi Maris. Ha Ha! I am not on any board that I know of, but the cartoon didn't look that much like Dr. Jack to me. The question makes a trial balloon, just for the fun of it, to get a response.

Do you think that Dr. Jack would have taken Meyers out to start the second half?

 

[Ferd]

Dr Jack would tell them to get the ball to Meyers or have a seat beside him and tell him why.

 

[MarAzul]

Hi Maris. Ha Ha! I am not on any board that I know of, but the cartoon didn't look that much like Dr. Jack to me. The question makes a trial balloon, just for the fun of it, to get a response.

Do you think that Dr. Jack would have taken Meyers out to start the second half?

Hard to say, but we are probably talking about game two, not four.

 

[Draco]

Meyers has been extremely foul prone so I think it's best to start Rolo and then even if Meyers plays 35mins he will be able to do much of it while defending backups.