Comparing the Western Conference finals team to the current group

[kjironman1]

Yes but Olshey was quick to point out that Dame and CJ played 95% of the posessions at PG last year. Take out garbage time, that that is just about all of them.

I’m thinking 95% might be more of a way to make a point instead of saying “a lot of the time”. We all know 1M played more than 5 % of the season at PG. 5% would be just under 200 minutes.
Figuring 4 complete games in a full season. Of course they didn’t play a complete season. So hard to come up with a number exactly?

 

[Hoopguru]

I think the traditional view of what makes a good PG is changing around the league. The Lakers just let Rondo, a traditional PG in my view, walk and traded for Dennis Shroeder, a more offensively oriented guard. Most of the top PGs are big scorers these days. With CJ, when he plays PG in previous seasons it's usually been in a role with a second unit where he is by far the best scoring option out there. His "problem" is that with Dame out, he takes it on himself to get his own shot by dribbling to try to break his man down until he can get his shot off. I agree that that often causes the offense to stagnate and too often to have to settle for a poor shot. My hope, and at this point that's all it is, is that now that he's going to have more scorers available on the second unit he won't hold onto the ball so much. If he does, Stotts should address the matter. I guess all of that is to say that I don't think there's a skill problem with CJ at the point, but his mindset has to be changed when he's in that role.

I think both Dame and CJ can at times stop the motion offense where guys are moving and the ball moves, as iso ball and pnr can really slow things with guys standing in the corner.
If that doesn't change it will frustrate both DJJ & RoCo.

 

[BonesJones]

there's a difference, IMO, between playing a position and have the traditional skills of that position

CJ does not have the reactions, vision, or mindset of a traditional PG; and he pounds the ball way too much to consistently run an offense like a PG. But by default, he's a PG when there is nobody else on the floor who remotely resembles a PG, and when his defensive assignment is the opposing PG

real PG skills have been a scarcity on the Blazer roster since 2015. I don't think it's an accident, rather it's by design. If Portland had a backup PG on the level of a Rondo or a George Hill, Stotts would use him all the time and that would significantly reduce CJ's opportunity for lots of minutes

I feel like Portland should experiment with staggering not only CJ with Dame, but Nurkic. Let Nurkic be the main facilitator with the bench unit and pair him with CJ, Trent, DJJ, and Zach or Melo. Would help offset having a combo guard running point and his playmaking would mesh well with DJJ.

 

[riverman]

Deepest roster I can remember in the modern era...this roster should be better than the Kanter with injured Nurk version....having both Kanter and Nurk will make the best 1-2 center punch...Rodney has to show he's still an impact player but Trent is better now...Dame is better now...I think we're perfectly positioned to contend for a ring right now

 

[JDC]

I feel like Portland should experiment with staggering not only CJ with Dame, but Nurkic. Let Nurkic be the main facilitator with the bench unit and pair him with CJ, Trent, DJJ, and Zach or Melo. Would help offset having a combo guard running point and his playmaking would mesh well with DJJ.

I also like pairing Kanter with Lillard more often.

Sure, Kanter post ups vs back-up centers is a solid source of offense, but I like him a lot more as roller / offensive rebounder with a guard that can put pressure on the rim.

CJ / Trent / Hood / DJJ / Nurkic would a pretty effective unit for instance. Complementary on offense and fairly switchy defensively. One thing I've been impressed with about Jones after watching more of his film the last few days is how fluid he is laterally. Really able to sink his hips and slide with smaller players. Handles screens pretty well too.

 

[James lamphear]

Well if ever thing fall in place with everyone healthy we will be battling the Lakers and clippers for that too spot.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

there's a difference, IMO, between playing a position and have the traditional skills of that position

CJ does not have the reactions, vision, or mindset of a traditional PG; and he pounds the ball way too much to consistently run an offense like a PG. But by default, he's a PG when there is nobody else on the floor who remotely resembles a PG, and when his defensive assignment is the opposing PG

real PG skills have been a scarcity on the Blazer roster since 2015. I don't think it's an accident, rather it's by design. If Portland had a backup PG on the level of a Rondo or a George Hill, Stotts would use him all the time and that would significantly reduce CJ's opportunity for lots of minutes

I somewhat agree with this.

Also, Rondo and Hill are making 10 million per year, it doesn't make sense to allocate those resources to a "3rd“ string PG when we've had such glaring problems with starting forwards the last half decade.

The 2016 contracts were so damming too...

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I think the traditional view of what makes a good PG is changing around the league. The Lakers just let Rondo, a traditional PG in my view, walk and traded for Dennis Shroeder, a more offensively oriented guard. Most of the top PGs are big scorers these days. With CJ, when he plays PG in previous seasons it's usually been in a role with a second unit where he is by far the best scoring option out there. His "problem" is that with Dame out, he takes it on himself to get his own shot by dribbling to try to break his man down until he can get his shot off. I agree that that often causes the offense to stagnate and too often to have to settle for a poor shot. My hope, and at this point that's all it is, is that now that he's going to have more scorers available on the second unit he won't hold onto the ball so much. If he does, Stotts should address the matter. I guess all of that is to say that I don't think there's a skill problem with CJ at the point, but his mindset has to be changed when he's in that role.

I think this is right. You have a bunch of vocal Blazers fans screaming for a 1980/1990s style PG because they don't understand how the guard position has changed.

 

[BonesJones]

I also like pairing Kanter with Lillard more often.

Sure, Kanter post ups vs back-up centers is a solid source of offense, but I like him a lot more as roller / offensive rebounder with a guard that can put pressure on the rim.

CJ / Trent / Hood / DJJ / Nurkic would a pretty effective unit for instance. Complementary on offense and fairly switchy defensively. One thing I've been impressed with about Jones after watching more of his film the last few days is how fluid he is laterally. Really able to sink his hips and slide with smaller players. Handles screens pretty well too.

I think it makes sense to start both Hood and RoCo and RoCo probably deserves more minutes so it might make sense to stagger him instead of Hood with that bench unit. Would be a little sketchier and then Hood could finish halves with Dame as the secondary scorer if Nurk/CJ are off the floor depending on how it gets sorted out.

 

[kjironman1]

I think it makes sense to start both Hood and RoCo and RoCo probably deserves more minutes so it might make sense to stagger him instead of Hood with that bench unit. Would be a little sketchier and then Hood could finish halves with Dame as the secondary scorer if Nurk/CJ are off the floor depending on how it gets sorted out.

I kind of think Hood will need to show he is 100% before going to far that way but i don't disagree with the premise. Just wonder about his health?

 

[kjironman1]

Well if ever thing fall in place with everyone healthy we will be battling the Lakers and clippers for that too spot.

Key issue is always "Health". Goes for Lakers and Clippers as well. If AD goes down as we all know he can the Lakers struggle. We have all seen Leonard struggle with injuries. Also at what point do we see LeBron start to decline?

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I feel like Portland should experiment with staggering not only CJ with Dame, but Nurkic. Let Nurkic be the main facilitator with the bench unit and pair him with CJ, Trent, DJJ, and Zach or Melo. Would help offset having a combo guard running point and his playmaking would mesh well with DJJ.

Don't forget about Giles. If healthy, his playmaking can really help out.