Finish this sentence: "If I were Stotts, for game 5 I would..."

[MarAzul]

Last I checked (watched the game) they came off the bench and did exactly as I suggested. Starting them IMO would be a bad idea. What are they gonna do? Play more than the 35 mins they played last game?

Yes.

 

[BlazerWookee]

After game 2 in MEM Olshey said POR would leave in the morning but if any players wanted to leave that night they could pay their own way. LMA did.

And he flew to visit his mom in Dallas, didn't he?

 

[MARIS61]

Start Meyers and CJ over Lopez and Arron.

This.

 

[blue32]

I wish you could start meyers, but i'm afraid he's just so foul prone...

 

[magnifier661]

Tell LMA to fucking pass the ball out of the post once the defense commits. Ball movement has been all but nonexistent - kicking out of the post is one of the only ways in which we can create ball movement against MEM because their perimeter defense is so tenacious.

100% agree. I know Stotts like getting his offense early, but against Memphis, he needs to get others going early. Use him as a decoy, collapse the defense and swing the ball around the floor. Force Memphis to chase balls, not players, and wear them out.

 

[gruetzi]

Meyers is more foul victimized than foul prone, and this should not be a reason to have him on the bench. The coaches need to support him with talking to the refs about consistent calls at both ends of the court and he will be fine.

Also, 2 or 3 fouls do not constitute a reason to take him out. Notice that he has not even come close to fouling out, despite having phantom fouls called on him. He knows how to get his hands up high giving excellent defense, and that decreases the foul calls. I think that you are stating an excessively cautious thought.

 

[BBert]

I wish you could start meyers, but i'm afraid he's just so foul prone...

It's only a foul if the referee decides it is. I feel like Meyers is at risk of more bullshit calls if he starts than if he comes in later. (I'd sure like to know why it was a foul on Meyers last game when Gasol was draped all over his back and riding him like a dog in heat.)

I felt like the last game was the only game where the refs let the Blazers play Memphis style defense, and without that we would not have won. If they go back to calling it like the first two games -- Grizzlies are allowed to maul the Blazers, but Blazers get called for touch fouls -- then we have zero chance.

 

[gruetzi]

Agreed. The refs really do determine the outcome of the game, but that should not be. The Blazer coaches need to be heard by the refs to keep in check the Griz overt pushing and holding that looks like wrestling more than basketball. Let's hope they do that in Game 5. And don't take Meyers out until he fouls out.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Meyers did great last game but as soon as he comes into the game tonight Gasol is going to take him into the post and punish him. Hopefully Meyers doesn't pick up too many fouls too quickly.

 

[Boob-No-More]

It's only a foul if the referee decides it is. I feel like Meyers is at risk of more bullshit calls if he starts than if he comes in later.

I don't think we should start Meyers tonight. He's comfortable and effective coming off the bench. So, let him come off the bench and play 35 minutes.

But, I do disagree with the part I bolded. NBA refs give starters more respect than bench players. It's like the moment you become an NBA starter, you're part of the club and refs start to take you seriously as a player and give you the same calls they give other starters. When Joel Pryzbilla was coming off the bench his first year in Portland, he got the same bullshit calls against him Meyers is getting now, but as soon as he became a starter, the refs suddenly began to respect his defensive prowess. It was like night and day, Joel went from being a bench warming scrub who couldn't buy a call to save his life, to a warrior who was known for his tenacious defense and heady play.

BNM

 

[BBert]

I don't think we should start Meyers tonight. He's comfortable and effective coming off the bench. So, let him come off the bench and play 35 minutes.

But, I do disagree with the part I bolded. NBA refs give starters more respect than bench players. It's like the moment you become an NBA starter, you're part of the club and refs start to take you seriously as a player and give you the same calls they give other starters. When Joel Pryzbilla was coming off the bench his first year in Portland, he got the same bullshit calls against him Meyers is getting now, but as soon as he became a starter, the refs suddenly began to respect his defensive prowess. It was like night and day, Joel went from being a bench warming scrub who couldn't buy a call to save his life, to a warrior who was known for his tenacious defense and heady play.

BNM

So true about Joel. And the treatment Oden got, aye-yi-yi.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If only Leonard was Spanish... He suffers from being a white AMERICAN center do badly...

 

[ripcityboy]

If only Leonard was Spanish... He suffers from being a white AMERICAN center do badly...

God I am sick of these types of quotes.

 

[1eyejack]

If I were Stots I would have occasionally thrown 2-3 zone at Memphis. Zones whole purpose is to prevent inside scoring. At worst it would have given them a different look and yes I know it typically doesn't work at pro level but Memphis relies so heavily on post up plays it would have at least made them hit some shots from the outside.

Offensively I think one of our biggest weaknesses is we don't have a true set up guy. Dame is great offensive player but not a great at setting up teammates I think that's why they like to put the ball in Batums hands but the downside of that is Batum tends to disappear for long stretches of games. Aldridge struggled but I think a lot of that had to do with his injured hand. With Wes out it really threw off our offensive chemistry. While Dame's not a great set up guy having Wes created lots of space in key and if teams sagged he could kick it out to one of the best 3 pt shooters in the NBA.

 

[stampedehero]

Stotts: Bench Rolo, first Q. Get on knees and pray. Play Frazier sit or exile Blake. Get off knees pray with arms exalted. Fourth Q Freeland Meyers rotate fresh legged centers. Save CJ for the last 5 minutes. Call in a covent of nuns to throw rosary beads in front of the bench.