Game Thread GAME# 2: SPURS @ BLAZERS - OCTOBER 20, 2018 - SATURDAY, 7:00 PM (PDT), NBCSNW

[Labinot41]

I think we should Stop the experiment with layman as a Starter, he clearly is the weakest Player in the Rotation. Give Trent jr. his minutes

 

[SIeepwalker]

Why are they giving us a trivia challenge about the Lakers on our home stream? Trololo?

Because it's about the Lakers losing

 

[SIeepwalker]

I'd like to see Swanigan in a suit and one of our rookies in uniform tho..

 

[Blazinaway]

Fun stat:
For both games of the season: Collins leads team in +/-/minute.

Gotta say I thought we would really miss Ed, but Collins "so far" is proving that wrong

 

[PCmor7]

As good as the ball movement was last night, the defensive rotation was at least as good. I loved the scheme to double-team LMA from his blind side, forcing him to have to move around a lot more than his heavy legs wanted to. It's a sound strategy, too, because he isn't much of a threat to pass the ball to a cutter or underneath the bucket; he always just gives it back outside and looks to repost and eats away at the shot clock.

 

[James lamphear]

So far out of 8 QT we really haven't had a bad one yet on the offensive end.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I love that ET hasn't shot a 3 yet, even a couple times when he's wide open. I'm still not a fan of him playing with Dame and CJ though.

I think he will shine as a 6th man candidate if he embraces it. With guys like curry, Leonard, stauskas and Layman all being deep threats, he can drive to the hoop and make the decision to lay it up or kick it out, depending on how the defense reacts. He is big enough and strong enough to bully most any guard into the paint.
Id like to see more picknroll with collins aNd more picknpop with leonard. With those fine tuned, our second unit should also blossom.

 

[kjironman1]

Quick Comment on Layman. I think Stotts is going to frustrate me with how he handles him this year, it's already reminding me of Vonleh. He "starts" but isn't really on the court much, tonight he literally started the game AND got put in during scrub time. Stotts did that crap with Vonleh and it used to just be so annoying...

Yep. I'm seeing the "Vonleh Treatment" also.

 

[kjironman1]

I think we should Stop the experiment with layman as a Starter, he clearly is the weakest Player in the Rotation. Give Trent jr. his minutes

Absolutely not. You came up with this after two games that the team won?
Rotational type growth minutes takes time playing. Jake Layman has a total of 438 minutes played in his entire career. You can't even begin to really play the game at this level until you have 1000 minutes unless you are something very special.

Talk about destroying a players confidence. WOW!

 

[Orion Bailey]

All Blazer players were 30 minutes or less tonight.

This might be the most impressive of all. If we can maintain something close to this, not only will it help the team chemistry on the court, but it will minimize injury chances and keep us fresher later in the season going into the playoffs.

I might not have been on in asking for a five man rotation, all five out, a new five in, but the end result is what i was thinking would look like this. More minutes spread out. I love this.

 

[kjironman1]

This might be the most impressive of all. If we can maintain something close to this, not only will it help the team chemistry on the court, but it will minimize injury chances and keep us fresher later in the season going into the playoffs.

I might not have been on in asking for a five man rotation, all five out, a new five in, but the end result is what i was thinking would look like this. More minutes spread out. I love this.

Totally agree.
How many times in the last couple years have the Blazer been able to sit both Dame and CJ for 5-8 minutes? Here is another thing it does. It gives them a chance to sit and talk about strategy on the bench without losing their position in the game.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Let's hope we have money to sign him. Dame is looking at a very big paycheck if he keeps playing at this level.

If there is anyone in the league who i think would sign for less to help the team talent level, its Dame.

He already has a huge contract and then he has his shoe contract. He is not in need of another max contract other than for ego and that isnt Dame. Winning is.
If No is smart, he is already looking at this and discussing with Dame the potential options when his time is up and what Dame wants.

 

[tykendo]

I think we should Stop the experiment with layman as a Starter, he clearly is the weakest Player in the Rotation. Give Trent jr. his minutes

Totally disagree. Let Layman get run. He has the complete skillset to become a real asset. He needs minutes. But if he continues to go back to missing open looks, then make a change. But right now all is good. If he somehow turns into the preseason version, then you have the makings of a juggernaut lineup. Worth a try.

 

[tykendo]

Evan Turner is good for at least one infuriating play a game but I’m loving him in his new/old role and he deserves credit, as does Olshey for building around him.

No doubt. He has the shooters around him to make his game work to a high level. The bench has the makings of something special. and that makes OUR Blazers deadly.

 

[tykendo]

Fantastic team performance. The Blazers can continue to get the diss from all the Fakeshow Media Lickers. This team believes in themselves, and has the ability to, if healthy, make a special run this year. The youngest team is coming into their own. Bummer for all those media haters.

 

[tykendo]

FUN SHTUFF! DAT WAS FUN SHTUFF!

It seemed like all cylinders were firing, but actually, Stotts simply played his strengths and underplayed his weak points. It took him years to learn his assets and liabilities.

But...the TV show was TOO happy. Paul Allen was mentioned very early, then forgotten.

Paul will NEVER be forgotten. The Blazers have the eye on the prize.

 

[James lamphear]

Layman is alright being the starter right now. The guy is the 5 option on offense so I really don't know what people expect out of him. If playing decent defense and getting so rebounds and he got blocked last night. Due to that Stotts don't really have back up 4 and it seems like he doesn't trust Swanigan to be out there so then what he is doing with the rotation with Harkless has the backup 4 is find.

 

[kjironman1]

Layman is alright being the starter right now. The guy is the 5 option on offense so I really don't know what people expect out of him. If playing decent defense and getting so rebounds and he got blocked last night. Due to that Stotts don't really have back up 4 and it seems like he doesn't trust Swanigan to be out there so then what he is doing with the rotation with Harkless has the backup 4 is find.

Well. They expect him to improve and not be the 5 option on offense. That is why he is playing the SF position.

 

[ripcityboy]

Few things I noticed watching the replay:

1. Running Dame off ball with Turner really opens up the offense
2. The small ball lineup wuth Collins & Harkless is the best defensive rotation we've had in years.
3. Layman is getting more confident he just needs more time.
4. Curry is a lot better than I thought. He's a real consistent scorer.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Gotta say I thought we would really miss Ed, but Collins "so far" is proving that wrong

I too had concerns about both quality and depth. However,
Biebs is actially playing well and we don't have injuries, so depth hasn't been a big problem.... yet.
Collins and Nurk are playing well enough to not miss Davis.
So far, so good.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I was thinking about some of things the Trailblazers are doing differently this year and it reminded me of something that was published somewhere within the last year and discussed briefly here. Does anyone remember that it was rumored that the Blazers had a hired a small group of outside consultants to look at what the team could do better? (I cannot find any reference to it, but although I think I do have mild cognitive decline, I know it happened). I am wondering if the idea of Turner playing a more prominent role as playmaker, the idea to use Zach more and wasn't there also talk by Olshey to use him closer to the basket? And the idea to not be so rigid in defensive play? Did all these ideas come from that group? Didn't it seem strange that it was Olshey and not Stotts who talked about some of these changes? I wonder if this wasn't Paul Allen's last gift to the fans; it seems more likely that he would suggest this outside analysis than for Olshey. Did even the idea we needed more shooters come from those guys? (I just wish they had noticed we might need a real big man coach. )

 

[Wizard Mentor]

(I think I do have mild cognitive decline)

We all do. Years on s2 takes a toll

 

[PCmor7]

Best things about the Blazers through two games:

1) We've won both with room to spare and I don't think we've come anywhere near our potential in either game.

2) Everyone is playing within themselves. As much as many of us got on Olshey for not making a splash acquisition in the offseason, the cohesiveness and familiarity these players have with each other, I think, has been a big benefit. Guys have looked very comfortable filling their roles, whatever those roles might be. Evan hasn't tried to become Dell Curry yet, and Chief hasn't done the Marques Haynes dribbling spectacular. Has a very Utah Jazz feel to me from when the Jazz had Stockton, Malone, Hornacek and Eaton -- just guys doing what they do very well.

What really made me appreciate this was watching the Rockets and Lakers last night. Entertaining game between two flawed rosters. On the verge of overtaking the Warriors, Houston committed subtraction by addition by bringing in Carmelo Anthony, an aging player who doesn't play defense, doesn't rebound and kills you offensive flow by milking the shot clock every time he touches the ball. The Lakers put LeBron on a team devoid of shooters to open up the floor for him and devoid of rebounders to keep him from getting worn down over the course of the year essentially playing like a 4 on the defensive end; they'd have been better off signing Stauskas and one Rondo-like vet to serve as a player-coach and letting their young guys develop.

 

[jlprk]

Quick Comment on Layman. I think Stotts is going to frustrate me with how he handles him this year, it's already reminding me of Vonleh. He "starts" but isn't really on the court much, tonight he literally started the game AND got put in during scrub time. Stotts did that crap with Vonleh and it used to just be so annoying...

I disagree. From giving undeserved development minutes to Vonleh (9th pick in the draft), I expected a good long-term result: substance not gimmick . I expect no such long-term substance from Layman (47th pick), so it doesn't bother me if his role is just a gimmick.

 

[jlprk]

Gotta say I thought we would really miss Ed, but Collins "so far" is proving that wrong

Really? Collins was a foul machine when he guarded anyone his own height, like Gasol. At each foul I was thinking, Davis wouldn't be getting this foul.

 

[rotary111]

Even though Stauskas stats were sub-par I thought he played a good team game. He's active when he doesn't have the ball and looks to hit his teammates every chance he gets. He's had a couple instances already where he dived out of bounds to throw an errant pass back to a teammate to save a play. We all knew he would come back to earth, I'm just happy to see that he doesn't just pout or keep chuckin until he hits a shot. Guy's like him are going to be the difference in the second unit's success. I couldn't be happier with the bench so early in the season...and Trent and Simons are just sitting there licking their chops to get their chance.

 

[BonesJones]

Really? Collins was a foul machine when he guarded anyone his own height, like Gasol. At each foul I was thinking, Davis wouldn't be getting this foul.

Lol. No. Collins has been great on defense. He got absolutely screwed on a couple of calls yesterday. Even then, he's still been better than Davis. Has Ed ever blocked 6 shots?

 

[andalusian]

Really? Collins was a foul machine when he guarded anyone his own height, like Gasol. At each foul I was thinking, Davis wouldn't be getting this foul.

Ed Davis was -1 in 19 minutes yesterday against the Pacers.

Zach Collins was +11 in 15 minutes yesterday against the Spurs.

I like Ed a lot, but there is no question that investing in Zach Collins was the right thing to do.

I will give you that Zach got 4 PF where Ed only got 2 yesterday. But, Zach scored 11 points (vs 4) and I think it is pretty clear that Zach is someone you can build a defensive presence around, Ed is a great complimentary player, but will never be the kind of Defensive anchor Zach can be.

 

[BonesJones]

Ed Davis was -1 in 19 minutes yesterday against the Pacers.

Zach Collins was +11 in 15 minutes yesterday against the Spurs.

I like Ed a lot, but there is no question that investing in Zach Collins was the right thing to do.

I will give you that Zach got 4 PF where Ed only got 2 yesterday. But, Zach scored 11 points (vs 4) and I think it is pretty clear that Zach is someone you can build a defensive presence around, Ed is a great complimentary player, but will never be the kind of Defensive anchor Zach can be.

At least one Zach foul was offensive too.

 

[James lamphear]

Well. They expect him to improve and not be the 5 option on offense. That is why he is playing the SF position.

I believe Stotts is rewarding him for his good play from summer league and practice that why is starting. Due to Turner playing SF with the 2nd unit and Harkless can play the stretch 4 on both ends and looks like they might think Layman maybe can't do that might be another reason he is starting. Plus you got Curry and Nik playing the guard rotation for the 2nd unit. So to get Layman to play he has to start and you have Dame CJ Nurk Aminu your going be 5th option on offense.