Game Thread GAME# 21: MAGIC @ BLAZERS - NOVEMBER 28, 2018 - WEDNESDAY, 7:00 PM, NBATV & NBCSNW

[TorturedBlazerFan]

No, I don't think any of that is tanking. At the end of the day as long as Dame and CJ are on the team together there is no way to be bad enough to lose enough games to get a high draft pick. Without tanking Olshey still found a way to get the 10th pick in the 2017 draft. Now if you say that we should start Simons and Trent over Dame and CJ then that would be tanking but that's pretty much impossible to do and we should just trade them before that happens. There are ways to stealth tank like trading Aminu for an under-performing guy on a rookie contract or something like that but once again is it really worth doing that if it gets us like the 12th pick instead of the 18th pick (whatever just examples). The only other real legit way to tank is if Dame gets hurt and misses most or all of the rest of the season.

I'm actually a big proponent of always trying to develop young players, even on good teams.

Isnt Aminu the underperforming guy...? Whoops. lol.

 

[blue9]

There are ways to stealth tank like trading Aminu for an under-performing guy on a rookie contract or something like that but once again is it really worth doing that if it gets us like the 12th pick instead of the 18th pick.

Yes.

 

[hoopsjock]

Isnt Aminu the underperforming guy...? Whoops. lol.

Yes, yes he is. I don't think Philly would do this but in a vacuum if we traded Aminu for Fultz straight up we add another guard and kill what little big man depth we have. Nurk is currently hurt and Zach fouls out in under 20 minutes which would leave Swanigan and Leonard as our only bigs. As bad as Aminu has been at lately, that seems way worse.

 

[hoopsjock]

Yes.

Okay, just taking that sentence out seems silly considering I would do that. I meant more in terms of tanking is it really tanking if it is half-assed?

 

[blue9]

Okay, just taking that sentence out seems silly considering I would do that. I meant more in terms of tanking is it really tanking if it is half-assed?

No.
Trading Aminu is necessary, not tanking. Not trading him will be another absolute failure on Neil's resume.

 

[Reep]

So how do you define tanking? If I propose the team should give more minutes to Leonard/Collins/Layman is that tanking? What if I say we shouldn't waste minutes on 1 year rentals, and should bench Curry/Stauskas in favor of Simons/Trent? At what point do short term sacrifices for potential long term gains become tanking? Is sacrificing wins to build a better team always tanking?

If they don't turn things around quickly--and I don't mean just add wins by hot shooting--then this isn't tanking, it is logical strategy. Anyone on the team that was to win this year takes a back seat to developing youngsters. My only caveat would be that Stauskas might see some minutes because of his ability to hit the three and find others for easy baskets. I think Stauskas helps Collins and others develop.

 

[swish3]

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the key explanation for losing that game to the Clippers was the choice of who shot those 38 swish3 attempts. 21%! They should be shot, at least 6-10 of them, by the NBA leading swish3 shooter (at 52.9%), Meyers. Nurk, Evan, and anyone missing 3 consecutive should not shoot any.

Let's try this principle in the Magic and Nuggets games and see the result. I predict that we will return to >35% swish3 scoring and see success.

 

[stampedehero]

I saw follow the creed that put your best day in and day out. Tanking is a cheat on the fans.

 

[Pridan]

With Vucevic being in the form he is in and Blazers lack of big man depth, if Nurk is out, we're in trouble.

 

[Strenuus]

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the key explanation for losing that game to the Clippers was the choice of who shot those 38 swish3 attempts. 21%! They should be shot, at least 6-10 of them, by the NBA leading swish3 shooter (at 52.9%), Meyers. Nurk, Evan, and anyone missing 3 consecutive should not shoot any.

Let's try this principle in the Magic and Nuggets games and see the result. I predict that we will return to >35% swish3 scoring and see success.

You mean, when Meyers didn't take 3 shots that were wide open 3's, that weren't the staffs fault because Meyers has done it every year of his career?

I like watching the games. it's fun!

 

[BonesJones]

Yes.

Why? Who do you think will be available at 12 that won't be at 18 that you really want?

 

[BonesJones]

No.
Trading Aminu is necessary, not tanking. Not trading him will be another absolute failure on Neil's resume.

Yeah, we can't miss out on that 2nd round pick!

 

[oldmangrouch]

Yeah, we can't miss out on that 2nd round pick!

OK, 2 related questions.
1) What do you think the odds are that Aminu is re-signed.
2) What new offense can the team install that makes Aminu at least less of a liability?

 

[noknobs]

The OP has Nurk in the starting lineup and no injuries listed for the Blazers. Did they say he's gonna play?

 

[BonesJones]

OK, 2 related questions.
1) What do you think the odds are that Aminu is re-signed.
2) What new offense can the team install that makes Aminu at least less of a liability?

They need to prioritize cutting and off-ball movement and need to work on collapsing the defense with ball movement and dribble-drives so that when they kick to Aminu, he either has a completely open 3 or an open straight-line drive.

 

[Strenuus]

Orlando obliterating the Warriors right now. lol.

 

[Rozay]

Orlando obliterating the Warriors right now. lol.

Other than our loss to them and a 1 point game winner over Kings, Warriors haven’t done shit in awhile

I can’t believe they blew us out

 

[Strenuus]

Other than our loss to them and a 1 point game winner over Kings, Warriors haven’t done shit in awhile

I can’t believe they blew us out

And Charlotte beat the bucks, too. lol. It was a lot closer at the end, but Charlotte had firm control the entire game.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The OP has Nurk in the starting lineup and no injuries listed for the Blazers. Did they say he's gonna play?

 

[Chris Craig]

 

[Chris Craig]

The OP has Nurk in the starting lineup and no injuries listed for the Blazers. Did they say he's gonna play?

The only listed injury in the report is Curry (Gastroenteritis) Probable

 

[Chris Craig]

Nurk is playing, can't miss a game against his pal Vucevic

 

[TBpup]

Blazers will win this game against a a sub .500 team playing it's 3rd game in 4 nights as they should. It's one of those 'schedule wins' and more about 'How' they play versus winning the game.

 

[illmatic99]

Need to see this in a game

 

[Reep]

Need to see this in a game

Wow. Yes. I'd be happy with half of that.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Need to see this in a game

You mean, him doing nothing but shooting 3's? I agree. Sounds a lot like something I posted a couple weeks ago...

 

[illmatic99]

It's crazy how good these guys are at shooting the ball without defense.

 

[THE HCP]

You mean, him doing nothing but shooting 3's? I agree. Sounds a lot like something I posted a couple weeks ago...

Why couldn’t I see that post?

 

[hoopsjock]

Wow. Yes. I'd be happy with half of that.

He is shooting like 46% on 3's this year. I guess that's not an unrealistic 50% though, right?

 

[Labinot41]

I just made an test Account on the athletic, Quick wrote a good article about the Blazers. I'll copy it right away