Game Thread GAME# 3: BLAZERS @ LAKERS - DECEMBER 28, 2020 - MONDAY, 7:00, NBATV & NBCSNW

[OneSport3]

They aren't as good. Howard was better for them. Green definitely...Pope is no Green. Rondo eh....Schroder is just as good if not better

Rondo is a MUCH better defender than Schroeder. Rondo is bigger, has longer arms and bigger hands and has much higher defensive IQ. Rondo gave Dame so much problems in the Pelicans series and last playoffs. Schroeder doesn’t bother Dame at all.

 

[kjironman1]

So is melo out the entire road trip? Like all four games?

 

[illmatic99]

Or here's an idea - fuck that.

long season and injuries are an inevitability. depth is more important this year than any in the past

 

[bobf]

This is my problem with Stotts. He’s so conservative he won’t ditch Melo.

 

[calvin natt]

Where the hell does Zach fit into all this? And Little, if he ever decides to play again is getting 0 mins. None.

 

[Tince]

We still have no clue why Trent really didn’t play last game. But...if it was intentional and he came out and did this, and Greg Popovich was his coach, the genius label would be getting thrown around. That’s a huge IF. If he just decided to bench him for no reason, it’s mind boggling. I still think it could have been a personality/punishment type deal.

If we take Stotts at his word, he said that because Dame and CJ were playing so well, he felt he could only play one of Ant or GTJ in the 2nd half.

I didn't love the decision, but, we did play much better the 2nd half, Ant played fine too, so it did work.

 

[Chris Craig]

So is melo out the entire road trip? Like all four games?

Hopefully

 

[LayneStaley]

If we go 4-0 on this trip Melo needs to sit, coach, be traded, or released. Minutes are tight and Zach isn’t even out there yet.

 

[B-Roy]

RoCo and DJJ validated both acquisitions even though they combined for 9 points. Whoever wins the west will need to get through the Lakers at some point and that was some of the best defense you could have hoped for.

 

[Tince]

Where the hell does Zach fit into all this? And Little, if he ever decides to play again is getting 0 mins. None.

Little is the 12-13 bet player on the roster, he should never play if everyone is healthy.

Collins should take Melo's minutes, but he'll probably take Kanters minutes.

 

[Chris Craig]

Where the hell does Zach fit into all this? And Little, if he ever decides to play again is getting 0 mins. None.

Probably Kanters Minutes

 

[B-Roy]

So is melo out the entire road trip? Like all four games?

One can only hope.

 

[Natebishop3]

Let’s not forget that there’s regular season reffing and there’s playoff reffing. I think RoCo gets a lot more fouls called on him in the playoffs.

 

[Tince]

This is my problem with Stotts. He’s so conservative he won’t ditch Melo.

Isn't the better question: why did we sign him if everyone thinks we shouldn't even play him? You don't sign Melo to wave a towel, that's not what he's about.

 

[Natebishop3]

Little is the 12-13 bet player on the roster, he should never play if everyone is healthy.

Collins should take Melo's minutes, but he'll probably take Kanters minutes.

God I hope not. Kanter has been great.

 

[tykendo]

Fantastic defensive games from Jones Jr'. and RoCo. I've been on Jones Jr's case so far. But tonight was impressive. More of that please. Great shooting by Gary. Dame and CJ, quality. Enes fantastic on the boards. And Nurk hasn't kicked it in yet. But got a Dub Dub. Flatout great performance vs. the Lakers. Shows you how much LeBron feels about the importance of beating the Blazers. Wasn't supposed to be playing back to backs. Davis sat out last night so he could be in lineup tonight. Bravo Blazers! rip city! yes sir.

 

[Tince]

Let’s not forget that there’s regular season reffing and there’s playoff reffing. I think RoCo gets a lot more fouls called on him in the playoffs.

This guy would agree with you.

 

[calvin natt]

Kanter has been so good. If he loses minutes to Zach or god forbid Carmelo impacts his time, that is gonna hurt. The depth is great. But it feels like they almost have too much.

 

[Tince]

God I hope not. Kanter has been great.

People were hating on him last week. I guess there's a group who hates virtually everyone on this roster though.

He's got DNPs on many of his other stops due to how much of a liabilty he can be, but our staff has seemed to got more out of him than others.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Or here's an idea - fuck that.

I agree. You can't do this halfway with Melo. I think by now Stotts and Olshey realize they made a mistake and they just don't know how to undo it.

 

[bobf]

Isn't the better question: why did we sign him if everyone thinks we shouldn't even play him? You don't sign Melo to wave a towel, that's not what he's about.

Good question. I was adamantly against getting him from the beginning and after even his decent post season and predicted this would happen.

 

[B-Roy]

Isn't the better question: why did we sign him if everyone thinks we shouldn't even play him? You don't sign Melo to wave a towel, that's not what he's about.

I would say most people here saw it from the moment he was re signed. There is no role for him on this team, and trying to create one makes no sense.

 

[42N8Bounce]

Nice to see all Blazers highlights on the ESPN recap -



(Often they just show a bunch of Lakers highlights win or lose.)

 

[Tince]

I would say most people here saw it from the moment he was re signed. There is no role for him on this team, and trying to create one makes no sense.

Certainly some didn't, but if we found the thread where we signed him, I'm guessing plenty of people liked it too...

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I don't even know what club would want Melo. I'm sure Thibodeau does not want him in NY. I'd like to find a club that might use him.

 

[PCmor7]

Yeesh. We're a lot better without Melo in the rotation.

 

[TBpup]

Only 2 other players in Blazer history have hit 7 3-pointers off the bench.

Tonight, Trent did it for the 3rd time.

 

[B-Roy]

Also:

36+ minutes for each of the starting guards and forwards. You’ll probably see a lot of that in the playoffs if the Blazers don’t want to get annihilated on defense.

 

[Tince]

I don't even know what club would want Melo. I'm sure Thibodeau does not want him in NY. I'd like to find a club that might use him.

We were the only team in the league that could make him useful last year, and we did a pretty good job since our backs were against the wall, but I'm guessing there's a reason 29 teams didn't want him.

We've done a pretty good job at making useless guys somewhat useful when we don't have better options.

 

[DDolla]

I forgot that we still have Zach, Melo and Giles with Nas...not everyone are going to play