Game Thread GAME# 37: BLAZERS @ HEAT - JANUARY 5, 2020 - SUNDAY, 3:00 PM, NBCSNW

[James lamphear]

I'm fine with Gary Trent Jr joining Gary Trent Sr in the column of "ex blazers"

I am expecting he will be a throw in a trade either at deadline or the off season.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Defense was still below average with more talent.

Yes it was, but they still won, because they had more talent. Same coach same system worse talent (by a long ways with injuries) and this is what they are.

 

[DDolla]

It’s over once Dame sits down

 

[Tince]

what a fucking clownshow you are about Lillard. He has 29 & 9 at the end of 3 quarters and you're trashing him

I'm blown away that people think he doesn't care.

 

[hoopsjock]

I don't know why this concept is so hard for people to grasp. Last year we were not top 3 in talent in the NBA, but we end up T-3 in the playoffs, with the same system. Not saying it's the best system in the NBA, but it over-achieved last year.

Huh? Blazers team rating was 11th in the playoffs last year out of 16 teams.

Maybe we'd actually have a legit chance to win a title if it was better.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

what a fucking clownshow you are about Lillard. He has 29 & 9 at the end of 3 quarters and you're trashing him

Dame is literally their only shot of being in games like this, he's a great player.

 

[DDolla]

Dragic the killer ... called it

 

[James lamphear]

what a fucking clownshow you are about Lillard. He has 29 & 9 at the end of 3 quarters and you're trashing him

Do you know that Dame most his shots are from a pick or just iso. Plus a lot of them shots are contested shots. But not going complain about because that the type of offense he is dealt with.

 

[PCmor7]

Shaqtin' the Fool ... on defense.

 

[Tince]

Huh? Blazers team rating was 11th in the playoffs last year out of 16 teams.

Maybe we'd actually have a legit chance to win a title if it was better.

So it was our great offensive scheme? I got lost last year because half the people say the offensive scheme was horrible, the other half said it was the defense, some said both, and I just watched them go to the WCF with one all-star.

 

[DDolla]

Rest Dame and Hassan now

 

[Tince]

Heat fans don't appear to be upset they no longer have the "best rim protector in the NBA."

 

[PCmor7]

Ant looks worse game after game. It's almost to a point I'd like to shut him down before he picks up even worse habits.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Heat hit too many threes

 

[JDC]

Um no, they have done the same thing for 8 seasons now so it's not exclusive to this current iteration of the roster.

Aminu + Nurkic lineups ranked in the 77th percentile last year and 76th with Lillard and CJ alongside them.

108.2 pts/100

Over 2 points better than league average

 

[DDolla]

I would like to see Dame resting next game against the defending champs

 

[hoopsjock]

So it was our great offensive scheme? I got lost last year because half the people say the offensive scheme was horrible, the other half said it was the defense, some said both, and I just watched them go to the WCF with one all-star.

Offensive rating was only 7th, but better than the defense.

We won the Thunder series because Dame had one of the best series of all-time. We won the Thunder series because Harkless got a cramp and CJ got hot.

Then we got to witness the Blazers actual game plan in Game 1 of the WCF to leave the best shooter in NBA history wide open. Then fail to adjust to Green grabbing rebounds and going coast to coast without anyone picking up ball.

 

[JDC]

I don't know why this concept is so hard for people to grasp. Last year we were not top 3 in talent in the NBA, but we end up T-3 in the playoffs, with the same system. Not saying it's the best system in the NBA, but it over-achieved last year.

And the thing is Stotts has tweaked the system throughout the year. Trapping some side ball screens and even in middle ball screens with tolliver...even with Whiteside--which I would never recommend.

Communication has sucked all year though and we lack the necessary, forceful, smart and athletic help defenders to execute it.

 

[hoopsjock]

Dragic has hit 7/9 3's yet we're still sagging the big 10 feet off of him when he gets a pick resulting in a wide open 3, yet it's not the scheme?

How can anyone defend this?

 

[James lamphear]

When Nurk and CJ went down last year at the end they play really good team basketball on both side of the ball. I just don't see this year. Yes some players getting there individual stats but to me that one of the problems individual play to much. Plus they have no concept what they want to do on defense.

 

[hoopsjock]

Aminu + Nurkic lineups ranked in the 77th percentile last year and 76th with Lillard and CJ alongside them.

108.2 pts/100

Over 2 points better than league average

Yup, Nurk single-handedly transformed a historically bad defense into a decent one because he's skilled enough to mask a few of the problems.

 

[Tince]

Offensive rating was only 7th, but better than the defense.

We won the Thunder series because Dame had one of the best series of all-time. We won the Thunder series because Harkless got a cramp and CJ got hot.

Then we got to witness the Blazers actual game plan in Game 1 of the WCF to leave the best shooter in NBA history wide open. Then fail to adjust to Green grabbing rebounds and going coast to coast without anyone picking up ball.

Dame had a great OKC series (in the system), which led to Denver giving a lot of attention to him and opening up CJ (in the system), and then we lost to a team with 3 all-stars despite having a lead for the majority of the series.

Every team/coach in every series does things well and not so well. I'm sure OKC fans were wondering why their coach let Dame go off with no ball movement. Denver fans probably wondered why their coach allowed CJ to go 1:1 and beat them. Doesn't mean Malone was a horrible coach or even had a horrible scheme. You could easily make a case OKC and Denver were more talented than us, though I liked our depth against OKC beacuse I think quality depth matters.

 

[James lamphear]

Nurk and Zach there quick enough to they can hedge against the pick and still get back but Whiteside can't not quick enough on his feet.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Simons wow

 

[Jon]

Dragic has always been a certified Blazer killer

 

[PCmor7]

I think one of our biggest problems is we practice against ourselves. When the only time you see movement without the ball or hustle after long rebounds is in actual games, how are you supposed to be prepared for it?

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Dragic has hit 7/9 3's yet we're still sagging the big 10 feet off of him when he gets a pick resulting in a wide open 3, yet it's not the scheme?

How can anyone defend this?

No ones defending it. I just think they lack talent too. I saw Dragic hit 3's with Melo and Mario right in his face, last years team would've had Hood, Aminu, or Harkless in those one on one situations. I'd like all of their chances to bother his shot then Melo or Mario.
Yeah the scheme is bad I've said that a bunch of times, but their talent is dramatically worse than last years at this point too.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

We would’ve won this game if Miami didn’t go crazy from 3 at end of third.

 

[DDolla]

Losing streak starts now