Game Thread GAME# 39: PELICANS @ BLAZERS - MARCH 16, 2021 - TUESDAY, 7:00, TNT & NBCSNW

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I don't know? RoCo has been huge! That dude has made so many late game plays. You got to admit Melo was a plus this game as well.
Both were good. Covington and Jones are preventing us from being 30 on defense but they can only do so much. Either way, we’re farther from contention than I thought going into the season, so I’m fine with tearing it down around Dame.
 
We'll win on Thursday if we bring that same energy and intensity on defense we brought over the final six+ minutes of the game.

I don't think it's reasonable to think this roster, as constructed with about 6 bad point-of-attack defenders to play good defense for long stretches.

I'm not sure it's an effort thing myself.
 
Props to Stotts. Without him leading us to Blazers deficit, Lillard wouldn't have the chance to perform these heroic acts over and over and over each season.
This is a good point. Without Stotts always allowing teams to do whatever they want on offense would Dame have been able to build his legend like he has?
 
I don't think it's reasonable to think this roster, as constructed with about 6 bad point-of-attack defenders to play good defense for long stretches.

I'm not sure it's an effort thing myself.

sure but the schemes are really questionable for long periods, And Stotts plays a rotation that ends up favoring the poor defensive players. We have two consistently positive guys on defense and one of them is playing less minutes as the season rolls on, which makes no sense considering the guy that Stotts is choosing to play ahead of him.

Beyond that, the communication is just awful. No one talks on defense and it’s a big reason why there’s so many miscues and open shots even when guys ARE in position. Frankly that’s something the coaching can shore up, or emphasize at the very least. Our team has never been vocal defensively in the Terry Stotts era post Aldridge. Maybe we are lacking a voice on court. Maybe that’s something you can pin on our personnel. But I’ve seen enough NBA to know that it’s something the coaching can have some impact on.
 
I just watched Bledsoe body the fuck out of Dame with 2 minutes left in the game.... no call.
 
This is a good point. Without Stotts always allowing teams to do whatever they want on offense would Dame have been able to build his legend like he has?
Yeah it's like if we had a better coach, Dame would have built his legend by hitting conference finals and championship winning walk off threes. It would be horrible if Dame had a coach that taught him and motivated him on both ends of the court the way Dame and his trainer have done on offense. We'd feel so robbed if Dame had a second option that makes any sort of sense playing with him and role players that complement him within the offensive structure he was being coached in.

Those things would suck. So thanks Olshey and Stotts, you've really made us (Blazers fans) feel extremely exhilarated with regular season and first round heroics from the clutchest player to ever do it.
 
All superstars in this league have some help. Blazers got best player in the league and they trying to hide it. It's crazy. They should be in rush to do whatevere is needed to help him win, instead they letting the cake bake for a decade now. LeBron wants Dame so bad, bc he knows it.
 
sure but the schemes are really questionable for long periods, And Stotts plays a rotation that ends up favoring the poor defensive players. We have two consistently positive guys on defense and one of them is playing less minutes as the season rolls on, which makes no sense considering the guy that Stotts is choosing to play ahead of him.

Beyond that, the communication is just awful. No one talks on defense and it’s a big reason why there’s so many miscues and open shots even when guys ARE in position. Frankly that’s something the coaching can shore up, or emphasize at the very least. Our team has never been vocal defensively in the Terry Stotts era post Aldridge. Maybe we are lacking a voice on court. Maybe that’s something you can pin on our personnel. But I’ve seen enough NBA to know that it’s something the coaching can have some impact on.

I'm not disagreeing that the schemes are short of amazing.

I haven't been able to come up with a scheme that can hide two people on the floor who get beat off of 1-2 dribbles. When a guy is getting easily beat, it forces the players to react and make a great individual read.

I'm not trying to sound snarky, but how would you scheme up a base defense who is constantly in a 5 on 4 or 4 on 3 scenario without giving up layups or open 3s?
 
There was a clip at the end that showed Dame going out of his way to go over to Wenyen after the game. Is there any other superstar player that would do that for a guy that spent less than half a year on his team?

Great catch. Dame is a class act.

Are the Wenyen lovers from last year surprised he can't get on the floor for the Pels?
 
All superstars in this league have some help. Blazers got best player in the league and they trying to hide it. It's crazy. They should be in rush to do whatevere is needed to help him win, instead they letting the cake bake for a decade now. LeBron wants Dame so bad, bc he knows it.

Dame is not the best player in the league, but it would be awesome to give him a legit two-way, all-star wing to see what we could do!
 
I'm not disagreeing that the schemes are short of amazing.

I haven't been able to come up with a scheme that can hide two people on the floor who get beat off of 1-2 dribbles. When a guy is getting easily beat, it forces the players to react and make a great individual read.

I'm not trying to sound snarky, but how would you scheme up a base defense who is constantly in a 5 on 4 or 4 on 3 scenario without giving up layups or open 3s?

this team isn’t going to be good defensively, but the passive defense they play takes away nothing. Doubles are half assed, help is either coming from everywhere or no where, nothing in between. Even when we had a rim protector this season it was still bad. If you choose to concede one thing so be it, but constant this team overcompensates for either rim protection or threes and just end up taking away nothing.

Beyond that. It’s been 9 seasons of Dame and 8 with CJ. Even if they are going to be disadvantaged defensively given their size you would think someone would have at least taught them the fundamentals. Some of the mistakes are just so basic.
 
Dame is best in the league but he's got coach and GM holding his legs.

Any other superstar in NBA carrying so much weight? Name it, maybe I don't know it.
 
How many of those exist in the NBA anymore?

Not many!

LBJ, Giannis, Durant, Tatum, Kawhi, Zion?, Brown, PG13, Simmons.

I think it's safe to say guys like Davis, Embiid, or Jokic was drastically increase our chances even though the last two aren't great defenders.
 
Dame is best in the league but he's got coach and GM holding his legs.

Any other superstar in NBA carrying so much weight? Name it, maybe I don't know it.

The best player in the league can get to the finals with crap coaches (see LBJ).

Dame is in the top 5 range, but his defense and height are holding him back from being #1 in my eyes. Also, the guys ahead of him in my eyes also have a better #2 paired with them. LBJ/AD, Durant/Harden, Giannis/Middleton, Steph/Klay (when healthy).

Other guys around him with better #2 options: Embiid/Simmons, Kawhi/PG13, Jokic/Murray

This is why expecting us to be a top 5-6 team in the league is asking a lot.
 
It's funny, the more I see Dame do this the more disappointed I get that the Blazers have never gotten him the help he needs to be a true contender. But I absolutely love being a Dame fan in every possible way.

It’s crazy right. He deserves the best. Feel the same way
 
The best player in the league can get to the finals with crap coaches (see LBJ).

Dame is in the top 5 range, but his defense and height are holding him back from being #1 in my eyes. Also, the guys ahead of him in my eyes also have a better #2 paired with them. LBJ/AD, Durant/Harden, Giannis/Middleton, Steph/Klay (when healthy).

Other guys around him with better #2 options: Embiid/Simmons, Kawhi/PG13, Jokic/Murray

This is why expecting us to be a top 5-6 team in the league is asking a lot.

We were talking about breaking CJ - Dame duo, that will be better for both of them. Free dame from Olshey and Stotts and see what happens.
 
We were talking about breaking CJ - Dame duo, that will be better for both of them. Free dame from Olshey and Stotts and see what happens.

While I'm not holding my breath, I'm down with your suggestion my friend!
 
I thought TNT games couldn’t be broadcast locally

I remember Mike Barrett commenting that TNT has exclusive broadcasting rights to a select number of games each season. So yes, TNT does carry a lot of games that can't be locally broadcasted, but there is a limit.
 
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this team isn’t going to be good defensively, but the passive defense they play takes away nothing. Doubles are half assed, help is either coming from everywhere or no where, nothing in between. Even when we had a rim protector this season it was still bad. If you choose to concede one thing so be it, but constant this team overcompensates for either rim protection or threes and just end up taking away nothing.

Beyond that. It’s been 9 seasons of Dame and 8 with CJ. Even if they are going to be disadvantaged defensively given their size you would think someone would have at least taught them the fundamentals. Some of the mistakes are just so basic.

For what it's worth, Stotts said we blitz Ingram on every PnR tonight. The aggressiveness didn't work either because we're putting guys like Kanter/Melo/CJ in positions where they have to defend two people when they already struggle to defend one.

I'm just looking for the scheme that couldn't easily get picked apart by us amatuers on here, let alone NBA players. I really don't think it exists.
 

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