Game Thread GAME# 39: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 4, 2019 - FRIDAY, 7:30 PM, ESPN & NBCSNW

[kjironman1]

Thats why he saying use the cross screen though. So nurk isnt setting up camp 15-18 feet away and gets the ball lower.

The part he isn't addressing is that a cross screen doesn't work when you are playing 4 on 5. Teams don't guard our PF on the arc. If you pull Aminu off the Arc then you also cannot do the cross screen because you will get an illegal D. Teams cruse the lane and the cross screen gets picked off.

Now i could be wrong on this if he has another option i am not thinking of? I would be very willing to listen to an idea on how to do it. One way has been pointed out. Play someone else at PF. That might work?

 

[BonesJones]

The part he isn't addressing is that a cross screen doesn't work when you are playing 4 on 5. Teams don't guard our PF on the arc. If you pull Aminu off the Arc then you also cannot do the cross screen because you will get an illegal D. Teams cruse the lane and the cross screen gets picked off.

Now i could be wrong on this if he has another option i am not thinking of? I would be very willing to listen to an idea on how to do it. One way has been pointed out. Play someone else at PF. That might work?

Then have Aminu be the angle passer. They dont sag when he has the ball in his hands.

 

[BonesJones]

Then have Aminu be the angle passer. They dont sag when he has the ball in his hands.

Parking him in the opposite corner would work too. Skip the ball, and have the corss-screener screen Aminus guy so he cant close out. Aminu is pretty efficient from the corner and that's the best Aminu 3 you could ask for.

But Aminus defender isnt a free roamer like you claim.

 

[kjironman1]

Then have Aminu be the angle passer. They dont sag when he has the ball.

Great but we have all seen Aminu with the ball in his hands. It's a trainwreck.
I even think that is what they have tried and it's failed miserable so many times they are afraid to try it again.
I did see Aminu drive and dish a few times lately and it has worked. But trying him on a cross screen seems like a huge stretch.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

For HCP's thread review;

 

[BonesJones]

Also, we can never tell how Aminu's defender would shut down a cross screen because we never even try it.

 

[DUB]

We played great in the first half, but free throws (deserved or not) kept OKC in the game.

OKC played great D in the third quarter; forcing turnovers, and scoring on the break, to get them the lead.

We played just as badly in the fourth quarter as we did in the third, but free throws (deserved or not) got us back in the game.

With the game on the line late in the fourth OKC held their nerve, and executed; we didn't. They had the momentum, and confidence; we didn't.

PS: Neither team deserved the amount of free throws they got, when they got them. It was pure game managment by the refs to keep the product entertaining.

 

[kjironman1]

Parking him in the opposite corner would work too. Skip the ball, and have the corss-screener screen Aminus guy so he cant close out. Aminu is pretty efficient from the corner and that's the best Aminu 3 you could ask for.

But Aminus defender isnt a free roamer like you claim.

Totally agree that is his best option to shoot. But they still have the advantage until you get the ball to him. He cannot bring the ball down himself and it gets picked off. These are things Stotts is trying.

 

[BonesJones]

Great but we have all seen Aminu with the ball in his hands. It's a trainwreck.
I even think that is what they have tried and it's failed miserable so many times they are afraid to try it again.
I did see Aminu drive and dish a few times lately and it has worked. But trying him on a cross screen seems like a huge stretch.

He can make a simple entry pass though. And if he cant, then the coaching staff is at fault for not teaching him how to. It's not hard.

 

[kjironman1]

Also, we can never tell how Aminu's defender would shut down a cross screen because we never even try it.

Wait a minute. I'm pretty sure that is who is clogging the lane.

 

[BonesJones]

Totally agree that is his best option to shoot. But they still have the advantage until you get the ball to him. He cannot bring the ball down himself and it gets picked off. These are things Stotts is trying.

Stotts isnt trying a cross-screen though. He should try a cross-screen, then if it doesnt work, find out why and account for it within the set.

You never see Aminu's defender 20ft off him denying Nurk in the post. Why would he all of a sudden be there to deny every cross screen?

 

[BonesJones]

Wait a minute. I'm pretty sure that is who is clogging the lane.

Not really. Aminus guy is normally in average help-side position.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

The part he isn't addressing is that a cross screen doesn't work when you are playing 4 on 5. Teams don't guard our PF on the arc. If you pull Aminu off the Arc then you also cannot do the cross screen because you will get an illegal D. Teams cruse the lane and the cross screen gets picked off.

Now i could be wrong on this if he has another option i am not thinking of? I would be very willing to listen to an idea on how to do it. One way has been pointed out. Play someone else at PF. That might work?

There are plenty of ways to get a big position down on the block if you work at it. Im not completely buying that having Aminu out there means you cant do that. Of course the defense has options. Blazers used to set up LMA all the time down close to the basket with Robin Lopez as the other big.

 

[kjironman1]

He can make a simple entry pass though. And if he cant, then the coaching staff is at fault for not teaching him how to. It's not hard.

This is where we go round and round. It's just so easy to blame the coach. This guy is an NBA player playing in the NBA.

 

[BonesJones]

Another thing that would work is having Nurkic on the opposite side elbow and have Aminu set a cross screen and then roll.

Or if he really hampers our offense from running all kinds of sets like you claim, then dont play him and play Layman.

 

[BonesJones]

This is where we go round and round. It's just so easy to blame the coach. This guy is an NBA player playing in the NBA.

Its so easy to scream talent to everything and make atuff up as you go along.

 

[kjironman1]

There are plenty of ways to get a big position down on the block if you work at it. Im not completely buying that having Aminu out there means you cant do that. Of course the defense has options. Blazers used to set up LMA all the time down close to the basket with Robin Lopez as the other big.

Huge difference. LMA was 6-11. And he had to be covered. He always drew the double and that allowed him to find an open shooter.

 

[kjironman1]

Its so easy to scream talent to everything and make atuff up as you go along.

I'm not screaming talent. But Aminu is not the best passer and he has shown he doesn't have great handles. I'm not sure even coaching can help that dude?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[BonesJones]

Huge difference. LMA was 6-11. And he had to be covered. He always drew the double and that allowed him to find an open shooter.

You didnt understand his point at all.

 

[kjironman1]

Another thing that would work is having Nurkic on the opposite side elbow and have Aminu set a cross screen and then roll.

Or if he really hampers our offense from running all kinds of sets like you claim, then dont play him and play Layman.

Now that was brought up but actually it was Collins. I would say why not try it. The kid needs to be developed anyway.

 

[BonesJones]

We ran cross screens for LMA and it worked when we had Rolo on the floor. Yet somehow having Aminu means it'll be completely ineffective, because hes mor a good enough shooter so they leave him open?

Makes no sense.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Huge difference. LMA was 6-11. And he had to be covered. He always drew the double and that allowed him to find an open shooter.

Isnt Nurkic bigger... Also Nurkic is a better passer than LMA. Theres no reason that they couldnt figure out a way to get Nurk the ball closer to the basket than what they did in the 2nd half.

 

[kjironman1]

You didnt understand his point at all.

Yeah i did.
"Blazers used to set up LMA all the time down close to the basket with Robin Lopez as the other big."
pretty simple.

 

[BonesJones]

Now that was brought up but actually it was Collins. I would say why not try it. The kid needs to be developed anyway.

But we dont. We dont even know how Aminu would affect those sets because we dint even try him, and if he runs them he shouldnt play.

Instead, we dont even try him and dont work at all to feed Nurkic after he had a great first half.

That's my problem with the coaching.

 

[BonesJones]

Why didnt RoLo's defender clog up LMAs cross-screens?

 

[kjironman1]

But we dont. We dont even know how Aminu would affect those sets because we dint even try him, and if he runs them he shouldnt play.

Instead, we dont even try him and dont work at all to feed Nurkic after he had a great first half.

That's my problem with the coaching.

But maybe they have in practice and it ain't working? Just a thought? If the likes of Swanigan and Trent and Simons can beat it maybe they know it ain't gonna work?

 

[kjironman1]

Why didnt RoLo's defender clog up LMAs cross-screens?

No No No. Rolo is the Center. And Aldridge can shoot the ball from anywhere. Apples and Oranges.

That would be like saying why would Nurks man clog the cross screen.

Yeah i can talk basketball to yo.

 

[DUB]

Why is Olshey so married to this version of the blazers? That’s an honest question. The roster doesn’t even fit the system his coach wants to run.

I don't think he is. I just think he's standing pat, trying to balance competitiveness, and flexibility, until he can make a move that puts us past the Warriors (or until they fizzle out).

 

[BonesJones]

But maybe they have in practice and it ain't working? Just a thought? If the likes of Swanigan and Trent and Simons can beat it maybe they know it ain't gonna work?

The. the set isnt good enough... or they know coming.

Another thing could be to have Aminu up top with C.J. or Dame setting the cross screen, then Aminu screening down for Dame or C.J. if Aminus defender is completely off of him, then Dame or CJ should be open on the screen since his defender isnt there to help.