Game Thread GAME# 41: CAVALIERS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 11, 2017 - WEDNESDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), ESPN & KGW

[Pinwheel1]

Yes Aminu did everything well except one category. Easy to fix.....just stop shooting 3's. He should take no more than 2 a game. If they leave him wide open......like they are, just attack the basket. He does that well.

 

[42N8Bounce]

Yes Aminu did everything well except one category. Easy to fix.....just stop shooting 3's. He should take no more than 2 a game. If they leave him wide open......like they are, just attack the basket. He does that well.

And no more than 2 dribbles.

 

[JDC]

Loved Stotts' strict 8-man rotation tonight. Thought we lost trust in the pass late in the 2nd quarter, but nice to see the response in the 2nd half. Overall, probably the most we've played together all year.

Random notes...

- Dame looked sluggish tonight and has looked a step slow since coming back. Hopefully its not the ankle and just him continuing to get his wind back.
- Nice to see Ed back in the rotation. Looks to have shed that 10-15 pounds he gained in the offseason, looking more spry as of late.
- The less Vonleh and Leonard, the better.
- Great game for ET. Still don't like him as a pnr guy, but if he's aggressive with the pass out top during those floppy actions for AC and can get out in transition, he adds value to this team. Would like us posting him up more when he has a mismatch though, but I know that's not Stotts' style
- Aminu continues to show his immense worth defensively and didn't have has many record scratch moments on offense tonight. The three still isn't falling, but he's starting to look more comfortable with it. Continues to pass surprisingly well in 4 on 3 situations when Dame and CJ get trapped.
-Harkless has been helped by Aminu's return as well. Takes the pressure off him defensively and allows him to do what he does best.
-Back to Ed, I like the new cross screening action to get him into position for easy left handed finishes the last couple games. Seems to give him a boost.
- AC continues to be red hot from 3 and his midrange game seems to be coming into form as well. Hope to see him continue to be aggressive even through the eventual regression. His involvement is huge for the flow of the 2nd unit offense.
- Oh, and that CJ guy is pretty good.

 

[andalusian]

First game this year this team played like it mattered from the start to the end, maybe they finally found who they are. That would be nice to see

 

[BonesJones]

We should sleep 4 hours the night before every game now.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

I dont get espn. Holy shit we won convincingly? We're good again!

 

[Mediocre Man]

It looks like they are actually trying on that end, but those other teams we held are LA, SAC, MINN. Let's sustain it

 

[Trackjack]

Defense is alot better there still occasional break down but not as much. This should show Dame you don't have to do everything for this team to win. Be the general out there by getting everyone involve like you have the last two games.

 

[WillG]

The Cavaliers left the Rose Garden Dismayed, Disheveled & in Disdain.
( And with a Debilitating case of Crabbe(s) )

 

[TBpup]

Now that was a good win. CLE had trouble getting into Portland on the 2n of a back-to-back but so did POR so it's a wash. I actually think this is a better win than last year's blowout of the Cavs because that was later found to be part of an effort (or lack thereof) to get Blatt replaced.

This was a full 48 minutes performance from the Blazers the likes we haven't seen very often this season. They won every quarter against a very good team. If they can continue that effort, that is a big departure from how they have been playing. Props to a great win!!!

 

[SpamKing]

Kinda funny: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index...mes_damian_lillard_ca.html#incart_2box_sports

 

[RipCityDSCPL]

Defense is alot better there still occasional break down but not as much. This should show Dame you don't have to do everything for this team to win. Be the general out there by getting everyone involve like you have the last two games.

Like his rookie year.

 

[HailBlazers]

Kinda funny: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index...mes_damian_lillard_ca.html#incart_2box_sports

This is NICE:

The Blazers were led by 27 points from Canton native C.J. McCollum, who became their first player to score at least 25 in seven consecutive games since Clyde Drexler in 1987.

 

[illmatic99]

Kinda funny: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index...mes_damian_lillard_ca.html#incart_2box_sports

Schedule loss? Ty Lue needs to check himself. His whole team played and they were on a pretty standard back to back.

We had no business winning that game.

 

[selloutking]

This is NICE:

it is pretty funny that we have top players on our team from the areas of two of the top teams in the nba, pretty well means the blazers will always have supporters in larger numbers in those away games

 

[illmatic99]

Holy crap, we've moved to 28th in DRTG!

No longer dead last.

 

[crandc]

Fun game, despite circumstances. Crabbe hit a shot from frigging Ashland, I swear. Great D. Don't expect respect from sports media. Just earn it.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Holy crap, we've moved to 28th in DRTG!

No longer dead last.

He makes a HUGE difference. Aminu for MVP!

 

[Mediocre Man]

Holy crap, we've moved to 28th in DRTG!

No longer dead last.

More Aminu means less Leonar_

 

[Boob-No-More]

Holy crap, we've moved to 28th in DRTG!

No longer dead last.

@KingSpeed

BNM

 

[Orion Bailey]

Now that was a good win. CLE had trouble getting into Portland on the 2n of a back-to-back but so did POR so it's a wash. I actually think this is a better win than last year's blowout of the Cavs because that was later found to be part of an effort (or lack thereof) to get Blatt replaced.

This was a full 48 minutes performance from the Blazers the likes we haven't seen very often this season. They won every quarter against a very good team. If they can continue that effort, that is a big departure from how they have been playing. Props to a great win!!!

Best win of the year. Geez. feels like a Superman episode involving Bizzaro and his assbackwards world. We have just escaped Bizzaro world, found our footing and this is who we are? A team than can play legit 4 quarters and dominate the defending champs?

No moves needed. Just play like this and we have a ring!

On the serious though. This gamer tweaked my biggest concern about this roster. It is no longer any one player ( Meyers better get his shit together though, so we get some value out of him) the biggest concern is consistency. What is preventing us from playing like this every night? Is it ALL just in the head? Levels, like Dame claims? If so, then they need to play at this higher level more often. Period.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I think Someone said that Aminu was the answer to our defensive woes?
I think his name was @KingSpeed
I think the games are showing he was right!
I think for all the shit he gets for homerism, he has an astounding eye for this team and who can take us to what levels.

Way to go King!

 

[TBpup]

I think Someone said that Aminu was the answer to our defensive woes?
I think his name was @KingSpeed
I think the games are showing he was right!
I think for all the shit he gets for homerism, he has an astounding eye for this team and who can take us to what levels.

Way to go King!

Aminu's return has help but they were playing terrible defense before he went out so it can't all be just him. Stotts finally decided to implement a more aggressive defense instead of just sitting back and letting teams do whatever they wanted. Glad he did that....just wonder why he waited so long?

 

[Orion Bailey]

Aminu's return has help but they were playing terrible defense before he went out so it can't all be just him. Stotts finally decided to implement a more aggressive defense instead of just sitting back and letting teams do whatever they wanted. Glad he did that....just wonder why he waited so long?

He was racked with injuries before he went down. I don't think he played many games at 100% except the very beginning of the season where we were winning.
The best defensive schemes utilize and optimize your best defenders. Aminu is our best defender, so no matter what Stotts did, his return was invaluable to our defense.

 

[BBert]

When we have Turner running the offense, it opens us up so much. Definitely hope he continues this hustle.

He's an asset. When they rush out to double Dame or pressure him bringing the ball up, he just flips it to Turner before the defense gets set and away we go.

 

[BBert]

It's true. All year long, we've played well with Aminu in the game. We missed him terribly and now that he is integrated back into the team, we are seeing success again especially since Turner is now playing better.

Now we could use a healthy Festus....

 

[blue9]

Aminu's return has help but they were playing terrible defense before he went out so it can't all be just him. Stotts finally decided to implement a more aggressive defense instead of just sitting back and letting teams do whatever they wanted. Glad he did that....just wonder why he waited so long?

Exactly - the increase in defense is 95% due to the massive change in defensive philosophy that Stotts FINALLY implemented. It just happened to roughly correspond to Aminu's return. Correlation does not equal causation.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Exactly - the increase in defense is 95% due to the massive change in defensive philosophy that Stotts FINALLY implemented. It just happened to roughly correspond to Aminu's return. Correlation does not equal causation.

You guys dont hold any correlation to Aminus return helping the implementation of such a plan? Meaning you guys think the plan would have worked regardless?
Sometimes plans are based around what you have to work with. With Aminu back the new plan can be implemented and be much more successful than when he was out?
I can see that connection.

 

[TBpup]

You guys dont hold any correlation to Aminus return helping the implementation of such a plan? Meaning you guys think the plan would have worked regardless?
Sometimes plans are based around what you have to work with. With Aminu back the new plan can be implemented and be much more successful than when he was out?
I can see that connection.

Of course it works much better WITH Aminu but when he was playing healthy before, the defense was still very poor. The change was WAY overdue and Aminu coming back helped make a better strategy work....better.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Of course it works much better WITH Aminu but when he was playing healthy before, the defense was still very poor. The change was WAY overdue and Aminu coming back helped make a better strategy work....better.

When Aminu was healthy before. Completely tiny sample size. What 5-6 games? Very early in the season with Turner also trying to adjust? Not a fair take in my opinion.