Game Thread GAME# 41: KNICKS @ BLAZERS - JANUARY 7, 2019 - MONDAY, 7:00 PM (PST), NBCSNW

[Scalma]

Meyers needs to stay on the bench. This guy is hard to watch. I hate Terry for giving him playing time

Second unit could run some interesting lineups if Meyers got benched and they put layman at the four. And by interesting I mean one of the rookies could get a shot.

 

[riverman]

Meyers gets criticized because of

Flexing...the hair bun...the elf costume...his exit interviews years gone by....not opening his eyes when the ball is near them..shaving all these years and cutting himself both times...Bambi eyelashes

 

[hoopsjock]

For anyone happy with being 24-17, just remember in our last 28 games (68.3% of the games we've played) we are 14-14.

 

[THE HCP]

Two Dame ISO balls for us 5 points for them.

Without Dame we win 8 games this season. As you were son.

 

[KingSpeed]

this team has gone from 44 wins to 49 wins with a 41 win season in the middle. They've averaged under 45 wins the last 3 seasons. And they've lost 9 straight playoff games and 12 of their last 13. No matter how hard you work your sunny-skies angle, that's not an impressive record

We’ve actually lost 10 straight playoff games but that doesn’t mean we haven’t improved this season. If only playoffs matter to you, then don’t say anything about this team- negative or otherwise- until after this year’s playoffs

I mean, it sounds like I’m not allowed to say anything positive about coach and players THIS year but it’s ok to say negative things about THIS YE

For anyone happy with being 24-17, just remember in our last 28 games (68.3% of the games we've played) we are 14-14.

Or you can remember that we’ve won 4 of our last 5!

 

[bobf]

Without Dame we win 8 games this season. As you were son.

True, true, but even YOU HCP have room for improvement.

 

[CupWizier]

Way to much whining in this thread as some of you can just never be happy. Never understood the concept of tearing down one player to promote another player from a team that you are allegedley a fan of.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Can we talk about Nurk getting 20/8 in only 19 minutes ? We might just be watching him become a dominant force in the middle

 

[kjironman1]

Way to much whining in this thread as some of you can just never be happy. Never understood the concept of tearing down one player to promote another player from a team that you are allegedley a fan of.

Yeah i get ya on that. It's not like there is a player on that team that isn't doing everything they can to be the best they can be. If i watched a game and i saw a player dogging or being lack luster on the court i would be all over that. Or if i watched a player being disrespectful to other players or sulking his way through games i would rip him up. But that simply isn't the case with this team.

 

[kjironman1]

Can we talk about Nurk getting 20/8 in only 19 minutes ? We might just be watching him become a dominant force in the middle

Absolutely! Actually you should.
But people here want to talk about how Meyers shouldn't be on the team even though Nurk picked up his fourth foul and was limited to only 19 minutes of playing time.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

What is your point here?

There's the good (regular season) and the bad (playoffs). If you completely disregard the good and only look at the bad - in any aspect of your life - you should do something different.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

One in a string of great posts. However, let me give you some advanced statistical analysis: You see that long, steep yellow part? Yeah, we need to replicate that again....

Here's a graphical look at how the season's compare:

View attachment 24117

We're definitely ahead of the pace for the last few years, but quite a ways behind the 2014-15 mid-season pace. Keep in mind that that was the last year with Aldridge, Batum, Matthews, and Lopez. That team essentially played 500 ball the second half of the season.

View attachment 24118

I still thing we can beat that 2014-15 season ending mark of 51 wins!

 

[James lamphear]

Well Leonard has his strengths and weaknesses just like everyone on this team. So if your going bash all on there weakness. I will tell you this Leonard will never be a rim protector but if our guards did better job on defense then our bigs at times wouldn't look bad trying to protect at the rim. If the scheme was better design better our team at times wouldn't look bad.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Well Leonard has his strengths and weaknesses just like everyone on this team. So if your going bash all on there weakness. I will tell you this Leonard will never be a rim protector but if our guards did better job on defense then our bigs at times wouldn't look bad trying to protect at the rim. If the scheme was better design better our team at times wouldn't look bad.

It is precisely those strengths that cause people to bash him. He's got great size and jumping athleticism, a serious threat from 3, good teammate, and is actually very efficient.... which is why he drives people crazy. If he had any clue about how to play basketball, especially at the defensive end, he'd be making 20+ mil, we'd be a lot better basketball team, and everyone would be happy with him.

If he didn't have those strengths, posters would care about him about as much as they care about Pat Connaughton (they wouldn't comment on him).

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Layman was a mid second rounder.

Meyers was a lotto pick.

 

[handiman]

Layman was a mid second rounder.

Meyers was a lotto pick.

Barely. For all the pining about missing the playoffs for a better pick, unless you either really suck or get super lucky with the ping pong balls, there's hardly any difference between late lotto and low playoff seed for quality of picks.

Have you looked back at the 2012 draft?

https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2012.html

There were only three good players up top, four if you include Beal, and no one of note outside the top 10. Meyers was a low risk, high reward project compared to what was available. There were some great picks in the second round, but no one else after Meyers in the first round that you kick yourself for not selecting.

 

[wizenheimer]

Dame talked about getting off to a better start. We've accomplished that, how's that not improvement? Hard to deny considering it was a stated goal. Oh that's right it's just luck, because only the Blazers face other teams with injuries.

better start?

* this year Portland is 24-17, but that's after 23 games at home and 18 on the road

* last year, Portland was 22-19; but that was after 20 games at home and 21 on the road

* currently, Portland's home record is 16-7 (.695) while their road record is 8-10 (.444)

so then if you 'adjust' this season's record to last season's 20-21 home/road ratio: you get 20 games X .695 = 14 wins. And 21 games X .444 = 9 wins. That works out to a 23-18 record

so yeah...improvement...by 1 measly win. That sure doesn't seem like any kind of platform to stand on and shout praise from, but apparently, like I said earlier in this thread, even teeny tiny accomplishments need to be treated like major victories in the Olshey era

 

[THE HCP]

True, true, but even YOU HCP have room for improvement.

This sir is pure speculation and you have no proof to back up this allegation.

 

[CupWizier]

better start?

* this year Portland is 24-17, but that's after 23 games at home and 18 on the road

* last year, Portland was 22-19; but that was after 20 games at home and 21 on the road

* currently, Portland's home record is 16-7 (.695) while their road record is 8-10 (.444)

so then if you 'adjust' this season's record to last season's 20-21 home/road ratio: you get 20 games X .695 = 14 wins. And 21 games X .444 = 9 wins. That works out to a 23-18 record

so yeah...improvement...by 1 measly win. That sure doesn't seem like any kind of platform to stand on and shout praise from, but apparently, like I said earlier in this thread, even teeny tiny accomplishments need to be treated like major victories in the Olshey era

Things don't work quite how you are trying to explain it. Different schedule and different year. It's not a linear comparison to each other. Also last year we had a softer schedule at the beginning and this year we had one of the toughest schedules this year at this stage. It's almost as if some of you posters try and look for reasons to not like the team and/or players. Good luck with that.

 

[Pinwheel1]

All I know is that Jake needs to play. He will most definitely have some bad games, but it is the only way he will learn. With his size, athleticism, and outside shooting ability, his skill set is our best option at the moment that can spread the floor without playing 3 small guards. We need him ready by the playoffs. Not saying it will make the difference, just that he is the type of player we have lacked. By April he needs to be finishing games with Dame, CJ, and Nurk. He can hit deep 3's and he can finish at the rim. But he needs experience on the defensive end during crunch time. Let him take his lumps now.

 

[THE HCP]

Jake needs playing time for sure. Instant offense. Not like when he is on the court somebody more deserving isn't. Let him run free out there and create. Love what he's done this year. Don't have to run plays for him, guys is always moving.

 

[wizenheimer]

It's almost as if some of you posters try and look for reasons to not like the team and/or players. Good luck with that.

c'mon man...you should be about the last poster here to generalize about the tone of other posters

I mean, it's kind of like you're some hyped-up caffeine-addled steward running around knocking over goal posts on the good ship lollypop whenever you perceive somebody is lining up a kick without having the proper pro-everything-blazer intent (points for mixing metaphor genres). For chrissakes you even do it in game threads....seems like you try an push back against every negative take...in game threads....where people are reacting emotionally and venting about turnovers or bricks or bad calls or substitutions or whatever the hell else has juiced them up enough to spew frustration and let off steam. Pushing back against that is pointless. People will calm down and will often moderate their opinions once the spleen is drained

another thing is that people can actually not be happy with the current conditions of the Blazers, or their upside, and still be good and loyal Blazer fans. As good and loyal as you. Those aren't contradictory positions to hold. Some people show up to complain; other show up and pump sunshine. Balance

 

[THE HCP]

Jake needs playing time for sure. Instant offense. Not like when he is on the court somebody more deserving isn't. Let him run free out there and create. Love what he's done this year. Don't have to run plays for him, guys is always moving.

Do you guys get the same vibe, good or bad, that you did with Rudy Fernandez. Similar style of games.

 

[Pinwheel1]

If the scheme was better design better our team at times wouldn't look bad.

That is basically the only way you can slow down certain players is with a solid scheme. Very few guys can stop top players by themselves who can attack the rim. No one is stopping ours either, not unless they are doubled, not with these rules, not without getting in foul trouble. Which is why teams with multiple shooters do better than teams who don't. You can' double everyone. You have to have that 3rd and 4th shooter on the floor at all times.

 

[Scalma]

My biggest issue with Leonard isn’t even Leonard. Enough has been said about him as a player. No, my issue is the same as it’s been since he was put in the rotation..his playing time is hurting Collins’ development. Compared to earlier in the year, Collins has been completely iced out of the offense. Defensively he has to worry about covering Meyers on top of defending more on the perimeter.

My hope is Leonard has done enough for some other team to take him on, even if it costs Portland a pick.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Do you guys get the same vibe, good or bad, that you did with Rudy Fernandez. Similar style of games.

Yeah there are many similarities. (3 or dunk) But Jake is about 40 lbs heavier and about 3-4 inches taller, so he can potentially play the forward spot on D. And I think Jake is a better mid range shooter. Rudy would frustrate me when defenders would fly out on him at the 3 point line, and he would not make them pay by taking a few steps in and nailing an open pull up jumper. His in-between game sucked. Jake also has a developing post up game.

I loved watching Rudy pre injury though, so I see what you mean by the same vibe. I just have a little more faith in Jake everywhere else but around the 3 point line. Rudy was pretty damn good there.

 

[wizenheimer]

Do you guys get the same vibe, good or bad, that you did with Rudy Fernandez. Similar style of games.

that's an interesting comparison. Rudy was great his rookie season although the perspective of that season from later in his career exposed the shallow nature of his game. He was a perimeter shooter and not much else

Layman is actually a year older now than Rudy as a rookie. I think Layman is better on the defensive end, probably by quite a bit. It just looks to me (yeah...sample size is an issue) like Layman has more depth to his game

the big reservation I have about Layman is that the jumps in his efficiency and production have been so huge I question how sustainable they are, especially after NBA scouting starts compiling reports on him. And that's going to happen if he continues to shoot and play like he has so far this year

 

[Scalma]

the big reservation I have about Layman is that the jumps in his efficiency and production have been so huge I question how sustainable they are, especially after NBA scouting starts compiling reports on him. And that's going to happen if he continues to shoot and play like he has so far this year

Teams having to account for Layman would be a win in itself. So sick of seeing teams dare guys like Aminu and Harkless to shoot. We really haven’t had a wing teams respected since Crabbe. Is Layman that guy? I don’t know, but let’s find out. And if teams adjust, that opens up so many other things.

 

[tiredhunter]

that's an interesting comparison. Rudy was great his rookie season although the perspective of that season from later in his career exposed the shallow nature of his game. He was a perimeter shooter and not much else

Layman is actually a year older now than Rudy as a rookie. I think Layman is better on the defensive end, probably by quite a bit. It just looks to me (yeah...sample size is an issue) like Layman has more depth to his game

the big reservation I have about Layman is that the jumps in his efficiency and production have been so huge I question how sustainable they are, especially after NBA scouting starts compiling reports on him. And that's going to happen if he continues to shoot and play like he has so far this year

Rudy was developing a decent slashing game prior to the back injury, and had a flashy, if sloppy passing game; He would be on the other end of the crazy ally oops Layman cashes in on. He is also a terrible comparison point for defense, since not only was his activity bad, but so were his teammates. There is a similar vibe of "energy off the bench" though.

 

[CupWizier]

c'mon man...you should be about the last poster here to generalize about the tone of other posters

I mean, it's kind of like you're some hyped-up caffeine-addled steward running around knocking over goal posts on the good ship lollypop whenever you perceive somebody is lining up a kick without having the proper pro-everything-blazer intent (points for mixing metaphor genres). For chrissakes you even do it in game threads....seems like you try an push back against every negative take...in game threads....where people are reacting emotionally and venting about turnovers or bricks or bad calls or substitutions or whatever the hell else has juiced them up enough to spew frustration and let off steam. Pushing back against that is pointless. People will calm down and will often moderate their opinions once the spleen is drained

another thing is that people can actually not be happy with the current conditions of the Blazers, or their upside, and still be good and loyal Blazer fans. As good and loyal as you. Those aren't contradictory positions to hold. Some people show up to complain; other show up and pump sunshine. Balance

Save the lecture. I couldn't care less.