Game Thread GAME# 46: BLAZERS @ CAVALIERS - JANUARY 28, 2015 - WEDNESDAY, 4:00 PM (PST), KGW

[blue9]

So it was Stotts' fault that LA didn't pass the ball to Meyers? yuyuza details it perfectly above..."Our shot selection is a function of personnel. Terry's offense is catered to our strengths, which are LA's post play and midrange, and the rest of the players' outside shooting. Nic needs to get healthy because he is capable of beating guys off the dribble, but he just can't finish right now."

Far too simplistic of an approach for a team that hopes to win a championship. Using picks, cuts, and passes minimize the ball-handling weakness of many of our players. But other than the LMA kick-out and swing-around Terry doesn't do much with ball movement, and even less with player movement.

 

[magnifier661]

Far too simplistic of an approach for a team that hopes to win a championship. Using picks, cuts, and passes minimize the ball-handling weakness of many of our players. But other than the LMA kick-out and swing-around Terry doesn't do much with ball movement, and even less with player movement.

I don't think that is the only "Stotts's game plan" here. Teams are starting to figure out ways to stop Dame, usually by throwing that quick trap off the "pick and roll". Take out Dame, then you can take away the fluidness of our offense.

We need another player, other than Aldridge, that has the ability to ISO score and get to the line. Someone that can draw attention, other than being a 3 point shooter. I think that is really our missing piece and I only see Martin as being the guy that can solve this problem immediately. When teams must focus on 2 scoring ball handlers and a low post threat "Aldridge", then the 3's would be wide open all the time.

Batum should be this guy, but he's been complete shit on the offensive end. If we had "last year's Batum" with this current team, we couldn't be stopped. Nor would we even need another player. It's a shame that all of our players aren't syncing at the same time. Hopefully that happens closer to the end of the season, because when it does, look out Western Conference!

 

[KingSpeed]

I was thinking the same thing last night right after the game. Obviously, we couldn't run and trap when they spread the floor, but we allowed them to get into their offensive set and really didn't push back or make it difficult for the Cavs to set up shop at all.

Irving was the only Cavalier shooting worth a damn last night and we should have trapped him from the moment he touched the ball and tried to disrupt their offense. We've got enough athletes on this team who are smart enough to know when to trap and when to rotate on defense. If JR or Love got a better look, so be it. You take that risk when the opposing point guard had 52 prior to the final play.
.

Irving never had 52. He had 50 and then hit the game winning 3. His last 2 points came from freethrows.

Oh, and another simple thing he could do is have LMA PASS THE FUCK OUT OF THE DOUBLE-TEAMS! Last year when we were bombing 3s it was because LMA actually kicked the ball out of the post. He doesn't seem to be doing that much anymore. I know it was already brought up, but twice in a row he had Meyers WIDE OPEN for three but instead shot contested fade-away jumpers over a double-team.

He passes out of double teams all the time. A couple times he was so hot that he scored anyway. But he is always looking for the pass first.

And you would be right. Lillard draining 28'ers to finish games is fantastic, but not sustainable. Since last season I've been saying we need a playmaking SG/SF who can handle the ball. We're taking too many well contested 3s down the stretch of close games. When Dame has it going teams are trapping him. When LA is hot he gets doubled or forced out to deep perimeter. Take away those 2 and all you have to do is run our shooters off the 3pt line/force them to dribble drive. Love Wes, but he's no threat off the bounce, neither is Nic (anymore). There is a blueprint on how to defend the Blazers. If we want to be a championship team we're going to need to find a way to get easier looks down the stretch of close games. .

While we were ahead by 3, we got two completely wide open looks for Wes Matthews, the most prolific three point shooter in the league. He just didn't knock the, down. Can't win them all.

 

[magnifier661]

He passes out of double teams all the time. A couple times he was so hot that he scored anyway. But he is always looking for the pass first.

Yep, he had 2 assists, but that could have easily been 5 if the players that normally hit made their shots.

While we were ahead by 3, we got two completely wide open looks for Wes Matthews, the most prolific three point shooter in the league. He just didn't knock the, down. Can't win them all.

Yep, Matthews could have put the game away twice with those "WIDE OPEN THREES". Those are the shots he normally makes... It was tough misses. And even then, we still could have won, but Irving played out of his mind. You replay that game 100 times, and I doubt you will ever see the same type of performance from Irving again.

 

[Boise Blazer]

You replay that game 100 times, and I doubt you will ever see the same type of performance from Irving again.

Nor do I think we would see Wes miss 2 wide open threes very often

 

[MarAzul]

Yep, he had 2 assists, but that could have easily been 5 if the players that normally hit made their shots.
.

Coach Newell reminded me several times that, assists are awarded when you get a teammate a shot he can make. There is no credit in getting him a shot he doesn't make.
He firmly held to the position that the shot selection was up to the coach or the Guard running the play, especially when the shots are missed. I still tend to agree.

 

[H.C.]

Yep, he had 2 assists, but that could have easily been 5 if the players that normally hit made their shots.

it's not even just that though mags. Aldridge doesn't get an assist off of kicking the ball out normally because the defense rotates and the ball is passed again. and normally again for
2 or 3 passes.
It's not like people are cutting to the rim often. Batum goes to the rim. but outside of him.. how often do blazers run at the rim right after Aldridge passes them the ball? not too often. So his assist numbers are lower than what they could be just be the design of the blazers offense. Not a bad thing as typically off of a double team the defense is trying to rotate and recover.
I'd argue that a good portion of the time a wide open 3 in the corner happened because Aldridge drew a double team.

 

[blue9]

I'd argue that a good portion of the time a wide open 3 in the corner happened because Aldridge drew a double team.

That use to be the case, but hardly seems to happen anymore. For one, teams sniffed that play out last season. But also LMA doesn't seem to pass out of the post nearly as much as he use to.

 

[magnifier661]

That use to be the case, but hardly seems to happen anymore. For one, teams sniffed that play out last season. But also LMA doesn't seem to pass out of the post nearly as much as he use to.

Hmmm I'm gonna have to disagree with that one. But let's start now and until the end of season and count each game. We are talking 15ft and in right?

 

[H.C.]

That use to be the case, but hardly seems to happen anymore. For one, teams sniffed that play out last season. But also LMA doesn't seem to pass out of the post nearly as much as he use to.

hmm wonder what team I'm watching then. It's also pretty convenient that you took just that portion of the post I made. I stated that the double team and when Aldridge passes out of it. it forces the defense to rotate. Which even if the defense "sniffs it out".... That it's still getting the defense on it's heels. Is it Aldridge's fault his teammates are struggling from 3 and refuse to take it to the rim?

Any good defensive philosophy wants to keep the ball on one side of the court and not force themselves to rotate.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

SON OF A BIATCH!

TRADE EVERYONE!

TANK!

 

[blue9]

hmm wonder what team I'm watching then. It's also pretty convenient that you took just that portion of the post I made. I stated that the double team and when Aldridge passes out of it. it forces the defense to rotate. Which even if the defense "sniffs it out".... That it's still getting the defense on it's heels. Is it Aldridge's fault his teammates are struggling from 3 and refuse to take it to the rim?

Any good defensive philosophy wants to keep the ball on one side of the court and not force themselves to rotate.

I'm not saying it's LMA's fault that the defense sniffed that play out - that's on Stotts for not adding new wrinkles. But lately, I see LMA forcing up shots rather than passing the ball out and that IS on LMA. If the double comes, or if he's well defended in single coverage he needs to kick it out for a secondary option.

 

[H.C.]

...

I'm not saying it's LMA's fault that the defense sniffed that play out - that's on Stotts for not adding new wrinkles. But lately, I see LMA forcing up shots rather than passing the ball out and that IS on LMA. If the double comes, or if he's well defended in single coverage he needs to kick it out for a secondary option.

Really now? lately? as in the four games he's been back?
vs the Wiz he made 8/8 from the FT line after his thumb injury and went 9-22. Can attribute a few of the misses due to his thumb.. how often does Aldridge air ball any shot? However outside of a couple midrange jumpers when he had Gortat on him I don't remember him forcing a lot of jumpers due to the fact that NENE was playing him for that jumper, and giving up the middle.
This game the team actually shot decent from 3 at 41.9% Wes was 5-11, Lillard 2-6, Nards 3-3, Wright 3-5.
But like I said previously he did pass out in this game when the double came. I don't remember a single time when he had Nene on him of him going for that turn around jumper. But they also didn't really double team him except when Wall made a huge mistake and left Lillard for a warm up 3 from the top.


vs Cavs he went 10/10 from the FT line and 13-23 from the field, 2-3 from deep. This game I remember two plays where he had Nards wide open from behind the 3. When he could have passed it when the double came. Instead he got a fadeaway 2 away with very little defense. Missed both, but those double teams sucked badly as they weren't in Aldridge's space.
In this game the Blazers went 10-31 from 3. Lillard missed 7 threes and shot 10. Wesley missed 5 threes and shot 8. Nards who was wide open twice when Aldridge took the jumper instead was 1-3 from deep. Batum missed 4 threes and shot 5.
If I was Aldridge I wouldn't be passing it out to people who keep chucking either. Especially if I were to have it going like he did in that game.

vs Hawks he went 5-5 from the FT line and 15-24 from the field, 2-3 from deep. I wasn't able to watch this game as closely as I would have wanted to but.... Honestly? looking at just the box score it looks like Lillard and Wes were just chucking. They went a combined 4-18 from 3. That's really bad. I do remember one play I got to watch that made me shake my head.
Lillard drove by his defender and hit Wes. Wes pump faked and his defender bit, leaving a WIDE OPEN LANE TO THE RIM. Instead of driving he hits Lillard to his right for the corner 3... Who also has a WIDE OPEN LANE, but he shoots the 3 and bricks. Believe they were down by 5? here? why not just get the 2 and force the hawks to score? perhaps get an 3 point play the old fashion way?

I didn't get a real chance to watch any of the game last night so I won't go into it. But Lillard did go 1-10, Batum 1-4, blake 0-2, Wes made 4 missed 3.
From the looks of the box score no one really had it going last night vs the bucks.

But regardless all of this doesn't matter. My point is if I were Aldridge and my teammates were just chucking up 3's while shooting a very poor %. I'd take my turn around jumper regardless of the double team... if I had it going.

Maybe it is on Stotts to tell the guys to get to the rim and foul line. But it certainly isn't on Aldridge. Nor is it on his turn around jumper with the % he's been shooting in all of the games minus vs the bucks last night.

 

[magnifier661]

I'm not saying it's LMA's fault that the defense sniffed that play out - that's on Stotts for not adding new wrinkles. But lately, I see LMA forcing up shots rather than passing the ball out and that IS on LMA. If the double comes, or if he's well defended in single coverage he needs to kick it out for a secondary option.

I think he has tried to pass out but his teammates aren't hitting the jumper. Because of that, who else do we have to score consistently other than Aldridge?

I would much rather see Aldridge and Leonard play a two man game. It seems Leonard can at least hit a jumper efficiently right now.

Something has to change until Dame and Wes get their jumper back. Batum has been a lost cause all season offensively, so I'm not even including him in this scenario