Game Thread GAME# 47: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - JANUARY 22, 2018 - MONDAY, 6:00 PM (PST), NBCSNW

[riverman]

This team is just good enough to be cannon fodder for the Warriors, Rockets or Spurs in the 1st round of the Playoffs. Not fun.

I think the point is to get our keepers experience even if it means being cannon fodder....Zach needs to play against Draymond Green and Lamarcus Aldridge...development season...finding out who the keepers are by trial and error.

 

[ripcityboy]

It's clear that this team isn't going anywhere this year, so why not start Zach and see if we can speed up his development?

He wasn't even a starter in college, was he? He seems to be fine learning the game incrementally. No reason to allow him to develop some bad habits. We are Just going to have to deal with this as a lost season. Well it's a year off of Turner and Leonard's contracts. That's something.

 

[riverman]

It was hyperbole saying plays were being ran for Aminu, I'm just emotional over that finish ... either way, as you pointed out, Aminu was the one being left open to shoot due to Stotts not adjusting.

Why not bring back Ed Davis who was FEASTING off of put-backs and dribble drives?

Or go small and bring in another shooter to replace Aminu? Nurk could slide over to Jokic and anyone could have really defended Plumlee.

Stotts owned the bad timeout call....I think Stotts will take this loss on himself

 

[BrunoSOC]

I think Paul Allen is mad

 

[TBpup]

I think the point is to get our keepers experience even if it means being cannon fodder....Zach needs to play against Draymond Green and Lamarcus Aldridge...development season...finding out who the keepers are by trial and error.

I agree with that. Since we will be cannon fodder anyhow, develop guys like Collins.

 

[Mediocre Man]

This team is just good enough to be cannon fodder for the Warriors, Rockets or Spurs in the 1st round of the Playoffs. Not fun.

One might use the term purgatory to describe them. And that person would probably get ridiculed by the majority of the forum....we'll call them lemmings, for argument sake

 

[BlazerBeav]

Whether he takes it or not, that’s multiple games his poor decision making has cost us late. He has to go.

 

[HolyBackboard]

Stotts owned the bad timeout call....I think Stotts will take this loss on himself

The problem is, this is not the exception, it's the rule.

 

[BigGameDamian]

As well he should be. Nurkic blew the game and he probably knows it.

 

[BlazerBeav]

The guy with 19 and 12 blew it? Pray tell, how?

 

[riverman]

The problem is, this is not the exception, it's the rule.

I like Stotts so I don't see it that way...but he blew the endgame tonight for sure..

 

[TBpup]

One might use the term purgatory to describe them. And that person would probably get ridiculed by the majority of the forum....we'll call them lemmings, for argument sake

Purgatory is exactly where this team is. Not good enough to be close to contending.....not bad enough to have a decent chance to draft a difference maker. There is always one or two guys that fall that make a difference but the odds are much less. LeBron, KD, Harden....all top-3 picks. Curry was something like #6.

 

[calvin natt]

It's clear that this team isn't going anywhere this year, so why not start Zach and see if we can speed up his development?

Because players, coaches and GMs want to win. Now if Zach is the best player for those minutes then play him. But if he’s not this league isn’t about playing guys so they can get experience.

 

[riverman]

Purgatory is exactly where this team is. Not good enough to be close to contending.....not bad enough to have a decent chance to draft a difference maker. There is always one or two guys that fall that make a difference but the odds are much less. LeBron, KD, Harden....all top-3 picks. Curry was something like #6.

well last draft the top picks were Fultz and Ball...in my view...neither is a difference maker

 

[Mediocre Man]

well last draft the top picks were Fultz and Ball...in my view...neither is a difference maker

It's not the drafts fault that teams missed on the obvious best player in Taytum. He was CLEARLY the best player. What you want is an opportunity to draft the best player, like we had with Bowie and Oden and others, frankly.

Also, that high pick is valuable to other teams. Maybe for an all star?

 

[LuckyShot]

Changes coming

Yep. We're going to hypnotize Chicago into sending us Mirotic for Meyers and Vonleh, and then Orlando into sending us Fournier for Turner. Because fuck defense, let's just go full Stotts ball and launch a million 3s. Unfortunately, Stotts is probably the best coach we're going to get, and we aren't going to upgrade talent via free agency. Might as well go all in on Stotts' and Dame's strengths.

Although Orlando might not need to be hypnotized as they might be dumb enough to do that deal just because the salaries match, given their recent "pattern" if you can call it that.

 

[LuckyShot]

This team is just good enough to be cannon fodder for the Warriors, Rockets or Spurs in the 1st round of the Playoffs. Not fun.

Yeah, but what do you expect when the majority of the superstars are joining together on a few teams...

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Stotts fucking sucks.

NBA refs are a goddamned joke.

That is all.

 

[jlprk]

Stotts fucking sucks.

Stotts is a very average NBA coach, greatly overrated in these parts.

 

[H.C.]

Wait, wait.
Some of you wanted Collins in instead of Aminu late in the game.

Did these same people see Collins getting worked on the defensive end early in the 4th before he got pulled?
Like, sometimes when I read game threads. It looks like 90% of the board doesn't watch the game.

I'm not a Stotts fan, nor am I a Stotts hater. But getting Collins out of the game was the right move.
Especially with the trouble Aminu gave Jokic all night, & with Murray destroying in the pick and roll.

CJ went 3-14.
Missed wide open teammates off the p&r.
Played above average defense for CJ, but that's still below average defense.
If Portland's other starting guard shows up, Portland beats a team in the same boat they are in their house.

 

[BonesJones]

Wait, wait.
Some of you wanted Collins in instead of Aminu late in the game.

Did these same people see Collins getting worked on the defensive end early in the 4th before he got pulled?
Like, sometimes when I read game threads. It looks like 90% of the board doesn't watch the game.

I'm not a Stotts fan, nor am I a Stotts hater. But getting Collins out of the game was the right move.
Especially with the trouble Aminu gave Jokic all night, & with Murray destroying in the pick and roll.

CJ went 3-14.
Missed wide open teammates off the p&r.
Played above average defense for CJ, but that's still below average defense.
If Portland's other starting guard shows up, Portland beats a team in the same boat they are in their house.

Barton and Harris didn't show up for Denver, to be fair.

 

[TBpup]

well last draft the top picks were Fultz and Ball...in my view...neither is a difference maker

That's one year's draft. Of course it's a crap shoot but I'll take my chances with Top-6 picks versus trying to find that one Draymond Green in the 2nd round. It's like college football and 4/5 star recruits. You never know who you are going to get but Alabama is full of 4/5 star kids versus most teams 2-4 star kids.

Not all of them pan out but they keep winning championships. Astros were terrible for years but after all of those top Draft picks, they finally won a World Series and are favored to do so again.

The NBA is a bit different because you are dealing with fewer players so a hit or miss has a much bigger effect. But when I look at recent NBA Champions, I see a lot of top Draft picks. KD, Curry, LeBron, Duncan, Wade, Bosh, Garnett, Shaq etc. Of course there are outliers like Kobe who demanded a trade to a situation that put him in a much better position to win and Dirk who is probably the greatest Euro to ever play.

I'll take my chances with the higher picks.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Two things i learned from this game:

1. There are a lot of hot women in Denver.

2 .Stotts is a fucking idiot, he should wear a helmet from now on.

 

[BrunoSOC]

We lost as a team and win as team.... CJ should make that shot... he was open. Turner have his chance too but misses. Its ok. move on, next one we take.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Why doesn't the rest of the team just stop passing to Aminu!!??

After reflecting on this, I think this is on Stotts. His team wasn't prepared for double-teaming of Lillard; the Denver plan was for only Aminu to be unguarded. It was the only guy Lillard could pass to, but Blazers then needed a plan to get the ball out of his hands as soon as possible. They had no plan, so Aminu did what he thought he was supposed to do.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Yep. Aminu missed shots he usually makes.

I don't think he is the guy we want taking shots with a minute left.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Barton and Harris didn't show up for Denver, to be fair.

I thought Barton showed up on defense.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I saw 3 calls in the 2nd half go against Denver that shouldn't have. Probably 5 or 6 go against Portland. Refs didn't destroy us, but
in such a close game it still hurt.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

I don't think he is the guy we want taking shots with a minute left.

Worse than that is Stotts having Aminu set the screen repeatedly and being the primary outlet when Lillard was double-teamed, forcing him to make decisions like he's Boris Diaw.
Chief only works well in spontaneous chaos mode, not when he has to think.
One of the worst coaching moments I've ever seen.

 

[TBpup]

Worse than that is Stotts having Aminu set the screen repeatedly and being the primary outlet when Lillard was double-teamed, forcing him to make decisions like he's Boris Diaw.
Chief only works well in spontaneous chaos mode, not when he has to think.
One of the worst coaching moments I've ever seen.

Couldn't agree more. Stotts was just playing into Denver's defensive hand by doing that. Idiotic because you know what they are going to do every time. Bitz Dame and leave Aminu unguarded.