Game Thread GAME# 52: SPURS @ BLAZERS - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 - THURSDAY, 7:00 PM, NBCSNW

[B-Roy]

Wesley Matthews

 

[Neil O. Shyster]

Another example tonight of how unnecessary CJ @ 30+ mil per year is to this team’s success.

 

[Tince]

I'm not surprised at all. We did this many times over the last couple years. Look up threads called "The other side"

I need to check those out, thanks!

 

[HailBlazers]

I don't recall seeing many people say that lately. Also opinions can change based on a players performances. Nothing wrong with that.

Not wrong but extremely shortsided to trash a young player as he and Simon's have been.

 

[Wade Garrett]

So far I've only checked 3 message boards after our games and they were all similar complaints; so I hate to say it, but you probably shouldn't be surprised. 3 out of 3 is a small sample size, but I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of fans complain about effort, the star players, and the coaching after losses.

@TorturedBlazerFan and I were talking about one thing I believe does separate Blazer fans from others is the obsession with the end of bench guys..curious if that holds true or not on other teams forums..

 

[James lamphear]

28 assists!! Is that a world record?

Nice job in the 2nd have because I believe we had 9 at half time.

 

[Strenuus]

28 assists!! Is that a world record?

Wouldnt be surprised if thats cjs career total.

 

[Tince]

@TorturedBlazerFan and I were talking about one thing I believe does separate Blazer fans from others is the obsession with the end of bench guys..curious if that holds true or not on other teams forums..

Great call. I've only spent about 5 minutes on other teams game threads (3 times) and don't check out other topics, but I'll keep my eye out for it.

I think, in general, thw over-valuing of a backup is pretty common among fan bases. I hadn't really noticed it much here, until this year where people were falling in love with vet min, undrafted rookies, and d-leaguers who get thrown in trades. Recently, Portland has had a handful of example of taking undervalued players and making them productive, so it might have raised the expectations to that being the norm or wanting even more.

 

[James lamphear]

Oh so we like Trent now? He is no longer the black hole?
Hard to keep track on this board.

I remember people saying he shoots to much.

 

[Strenuus]

Great call. I've only spent about 5 minutes on other teams game threads (3 times) and don't check out other topics, but I'll keep my eye out for it.

I think, in general, thw over-valuing of a backup is pretty common among fan bases. I hadn't really noticed it much here, until this year where people were falling in love with vet min, undrafted rookies, and d-leaguers who get thrown in trades. Recently, Portland has had a handful of example of taking undervalued players and making them productive, so it might have raised the expectations to that being the norm or wanting even more.

You must be new. Lol

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Not wrong but extremely shortsided to trash a young player as he and Simon's have been.

Depends what you consider trashing. Simons has been pretty bad most of the season. In my opinion he's not ready to play on a good team, certainly not at point guard. I don't think I'm trashing him by saying that. He could get better next year or starting next week through the end of the season and my opinion would change accordingly.

 

[Tince]

I remember people saying he shoots to much.

I don't think I ever said that, but even recently I questioned his ability to be a contributor in this league down the road. I may be very wrong having had this opinion. I hope I'm very very wrong!

 

[42N8Bounce]

Some nice photos of tonight's game from the Blazers site -

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Great call by Stotts? He only took out CJ because he couldn't guard a chair and kept fouling everyone. When he got to 5 with 7+ minutes left, he basically had no choice. If CJ isn't hacking everyone in site, Trent wouldn't have seen the floor in that crucial stretch.

Stotts himself says he kept Trent in because he didn't want to screw up what was working:

"Leaving him in was because he was playing well. I didn’t want to screw it up.”

 

[James lamphear]

I don't think I ever said that, but even recently I questioned his ability to be a contributor in this league down the road. I may be very wrong having had this opinion. I hope I'm very very wrong!

I didn't say you said it I said some people was complaining that shoots so much. The old saying if shoe fits then wear it.

 

[Scalma]

Trent and littles development makes me think the only way Simons is going to have a role next year is if he develops as a lead guard. That should be the focus of his offseason.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Another example tonight of how unnecessary CJ @ 30+ mil per year is to this team’s success.

Not true. CJ can soften a defense and get something out of nothing more than maybe 10-15 guys in the entire league. We don't win in Denver in Game 7 with Dame not playing well and having the ability to throw it to CJ to get us a must-have bucket. CJ is worth the price tag and he is a part of the rock solid Stotts-Dame-CJ-Nurk core.

 

[BonesJones]

I didn't say you said it I said some people was complaining that shoots so much. The old saying if shoe fits then wear it.

It was more that her wasnt taking the right shots.

He's fixed that.

 

[BonesJones]

Not true. CJ can soften a defense and get something out of nothing more than maybe 10-15 guys in the entire league. We don't win in Denver in Game 7 with Dame not playing well and having the ability to throw it to CJ to get us a must-have bucket. CJ is worth the price tag and he is a part of the rock solid Stotts-Dame-CJ-Nurk core.

Was gonna like this post until I saw the first member of that "rock-solid core"...

 

[BBert]

I didn't say you said it I said some people was complaining that shoots so much. The old saying if shoe fits then wear it.

He shot too much because he shot every time he touched the ball with no teamwork and outside the flow. He has gotten much much better. He's lost the tunnel vision, he's playing under control and he works within the offense. He's turned into a dependable 3 and D player off the bench. People who said he shot too much haven't changed. Trent has.

 

[BonesJones]

Great call. I've only spent about 5 minutes on other teams game threads (3 times) and don't check out other topics, but I'll keep my eye out for it.

I think, in general, thw over-valuing of a backup is pretty common among fan bases. I hadn't really noticed it much here, until this year where people were falling in love with vet min, undrafted rookies, and d-leaguers who get thrown in trades. Recently, Portland has had a handful of example of taking undervalued players and making them productive, so it might have raised the expectations to that being the norm or wanting even more.

Actually, it seems like Portland does an poor job taking undervalued guys and making them useful compared to the average NBA team.

Here's a list of 28 good role players (or better) that came into the league in the last 5 years as an undrafted free agent or that their team originally got with:
- The 41st pick or lower
- As a minimum level free agent with no market
- As a trade throw-in

Joe Ingles, Royce O'Neale, Nikola Jokic, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Dillon Brooks, Thomas Bryant, Maxi Kleber, Daniel Thies, Montrezl Harrell, Bryn Forbes, Fred Vanvleet, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr, Monte Morris, Khris Middleton, Moritz Wagner, Terrence Davis, Spencer Dinwiddie, Alex Caruso, De'Anthony Melton, Dorian Finney-Smith, Ben McLemore, Nemanja Bjelica, Eric Paschall, Bruce Brown, Christian Wood, Danuel House, etc. Probably missing some.

 

[SIeepwalker]

Wow Trent playing over CJ down the stretch

Mario -12 in 13 minutes....

 

[SIeepwalker]

Great defense by Mario randomly picking up Hassan's man

 

[Blazers Roy]

It's annoying how people here just can't enjoy Trent making open threes, they have to be salty about CJ for some reason.

Then, when Trent gets defended like CJ and will miss shots or will got into some unrelated slump, people here would be salty about Trent again.

I already called it with Simons. He had a few good games and people here were screaming about dumb CJ trades and then when he went through adversity people wanted Simons gone.

We CAN enjoy a good game of one player without shitting on a different player.

 

[stampedehero]

Spurs
Portland Trail Blazers Trail Blazers
STARTERS STARTERS P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
LaMarcus Aldridge L. Aldridge F 36 20 9 - 23 0 - 0 2 - 6 8 4 2 1 1 0
DeMar DeRozan D. DeRozan F 37 21 6 - 16 9 - 9 0 - 0 7 6 3 0 1 0
Trey Lyles T. Lyles C 34 23 9 - 11 1 - 1 4 - 6 10 0 2 0 0 4
Bryn Forbes B. Forbes G 22 11 3 - 6 3 - 3 2 - 3 0 1 0 0 2 3
Dejounte Murray D. Murray G 25 4 1 - 7 2 - 2 0 - 2 4 5 1 0 0 1
BENCH P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
Derrick White D. White - 23 15 4 - 8 7 - 7 0 - 1 1 3 0 1 0 1
Patty Mills P. Mills - 21 14 5 - 10 2 - 3 2 - 6 2 2 0 0 0 0
Rudy Gay R. Gay - 14 4 2 - 4 0 - 0 0 - 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
Lonnie Walker IV L. Walker IV - 13 2 1 - 3 0 - 0 0 - 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
Jakob Poeltl J. Poeltl - 12 3 1 - 2 1 - 3 0 - 0 4 2 0 0 0 1
Marco Belinelli M. Belinelli - 3 0 0 - 2 0 - 0 0 - 2 1 1 0 0 0 0
Chimezie Metu C. Metu DNP
Drew Eubanks D. Eubanks DNP
STARTERS STARTERS P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
Carmelo Anthony C. Anthony F 35 20 8 - 15 0 - 0 4 - 7 8 4 0 0 0 2
Trevor Ariza T. Ariza F 37 7 2 - 8 2 - 2 1 - 4 6 1 0 0 2 3
Hassan Whiteside H. Whiteside C 36 17 8 - 10 1 - 3 0 - 0 23 1 1 4 2 3
CJ McCollum C. McCollum G 30 19 8 - 19 1 - 2 2 - 6 3 6 0 1 1 5
Damian Lillard D. Lillard G 37 26 9 - 20 5 - 5 3 - 9 2 10 0 0 7 1
BENCH P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
Gary Trent Jr. G. Trent Jr. - 24 18 6 - 7 0 - 0 6 - 7 0 4 0 1 0 1
Anfernee Simons A. Simons - 15 10 4 - 7 0 - 0 2 - 4 1 1 0 0 0 1
Mario Hezonja M. Hezonja - 13 2 1 - 2 0 - 0 0 - 0 3 0 1 0 0 1
Caleb Swanigan C. Swanigan - 12 6 3 - 4 0 - 0 0 - 0 4 1 0 0 0 2

A great WIN!!! Hassan grabs 23!

 

[kjironman1]

Great call. I've only spent about 5 minutes on other teams game threads (3 times) and don't check out other topics, but I'll keep my eye out for it.

I think, in general, thw over-valuing of a backup is pretty common among fan bases. I hadn't really noticed it much here, until this year where people were falling in love with vet min, undrafted rookies, and d-leaguers who get thrown in trades. Recently, Portland has had a handful of example of taking undervalued players and making them productive, so it might have raised the expectations to that being the norm or wanting even more.

The other thing involved here is that undrafted D-league player that gets thrown in on a trade gets put into a position where they have to play. They all have tools or they wouldn't be in the league at all. It's the coaching that makes them successful but it takes time.

 

[kjironman1]

I remember people saying he shoots to much.

I believe the quote was something to the effect of " Trent never sees a shot he doesn't like".

 

[crandc]

Dame couldn't sustain 50 ppg forever. Good to see he can be mortal and Blazers still win.

 

[CupWizier]

The other thing involved here is that undrafted D-league player that gets thrown in on a trade gets put into a position where they have to play. They all have tools or they wouldn't be in the league at all. It's the coaching that makes them successful but it takes time.

I would say work ethic is the biggest factor on whether lower level players make it. Coaching and being in the right position also help as well. All players come into the league as a talented player and likely were stars at one time along the way. How much work they are willing to put in will help determine their success. A guy like Wes Mathews made himself into a solid NBA player after going undrafted because he was willing to put in the time and effort to improve himself. Even a guy like Giannis who was drafted mid first round put in the work and effort to become an MVP of the league which nobody saw happening.

 

[Tince]

I didn't say you said it I said some people was complaining that shoots so much. The old saying if shoe fits then wear it.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you did, I was just coming clean on what appears to be a bad take of mine!