Game Thread Game #8 - BLAZERS @ CAVALIERS - NOVEMBER 3, 2021 - WEDNESDAY; 4:00 PM (PDT), ROOT SPORTS

[James lamphear]

who is saying that?

if that abdominal injury is still nagging him, the one he had in the Olympics, than it seems any rest won't help. That might require surgery

still, I haven't noticed him moving any differently than normal. He seems to have the same explosion on drives

I read on Google he reinjured that part of his stomach in the 2nd quarter.

 

[wizenheimer]

Curious if anybody has links to the team announcing Dame “re-injured” his stomach?

the Blazers didn't make any announcement but Dame apparently mentioned it:

https://www.blazersedge.com/2021/11...amian-lillard-injury-loss-cleveland-cavaliers

 

[THE HCP]

the Blazers didn't make any announcement but Dame apparently mentioned it:

https://www.blazersedge.com/2021/11...amian-lillard-injury-loss-cleveland-cavaliers

Well since he officially told the media, I can tell you what I saw. Definitely did it in the first half. Winced immediately walking off the court. Saw him icing it on the bench and wincing the rest of the game from multiple angles. He was definitely in pain out there. I truly believe this is affecting/effecting his play. I also would love to believe its’ the ball! HA!

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Well since he officially told the media, I can tell you what I saw. Definitely did it in the first half. Winced immediately walking off the court. Saw him icing it on the bench and wincing the rest of the game from multiple angles. He was definitely in pain out there. I truly believe this is affecting/effecting his play. I also would love to believe its’ the ball! HA!

AFFECTING FOR FUCK'S SAKE. DO YOU NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VERBS AND NOUNS!!??

 

[Rastapopoulos]

But re: injury. Have we decided that surgery won't help? Also rest? Because it's not like he's helping us right now.

 

[THE HCP]

AFFECTING FOR FUCK'S SAKE. DO YOU NOT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VERBS AND NOUNS!!??

 

[royo]

View attachment 41627

So you sayin, Ben Simons is moving to LA?

 

[Blazinaway]

Well since he officially told the media, I can tell you what I saw. Definitely did it in the first half. Winced immediately walking off the court. Saw him icing it on the bench and wincing the rest of the game from multiple angles. He was definitely in pain out there. I truly believe this is affecting/effecting his play. I also would love to believe its’ the ball! HA!

If he's hurt he should sit out since playing hurt is obviously of no use to him or the teams chance of winning, hell if surgery can help get it done and it is what it is

 

[Fairly-Hard]

If he's hurt he should sit out since playing hurt is obviously of no use to him or the teams chance of winning, hell if surgery can help get it done and it is what it is

2-3 months off and then another month to get into shape. We are talking April getting Lillard back if at all this year because they won't be making the playoffs.

 

[Blazinaway]

2-3 months off and then another month to get into shape. We are talking April getting Lillard back if at all this year because they won't be making the playoffs.

so what, do U think we are going to make the playoffs and even win a round if we do with him hobbled like this? Get a good draft pick and give Simons/Little lots of minutes. And even consider trading CJ/NURK/ROCO as well if he's out for the year or most of it.

 

[Minstrel]

Lillard and McCollum are hardened veterans and they are who they are. They aren't suddenly changing their style of play or shot selection because a new coach "holds them accountable," whatever that means. This simplistic notion that Stotts said, "Good job, guys, take bad shots, I love it!" while Billups will come in and tell them, "Hey, bad shots are bad, take good shots" and things will change thanks to that accountability was never realistic. What people probably didn't understand about the concept of Stotts being a "players' coach" is that he very likely built the offense around what his best players actually do well and gave Lillard, especially, input into it. This was a Stotts-Lillard combined creation and most teams want a head coach who can do that--connect with their franchise player and build an offense together that actually fits that franchise player. Billups will only be successful if he can also build an offense that actually fits what Lillard does well and what Lillard believes makes use of his skillset. It's possible but unlikely that that offense will be diametrically different to Stotts' offense, especially when you consider that it also has to fit all the other existing players. If Billups is a truly innovative offensive coach, it's possible he can pull that off--but since those coaches are very rare, the odds are against it. So the overwhelming likelihood, IMO, is that when the offense eventually stabilizes, it'll look a lot like the one the Blazers ran under Stotts.

I don't think Stotts was an innovative coach, just a competent coach (of offense) that knew how to maximize his best players. Since the roster has largely not been filled with much talent beyond Lillard, that offense isn't going to have a whole lot of success against teams that can, in the playoffs, spend a series game-planning to limit Lillard. So it's a successful regular season offense that sputters in the playoffs. Even a great offensive coach might be able to trick his way past a team or two, but would be exposed by a strong playoff defense when you only have Lillard, a flawed secondary player like McCollum and very little else.

Does it matter to me that Stotts is gone? Nope. But I think a lot of fans were fooled by Olshey's misdirection, focusing on the factor that can't change things substantially (the coach) and ignoring the factor that has to change in order for Portland to be a contender (the roster, which means Olshey would be the fall guy--no wonder he didn't want fans paying attention to the actual talent on hand).

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Billups is a superior coach to Stotts. But I sincerely doubt it'll be obvious, as Billups struggles with the same impossible roster math that Stotts did.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

so what, do U think we are going to make the playoffs and even win a round if we do with him hobbled like this? Get a good draft pick and give Simons/Little lots of minutes. And even consider trading CJ/NURK/ROCO as well if he's out for the year or most of it.

That was my point pretty much. I would rather he took the year off and came back 100% than continue with what we have at this point.
Another person this might actually help is Chauncey Billups getting some experience and taking some of the pressure off him while he is learning the ropes.

 

[royo]

Nobody expected Lillard playing like this. Becky probably can't believe how lucky she was.
Of course it is early, but I was really optimistic after first games. Horse you riding now is not relevant as Lillard was obviously in Billlups plan.
With healthy Lillard we can go back to "can coach change it", IMO.
CJ is different thing. He should be gone long time ago. It could probably help Stotts as well.

 

[Blazinaway]

That was my point pretty much. I would rather he took the year off and came back 100% than continue with what we have at this point.
Another person this might actually help is Chauncey Billups getting some experience and taking some of the pressure off him while he is learning the ropes.

agreed, Dame needs to get this fixed IF it can be fixed, if he's out for season do what GS did with Klay injuries and others, be a bad team, get a high draft pick and in our case also reconstruct the roster as Roco and Nurk are ending contracts and frankly should IMO not be considered part of our future (especially Roco). And trade CJ as well, try to get the table set up better for next yr again IF Dame needs months of time.

 

[James lamphear]

agreed, Dame needs to get this fixed IF it can be fixed, if he's out for season do what GS did with Klay injuries and others, be a bad team, get a high draft pick and in our case also reconstruct the roster as Roco and Nurk are ending contracts and frankly should IMO not be considered part of our future (especially Roco). And trade CJ as well, try to get the table set up better for next yr again IF Dame needs months of time.

Needs get fix period.

 

[Orion Bailey]

as long as we're wallowing in angst & loathing, and contemplating the possibility of a rebuild, how about doubling down on tonight and picking a scab. let's re-do the 2017 draft. What would have been the 'best' option in a most perfect Blazer world fantasy:

* 1) Donovan Mitchell & Kyle Kuzma (or Dillon Brooks)

* 2) Bam Adebayo & Dillon Brooks

* 3) John Collins, OG Anunoby, & Kyle Kuzma (or Dillon Brooks)

* 4) John Collins, Jarrett Allen, & Dillon Brooks

I like what I saw from Jarrett Allen tonight but Anunoby is a really nice wing. Averaging 20 & 6 this season

obviously, Mitchell and Adebayo are all-star talents and elite talent is a big step toward contention.

Simons-Little-Collins-Anunoby/Allen-Brooks/Kuzma is a nice young core but are any capable of star-power?

***************************************

or would the best option have been to trade the 3 picks and CJ for Paul George?

did we already have Ant when that proposal for PG was there? If not we likely don't get him, right?
no brainer if we already had Ant though.