How to fix the Blazers: Divide the Playing time between more players

[Blazer4ever]

Why would you assume Meyers and Caleb would turn into an allstar? They both have major, obvious flaws as players.

Napier had gotten better and I supported him last year. 1 out of 50 isn't a good success rate there mate, so don't even try to use his success to somehow validate all your opinions.

I can tell you that they have flaws. Meyers' defensive understanding is sub-par, Caleb isn't quick or agile enough, but it doesn't mean they can't give us very good production even if just as rotation players. Meyers is maybe the most gifted big man we have offensively, Caleb is our best traditional Power forward to get points and offensive rebounds under the basket. I'm not saying they should both be starters but not playing them at all makes no sense. There are certainly all kinds of matchups and situations where they can be very effective, the key is using them wisely, but keeping them just as g-league or garbage players is simply bad strategy and bad coaching

 

[BonesJones]

I can tell you that they have flaws. Meyers' defensive understanding is sub-par, Caleb isn't quick or agile enough, but it doesn't mean they can't give us very good production even if just as rotation players. Meyers is maybe the most gifted big man we have offensively, Caleb is our best traditional Power forward to get points and offensive rebounds under the basket. I'm not saying they should both be starters but not playing them at all makes no sense. There are certainly all kinds of matchups and situations where they can be very effective, the key is using them wisely, but keeping them just as g-league or garbage players is simply bad strategy and bad coaching

Caleb can't get points around the basket against this level of competition. Just beacmmcause they have skills their best at doesn't mean they're good at those things when compared to other NBA players.

If you coached would you seriously have a 14 man rotation?

 

[BonesJones]

I can tell you that they have flaws. Meyers' defensive understanding is sub-par, Caleb isn't quick or agile enough, but it doesn't mean they can't give us very good production even if just as rotation players. Meyers is maybe the most gifted big man we have offensively, Caleb is our best traditional Power forward to get points and offensive rebounds under the basket. I'm not saying they should both be starters but not playing them at all makes no sense. There are certainly all kinds of matchups and situations where they can be very effective, the key is using them wisely, but keeping them just as g-league or garbage players is simply bad strategy and bad coaching

And both those guys hurt us more in the areas they're weak in than they help us in the areas they're strong in.

 

[Blazer4ever]

Caleb can't get points around the basket against this level of competition. Just beacmmcause they have skills their best at doesn't mean they're good at those things when compared to other NBA players.

If you coached would you seriously have a 14 man rotation?

I would at least give Meyers and Caleb real playing time. And coaches like Popovich sit their top players out for many of the games to give a real chance to other players that may become regular contributors. we did fairly well when Dame was out and we would have a better chance in each game and through the season if players would get less playing time to enable them to use more energy. I'm not saying give Dame or CJ 20 minutes per game, wouldn't take it that far, but I think Caleb and Meyers specifically not getting any chance is bad decision making

 

[TBpup]

Uou say tgey could play at a high level due to less minutes, but SHOCKINGLY, you are wrong.

Looking at minutes, top 9 players

So the starters are both at 155 minutes, and the bench guys are at 78 and 80 respectively. I realize injuries and blah blah, but it's virtually the same minutes distribution. Be mad at Olshey for a shitty team, or tge league for making it harder to write blank checks, but Stotts is basically doing what Adelman did.

Not sure what Rick Adelman did for the Kings that year but Coach Dunleavy definitely did the same thing Stotts is doing now. He just did it with more talent.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Not sure what Rick Adelman did for the Kings that year but Coach Dunleavy definitely did the same thing Stotts is doing now. He just did it with more talent.

Ha....damnit

 

[BrunoSOC]

Everybody need more minutes, Moe, Noah, even Jake could play more. Moe is about to get trade

 

[H.C.]

Swanigan got benched not because he couldn't produce. Not because he was a liability on the defensive end.
Swanigan got benched because he was in the wrong spots offensively over multiple games.
It was like he didn't even know the plays which were being ran.
Stotts was visibility upset the last time this happened and Swanigan was quickly pulled.(I understand you don't watch the games so you wouldn't be able to see this)
One can only assume that Swanigan was spoke to by coaching staff about being in the right spots offensively. Being that he couldn't do this basic basketball skill. He rightfully lost all playing time.

If a fan can see a player not in position offensively to run a set. Can only imagine how frustrating it must've been for the coaching staff.

Meyers Leonard hasn't been awful this year.
However Nurk is clearly the starter, and Davis is clearly the backup Center. These two roles are entrenched and pending an injury, or foul trouble to both. Nards clearly hasn't shown he should be taking PT from these two.
Credit to Nards he seems to be, being a professional and waiting for his opportunities to come.

 

[dviss1]

More time for the scrubs!!!!!



Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

 

[Blazer4ever]

Gotta give Meyers and Caleb more playing time, we could be that much better with them getting real minutes. And if their ain't enough minutes to go around, need to make a consolidation trade

 

[Boob-No-More]

Gotta give Meyers and Caleb more playing time, we could be that much better with them getting real minutes. And if their ain't enough minutes to go around, need to make a consolidation trade

Swanigan played 36 minutes last night.

BNM

 

[Nikolokolus]

This idea is pants-on-head retarded.

 

[Boob-No-More]

This idea is pants-on-head retarded.

Thankfully, Stotts doesn't wear his pants on his head. He has done exactly the opposite of the OP's suggestion.. He's shortened the rotation and we are winning more games.

This shouldn't come as a surprise. It's the third year in a row this has happened. Stotts spends the first two and a half months of the season trying different combinations, giving multiple players the opportunity to seize a spot in the rotation. He assesses what he has, shortens the rotation and the team goes on a second half tear.

This year, he has settled on a 9-man rotation of the five starters with Napier, Connaughton, Davis and Collins off the bench.

That leaves, Meyers, Moe and Vonleh as the odd men out. I'm fine with that. I'd be fine with Vonleh playing more, but if it comes down to him, or Collins, I'll take Collins.

BNM

 

[andalusian]

Gotta give Meyers and Caleb more playing time, we could be that much better with them getting real minutes. And if their ain't enough minutes to go around, need to make a consolidation trade

I do not think the G league team is willing to play Meyers.

 

[Orion Bailey]

This thread.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Not necessarily. Like he said, the great players like Dame and CJ can play with more energy if they play less. I loved our 1999 team where we basically had two starting lineups and they could play at a very high level and then the other unit came in and dominated. We came at teams in waves. The 2009-10 Suns team did this very well too. Two 5 player units.

I actually advocated for this and was told it never happened and I was out of my mind, but I still think two 5 man rotations is something worth trying.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I'm having a hard time seeing a ton of difference in minutes, other than Dame/CJ playing more than Scottie/Smitty, but I think there's an element there of a) age and b) "been there, done that, keeping ourselves fresh for the playoffs".
Now, the ability to bring in Grant or Schrempf in 2000 to spell Sabas may have been an easier decision to play longer than, say, Stotts' decision to let Zach and Ed play more. But I think we're seeing in January that that's starting to work out.

Additionally, it seems dumb to have your Big Two off the floor at any given time. Given that, it seems that the Shabazz/Pat/(Dame or CJ)/Ed/Zach does kind of what you're looking for, right? Unless you'd rather sit (Dame/CJ) to give, say, Harkless more minutes? You can't run Ed/Zach/(Noah or Meyers or Swanigan) out there at the same time.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Gotta give Meyers and Caleb more playing time, we could be that much better with them getting real minutes. And if their ain't enough minutes to go around, need to make a consolidation trade

A consolidation trade is the only real solution - you know, that thing you, me and Godot have been waiting for.

 

[1eyejack]

Your theory is spot on but backwards. If other teams would sit their best players more and we play our regulars more we’d win more

 

[Blazer4ever]

Bazz didn't play at all for a year and a half, then he gets a real chance and becomes a key player. i've no doubt it's the same story with Caleb and Meyers, if they get a chance they might not become starters but would be key contributors for us

 

[SIeepwalker]

Bazz didn't play at all for a year and a half, then he gets a real chance and becomes a key player. i've no doubt it's the same story with Caleb and Meyers, if they get a chance they might not become starters but would be key contributors for us

Meyers had plenty of chances, don't you think ?