Is Terry Stotts 'Mark Helfrich'?

[TBpup]

Not everyone is cut out to be a Head Coach. They might be the nicest guys in the world and very good as a coordinator or assistant but for some reason that just doesn't translate to effective Head Coach. I've always had some issues with Stotts in terms of defensive schemes, the complete lack of any fast break game whatsoever, and very little ability to create easy shots for his team. As young and athletic as this team is, you'd think fast break points and several lobs a game would be a no-brainer.

But as a fan, whether I like how he coaches or not takes a back seat to what I saw against the Raptors....almost a complete lack of effort. Toronto was without their starting Center and Power Forward and still completely outworked the Blazers from start to finish. Outside of Dame in the first 18 minutes of the 2nd half, it was one of the most lackluster performances I've ever seen from a Blazer squad.

And we are only 7 games in to the season and it was at home.

I've never thought that a lineup built around two small, ball dominant scoring guards who don't play defense will ever work for more than moderate success. (Oddly enough, their biggest road win in history came when one of them sat out. Then they barely beat the same team at home when both played and the other team's best defensive guard sat out.) But last night was a team mentality thing over scheme or effort and I saw it last year with the Ducks football team until they basically quit.

This schedule was set up for the Blazers to get off to a very hot start and yet they are getting blown out at home by a team missing almost half of their starters. This start does not have a good feel to it.

 

[tester551]

Not everyone is cut out to be a Head Coach. They might be the nicest guys in the world and very good as a coordinator or assistant but for some reason that just doesn't translate to effective Head Coach. I've always had some issues with Stotts in terms of defensive schemes, the complete lack of any fast break game whatsoever, and very little ability to create easy shots for his team. As young and athletic as this team is, you'd think fast break points and several lobs a game would be a no-brainer.

At this point, I think it's more of a Dame thing. When he's out, it seems like the team runs more... just not very well.

 

[BrunoSOC]

I agree

 

[Schilly]

It seems like the team plays better when the depth offtge bench is used instead of a tight rotation.

 

[TBpup]

Granted, the roster Olshey has put together has some gaping holes in it in my opinion, but Neil was just re-upped through 2021 so he's not going anywhere. Even with the holes though, there are things that are complete head-scratchers with Stotts that haven't changed in years.

The lack of a running game befuddles me and his abject refusal to double-team someone who is torching the team and make someone who is averaging 6 points a game beat you kills me.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Stotts argued that in the third quarter, we did send a double team on DeRozan and we got burned with several threes from other guys. Hey, Coach, that'll happen. But it doesn't happen as often as DeRozan (or any team's star) scoring against single coverage. In the same vein that when they double Dame, sure, every now and again Harkless or Aminu might actually make them pay - but rarely.

 

[TBpup]

Stotts argued that in the third quarter, we did send a double team on DeRozan and we got burned with several threes from other guys. Hey, Coach, that'll happen. But it doesn't happen as often as DeRozan (or any team's star) scoring against single coverage. In the same vein that when they double Dame, sure, every now and again Harkless or Aminu might actually make them pay - but rarely.

Stotts can argue that all he wants but the double-teams were terribly and there was very poor rotation that left Nogueira wide open under the hoop. There is doing something and then doing something effectively.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Stotts is a good head coach, with a flawed roster

 

[Portland2014]

Stotts is another example of mediocrity.
Too good to make us lose games and too bad to battle against top coaches like Pop, Rivers, Kerr, Stevens etc etc

 

[TBpup]

Stotts is a good head coach, with a flawed roster

I would agree he is a solid OFFENSIVE head coach. Defense, transition, rotations....not as convinced.

 

[Portland2014]

Even his offensive system isn't that innovative, and offense should be his flagship.

 

[illmatic99]

I think he's an above average head coach. He has shown he can coach defense like he did that year we won 54 games, and even the year after before Wessy went down.

I just think guys will grow tired of him and his strategies after 6 straight years.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Stotts is another example of mediocrity.
Too good to make us lose games and too bad to battle against top coaches like Pop, Rivers, Kerr, Stevens etc etc

One of these things is not like the other...

 

[PtldPlatypus]

One of these things is not like the other...

True. Brad Stevens hasn't won a championship.

 

[BrianFromWA]

True. Brad Stevens hasn't won a championship.

True. He's also the only one who hasn't lost a Finals with 3 HoFers on his team.

 

[TBpup]

True. Brad Stevens hasn't won a championship.

I really like Stevens. He has a better record every year he has coached so far and has already made adjustments after losing Gordon Hayward in the very first game. Not the best talent and holes in certain spots but I like how he works with what he has.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I really like Stevens. He has a better record every year he has coached so far and has already made adjustments after losing Gordon Hayward in the very first game. Not the best talent and holes in certain spots but I like how he works with what he has.

Your honor, for the record, another of these is not like the other:

List of back-to-back NCAA Championship game teams, last 25 years:
North Carolina, ACC (2016-17)
Kentucky, SEC (1996-98)
Florida, SEC (2006-2007)
Butler, Horizon League (2010-11)

 

[TBpup]

Your honor, for the record, another of these is not like the other:

List of back-to-back NCAA Championship game teams, last 25 years:
North Carolina, ACC (2016-17)
Kentucky, SEC (1996-98)
Florida, SEC (2006-2007)
Butler, Horizon League (2010-11)

Exactly! Not exactly loaded with McDonald's All-American's like those other schools. Pop also is a fan and that says a lot.

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2017/10/gregg_popovich_boston_celtics_1.html

 

[riverman]

I don't agree with any of this stuff about Stotts....I think the forum is scapegoat fishing....probably because Meyers hasn' t played much....we're 4-3....Cleveland lost 3 in a row...

 

[TBpup]

Can we not compare Portland to teams that have won championships recently? They don't even care until after the all-star break. Portland on the other hand has a very soft, home loaded schedule and needs to be as good as possible because they don't have championship winning experience to fall back on.

In fact, in the playoff series' that put them out in the last 4 years, their record is 3-16. This team needs every win it can get especially against teams missing top-level starters.

 

[dviss1]

How could he be Helfrich when his players love to play for him?

 

[TBpup]

How could he be Helfrich when his players love to play for him?

In interviews before he was fired, players said they loved playing for Helfrich as well. I don't really care what they say either way....what is their performance like? For the first time in a long time, I saw an almost complete lack of effort against a team missing 40% of it's starting lineup.

 

[Haakzilla]

How could he be Helfrich when his players love to play for him?

...lip service and conjecture! Not buying it.

 

[GrandJury]

6 years for a coach on 1 team is a loooooong time in the nba world. I’ve said this before but if your not winning championships or even making it to the nba finals no coach ever I mean EVER stays past 6 years on one team.

Stotts is running out of time FAST. I think he’s def reaching his expiration date and players are starting to get tired of his voice.

There’s no reason we should be struggling with this easy ass schedule we have right now

 

[Strenuus]

Can we not compare Portland to teams that have won championships recently? They don't even care until after the all-star break. Portland on the other hand has a very soft, home loaded schedule and needs to be as good as possible because they don't have championship winning experience to fall back on.

In fact, in the playoff series' that put them out in the last 4 years, their record is 3-16. This team needs every win it can get especially against teams missing top-level starters.

That stat is really weird. What is our record in games where we move on? lol. Because the Rockets went on to the WCF the year after we beat them.

I mean, I get looking at the negative. But we've had some positive in the last 5 years... can we glean anything off of those, too? That's so fox news of you.

 

[TBpup]

That stat is really weird. What is our record in games where we move on? lol. Because the Rockets went on to the WCF the year after we beat them.

I mean, I get looking at the negative. But we've had some positive in the last 5 years... can we glean anything off of those, too? That's so fox news of you.

Sure there were positives. I was just stating a fact in how we ended the seasons. You can include other playoff series in which we won, regular season, pre-season if you want. I was just looking at how we ended each year in terms of if we were in the least bit competitive.

If I look over 5 years, there is good and bad but overall, a lot of mediocrity. For me, that is just not good enough. I'm always trying to strive for better or more. Doesn't mean we always get it but to be so average when looking at 5 years or below average in the last 10-15 years, is disappointing when it is year after year.