Mediocrity Fatigue

[riverman]

Across the league I'd love to see either Brad Stevens, Pop or Eric Spoelstra as options..Pops likes wine so I'm hopin' he'll consider it

 

[BonesJones]

His relationship with the players..his demeanor. Probably a lot of his sense of the big picture of a season and the patience it takes to weather it. I think his offensive approach is great if we make shots...I think he's frustrated with the defensive slump and 3 pt shooting slump as we all are..I like that Stotts doesn't bs about a good or bad game and has an honest response to situations as well as media. He's consistent in his approach.

See, I lot Stotts personality as well, so I agree with a lot of these.

Any 3pt-based offense is good if you make them, so I dont even disagree with that.. when were cold though, I think we need to be able to counter with attacking the rim or sets designed to get action towards the rim instead of 3pt shots, and I dont see that.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Across the league I'd love to see either Brad Stevens, Pop or Eric Spoelstra as options

Im not a huge college hoops guy because a lot of the games drive me crazy. However Id like to see Mark Few come to Blazers.

 

[BonesJones]

As much as Dame made a huge impact in keeping the Blazers respectable. I think some credit has to go to Stotts for designing a system around Dame and CJ. Before that his systems had been built around PF/C (types) LMA / Dirk. So I like that he showed some range in his abilities and that to me is a sign of a solid coach.

Now you know how I feel about wanting to see Stotts go, but I think he doesnt really get credit for that it tends to mostly go to Dame.

I dont. I think it's very easy to take two easy scorers and say "go out there and score. Dame, run a lot of pick n roll with Nurkic (even if they're trapping) and you're allowed to shoot any shot off of it"... Any coach can do that. Any coach can ride a superstar to success. I believe Stotts has 100% been made by Dame.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

See, I lot Stotts personality as well, so I agree with a lot of these.

Any 3pt-based offense is good if you make them, so I dont even disagree with that.. when were cold though, I think we need to be able to counter with attacking the rim or sets designed to get action towards the rim instead of 3pt shots, and I dont see that.

For me I feel like Stotts has never been a good in game coach, they dont adjust well in time outs, or come out of half time looking a lot different. I also feel like he did a good job redesigning things around Dame and CJ but I dont believe he’s really evolved that system and Everyone knows what they’re gameplan is at this point.

 

[BonesJones]

Im not a huge college hoops guy because a lot of the games drive me crazy. However Id like to see Mark Few come to Blazers.

I love the way in which Gonzaga plays. So methodical and solid. He be a good NBA coach.

 

[riverman]

The Portland thing to do if we had a new coach would probably be Becky Hammon...make history

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I dont. I think it's very easy to take two easy scorers and say "go out there and score. Dame, run a lot of pick n roll with Nurkic (even if they're trapping) and you're allowed to shoot any shot off of it"... Any coach can do that. Any coach can ride a superstar to success. I believe Stotts has 100% been made by Dame.

He did get them to the 2nd round with Mason Plumlee as their starting center. He actually showed some touch then too by having Mason do a lot of the ball handling and passing around the top of the key. I feel like its really been the last two years or so where he’s just stopped showing ANYTHING new.

 

[Gronk Brady]

See, I lot Stotts personality as well, so I agree with a lot of these.

Any 3pt-based offense is good if you make them, so I dont even disagree with that.. when were cold though, I think we need to be able to counter with attacking the rim or sets designed to get action towards the rim instead of 3pt shots, and I dont see that.

It’s ironic that you justify your claim that you are more knowledgeable than me in basketball with bragging about playing in a rec league... yet you are telling us what Stotts should do, when Stotts actually played ball professionally... you can’t make this stuff up LMAO

 

[BonesJones]

For me I feel like Stotts has never been a good in game coach, they dont adjust well in time outs, or come out of half time looking a lot different. I also feel like he did a good job redesigning things around Dame and CJ but I dont believe he’s really evolved that system and Everyone knows what they’re gameplan is at this point.

Yup. He had wrinkles in the offense that produced results very early in the season. Is it me or has a lot of those wrinkles completely disappeared? I think the players and the coach revert back to the easiest (not best) way to play.

He also sucks at adjusting between playoff games, and it kills us, because other teams do.

Also, their sets are so perimeter oriented and basic. So many useless passes..

 

[BonesJones]

He did get them to the 2nd round with Mason Plumlee as their starting center. He actually showed some touch then too by having Mason do a lot of the ball handling and passing around the top of the key. I feel like its really been the last two years or so where he’s just stopped showing ANYTHING new.

He got them to the 2nd round because they got lucky enough to get the 5th seed with 4e wins and play against a team that lost 2 superstars.

The logic you used can also apply the opposite way: he got them to the 2nd round once out of three years with a top 3 backcourt.

I've been saying hes regressed as a coach, and that last statement is definitely true.

 

[Gronk Brady]

Yup. He had wrinkles in the offense that produced results very early in the season. Is it me or has a lot of those wrinkles completely disappeared? I think the players and the coach revert back to the easiest (not best) way to play.

He also sucks at adjusting between playoff games, and it kills us, because other teams do.

Also, their sets are so perimeter oriented and basic. So many useless passes..

Please tell us more about how you would coach this roster to a title almighty one... how have the Blazers not hired you as coach already?.. do they not know you played in a rec league??!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Yup. He had wrinkles in the offense that produced results very early in the season. Is it me or has a lot of those wrinkles completely disappeared? I think the players and the coach revert back to the easiest (not best) way to play.

He also sucks at adjusting between playoff games, and it kills us, because other teams do.

Also, their sets are so perimeter oriented and basic. So many useless passes..

Useless passes and hand offs more than the army football team. The running in circles 25-30 feet away from the basket too...

 

[BonesJones]

Useless passes and hand offs more than the army football team. The running in circles 25-30 feet away from the basket too...

Yup. Itd be fine if used sparingly to give a different look. But not as the base for the offense. Even their Horns plays usually just dissolve or filter into the same type of movement.

And dont get me started on us guarding the pick n roll the same way against Steph Curry as we do against Rajon Rondo.

 

[BonesJones]

Please tell us more about how you would coach this roster to a title almighty one... how have the Blazers not hired you as coach already?.. do they not know you played in a rec league??!

So goddamn stupid. Using your argument:

Tell us how you would be better than CJ... Why haven't the Blazers signed you aLl-mIgHtY oNe Do they know your a forum keyboard warrior?!?!?!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

He got them to the 2nd round because they got lucky enough to get the 5th seed with 4e wins and play against a team that lost 2 superstars.

The logic you used can also apply the opposite way: he got them to the 2nd round once out of three years with a top 3 backcourt.

I've been saying hes regressed as a coach, and that last statement is definitely true.

Does it matter they had / have like a bottom 3 starting forward combo and no bench really to speak of? It may not be that bad but comparing their 3 and 4 spots with most teams and they’re at a disadvantage.

Im not saying he went Dr. Jack or anything. I just thought for a year or so after LMA left I believe he did a good job. Yes having Dame and CJ helped a whole heck of a lot. No coach wins with bad players.

Then its like he just hasnt done much since then, its like that was all he had he doesnt seem to have any new ideas.

 

[BonesJones]

It’s ironic that you justify your claim that you are more knowledgeable than me in basketball with bragging about playing in a rec league... yet you are telling us what Stotts should do, when Stotts actually played ball professionally... you can’t make this stuff up LMAO

Playing basketball at the highest level doesnt make a coach bro. What about Spoelstra?.. But you usually have to play some sort of organized basketball to truly understand certain things a out the sport. Therefore, you shouldn't be posting like a know-it-all telling others they have shit to learn.

It's not bragging bro (why would I brag about a rec league when I've played college ball?) you're going to try to construde the point into something else because you cant comprehend anything said to you.

I'm saying you dont even know enough basketball to keep up in a Rec League bro!! I simply imagined your know-it-all ass being in a rec league and being absolutely clueless. It was quite funny. It was mainly a dig at your posting style, combined with your obvious lack of knowledge.

 

[BonesJones]

Does it matter they had / have like a bottom 3 starting forward combo and no bench really to speak of? It may not be that bad but comparing their 3 and 4 spots with most teams and they’re at a disadvantage.

Im not saying he went Dr. Jack or anything. I just thought for a year or so after LMA left I believe he did a good job. Yes having Dame and CJ helped a whole heck of a lot. No coach wins with bad players.

Then its like he just hasnt done much since then, its like that was all he had he doesnt seem to have any new ideas.

They were a .500 team that got lucky enough to make the 2nd round because of injuries, due in part to their lack of depth up front. That's not a credit to Stotts.

We've also upgraded our frontcourt and our bench is no worse, possibly better, yet we've made zero progress. What does that say? Maybe that the 2nd round was a fluke, and we've had a 1st round exit team for years with a top 3 backcourt and a vastly improved frontcourt..

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

They were a .500 team that got lucky enough to make the 2nd round because of injuries, due in part to their lack of depth up front. That's not a credit to Stotts.

We've also upgraded our frontcourt and our bench is no worse, possibly better, yet we've made zero progress. What does that say? Maybe that the 2nd round was a fluke, and we've had a 1st round exit team for years with a top 3 backcourt and a vastly improved frontcourt..

I dont really believe in the *’s by accomplishments. I dont do it to GS for playing injured teams. Yes facts are facts they beat an injured Clipper team but they still did it. Also They literally took Dame and CJ and threw a bunch of guys around them that were 2nd or third stringers on bad teams and were a .500 team. The upgrade of Nurk in the front court did help their defense a lot last year and they did win 49 games. Though it all meant very little after being destroyed by the pelicans. I thought Stotts did a good job that 1st year after LMA left of figuring out what roles a lot of those guys could play. You dont and thats fine I suppose.
I agree with you about the last couple years, and I have said for a long time Id like to see this group with someone else at the helm.
I think roster moves may not to come in play too, but I definitely think a change of coaches will show us alot about this team.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Couldn't you make the argument that Indy is now stuck in mediocrity? They're 14-10 (just one game better than us, let that sink in). Sure, they have some good pieces but they have no chance at winning a title.

I just think it's a little weird to site them as an example of trading a star to get out of mediocrity. Heck, their teams with PG13, Roy Hibbert, David West, and George Hill were much better than their current roster.

One problem with the Indy comparison - their best player has missed 8 games. Can you imagine our record with Dame out for 8 games?

 

[oldmangrouch]

I for one am done with the team-Terry-v-team-Neil argument.

The roster has obvious holes and a lack of balance. That's on Neil. Earlier in the season, the team proved they could play good basketball despite the roster flaws. Now they have regressed to crap. That's on the coaching staff.

Stotts and Olshey both need to go - along with several members of the roster. Why are we even arguing about this? We are bickering about whether to hit the iceberg with the port side or the starboard side when the actual answer is DON'T HIT THE DAMN ICEBERG!

 

[TBpup]

I guess my question is would you rather make a trade that makes us better but still not contenders or a trade that makes us way worse but with a very slight chance to be great someday?

I would definitely take the option that had the highest ceiling even if it was a lesser chance. Nothing ventured nothing gained, but I'll take a chance at greatness over being mired in mediocrity any day.

 

[hoopsjock]

I would definitely take the option that had the highest ceiling even if it was a lesser chance. Nothing ventured nothing gained, but I'll take a chance at greatness over being mired in mediocrity any day.

Yup and that is why I think despite winning the trade the Pacers should've gotten draft picks in the 2017 loaded draft and built their team that way.

One problem with the Indy comparison - their best player has missed 8 games. Can you imagine our record with Dame out for 8 games?

I'm not talking about just this season. Oladipo is only 8 months younger than CJ. I just don't get praising another team for making a trade that keeps them in mediocrity.

 

[blue9]

He did get them to the 2nd round with Mason Plumlee as their starting center. He actually showed some touch then too by having Mason do a lot of the ball handling and passing around the top of the key. I feel like its really been the last two years or so where he’s just stopped showing ANYTHING new.

That's literally the only coaching Stotts has done in his tenure with the Blazers. One thing that worked briefly in a Playoff series and then got sniffed out the following season.

 

[BonesJones]

I dont really believe in the *’s by accomplishments. I dont do it to GS for playing injured teams. Yes facts are facts they beat an injured Clipper team but they still did it. Also They literally took Dame and CJ and threw a bunch of guys around them that were 2nd or third stringers on bad teams and were a .500 team. The upgrade of Nurk in the front court did help their defense a lot last year and they did win 49 games. Though it all meant very little after being destroyed by the pelicans. I thought Stotts did a good job that 1st year after LMA left of figuring out what roles a lot of those guys could play. You dont and thats fine I suppose.
I agree with you about the last couple years, and I have said for a long time Id like to see this group with someone else at the helm.
I think roster moves may not to come in play too, but I definitely think a change of coaches will show us alot about this team.

You're talking about how well Terry coached because he won a playoff series... my point is he didn't have to coach well to win that playoff series.

I've always said Stotts is a better regular season coach than a playoff coach, because teams dont game plan as much for us during the regular season. Now, however, were too easy to gameplan against and/or the book is out on us and every team now knows how to defend/attack us.

Bottom line is Stotts should've been fired this summer. Even Paul wanted to fire him...

 

[THE HCP]

Please tell us more about how you would coach this roster to a title almighty one... how have the Blazers not hired you as coach already?.. do they not know you played in a rec league??!

I'm not sure if it's because of how I feel about the Bones guy or not, but this post is VERY FUNNY! One thing, you have to end it with though is, #BAM!

 

[BonesJones]

I'm not sure if it's because of how I feel about the Bones guy or not, but this post is VERY FUNNY! One thing, you have to end it with this though #BAM!

Maybe you have spousal roles confused.

It's not your job to orientate him.

#BAM

 

[THE HCP]

Coaches get too much credit and too much blame. There main job is not the Xs and Os, but handling and managing team chemistry.

 

[THE HCP]

The basketball knowledge thing always go me. I have heard players call out writers about not having played the game, so you don't know what you are talking about. There is some truth to that, but not totally. I think you can be a student of the game and know quite a lot.
I for one grew up playing with 3 guys who made it to the NBA.......and 25 or so that went on to play college ball at all levels. My HS was a hoops factory, so there was no way I was going to make it there. But I could handle my own at the parks. Do I know more about basketball because I played with future NBA players than a kid who grew up in LaPine and was a first team all state hoops player playing against slow short garbage players?

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

You're talking about how well Terry coached because he won a playoff series... my point is he didn't have to coach well to win that playoff series.

I've always said Stotts is a better regular season coach than a playoff coach, because teams dont game plan as much for us during the regular season. Now, however, were too easy to gameplan against and/or the book is out on us and every team now knows how to defend/attack us.

Bottom line is Stotts should've been fired this summer. Even Paul wanted to fire him...

Im not saying because they won a playoff series I think he did a good job. I think he did a good job because he had a completely new roster and figured out their roles, learned what they could do and did a good job implementing something they could do. I think he did a good job that year drawing up plays from timeouts, and overall I think that was his best year of coaching, even had they not beat the clippers I still believe he did a good job that year. You can say he just rolled the ball out to Dame, but other stars have missed the playoffs before. I dont believe his coaching that year was just give dame the ball and move out of the way. He connected with his players and gave them a gameplan they could accomplish, he made adjustments.

My problem with Stotts has been mostly after that in my opinion he’s regressed to a coach that his best qualities are just being likeable, and a players coach.

I mean who knows maybe a new coach comes and does worse, or does the same. Maybe it doesnt matter who coaches this team the talent just “is what it is”. Thats not how I see it, I think they could get more from this roster. Id like to find out.