Nassir Little

[julius]

Portland lost 9 games by 3 points or less and 5 by 2 points or 1 point

There's a maddening stat for you.

Even a passable defense probably would have resulted half of those losses being wins.

That's be 46 wins easily. And I'm probably being conservative too.

 

[HolyBackboard]

Nas needs to be in the rotation next year. I think he's poised to potentially even be a starting-level forward as soon as next year.

 

[B-Roy]

There's a maddening stat for you.

Even a passable defense probably would have resulted half of those losses being wins.

That's be 46 wins easily. And I'm probably being conservative too.

What about the ones we won by 1 or two points? I can think of at least two games (Chicago and NO) that we absolutely should have lost but Dame did not let us.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

people love stats that support their opinion...and will dismiss stats that don't. That's been going on for a long time

and most of those stats were not "analytics"....and they sure weren't obscure. Those were mostly box score tabulations of what happened when Melo was on the floor...and off the floor. Melo had just about the worst marks on the team for rotational players. TS% isn't some obscure stat either. It calculates the overall efficiency of the team possessions a player uses for his own offense

and that was the big problem with Melo. Portland as a team had a TS% of .577. Melo's TS% was .30 worse. If TS% is just too....analytic for you...then simplifying: Portland averaged 1.28 points/shot as a team. Melo averaged 1.19. That doesn't seem like much, but factoring in his average FGA's, Portland averaged 1.02 points a game LESS than they would have averaged in order to get Melo his shots. Considering Portland's net differential was +1.8 points, That 1 point is a little more significant

and there is more context than that. Take melo's 11 shots a game and split them between Dame (1.45 points/shot), Kanter (1.44), & Powell (1.31), and Portland's net goes from +1.8 to +4.1 points. That would have roughly translated to a top 4 seed & HCA in the playoffs (Portland lost 9 games by 3 points or less and 5 by 2 points or 1 point

as for the intangibles, I don't believe there were as many as you do and I certainly don't think they had a big impact. I'm not even sure how you'd know how good of a mentor Melo really was.

As you stated, whatever supports your opinion. And BTW, I know the meaning behind the stats. And as far as how good a mentor Melo might be…..I pay attention to the buzz around the league. I listen to what the players say, I look at what he does away from the court, I look at how he carries himself, I look at his self confidence and the overall example he sets. If you don’t think those are obvious and almost as important as stats, that’s on you. Obviously we have different values when it comes to sports and we’re both entitled to our opinions. It seems a lot of folks here are nostalgic for the Jailblazer teams. I’m not one of them and I pretty much took a hiatus during that time. It was NOT a team I was proud to call mine and I can honestly say that, had they won a ring, it would have been tarnished, at least in my eyes. I don’t believe in winning just for winning’s sake. Call me a shitty fan. I’ll wear that badge proudly……..there’s more to life than win, win, win in what is still just a sport at the end of the day and I don’t get too bent out of shape at “maybe next year”.

 

[MickZagger]

Nas really showed me a lot this year. I think he can be a really solid contributor. I’m not sold yet that he can become a star yet because for all the amazing hops and smooth jumper he doesn’t really have a handle. Unless you’re becoming a star with your defensive prowess, you can’t become one these days in the NBA unless you can create for yourself.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

There's a maddening stat for you.

Even a passable defense probably would have resulted half of those losses being wins.

That's be 46 wins easily. And I'm probably being conservative too.

So……is that on Melo or Stotts? Hard to blame Melo if the coach is playing him. I just gotta wonder who’s going to be next season’s dedicated goat……..

 

[TBpup]

Since Dame actively recruited Melo for at least 2 years, your last two statements are a stretch to say the least. Dame wanted him here. And it never ceases to amaze me how so many posters here willfully deny the positives Melo DID bring to the team and the organization. It’s like an addiction to the negative……

There is the reality of Melo and all the net negatives that are associated with him.....and then there is fandom. No worries, everyone can have an opinion, but there is a reality that is undeniable. And just because Dame wanted him here, doesn't mean it was a good thing.

Dame wanted Stotts here after being swept by the Pelicans....and that wasted how many more years?

 

[julius]

So……is that on Melo or Stotts? Hard to blame Melo if the coach is playing him. I just gotta wonder who’s going to be next season’s dedicated goat……..

Stotts

 

[julius]

What about the ones we won by 1 or two points? I can think of at least two games (Chicago and NO) that we absolutely should have lost but Dame did not let us.

Good point. Better defense for 48 mins might have lead to 7-8 more wins or at least wins that werent bailout wins

 

[MickZagger]

Nassir looks awesome (i'm jealous of that body btw)

My body looks better but I’m 5’9” not 6’8”.

Damn!

 

[wizenheimer]

As you stated, whatever supports your opinion. And BTW, I know the meaning behind the stats. And as far as how good a mentor Melo might be…..I pay attention to the buzz around the league. I listen to what the players say, I look at what he does away from the court, I look at how he carries himself, I look at his self confidence and the overall example he sets. If you don’t think those are obvious and almost as important as stats, that’s on you. Obviously we have different values when it comes to sports and we’re both entitled to our opinions. It seems a lot of folks here are nostalgic for the Jailblazer teams. I’m not one of them and I pretty much took a hiatus during that time. It was NOT a team I was proud to call mine and I can honestly say that, had they won a ring, it would have been tarnished, at least in my eyes. I don’t believe in winning just for winning’s sake. Call me a shitty fan. I’ll wear that badge proudly……..there’s more to life than win, win, win in what is still just a sport at the end of the day and I don’t get too bent out of shape at “maybe next year”.

wut are you talking about?

because I don't share your opinion on the value of Melo you concluded I liked the jailblazer days...? GTFO

I've seen straw men posted here...probably posted a couple myself....but that's about the loopiest one I've seen

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

wut are you talking about?

because I don't share your opinion on the value of Melo you concluded I liked the jailblazer days...? GTFO

I've seen straw men posted here...probably posted a couple myself....but that's about the loopiest one I've seen

You missed my entire point. Go figure…..

 

[wizenheimer]

You missed my entire point. Go figure…..

lol...I got your point. It really wasn't beyond my comprehension.

I just wasn't impressed with the clumsy attempt you made to try and connect my morality to the jailblazers. That was laughable

 

[SlyPokerDog]

You missed my entire point. Go figure…..

lol...I got your point. It really wasn't beyond my comprehension.

I just wasn't impressed with the clumsy attempt you made to try and connect my morality to the jailblazers. That was laughable

It's beyond my comprehension because I have no idea what either of you are talking about.

I do know if the "JailBlazers" had won a championship we would no longer be calling them the Jail Blazers and Canzano would be the muckraker for a Cleveland blog.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

lol...I got your point. It really wasn't beyond my comprehension.

I just wasn't impressed with the clumsy attempt you made to try and connect my morality to the jailblazers. That was laughable

I couldn’t give a flying f**k about your “morality”. Again, you missed my point entirely. But obviously, for whatever reason you’re more than a little sensitive about your “morality” and feel the need to defend it. Way to make the discussion about you and take it in an entirely weird direction……feels like deja vu with you……same shit, different poster…..

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I was talking about the intangibles, like respect for his body of work, along with the credibility that that (and he) gives the organization amongst the players on his team and throughout the league. Not to mention he was willing to humble himself to play in “Podunk Portland” for relative pennies AND come off the bench willingly. I believe his positive influence was a boon to the younger players who were in diapers when he came to the league. Hopefully they took a lot of positives away from playing with him that will translate into future improvement/success for them and the team. I personally place an extremely high value on mentorship and Melo fit that bill in spades.

To me , that is kind of a low bar... Hopefully though, there was that benefit; but it seems that there would be diminishing returns. Wouldn't he be more useful as an assistant coach?

 

[wizenheimer]

I couldn’t give a flying f**k about your “morality”. Again, you missed my point entirely. But obviously, for whatever reason you’re more than a little sensitive about your “morality” and feel the need to defend it. Way to make the discussion about you and take it in an entirely weird direction……feels like deja vu with you……same shit, different poster…..

why did you even bring up the jailblazers and suggest that's what some fans want? That wasn't my diversion, that was yours?

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

why did you even bring up the jailblazers and suggest that's what some fans want? That wasn't my diversion, that was yours?

My point from the very beginning is that some fans have different priories than others when assembling a team. I place a much higher value on character and chemistry over stats of any kind. If Dame was a scumbag, I would not be a fan. That’s just me. I used the Jailblazer analogy to try and make my point. Why you took it as a shot at you is beyond me. That was your decision. I don’t believe my opinion is anymore valid than yours….and vice versa. So…….

I offer 3 solutions (if any are required);

1. We make an effort to agree to disagree, retreat to our corners and leave the personal snark out of it.
2. We meet up at Tabor and do the “two cranky old men wrestling in the parking lot and entertaining passersby” thing.
3. We both make a stronger effort to improve our reading comprehension skills.

Either way this is stupid. If either of use really knew what we were talking about, we’d have been running the Blazers for the past 50 years.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

To me , that is kind of a low bar... Hopefully though, there was that benefit; but it seems that there would be diminishing returns. Wouldn't he be more useful as an assistant coach?

If and when he ever decides to become one….

 

[TBpup]

So, about Nassir Little .....

 

[jlprk]

Who?

 

[Mediocre Man]

So, about Nassir Little .....

We can never have nice things

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Was this already posted?

 

[blazerkor]

Was this already posted?

Good for Nas. Dude was giving it his all going after a lose ball and because Kyrie is fragile it was a bad play? No, it was a hustle play and if you go through a guy on a play like that, it's a lose ball foul. If Nas was trying to tackle Kyrie then it's a bad play but he was going after the ball.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Good for Nas. Dude was giving it his all going after a lose ball and because Kyrie is fragile it was a bad play? No, it was a hustle play and if you go through a guy on a play like that, it's a lose ball foul. If Nas was trying to tackle Kyrie then it's a bad play but he was going after the ball.

Kyrie is a little bitch…he knows those plays (hustle plays) keep players in the game with the coaches. Hustle plays don't always work, but they never do if you don't hustle.
Kyrie can suck a ….

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Nas touched the ball before making any contact with Krying Irvine. Irvine went to kick the ball and tripped over Nas. If anyone is at fault, it’s Krying. Learn the game, KI!

Solid hustle by Nas. Another bitch move by Kyrie. Not surprised by other in the least.

 

[TBpup]

Good for Nas. Dude was giving it his all going after a lose ball and because Kyrie is fragile it was a bad play? No, it was a hustle play and if you go through a guy on a play like that, it's a lose ball foul. If Nas was trying to tackle Kyrie then it's a bad play but he was going after the ball.

I'm guessing if Nas actual tried to tackle Kyrie....
....end of Kyrie.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm guessing if Nas actual tried to tackle Kyrie....
....end of Kyrie.

It's funny that Kyrie was chasing something that's round.

 

[TBpup]

It's funny that Kyrie was chasing something that's round.

'Round' is foreign to him. Maybe he was just curious....

 

[Hoopguru]

Good for Nas. Dude was giving it his all going after a lose ball and because Kyrie is fragile it was a bad play? No, it was a hustle play and if you go through a guy on a play like that, it's a lose ball foul. If Nas was trying to tackle Kyrie then it's a bad play but he was going after the ball.

Naz is a junk yard dog, best be careful!