Noel

[KingSpeed]

19/8/5/2/3 tonight in less than 30 minutes tonight.

 

[Trackjack]

Yes he had nice game tonight at the starting center.

 

[KingSpeed]

Yes he had nice game tonight at the starting center.

Showcase for us?

 

[SwissBlazer]

I fear that this train left the station a few weeks ago. They will try to trade Okafor and see if a Embiid-Noel can do something interesting, in my opinion.

 

[Hobbesarable]

I fear that this train left the station a few weeks ago. They will try to trade Okafor and see if a Embiid-Noel can do something interesting, in my opinion.

The Embiid-Noel duo makes for excellent defense at the 4/5 spots. I would keep them together and shop Okafor to the highest bidder if I were them.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

He was their only healthy center tonight; the chances of them trading him slimmer and slimmer every day.

 

[TBpup]

It was the type of performance that would fit in PERFECTLY with Portland. However, it seems that one of two things has happened. Either that ship has sailed from Philly's side and they want to keep Noel and trade Okafor......
,,,,,or, Olshey just isn't that high on Noel.

Either way, it doesn't seem it will be Christmas anytime soon in Portland unless something changes fairly significantly.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Can't say Noel impressed me when they played us last. He rebounded well but can't say he defended the rim. Isn't that what we lack?

 

[KingSpeed]

Can't say Noel impressed me when they played us last. He rebounded well but can't say he defended the rim. Isn't that what we lack?

Actually we don't. We are 2nd in the NBA in rim protection.

 

[TBpup]

Actually we don't. We are 2nd in the NBA in rim protection.

Teams get such open looks against us on the perimeter, they don't attack the paint as hard?

 

[Minstrel]

Can't say Noel impressed me when they played us last. He rebounded well but can't say he defended the rim. Isn't that what we lack?

It is one thing we lack, and he's a great rim defender. He has a career 4.4% Block Percentage (the percentage of two-point shots he blocked while he was on the floor) which is an excellent number.

His career Defensive Rating is 101. Again, fantastic.

 

[KingSpeed]

Teams get such open looks against us on the perimeter, they don't attack the paint as hard?

But when they do attack the paint, we are there to defend the rim. 2nd best in NBA. This idea that we are lacking rim protection is completely untrue.

 

[TBpup]

But when they do attack the paint, we are there to defend the rim. 2nd best in NBA. This idea that we are lacking rim protection is completely untrue.

We might defend the rim but do they count uncontested shots at the rim? There are so many of those, I find it hard to believe those are included. Shots at the rim when we actually have someone around....okay. Meyers is good around the rim defensively as is Davis, Plumlee can elevate which helps to offset shorter arms.

 

[BBert]

Showcase for us?

I wish

 

[KingSpeed]

We might defend the rim but do they count uncontested shots at the rim? There are so many of those, I find it hard to believe those are included. Shots at the rim when we actually have someone around....okay. Meyers is good around the rim defensively as is Davis, Plumlee can elevate which helps to offset shorter arms.

I don't know.

 

[Minstrel]

Edit: Never mind, I see now where you're getting the ranking.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Actually we don't. We are 2nd in the NBA in rim protection.

I was being a little facetious when I said we needed it because I hear it constantly, and I am not sure why. Although I am shocked we are rated so high in that category.

I think blocked shots are a little over rated. 3-4 blocks per game from our center is not better than overall good team defense. Regardless I like Noel, I just would not give up CJ to get him. What he offers can be found easier than finding someone who offers what CJ can provide.

 

[chzbrgr]

sign and trade this off-season for crabbe after we eat the first year of his contract

 

[GDiama]

sign and trade this off-season for crabbe after we eat the first year of his contract

You cannot get Noel with Crabbe. Probably they need your 1st round pick too (Blazers' pick, not Cavs). And maybe that's not enough too.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[Boob-No-More]

Holy shit! I've been on the Noel bandwagon since before the season started. I really wish we could have gotten him a month ago when PHI was jerking him around and refusing to play him.

He was absolutely huge in that game, and he was going against a front line of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. He had a huge 4th quarter, at both ends of the court, as PHI came back for the win. I've known all about his athleticism, blocking shots and getting steals, but his passing in that game really impressed me. Maybe not Mason Plumlee good, but he looks like a very willing and capable passer.

Damn, I wish we could have gotten him sooner when his stock was low.

BNM

 

[stampedehero]

Noel would be a great rim defender to sign especially for a Blazer team, that cannot get it done in the 4thQ. The Sixers beat the Clips without Okafor. Their win will either be a momentum generator or a blip on the radar for January
24 only.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Noel would be a great rim defender to sign especially for a Blazer team, that cannot get it done in the 4thQ. The Sixers beat the Clips without Okafor. Their win will either be a momentum generator or a blip on the radar for January
24 only.

They didn't have Okafor or Embiid.

Nerlens Noel is only 22. He won't even turn 23 until April 10th. That was his first start of the season. His defense is not just about blocking shots. Due to his length, quickness and active hands, he's also a great pick-and-roll defender who gets a lot of steals.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Noel hasn't played enough minutes yet this season to qualify for any of the NBA leaderboards, but if he had, his STL% of 4.0 would rank 1st in the league. This should not be a surprise as he was 6th in the league in STL% as a rookie and 5th in the league last season.

His Defensive Box Plus/Minus of 3.2 would have him tied for 5th in the league. Again, no surprise there. He was 4th in the league in Defensive Box Plus/Minus as a rookie, and 8th in the league, while being forced to play out of position, in his second season.

I have already posted it a dozen other times, he is the only player in the entire league to have at least 100 BLKs and at least 100 STLs in each of the last two seasons. And he did that as a 20-year old rookie and a 21-year old playing out of position.

The guy is just a flat out defensive stud, only 22 and his efficient scoring and passing are just bonuses.

BNM

 

[TBpup]

@Boob-No-More ....totally agree about his passing. Some of his catches off of lobs were very impressive as was his ability to put the ball on the floor and go around people. It was his passing that caught my attention the most though. Some were just a flick of the wrist, in traffic, to players on the move......if he can do that, he fits here even better than I thought.

 

[illmatic99]

It's his P&R defense that most impresses me. He shows hard, and has the mobility to stay in front of fast guards. He makes himself tall.

 

[Cippy91]

I mean we could of gone after Nerlens but I think Meyers Leonard is really coming around...






lol

 

[illmatic99]

Holy shit! I've been on the Noel bandwagon since before the season started. I really wish we could have gotten him a month ago when PHI was jerking him around and refusing to play him.

He was absolutely huge in that game, and he was going against a front line of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. He had a huge 4th quarter, at both ends of the court, as PHI came back for the win. I've known all about his athleticism, blocking shots and getting steals, but his passing in that game really impressed me. Maybe not Mason Plumlee good, but he looks like a very willing and capable passer.

Damn, I wish we could have gotten him sooner when his stock was low.

BNM

Let's hope this raises Meyers' value too:

 

[KeepOnRollin]

The problem is I don't think Olshey is even after Noel (hope I am wrong on this but he seems more a Okafor person which makes me puke) but if I was GM I would do everything in my power to bring him here outside of trading Dame or CJ. So our 1st round pick plus salary? Sure (they would want it over CLE's). A 1st and 2nd and contracts? Yep. Crabbe and 1st? Done. Two firsts plus filler? Ouch... that would be my only no.

 

[Boob-No-More]

@Boob-No-More ....totally agree about his passing. Some of his catches off of lobs were very impressive as was his ability to put the ball on the floor and go around people. It was his passing that caught my attention the most though. Some were just a flick of the wrist, in traffic, to players on the move......if he can do that, he fits here even better than I thought.

Last year, at the age of 21 in his second NBA season, Nerlens Noel has an AST% of 10.5. That's not elite, but it's still pretty good for a 21-year old big man. I've been so focused on his defensive game, I really hadn't paid any attention to his passing until watching that highlight video.

We've all gotten used to Mason Plumlee's passing, which is truly elite for a big man. Here's a list of all players 6'6" and taller with at least 100 assist and a AST% of at least 23.0. Ad you can see, that puts Plumlee in some pretty exclusive company.

But, as a second year player, Plumlee's AST% was only 7.0. As a 4-year player at Duke, he was also three full years older than Nerlens Noel was during his second season. I'm not saying Nerlens Noel will take the same jump to elite passing big man that Plumlee did, but the foundation to be an excellent passing big man is definitely there.

I've been pushing hard for the Blazers getting Noel for over 4 months, because his elite defense combined with his age make him the perfect fit to address our biggest weaknesses.

Throw in his passing skills and ability to finish at the rim and he'd be the perfect starting center for this team.

BNM