Now that we got a glimpse of McCollum

[mook]

I actually have been closely watching CJ the last couple games. I can see why Stotts is patient with him. CJ's priority is to first do no harm. He's not taking bad shots, he's not completely blowing defensive assignments, he's not stopping ball movement, he's not fouling excessively.

Most rookies have the benefit of beginning their first year against guys who aren't playing in midseason form, and going up against other rookies who are just as bewildered as they are. CJ has no such advantage. He's been thrown into the deep end of the pool on a team with a huge target on its back and an offense that was already humming like a finely tuned machine.

Remember, it's been a full year since he last played competitive basketball, and even then he was going against the likes of Virginia Commonwealth and Quinnipiac, schools I have never even heard of until I looked it up just now.

He's a 4 year player (well, 3 and a half, anyway) so it's maybe unsurprising that he plays relatively mistake-free basketball. Still, given his circumstances it's nice to see, and hints that there could be much bigger things to come when he finally starts figuring things out.

I'm not willing to claim his absence of failure is a success, but after seeing Lillard take off last year, having seen his overall court demeanor, his generally error-free play, and all of this in the context of a guy who is doing this with so little preparation to be doing as well as he is, I think Stotts is handling his minutes perfectly.

 

[Natebishop3]

You're preaching to the choir. A month ago when a bunch of Mohaters said McCollum would take the jobs of Mo and Wes this season, and start, I kept posting whoa. Who was the main guy disagreeing with me?

I said he might take Wes' job before the season, but that was before he hurt his foot again. I think he's still coming back. He'll be a regular contributor in the rotation before the season is over.

 

[jlprk]

Did you change to a weasel avatar just for that one post?

 

[BBert]

Did you change to a weasel avatar just for that one post?

Pretty sure that's a Lemur, but that was funny.

 

[maxiep]

I'm giving CJ some serious time. Most NBA players come from major programs where they may be the best player on their team, but their other players are damn good. That's not the case with CJ. I went to a Patriot League school, and I can tell you that it is not high quality basketball. My boy Adonal Foyle was DOMINATING in the Patriot League, and we all know how he turned out.

Bottom line, CJ not only has to adapt to a much higher level of competition, but he also has to adjust to being a 3rd, 4th or even 5th option on the floor. That's not easy.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Uhh.. CJ's doing just fine.

He's already almost as good as Mo, he'll be better by next year for sure.

 

[PapaG]

I'm giving CJ some serious time. Most NBA players come from major programs where they may be the best player on their team, but their other players are damn good. That's not the case with CJ. I went to a Patriot League school, and I can tell you that it is not high quality basketball. My boy Adonal Foyle was DOMINATING in the Patriot League, and we all know how he turned out.

Bottom line, CJ not only has to adapt to a much higher level of competition, but he also has to adjust to being a 3rd, 4th or even 5th option on the floor. That's not easy.

I'm not saying to give up on him. I'm saying his poor play is impacting the team in a negative manner. With every game mattering in the West, and playing him into shape may not be best for the team.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I'm not saying to give up on him. I'm saying his poor play is impacting the team in a negative manner. With every game mattering in the West, and playing him into shape may not be best for the team.

I think the payoff will easily make it the best for the team. It's easy to see the potential in C.J.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm not saying to give up on him. I'm saying his poor play is impacting the team in a negative manner. With every game mattering in the West, and playing him into shape may not be best for the team.

How is he having poor play? He's really only asking to be a spot up shooter. 1 or 2 plays does he ever handle the ball and try to make a play. Him being a spot up shooter IS getting him back into shape. 14 minutes a game and 5 points isn't terrible for what we're asking him to do for right now.

 

[maxiep]

I'm not saying to give up on him. I'm saying his poor play is impacting the team in a negative manner. With every game mattering in the West, and playing him into shape may not be best for the team.

Just so you're clear, I wasn't addressing you, so please don't think I was calling you out. I was merely giving the perspective of someone who has watched a lot of Colgate, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell, American, BU, Army, Navy, Loyola and Holy Cross basketball.

 

[Strenuus]

Just so you're clear, I wasn't addressing you, so please don't think I was calling you out. I was merely giving the perspective of someone who has watched a lot of Colgate, Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell, American, BU, Army, Navy, Loyola and Holy Cross basketball.

Sounds like you've never had a problem falling asleep.

 

[maxiep]

Sounds like you've never had a problem falling asleep.

Fun drinking games, though.

 

[PapaG]

How is he having poor play? He's really only asking to be a spot up shooter. 1 or 2 plays does he ever handle the ball and try to make a play. Him being a spot up shooter IS getting him back into shape. 14 minutes a game and 5 points isn't terrible for what we're asking him to do for right now.

LOL

Tell me about his good play so far? His 7.7 PER on 19 USG is awesome.

 

[Strenuus]

Fun drinking games, though.

If they missed, you drank? Then I'd ask you how you are still alive.

 

[Strenuus]

LOL

Tell me about his good play so far? His 7.7 PER on 19 USG is awesome.

For him just starting, I'll look at raw stats like PPG and min... everything is a small sample size regardless, so there's no trends to go off of anyway. So it's a moot point for either of us.

 

[PapaG]

For him just starting, I'll look at raw stats like PPG and min... everything is a small sample size regardless, so there's no trends to go off of anyway. So it's a moot point for either of us.

His per game stats are atrocious. 32% 3pt, 40% FG, .5 apg. He's struggling. No need to deny it.

 

[Strenuus]

His per game stats are atrocious. 32% 3pt, 40% FG, .5 apg. He's struggling. No need to deny it.

Did you expect him to flourish right out of the gate? I sure didn't.

 

[jlprk]

He sure talks fast in an interview, though. Must be a fine young man. The Oregonian would approve, if it still had any money to construct local heroes and tell us how to think.

 

[MickZagger]

I actually have been closely watching CJ the last couple games. I can see why Stotts is patient with him. CJ's priority is to first do no harm. He's not taking bad shots, he's not completely blowing defensive assignments, he's not stopping ball movement, he's not fouling excessively.

Most rookies have the benefit of beginning their first year against guys who aren't playing in midseason form, and going up against other rookies who are just as bewildered as they are. CJ has no such advantage. He's been thrown into the deep end of the pool on a team with a huge target on its back and an offense that was already humming like a finely tuned machine.

Remember, it's been a full year since he last played competitive basketball, and even then he was going against the likes of Virginia Commonwealth and Quinnipiac, schools I have never even heard of until I looked it up just now.

He's a 4 year player (well, 3 and a half, anyway) so it's maybe unsurprising that he plays relatively mistake-free basketball. Still, given his circumstances it's nice to see, and hints that there could be much bigger things to come when he finally starts figuring things out.

I'm not willing to claim his absence of failure is a success, but after seeing Lillard take off last year, having seen his overall court demeanor, his generally error-free play, and all of this in the context of a guy who is doing this with so little preparation to be doing as well as he is, I think Stotts is handling his minutes perfectly.

Solid post. Repped.

 

[mook]

I'm not saying to give up on him. I'm saying his poor play is impacting the team in a negative manner. With every game mattering in the West, and playing him into shape may not be best for the team.

Maybe Stotts is less worried about our regular season record, and more concerned that Portland develops a more balanced and versatile bench for when the playoffs roll around. I think he hopes that by investing minutes in CJ now, even if it might cost us a win or two, we'll be in better shape then. And hopefully more insulated against a surprise injury from one of our guards

Really, though, like I said, I'm watching CJ out there and he's not really causing a lot of losses. He's not dribbling it off his foot like a young Jarret Jack. He's not unable to pass to teammates like a young Bayless. He's not doing some really great things that are getting statistically wiped out by some monstrously stupid thing, a la Travis Outlaw. He's not a complete defensive sieve and utter scoring liability like Sergio.

He's just not shooting that well, while also not shooting that much. He's a little slow on getting a rebound here, and maybe not seeing the smart pass that leads to an assist there. He's playing kind of bad, but it's a badness that's not really that disruptive. Hopefully Stotts sticks with him for at least another 5 or so games.

 

[PapaG]

Uhh.. CJ's doing just fine.

He's already almost as good as Mo, he'll be better by next year for sure.

Almost as good as Mo ... how?

 

[PapaG]

Did you expect him to flourish right out of the gate? I sure didn't.

I expect him to be productive if he's healthy. It's time for him to start hitting wide open shots. Lillard didn't need a learning curve.

 

[Strenuus]

I expect him to be productive if he's healthy. It's time for him to start hitting wide open shots. Lillard didn't need a learning curve.

Lillard also didn't get interrupted before the season started.

 

[mook]

If there were some brilliant stud guard/sf that CJ is standing in the way of, I might be more inclined to see us benching him. But really what are Stotts' other options?
- Play Mo more. Ugh.
- Play Lillard and Matthews more. Portland is planning for the playoffs right now. They need these guys healthy, and they already log 36/34mpg respectively.
- Play Crabbe/Barton more. These are second round picks (CJ was drafted 10th) who've proven even less than CJ.
- Play Wright/Watson more. Why? We already know what we have with those two guys--journeymen low quality veterans. Earl has played on 7 teams in 866 games, Wright on 4 teams in 470 games. They are our "in case of emergency break glass" guys, which we may have to use but I hope we don't.

Our best option is to probably go in a time machine and re-do the draft. Barring that, CJ is really the best option we've got.

 

[PapaG]

LMA had 6 assists tonight in 42 minutes.

McCollum has 6 assists on the season in 177 minutes.

Thomas Robinson averages more assists/36 than CJ. LOL

Robinson 1.3/36
McCollum 1.1/36

Yikes

 

[BigGameDamian]

11 minutes 0-2 in FG with 0 points today and yet he's still untouchable.

 

[PapaG]

11 minutes 0-2 in FG with 0 points today and yet he's still untouchable.

Give him time. Stotts is building a bench here.

 

[MickZagger]

You're right. He's a bum. Lets get rid of him.

 

[PapaG]

Lillard also didn't get interrupted before the season started.

The circumstances surrounding CJ's shitty play are an entirely different conversation. That's not really pertinent to him being a shitty player at present.

 

[PapaG]

You're right. He's a bum. Lets get rid of him.

Who said to get rid of him?