NOW the season gets interesting...

[Strenuus]

Here comes the telling part. Adjustments.

Can Stotts adjust?

There's tape on how to defend the blazers. Can they adjust?

Can they come back from giving up an 18 point lead and give up 41 points while only making 11 in the decisive quarter?

A lot of questions to be answered by the end of the month.

This is why I did a wait-and-see approach. Way too many variables. I really am enjoying the effort of the team, and knew there would be growing pains. Now to see how they respond.

This is exciting!

 

[EGame]

Mod close this thread, not enough negativity in the op.



Just playing man. I agree it will be interesting. I still think a loss is acceptable tomorrow as long as they bring it. Losses will happen, we just have to deal with it.

 

[Strenuus]

Mod close this thread, not enough negativity in the op.



Just playing man. I agree it will be interesting. I still think a loss is acceptable tomorrow as long as they bring it. Losses will happen, we just have to deal with it.

Exactly.

What the hell happened, Egame. I like this.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Stotts just looks distort during the interview

 

[EGame]

Exactly.

What the hell happened, Egame. I like this.

It really isn't fun being negative. I still feel overall I was never a negative person moreso emotional. I would get upset at players when boneheaded mistakes happened or if they looked like they weren't trying *coughAldridgecough*. I'm trying to rectify this and really enjoy the ride no matter how gloom or bright it may be.

 

[Strenuus]

It really isn't fun being negative. I still feel overall I was never a negative person moreso emotional. I would get upset at players when boneheaded mistakes happened or if they looked like they weren't trying *coughAldridgecough*. I'm trying to rectify this and really enjoy the ride no matter how gloom or bright it may be.

NOICE. mad props!

 

[EGame]

But back to your thread so we don't derail it totally, I think our players can respond from meltdowns. A guy like Lillard will never let something like this phase him and he'll have to show that to the guys both through speech and play. Stotts I am a little worried about, but so far he's done well with this group lets see what he has in store.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Yeah, now we will get to see what kind of leadership improvements Dame can bring to the table. Bouncing back from a loss this bad will require some talking and some walking.

 

[Strenuus]

Yeah, now we will get to see what kind of leadership improvements Dame can bring to the table. Bouncing back from a loss this bad will require some talking and some walking.

I said it in the game thread... I think Dame is the right person for this.

If this had happened last year with that group... I don't know. Hell, did we even have a clear cut leader on the group? Wes? And LA probably didn't listen to Wes.

This team, they know Dame is the leader. So it adds that element to it as well. We have a defined leader, and one that wants it. That's exciting. This 4th quarter could be a blessing in disguise.

 

[oldmangrouch]

But back to your thread so we don't derail it totally, I think our players can respond from meltdowns. A guy like Lillard will never let something like this phase him and he'll have to show that to the guys both through speech and play. Stotts I am a little worried about, but so far he's done well with this group lets see what he has in store.

I'm not so sure about that. Neither Dame or Stotts did anything to staunch the bleeding tonight. They both just lost a fair chunk of credibility in my book.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm not so sure about that. Neither Dame or Stotts did anything to staunch the bleeding tonight. They both just lost a fair chunk of credibility in my book.

I'm more worried about Stotts than Dame.

Dame will get the ship righted... but I don't know if Stotts is the man to take over the wheel once he does.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I'm not so sure about that. Neither Dame or Stotts did anything to staunch the bleeding tonight. They both just lost a fair chunk of credibility in my book.

Tweet Dame and say that. I want to see him drop 50 on Denver.

 

[EGame]

I'm not so sure about that. Neither Dame or Stotts did anything to staunch the bleeding tonight. They both just lost a fair chunk of credibility in my book.

It isn't about tonight, it is as the thread is about, how does Dame respond after this? Tonight was a bad loss with an epic meltdown, but it is all about what Dame, Stotts and the group can do to try and rebound.

 

[KingSpeed]

We bounced back from that Clippers loss, we'll bounce back from this one. I expect us to win 4 of the next 6. Puts us at 8-5. Not terrible. First half of the season is tougher this year than in past years.

 

[KingSpeed]

Here comes the telling part. Adjustments.

Can Stotts adjust?

There's tape on how to defend the blazers. Can they adjust?

Can they come back from giving up an 18 point lead and give up 41 points while only making 11 in the decisive quarter?

A lot of questions to be answered by the end of the month.

This is why I did a wait-and-see approach. Way too many variables. I really am enjoying the effort of the team, and knew there would be growing pains. Now to see how they respond.

This is exciting!

What are you wait and seeing to do? You aren't the GM. You can't make trades. What exactly are you waiting for? Just root for the team.

 

[Strenuus]

What are you wait and seeing to do? You aren't the GM. You can't make trades. What exactly are you waiting for? Just root for the team.

Did the first few sentences of my OP not register? Please read my post again.

My "wait and see" is predicated by the entire post. The adjustments, when teams got tape, etc.

Contrary to your belief, I'm not negative. I've actually been very positive, and I would appreciate it if you would read my posts with a bit more open-mindedness. Saying I'm waiting to see adjustments is not negative. I freaking said this is exciting. What else do I have to say?

To me, the season started after the game tonight. The adjustments are going to have to be made. Are they? If they do, this could be amazing. If not, no sweat, it's a learning experience. In that sense, in my eyes, this is a win-win. I wasnt even mad at the 41-11 quarter. Shit happens. Growing pains, i'm all for it.

I'm enjoying the ride.

 

[H.C.]

Here comes the telling part. Adjustments.
Can Stotts adjust?
There's tape on how to defend the blazers. Can they adjust?
Can they come back from giving up an 18 point lead and give up 41 points while only making 11 in the decisive quarter?
A lot of questions to be answered by the end of the month.
This is why I did a wait-and-see approach. Way too many variables. I really am enjoying the effort of the team, and knew there would be growing pains. Now to see how they respond.
This is exciting!

I applaud your fandom and agree with you.
Don't have to blindly assume(root) the(for) Blazers are a championship contender to be considered a fan of the team.

Though I will say. I believe this won't be the last time they get up big on a team only to give it up and lose. Just like I believe they'll come back on more than their fair share of teams this year in a losing or winning effort.

 

[ChadWick]

I think we need to blow this team up before the game tonight in Denver.

 

[ChadWick]

For real now that I've slept on it, it's whatever. Sucks we blew that game, but we'll bounce back we'll get a win we probably weren't supposed to get later on. We're a young team, let them learn. I just wanna see some adjustments though going forward.

 

[TBpup]

I'm not so sure about that. Neither Dame or Stotts did anything to staunch the bleeding tonight. They both just lost a fair chunk of credibility in my book.

I'm not worried about Dame. The Pistons abandoned paying any attention to the Blazers Bigs and blitzed Dame on every PnR...not much he could do. They don't have the style of bigs to make them pay especially with Drummond dominating the paint.

Much more issue with Stotts. Aminu is supposed to be able to guard anyone and yet wasn't put on Jackson one time in the 4th. Absolutely no adjustment the entire quarter. The other HUGE miss IMO is that they didn't double Drummond one time. He is a HORRIBLE passer and yet they were content to let him go one-on-one with poor Plums the majority of the quarter. Make him do something else.

Neither was even attempted one time. Things like that is what makes me wonder about Stotts. He is an offensive coach but in-game adjustments misses like that compound the seeming lack of toughness at the top. I know they are young but toughness is an attitude many of us have seen instilled on players much younger.

 

[illmatic99]

Neither was even attempted one time. Things like that is what makes me wonder about Stotts. He is an offensive coach but in-game adjustments misses like that compound the seeming lack of toughness at the top. I know they are young but toughness is an attitude many of us have seen instilled on players much younger.

All true. I even noticed how we didn't HackaDrummond once when we needed it, but one game does not a coach make.

Even Pop fucks up on occasion. The development of our youngins has definitely earned Stotts some credibility and leeway, especially this year. Let's hope he learns from it.

Horrible game all in all, So glad there's another 24hrs later.

 

[Trackjack]

Problem is this is not first time that Stotts didn't make in game adjustment and it won't be his last.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Problem is this is not first time that Stotts didn't make in game adjustment and it won't be his last.

Fire stotts?

 

[Sinobas]

This is one of those teams, were you may as well skip the first 3 quarters, because apparantly no lead means shit with these guys.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Bad losses with young teams are par for the course some nights. The way Van Gundy defensed Damian is frankly what I expected to see more of right from the jump from other teams and was one of the keys to my initial feelings that this team would probably win about 33% of their games. As for the rest, Perhaps doubling Drummond would have led to a different outcome, but frankly with the way the guards were getting abused by Jackson I don't think it would have made much of a difference - those two points of stress were enough to sink the ship down the stretch.

I wouldn't expect this bad loss to destroy their confidence and send them on a 20 game losing streak, anymore than I would expect the thumping they laid on the Grizzlies to spark them to a 20 game winning streak. Personally, I expect the whole season to go like this - nights where the Blazers put it all together and others where they completely get overwhelmed and loose their composure, and some night where it's a bit of both. Youth and inexperience is almost never served in the NBA and we've got both in abundance right now; this year was always going to be about seeing what you've got and hoping a few guys emerge that are worth carrying forward and one bad game doesn't change that.

 

[TBpup]

Fire stotts?

Stotts is a good coach much like LaMarcus was a good player. Very solid and upper echelon but does he lead you to where you want to go? It is a players league and if you have the best players (healthy), that team usually is contending for a championship. I'm just not sure Stotts is who I want developing these players. They need opportunities to grow that might not lead to wins right now and Stotts is still coaching to win every last game. I can't blame him but that is at the cost of making players better by learning.

Throw Meyers and Vonleh the ball on the block once in a while. Run a proper backdoor lob. How about something once in a while that isn't the weave we all ran in high-school. I get that Dame and CJ are good at creating looks off of that but we already know what they can do. Let Aminu and Harkless run a PnR once in a while and even if they fail, give them a chance to get better.

Wins save jobs and Stotts is trying to win. But that may not be what is best long-term when it comes to development.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Stotts is a good coach much like LaMarcus was a good player. Very solid and upper echelon but does he lead you to where you want to go? It is a players league and if you have the best players (healthy), that team usually is contending for a championship. I'm just not sure Stotts is who I want developing these players. They need opportunities to grow that might not lead to wins right now and Stotts is still coaching to win every last game. I can't blame him but that is at the cost of making players better by learning.

Throw Meyers and Vonleh the ball on the block once in a while. Run a proper backdoor lob. How about something once in a while that isn't the weave we all ran in high-school. I get that Dame and CJ are good at creating looks off of that but we already know what they can do. Let Aminu and Harkless run a PnR once in a while and even if they fail, give them a chance to get better.

Wins save jobs and Stotts is trying to win. But that may not be what is best long-term when it comes to development.

If the team performs about like I expect them to, then I think it probably becomes a fait accompli that Stotts gets the heave, or at least Olshey will be able to use lack of performance as an excuse to get rid of a coach coming off back-to-back 50 win seasons. I sort of suspect that in the near future we're going to hire a "developmental" coach to help bridge that transition, but I just don't think it's realistic to expect that to be this year.

 

[Blazinaway]

IMO the biggest "adjustment" is to stop turning the ball over, I am sure some adjustments can help so guys don't get trapped as much but my god take care of the fukkin ball! when we do we have a very good chance to win

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I don't know what was more to blame: defensive or offensive ineptitude. Certainly the offensive ineptitude was more obvious (and the incredibly sloppy turnovers) but I think the defense is the deeper-rooted problem. Not much we can do about the backcourt -we're rolling with Damon and CJ and neither is good - but it would be nice to have better rim protection. I was wondering idly what happened about all those Larry Sanders rumors.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Larry Sanders

Or Joakim Noah. In fact, yes, Joakim Noah, please.