Nurk this year vs Last year

[Typhoid Jerry]

Periodically throughout this season, I have watched highlights of Nurkic's big games against the 76ers and Nuggets. I just cannot believe this is the same player. I'm not trying to be a troll, quite the opposite actually. I am trying to analyze the data since we have a pretty sizeable sample at our disposal now and hopefully, we can find some optimism along the way too. Here are the things I noticed when comparing this year to last year:

2017: Nurk is obviously bigger, but do you see the way in which he conducts himself on the court? He really is a beast. He dunks, takes it to Steven Adams even, shoves people around in the paint, and asserts his dominance and full weight on people when backing down in the post. (Granted there are a few of his garbage throw-up shots strewn about in there too, but mostly aggressive positive play in which he look engaged and actively passing).

2018: Fast forward to today, he plays like he wants to be the Unicorn or something, but he's playing like a Donkey. I don't understand, is he still getting used to his body or something?

Here's where I'm optimistic: He's 23! Give him time to get used to his body. We obviously are on a win now timeline with Dame and CJ, so let's ride this out Rip City and get the Bosnian Beast to be the best version of himself because we are at our best when he is too.

Here are the highlights if you're interested:

 

[jlprk]

I have often said the same thing. From yesterday's Deandre Jordan thread:

As for Nurkic, it really is a travesty that people just ignore his defensive impact on the team. This team was one of the worst defensive teams of ALL TIME for a portion of last year. This is basically the same roster with Nurk added and all of a sudden they are a top-10 defensive team? That shouldn't just be overlooked. He's still super young in terms of when he started playing basketball. There is also a period of time after you lose a lot of weight in that short of time that you are going to be weaker than normal. If he can put on muscle but stay around 275 he will be even stronger than last year but his body will hold up better. That is really hard to do during a season after you just lost a bunch of weight. All of his offensive problems are correctable ones.

Collins will always be too fragile to play center, even thinner than Plumlee. When Nurkic arrived we saw the benefits of a heavy center, on both offense and defense. Nurkic now misses some easy close shots, but Plumlee missed most, not some.

A year ago, this board was sure that Plumlee would get $20M, so he had to go. He got $13.7M ($41M, 3 years), and Nuggets fans thought that too high. So maybe Nurkic will get $15-16M, not $20M (unless Olshey bids against himself again).

Plumlee didn't miss any more close shots than Nurkic does. He shoots a higher percentage between 0-3ft and an equal percentage between 3-10ft. That statement wasn't based in fact.

By close shots, I include a little farther out than 3 feet. Like shots when you say, "Why didn't you dunk it?" The player would say if he could, "Because on TV I looked closer than I was."

On set plays for close shots, Nurkic makes them and Plumlee missed them. On individually creatively-produced close shots, Plumlee didn't attempt many, while Nurkic takes and misses many wild ones. The stat you're looking at doesn't distinguish those 2 types of close shots.

Also, we know that Nurkic is capable of a higher inside percentage than your stat because he was so strikingly successful at it when he came to Portland. After the summer, he has played Stotts style, so his percentage went down. (You will say that his 0-3 foot shots have gone up 3 percentage points. But his 3-10 foot shots have gone down 6 percentage points. As I said, I'm defining close shots as a little more than 3 feet.)

Is Stotts style twerking your body into any position possible to avoid any contact and then throwing the ball at the rim and falling back like you got fouled? Cause there’s another word for it, SOFT

I’m also very sick of his flopping on the defensive end, how bout a few more blocks and a few less embarrassing attempts at drawing offensive fouls. If he doesn’t flop in the above video he doesn’t get scratched in the face while he’s falling to the ground.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think comparing his run last spring to this year is kind of an apples to oranges comparison. For one thing, he seemed to be playing like he had something to prove which elevated his play above his own historic norms, so probably wasn't sustainable. Secondly, if people will recall the last twenty games were against some fairly inferior competition. Lastly, Stotts hadn't quite gotten his hooks into him yet and ruined his game -- he was just sort of out there playing on instinct and keeping it simple.

 

[superfly4201]

He has totally changed the way he plays this season. Last year he pounded and took it strong. Every time down they fed him on the high post and he held that ball one handed like a grapefruit and Sabonisqe. The offense really flowed through him.

I don’t know if it the weight loss or coaching or both but it’s toattly different this season. He skips around like a ballerina, is flippant with his shots, rarely is square to the basket while shooting and isn’t passing the ball to cutters like last year. Granted half these turned into turnovers but I chalked that up to experience playing together. Still gave me some flashbacks of Sabas.

Perhaps team management had scared of what became of Oden by putting on weight and had a knee jerk reaction, pun intended, that Nurk needed to be lighter, quicker and more nimble to avoid injury.

I feel like he can still play last years style at a lighter weight but he needs to play tougher and finish at the rim instead of trying to flip it in from 5’. Until he can get back to this he has lost the Bosnian Beast title in my eyes.

 

[MickZagger]

I'll take a heavier Nurk for less minutes than this version. Some players just play better when they throw around their weight and our an anchor. Whats with this finesse shit we're seeing out of him this year?

 

[PCmor7]

I was going to post my own Nurk thread. Thank goodness we have one.

Even if the Blazers win this game, I've seen about all I want of Jusuf. Trade him for anything.

Why, when he's only 23 and he gives you a skill set ideal for this team? BECAUSE HE'S A DOG!

He plays hard one game out of five. He plays a lazy game, with floaters and finger rolls. He doesn't hit the offensive boards aggressively. The only thing he does well consistently is set picks.

He just plays so lazy. I've coached players like that, and very seldom does it ever click with them.

I've tried to be patient.

 

[Typhoid Jerry]

I was going to post my own Nurk thread. Thank goodness we have one.

Even if the Blazers win this game, I've seen about all I want of Jusuf. Trade him for anything.

Why, when he's only 23 and he gives you a skill set ideal for this team? BECAUSE HE'S A DOG!

He plays hard one game out of five. He plays a lazy game, with floaters and finger rolls. He doesn't hit the offensive boards aggressively. The only thing he does well consistently is set picks.

He just plays so lazy. I've coached players like that, and very seldom does it ever click with them.

I've tried to be patient.

I’m trying to be patient. I don’t know maybe I’m just running on reserves from last years nurk fever.

 

[PCmor7]

Jusoft

 

[PCmor7]

I hate to kill the guy. I really do. A big part of my criticism stems from the fact that I think he seems like such a good personality fit with this team and community and, when he decides to play like he wants it, his game fits in just as seamlessly.

What he can be makes him ideal. Then I watch a guy go out and continually play to his weaknesses and it makes me actually (cringe) wish for DeAndre Jordan because you know what you are going to get from him every game, even if he isn't a particularly good fit here in so many ways. Ed Davis should be starting right now; he's earned it.

I won't continually criticize Nurk. But until he finds his motivation, I am going to be tired of his act.

 

[jlprk]

In the 3rd quarter, I said, we'd have 10 more points by now if Nurkic had simply dunked all those shots he missed 6 inches from the basket. I blame Stotts for not telling him to do so.

He's very good at creating shots by dribbling it to the hoop, but wastes the effort when he bobbles it away. Plumlee used to do the same because he didn't have the strength to finish, while Nurkic does. Due to that common pattern, I put it on Stotts.

The 6th foul was a bad call, though. The Boston commentators said so.

 

[LayneStaley]

Ive been preaching how a lot of this board overrates Nurk and been getting killed for it. He consistently makes HORRIBLE plays in crucial game situations that are inexcusable. Another point blank miss that could of put us up 8. If you can get good value for him do it.

 

[KingSpeed]

I hate to kill the guy. I really do. A big part of my criticism stems from the fact that I think he seems like such a good personality fit with this team and community and, when he decides to play like he wants it, his game fits in just as seamlessly.

What he can be makes him ideal. Then I watch a guy go out and continually play to his weaknesses and it makes me actually (cringe) wish for DeAndre Jordan because you know what you are going to get from him every game, even if he isn't a particularly good fit here in so many ways. Ed Davis should be starting right now; he's earned it.

I won't continually criticize Nurk. But until he finds his motivation, I am going to be tired of his act.

And he started this game so well.

 

[LayneStaley]

Portland big men have been scared of contact since Brian Grant left.

 

[Cippy91]

I hate to kill the guy. I really do. A big part of my criticism stems from the fact that I think he seems like such a good personality fit with this team and community and, when he decides to play like he wants it, his game fits in just as seamlessly.

What he can be makes him ideal. Then I watch a guy go out and continually play to his weaknesses and it makes me actually (cringe) wish for DeAndre Jordan because you know what you are going to get from him every game, even if he isn't a particularly good fit here in so many ways. Ed Davis should be starting right now; he's earned it.

I won't continually criticize Nurk. But until he finds his motivation, I am going to be tired of his act.

I agree with this. Does everybody wanna pay a shit ton for nurk when he has shown his signs of being lazy and inconsistent or do you want a proven big man who will work hard in the paint every game like DJ? Nurk has shown flashes of something special but I have had enough. Portland fans want him to be the next sabonis and that shits not gonna happen. “He’s only 23”, okay? So?

Doesn’t matter though, knowing how this organization handles shit, we will pay him a ton and he will under perform and we have yet another bad contract on our hand. I would rather keep ed Davis around than nurk. I’m over the bullshit skipping around, easy layups missed. Mid range jumpers? Bad fouls. Remember this shit tomorrow too because he’s gonna get worked tomorrow by drummond.

 

[Labinot41]

Told ya so.

 

[Cippy91]

Ive been preaching how a lot of this board overrates Nurk and been getting killed for it. He consistently makes HORRIBLE plays in crucial game situations that are inexcusable. Another point blank miss that could of put us up 8. If you can get good value for him do it.

I was with the hype last season. I really was. I wanted to believe in this guy. Even when he started the season bad, 10 games in I said okay okay just stick with it he will come around. He hasn’t. I don’t understand. I really don’t. Then people point out the great games he has once in a while like yeah that’s great, how about consistency maybe? Most of the roster is already inconsistent. Guys fall in and out of rotation so fast on this team I’m surprised turner hasn’t come off the bench. That’s why good teams like Boston thrive. Brown and Tatum are consistent. Shit, a couple of those guys I have never heard of in my life today and they were hitting important shots. Then people wonder why dame and cj have to iso. It’s easy when you look at the supporting cast.

 

[LayneStaley]

I agree with this. Does everybody wanna pay a shit ton for nurk when he has shown his signs of being lazy and inconsistent or do you want a proven big man who will work hard in the paint every game like DJ? Nurk has shown flashes of something special but I have had enough. Portland fans want him to be the next sabonis and that shits not gonna happen. “He’s only 23”, okay? So?

Doesn’t matter though, knowing how this organization handles shit, we will pay him a ton and he will under perform and we have yet another bad contract on our hand. I would rather keep ed Davis around than nurk. I’m over the bullshit skipping around, easy layups missed. Mid range jumpers? Bad fouls. Remember this shit tomorrow too because he’s gonna get worked tomorrow by drummond.

The funny thing is we probably could of had Drummond last trade deadline or at the draft, they were shopping him and then he came out and beasted this year.

 

[Cippy91]

People say give the ball to nurk down in the post. Oh really? You wanna see that? He already misses wide open layups and you guys think the answer is him on offense in the post? Good one.

 

[LayneStaley]

I don’t wanna look but anyone know how many 2 point or less losses we have had of the top of their head?

 

[jlprk]

He wasn't absolutely putrid in this game.

Reasons we lost: #1 Our guards couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, except for McCollum only in the 1st quarter. #2 It seemed like every Celtic big man made long shots with ease, while only Harkless did for us. #3 Nurkic was only the 3rd-biggest reason for the loss.

In the box score per minute, our best players were #1 Harkless, #2 Nurkic, and #3 Davis.

 

[LayneStaley]

I’ll say three things for Jordan, no one is gonna push him around, he’s not gonna float out and try to play “pretty basketball”, and he isn’t missing layups...cause his only shots are DUNKS!

 

[Cippy91]

The funny thing is we probably could of had Drummond last trade deadline or at the draft, they were shopping him and then he came out and beasted this year.

Unfortunately we have a GM who wants to sit on his hands and not make any moves. None. Just hands out bad contracts while dames prime years are wasted. I’m not talking make a move just to make a move either. It’s obvious we need to do something about the roster. You have 3 bad contracts, 2 of which are fucking terrible. Meyers and turner. I just don’t get it. What’s Neil’s plan? To sit here with these bad contracts all summer into next season? You have to start working these deals now. People blame stotts. I blame olshey. He’s a great little actor but has really fucked us the last couple years. Also, I like collins, I think he has potential but for fucks sake man let’s trade our picks in to get the 10th to grab a player who came off the bench in college as a project.

 

[Cippy91]

He wasn't absolutely putrid in this game.

Reasons we lost: #1 Our guards couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, except for McCollum only in the 1st quarter. #2 It seemed like every Celtic big man made long shots with ease, while only Harkless did for us. #3 Nurkic was only the 3rd-biggest reason for the loss.

In the box score per minute, our best players were #1 Harkless, #2 Nurkic, and #3 Davis.

I’m not saying he’s the reason for the game. He played great in the 1st quarter, actually even had some post moves though once again, most of his looks come from dame off the pick and roll. Him fouling out stupidly and that easy layup at the end there. It’s a build up all season. I can’t stand the guy anymore.

 

[LayneStaley]

He wasn't absolutely putrid in this game.

Reasons we lost: #1 Our guards couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, except for McCollum only in the 1st quarter. #2 It seemed like every Celtic big man made long shots with ease, while only Harkless did for us. #3 Nurkic was only the 3rd-biggest reason for the loss.

In the box score per minute, our best players were #1 Harkless, #2 Nurkic, and #3 Davis.

It’s not the body of work that bugs me about Nurk, it’s how anti-clutch he appears to be to me. He can be a real stat stuffer and then when it gets to crunch time or an important possession he just completely does something lazy or of low BBIQ. I now cringe when he gets the ball in a close game with under 5 min to play, I just expect a weak shot attempt or turnover.

 

[Labinot41]

He makes stupid decisions after stupid decisions, still can't finish around the Rim, makes stupid fouls, has no range in the modern NBA. I've been saying this the hole Season, and still a lot of people defended him, hopefully now they wake up and See that Nurkic has cost us a lot of wins this year

 

[Boob-No-More]

Hmmm... I wonder if a proven big man coach would help.

Oh fuck, never mind. It makes too much fucking sense. It will never happen.

POR pissed away any chance of Meyers Leonard ever being a serviceable NBA player when they fired Kim Hughes. Noah Vonleh is in his third season here and can't even get off the bench. Nurk is still salvageable, but he needs help. And then there are the two 20-year olds we used three first round picks in a deep draft to acquire. With five young players to work with, there is no shortage of work to be done. Hire offensive and defensive specialists. They don't count against the cap or luxury tax.

It seriously boggles my mind that none of Paul, Neil, Terry and the Vulcans can see something that is so fucking obvious. How many first round picks are we going to piss away by not developing the guys we draft (and trade for)? Is this organization still so fucking butt hurt over Kim Hughes breaking the news of losing LaMarcus Aldridge that they are in denial about the value of a good, proven big man coach?

I'm not generally on the fire Neil, fire Terry bandwagon, but those two need to put their pointy little heads together go to Paul and say, "Look, we have FIVE big men, all former first round picks, including three lottery picks, all between 20 and 25 on this roster. We think, to maximize the return on your investment in those young players, we should hire a proven big man coach to accelerate their development".

If they are too fucking stubborn to ask for help, Dame should do it the next time he has a sit down with Paul Allen. He should go to Paul and say, "I know that we have a tough time attracting top tier free agents, and we lack the assets to acquire a star caliber player via trade. So, the best route to contention is developing the young talent we already have." We have drafted and traded for five big men, all young and raw, in my time here. What can we do to help those guys become the players you envisioned when you approved those trades and draft picks? I think a proven big man coach would help. Hire one, or trade me." Ok, maybe leave out that last sentence - for now.

Jeezus, this just pisses me off to no end. Look at the caption below my avatar. Nurk needs fucking HELP. Get him that help and do it NOW.

BNM

 

[jlprk]

POR pissed away any chance of Meyers Leonard ever being a serviceable NBA player when they fired Kim Hughes.

Leonard had a flat learning curve with or without Hughes. The natural poet had no athletic instincts, no matter who coached him.

But let's keep the thread about Nurkic.

 

[LayneStaley]

I think a lot of people here are starting to see Nurk how the rest of the gms in the league see him. I no longer think Nurk could be the centerpiece to acquire a talent like Jabari Parker, Nurk is probably more likely to net you a Julius Randle or someone like that.

 

[-Ace-]

I don’t wanna look but anyone know how many 2 point or less losses we have had of the top of their head?

Five.

 

[LayneStaley]

Five.

So 4th or close to 4th in the West, cool.