Nurkic is our 2nd best Player, and it's not even close

[tlongII]

FUN FACT

Jusuf Nurkic ranks 12th in the NBA with a BPM of 5.6.

That's ahead of guys like Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Paul George, Karl-Anthony Towns, Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, and others.

Just how good is Jusuf Nurkic?!​

Can’t wait to find out. I’m comfortable with him against any center in the league.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Can’t wait to find out. I’m comfortable with him against any center in the league.

The only exception I have is AD. Nurkic seems to be really bothered by his athleticism, but maybe he can prove me wrong tomorrow!

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Media/players won't vote him high enough for the fan vote to matter.

That’s right, I forgot that it’s not just determined by the fans any more.

 

[JDC]

See, we could, but the past two games they've completely reverted back to how it was before. He's taken 13 shots the past 2 games combined? That's the problem I have with Stotts, is yes, we could praise him for doing something well for a two-week stretch, but often times it reverts back to how it was before.

Stotts also has 0 sets designed to free up Nurkic in good spots. Getting Nurkic more looks was simply running more Horns with more entry passes going Nurkic's way, as well as walking up the ball to FT-line extended before trying to throw an entry pass. No sets designed for him to get the ball in a powerful spot. I've been begging for a cross-screen set, which is a common staple in every offense at every level of basketball. With Nurkic, it's common sense to have one. If Stotts put one in, I'd have people yelling at me to praise him, and it's just like "Guys, why should we praise a coach for finally using common sense and putting in a play we all know we should have, that almost every team everywhere has?"...

As a weird example, it's like having a kid at night who leaves the front and back door open at night. The one night he only leaves the backdoor open, I wouldn't praise him "Well at least you closed the backdoor!". He shouldn't be leaving doors open at night. That's common sense. I'm not going to praise him for coming around to using partial common sense! That's just my view on it.

They've ran a few slice and cross screen sets. Including one that Pop runs for LaMarcus.

 

[KingSpeed]

Guys, a C averaging 15/10/3 just isn't going to make the all-star game unless they're on the best team in the conference. It has no chance of happening.

Name 6 frontcourt players who will.

LeBron
Durant
Jokic
PG13

Aldridge, Gobert, Capela (hurt), Adams, and Nurk. 2 get in. Am I missing something? I’d pick Gobert and Nurkic.

 

[hoopsjock]

Name 6 frontcourt players who will.

LeBron
Durant
Jokic
PG13

Aldridge, Gobert, Capela (hurt), Adams, and Nurk. 2 get in. Am I missing something? I’d pick Gobert and Nurkic.

ANTHONY DAVIS

 

[wizenheimer]

Name 6 frontcourt players who will.

LeBron
Durant
Jokic
PG13

Aldridge, Gobert, Capela (hurt), Adams, and Nurk. 2 get in. Am I missing something? I’d pick Gobert and Nurkic.

Lebron, Durant, Jokic, Anthony Davis, Gobert, KAT, Aldridge, PG13, Tobias Harris, Luca Doncic

that's 10 players, and 8 of them seem like much bigger 'locks' than Nurkic. I mean if only 7 of those first 8 names make it, which one gets left out? Probably KAT

 

[bobf]

2018-2019 RPM
1 Nikola Jokic DEN +6.20
2 Rudy Gobert UTAH +4.89
3 Jusuf Nurkic POR +4.88
4 Nikola Vucevic ORL +4.64

Nurk has passed Vucevic, but now Gobert has eeked past Nurk. Nurk soon to be #2.
(This site counts A. Davis as a power forward)

 

[BonesJones]

Name 6 frontcourt players who will.

LeBron
Durant
Jokic
PG13

Aldridge, Gobert, Capela (hurt), Adams, and Nurk. 2 get in. Am I missing something? I’d pick Gobert and Nurkic.

Tobias Harris.

EDIT: Anthony Davis.

 

[BonesJones]

Nurk has 0 chance. Maybe next year.

 

[BonesJones]

They've ran a few slice and cross screen sets. Including one that Pop runs for LaMarcus.

Show me. Go through True Blazer Fan highlights and show me.

 

[LayneStaley]

I for one gotta eat a little crow, I got on Nurk pretty bad last year for what I saw as soft play around the rim but he has definitely established himself as our second best player. If we can turn CJ and other assets into a borderline all star wing I’ll feel pretty good about our Big 3.

 

[JDC]

Show me. Go through True Blazer Fan highlights and show me.

 

[BonesJones]

The first play is not what Im talking about at all. He doesnt even get within 5 feet of the hoop on that cut at all. That's a screen designed to get him the ball 12 feet away from the rim. Im talking about a legit opposite weakside block cross screen.

Every other play the passer is way to high up the court to get a good deep entry pass. It's literally a baseline cut off a screen that isnt far enough to the weakside.

I guess you could call this a cross-screen set, but they're all pretty bad, and far, far, far too rare.

 

[JDC]

The first play is not what Im talking about at all. He doesnt even get within 5 feet of the hoop on that cut at all. That's a screen designed to get him the ball 12 feet away from the rim. Im talking about a legit opposite weakside block cross screen.

Every other play the passer is way to high up the court to get a good deep entry pass. It's literally a baseline cut off a screen that isnt far enough to the weakside.

I guess you could call this a cross-screen set, but they're all pretty bad, and far, far, far too rare.

I'm not going to get into why you're overrating the effectiveness of a cross screen which when well defended, results in the type of catches he's already receiving. Instead, answer some of these questions for me...

Is Nurk five feet away with a guy on his back a powerful position for Nurk?

Is it more powerful and better leveraging the other players players on the floor than say a mid post catch where he can better survey the D, draw help and hit cutters/shooters?

What about an empty side pnr where he can catch with momentum heading towards the basket and with full vision of any potential help defense?

It's no coincidence Nurk is having his most efficient, most positively impacting offensive season of his career...

 

[BonesJones]

I'm not going to get into why you're overrating the effectiveness of a cross screen which when well defended, results in the type of catches he's already receiving. Instead, answer some of these questions for me...

Is Nurk five feet away with a guy on his back a powerful position for Nurk?

Is it more powerful and better leveraging the other players players on the floor than say a mid post catch where he can better survey the D, draw help and hit cutters/shooters?

What about an empty side pnr where he can catch with momentum heading towards the basket and with full vision of any potential help defense?

It's no coincidence Nurk is having his most efficient, most positively impacting offensive season of his career...

It's much more effective than these sets. These sets make it so the defense doesnt even have to guard Nurkic well in order to get him 15 feet away from the screen. No ball reversal, poorly placed screens and entry pass angles, it's just ineffective at best.

Yes, 5 feet away is the perfect distance away for his hook, and is much easier to get a layup out of. In these poorly positioned sets (the idea in itself isnt bad), he has to bust his ass trying to back his guy down to 5 feet, sometimes cant, and if he does it wears him out right before his hook.

Yes, it should open up more because the defense will likely overcompensate more since Nurk is more of a threat the closer he gets to the hoop with the ball. But Nurk as a scoring threat is almost automatic lately when he gets deep post up position.

Im not talking about pick n roll. I like our Dame/Nurk pick n roll. I don't know what that has to do with having sets designed to get Nurk close looks around the rim.

Yes, it is no coincidence he's improved. Nurkic has been working his ass off, has a lot of unfulfilled potential, he's only 24, and Dame does a good job at setting him up.

 

[JDC]

It's much more effective than these sets. These sets make it so the defense doesnt even have to guard Nurkic well in order to get him 15 feet away from the screen. No ball reversal, poorly placed screens and entry pass angles, it's just ineffective at best.

Yes, 5 feet away is the perfect distance away for his hook, and is much easier to get a layup out of. In these poorly positioned sets (the idea in itself isnt bad), he has to bust his ass trying to back his guy down to 5 feet, sometimes cant, and if he does it wears him out right before his hook.

Yes, it should open up more because the defense will likely overcompensate more since Nurk is more of a threat the closer he gets to the hoop with the ball. But Nurk as a scoring threat is almost automatic lately when he gets deep post up position.

Im not talking about pick n roll. I like our Dame/Nurk pick n roll. I don't know what that has to do with having sets designed to get Nurk close looks around the rim.

Yes, it is no coincidence he's improved. Nurkic has been working his ass off, has a lot of unfulfilled potential, he's only 24, and Dame does a good job at setting him up.

I don't even like the idea of a cross screen. My response / video is more about refuting your idea that Stotts doesn't run anything specifically for Nurk.

I don't care if he's five feet away from the basket. A contested shot with his back to the basket is far down the list on the most effective, most efficient ways to use Nurk plus use his presence as a screener / finisher to open things up for the other players on the floor.

You can respond to this if you want, but I'm done arguing about this.

 

[BonesJones]

I don't even like the idea of a cross screen. My response / video is more about refuting your idea that Stotts doesn't run anything specifically for Nurk.

I don't care if he's five feet away from the basket. A contested shot with his back to the basket is far down the list on the most effective, most efficient ways to use Nurk plus use his presence as a screener / finisher to open things up for the other players on the floor.

You can respond to this if you want, but I'm done arguing about this.

You're probably the only person that thinks it's better for Nurkic to have the ball 17 feet away from the rim instead of 5 feet.

That set is so bad at getting up Nurkic in a good position that it doesn't even count. The point of a cross-screen set is to get Nurk the ball with deeper position than simply walking the ball yo the court and throwing an entry pass. This doesn't accomplish that.

But I've complained about the quality of some of Stotts sets before so I guess we can add this to the list.

 

[JDC]

You're probably the only person that thinks it's better for Nurkic to have the ball 17 feet away from the rim instead of 5 feet.

That set is so bad at getting up Nurkic in a good position that it doesn't even count. The point of a cross-screen set is to get Nurk the ball with deeper position than simply walking the ball yo the court and throwing an entry pass. This doesn't accomplish that.

But I've complained about the quality of some of Stotts sets before so I guess we can add this to the list.

Here you go again explaining to me the point of a cross screen like I'm some fucking idiot.

And I swear man. You are so deep into your Stotts hate that it's completely warped your expectations of what is and isn't good coaching. I really question how much NBA basketball you watch outside of the Blazers sometimes.

 

[BonesJones]

Here you go again explaining to me the point of a cross screen like I'm some fucking idiot.

And I swear man. You are so deep into your Stotts hate that it's completely warped your expectations of what is and isn't good coaching. I really question how much NBA basketball you watch outside of the Blazers sometimes.

This post fits that profile picture to a T.

 

[BonesJones]

You can respond to this if you want, but I'm done arguing about this.

 

[JDC]

This post fits that profile picture to a T.

Really?

I guess I shouldn't expect much different from you.

 

[BonesJones]

Really?

I guess shouldn't expect much different from you.

 

[Hoopguru]

You're probably the only person that thinks it's better for Nurkic to have the ball 17 feet away from the rim instead of 5 feet.

That set is so bad at getting up Nurkic in a good position that it doesn't even count. The point of a cross-screen set is to get Nurk the ball with deeper position than simply walking the ball yo the court and throwing an entry pass. This doesn't accomplish that.

But I've complained about the quality of some of Stotts sets before so I guess we can add this to the list.

Walton has the ball at top of the key all the time as the Offense went through much of the time, but he also posted up and hit the boards, block shots etc.
Stotts is a Ramsey disciple in a since as he loves a motion offense with a passing big man.

 

[BonesJones]

Walton has the ball at top of the key all the time as the Offense went through much of the time, but he also posted up and hit the boards, block shots etc.
Stotts is a Ramsey disciple in a since as he loves a motion offense with a passing big man.

I like Nurkic in different spots. Theres just times where we try to feed him post up scoring opportunities and he's 17 feet away from the hoop. Itd be nice to have a set designed to get him the ball with deep position.

 

[JDC]

I like Nurkic in different spots. Theres just times where we try to feed him post up scoring opportunities and he's 17 feet away from the hoop. Itd be nice to have a set designed to get him the ball with deep position.

There's ways Stotts gets Nurk deep catches without needing someone to screen for him.

Like a side pnr, where he's even likely to have a smaller player switched onto him.

 

[Hoopguru]

I like Nurkic in different spots. Theres just times where we try to feed him post up scoring opportunities and he's 17 feet away from the hoop. Itd be nice to have a set designed to get him the ball with deep position.

I remember Walton would get down low after up top and he and Luke would play keep away they with Bills back to the hoop.

 

[BonesJones]

I remember Walton would get down low after up top and he and Luke would play keep away they with Bills back to the hoop.

Nurk having the ball up top as a passer with an option to kick wide and recieve a backscreen (angled to the hoop, not towards the short corner) is another set design I'd like to see.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I'm not going to get into why you're overrating the effectiveness of a cross screen which when well defended, results in the type of catches he's already receiving. Instead, answer some of these questions for me...

Is Nurk five feet away with a guy on his back a powerful position for Nurk?

Is it more powerful and better leveraging the other players players on the floor than say a mid post catch where he can better survey the D, draw help and hit cutters/shooters?

What about an empty side pnr where he can catch with momentum heading towards the basket and with full vision of any potential help defense?

It's no coincidence Nurk is having his most efficient, most positively impacting offensive season of his career...

I'm going to answer these questions.
Yes, Nurk is proving over and over again his back to the basket game is becoming a real weapon and he can draw fouls. Also, he's going to suck the defense in which can make for open shooters. Maybe you don't want to run that play every time but that leads me to my answer for question 2. I love the idea of getting nurk the ball about 10-15 feet away from the basket whether it's the mid posts or not anywhere in that "arc" I think there are interesting ways to use his passing skills and I'd like them to spend a lot of time running offense through him there, but that doesn't mean that's the only offense they should run.
The PNR with dame and Nurk has been really effective for the Blazers I don't have a problem with that.
It's interesting to me I think with any offense you want to see a multifaceted attack, I don't want them to run cross screens for Nurk every play, but I don't want them to go to Nurk every play either, I think they should be doing all the things you mentioned above and then have plays for other guys as well.

I started this whole "thing" by saying I think Stotts deserves some credit, in my opinion, he's actually done a pretty good job of changing the offense to go through Nurkic more, the last 4 weeks or so. The offense is a lot less stagnant in my opinion. I know they played a couple frustrating games vs Denver and Sacramento and while I think they were both "winnable" nobody bats 1000 so I suppose I can move on from those games and hope they learned from them.

I certainly have my problem with Stotts coaching, but it's been nice to see Nurk turn himself into a very, very good player this year and for Stotts to let things go through him.

 

[Orion Bailey]

What about Jake? Is Jake our second best player???