Play Lillard more with the second unit

[mook]

You could just see at the end of the game yesterday that he was in total hero-ball mode, with a green light to shoot from pretty much anywhere on the court. Who could complain? He's the only guy on the team who could tack on 7-10 points in about 3 minutes, so you stand back and let him try to Kobe us back into the game. And damned if he's not good at it, although it's not generally our best option in other situations (with our well-balanced starting 5).

I'd really like to see Lillard used in that role much more with our second unit. The only proven creator we have with that unit is Kamen, and he's just as good (if not better) as an opportunistic scorer. If Stotts insists on playing more than 3 bench guys at the same time, Lillard has to be out there with them playing Allen Iverson, with everybody else pretending to be the 2000 Sixers. If Damian gets 10-15mpg in that role, he has the potential to be a 25-28 ppg scorer.

It'd mean him being the first guy subbed out at the beginning of the halves, which I think would be completely fine. Portland can run their offense with the starters + Blake with reasonable effectiveness, since so much goes through Batum and Aldridge anyway.

The bench would no longer rely on McCollum and Barton to generate offense, which is a really good thing. McCollum is a designated three point shooter, and Barton creates off broken plays. Robinson only touches a ball when he grabs it off the glass, and Kamen is the obvious partner for the nuts-and-bolts play they'd run, the Lillard pick-and-roll/pop.

You'd probably only run Lillard with the starting 5 in the first 5 and last 5 mins of the halves.

 

[mook]

I think an added benefit of this strategy is that it'd keep Lillard and Batum from playing too passively.

Batum gets passive when he's not involved in creating offense, which happens when Lillard and Aldridge pick-and-roll a lot.

Lillard gets passive (really, perhaps a better term is "less aggressive") because he has to for us to run our normal offense. It's all about ball and player movement, and it's a thing of beauty much of the time. An overly aggressive Lillard kills a lot of that movement. If, however, you play him much less with Batum and Aldridge, there's no reason for him not to play more of a ball-dominating role.

 

[magnifier661]

I think an added benefit of this strategy is that it'd keep Lillard and Batum from playing too passively.

Batum gets passive when he's not involved in creating offense, which happens when Lillard and Aldridge pick-and-roll a lot.

Lillard gets passive (really, perhaps a better term is "less aggressive") because he has to for us to run our normal offense. It's all about ball and player movement, and it's a thing of beauty much of the time. An overly aggressive Lillard kills a lot of that movement. If, however, you play him much less with Batum and Aldridge, there's no reason for him not to play more of a ball-dominating role.

Idea...

CJ, Matthew and Batum wings

Lillard, Blake and CJ or Batum wings

Lillard is the 2 guard with Blake

Batum plays point when Lillard is out

 

[Natebishop3]

The problem is, we need to develop CJ. That's only going to happen with minutes and the only position he can play is shooting guard.

Right now I think we need to make a trade. We need a veteran wing.

What about Wright/Barton/Claver for Wilson Chandler?

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

The problem is, we need to develop CJ. That's only going to happen with minutes and the only position he can play is shooting guard.

Right now I think we need to make a trade. We need a veteran wing.

What about Wright/Barton/Claver for Wilson Chandler?

Getting Wilson Chandler would be so fucking great. Don't know what Denver wants to do with their roster though. Seems like everyone is offensive minded.

 

[Natebishop3]

Getting Wilson Chandler would be so fucking great. Don't know what Denver wants to do with their roster though. Seems like everyone is offensive minded.

Yeah, their roster is pretty jacked up. Not a lot of cohesion or clear direction. They've got some good players though.

 

[Natebishop3]

I also wouldn't mind making a move for Webster, but he's injured right now.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Yeah, their roster is pretty jacked up. Not a lot of cohesion or clear direction. They've got some good players though.

I was high on them because on a name alone basis their roster is loaded. I think they have the most top to down talent of any team in the NBA. Problem is, they're all equals to each other and no one is a star.

 

[Natebishop3]

I was high on them because on a name alone basis their roster is loaded. I think they have the most top to down talent of any team in the NBA. Problem is, they're all equals to each other and no one is a star.

Well, I think we should really consider trying to add someone like Chandler. It would cut into our cap space this summer, but realistically at this point I think we should just extend Matthews, LA, and Rolo. Call it good. Keep the core together.

 

[riverman]

If CJ or Will could score consistently, this wouldn't be an issue. That's what we need is 2 guard scoring when Lillard sits

 

[Natebishop3]

If CJ or Will could score consistently, this wouldn't be an issue. That's what we need is 2 guard scoring when Lillard sits

2 guard scoring wouldn't be an issue if we had a small forward that could score. If Dorell Wright would do what we paid him to do, this wouldn't be an issue at all. We need to keep developing CJ, so the obvious answer is to try to bring in a scoring wing.

 

[GoBlazersGo]

I wish there was some way to grab Gerald Green from the Suns, he'd be PERFECT coming off of our bench!

 

[Natebishop3]

I wish there was some way to grab Gerald Green from the Suns, he'd be PERFECT coming off of our bench!

The problem is that they're stacked at the positions where we have talent to deal. Power forward (Robinson/Freeland) and guard (CJ/Barton). The Suns actually have quite a few young guys so they probably want some vets to help get them into the playoffs.

 

[riverman]

2 guard scoring wouldn't be an issue if we had a small forward that could score. If Dorell Wright would do what we paid him to do, this wouldn't be an issue at all. We need to keep developing CJ, so the obvious answer is to try to bring in a scoring wing.

With Kaman our 3 usually has to guard Durant or Lebron or a really tough assignment and Wright is a good defender. I think having a guy to fill Wes' shoes from 3pt range is the missing link. If CJ can become that and when Blake dishes to Kaman, he's going to be wide open. A guy like Wright is going to give you an offensive board and screen. I don't think Wright is a problem really. CJ and Will have to score from range well for us to be in the conversation come playoff time. That's still a long way off. Both Will and CJ have the ability to do it, it just needs to show up more in games.

 

[Natebishop3]

With Kaman our 3 usually has to guard Durant or Lebron or a really tough assignment and Wright is a good defender. I think having a guy to fill Wes' shoes from 3pt range is the missing link. If CJ can become that and when Blake dishes to Kaman, he's going to be wide open. A guy like Wright is going to give you an offensive board and screen. I don't think Wright is a problem really. CJ and Will have to score from range well for us to be in the conversation come playoff time. That's still a long way off. Both Will and CJ have the ability to do it, it just needs to show up more in games.

Why would our backup wing have to guard Durant or LeBron? If either of those guys are in the game, it's going to be Nic or Wes guarding them. Dorell is hardly playing right now. Most of the minutes have gone to CJ and Will, but like I've said, they're too similar. We need to pick one of them to play and bring in another guy who actually can score consistently at the three.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Obviously the solution is to start Blake and use Lillard as a sparkplug off the bench.

 

[Strenuus]

Obviously the solution is to start Blake and use Lillard as a sparkplug off the bench.

f u mcmillian

 

[riverman]

Dame is usually a second half scorer. If CJ can score decently in back to back games, he'll probably take the spot. Crabbe has an opportunity if he doesn't.

 

[Natebishop3]

Obviously the solution is to start Blake and use Lillard as a sparkplug off the bench.

We finally rooted out McMillan's account on the forum. It only took like... ten years.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

We finally rooted out McMillan's account on the forum. It only took like... ten years.

Dame better not get any turnovers or I'm pulling his ass right quick.

 

[KingSpeed]

Lillard in the game with the bench right now.

 

[mook]

Does seem like Stotts is shifting to a philosophy that either Lillard or Aldridge is in the game at nearly all times, which is a very good thing IMO. That second unit is so streaky and haphazard--you have to have one of those guys in there to give it some structure.

Lillard played as passive a game as I can remember through the first 3 quarters, taking just 3 shots (although he did have 6 assists.) Somebody must have pointed it out to him, so he wound up taking 6 shots in the 4th.

In the bigger picture, I don't want to see Lillard become another chucker a la Damon Stoudamire. But especially in the playoffs where every possession matters, I'd like to see him get much more aggressive with his own shot when Aldridge is out of the game. A PG who hovers in that 23-25ppg range just gets so many more superstar calls in the playoffs.

To Nate's point, if CJ can't develop with Lillard going Iverson, CJ really doesn't have much of a role on this team. It's CJ's job to adapt to Lillard, not the other way around.

 

[Rhal]

The problem is, we need to develop CJ. That's only going to happen with minutes and the only position he can play is shooting guard.

Right now I think we need to make a trade. We need a veteran wing.

What about Wright/Barton/Claver for Wilson Chandler?

We actually have a veteran wing that your trying to trade away. Wright hasn't been good since we signed him but i'd like to see what he does now that Batum might miss some time. If he doesn't step up then i'd say that our backup 3 isn't on the roster and a move to get him needs to be made.

 

[Natebishop3]

We actually have a veteran wing that your trying to trade away. Wright hasn't been good since we signed him but i'd like to see what he does now that Batum might miss some time. If he doesn't step up then i'd say that our backup 3 isn't on the roster and a move to get him needs to be made.

I looked back over his career and I don't think Dorell is suddenly not very good. If you look at his stats, he has progressively been getting worse for three years. He shoots a horrible percentage from the field, and that started in Philly.


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