Exclusive Pre-season observations/snap-judgements thread

[riverman]

Preseason is just training camp dress rehearsal so you're only as good as your last two mistakes this time of year

 

[buono]

We need to find minutes for shabazz. He isn't afraid.

This.

 

[e_blazer]

Vonleh has looked the best as far as low post scoring, which is why I think he needs to start instead of Aminu.

I haven't been able to watch much of pre-season so I don't know the answer to this question: How many of Vonleh's minutes so far have come against starting players vs. bench guys? He really struggled last year against established players.

 

[riverman]

Stotts is toying with roster combinations so he can make the right cuts at the deadline...these games are not meaningful beyond being a chance to experiment and teach after the fact....we're going to be a very competitive team this season even if a 3-1 preseason record with the loss being a 1pt loss spells doom for so many fans

 

[Natebishop3]

We still have three more preseason games before the season starts 10/25. I'm hoping that Stotts can set his rotation and start giving our guys some stability in the last two games.

 

[DroppinDimes]

The Blazers don't yet have an answer for interior defense. AFA, Plumlee, and Davis are too small to defend big physical 4's and 5's, and Meyers is content with just watching. Looking forward to adding Ezeli into the mix

 

[DroppinDimes]

CJ is our best option at creating his own shot. I actually trust the ball in CJ's hands more so than Dame's on isolation and broken plays.

 

[DroppinDimes]

Stock up: Dame, CJ, Plumlee, Harkless, Vonleh, Napier, Layman
No change: Ed, Aminu,
Stock down (for now): Turner, Crabbe, Leonard, Pat, Montero

 

[jlprk]

6-foot-tall Napier gets no assists. We already had Pierre Jackson and Russ Smith.

 

[Eastoff]

totally agree, Layman has looked way better than him as well in limited minutes - say good bye to Pat C would be my choice. The Napier and Layman additions look really good, Meyers is hard to watch most of the time and Turner has been the guy who has disappointed me "so far", but he gets a lot more time. Vonleh has looked solid so far and we haven't even seen Festus yet! What a DEEP team

Doesn't follow the rules of this thread.

 

[Natebishop3]

Damian lillard is a god. Not THE god, but A god...... I think.

 

[jlprk]

I don't agree that Connaughton isn't NBA-worthy. The Stotts system is fast. The bulky Connaughton would look better in a slower system like McMillan's.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

I don't agree that Connaughton isn't NBA-worthy. The Stotts system is fast. The bulky Connaughton would look better in a slower system like McMillan's.

Wouldn't that be a fan's dream? Watching a Steve Blake/Pat Connaughton backcourt wade thru the muck in Nate's system would be like watching a Clydesdale run the Kentucky Derby.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Nobody looks good apart from Lillard.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I don't agree that Connaughton isn't NBA-worthy. The Stotts system is fast. The bulky Connaughton would look better in a slower system like McMillan's.

He'd be a saint in Utah playing for Quin McSnyder.

BNM

 

[Pinwheel1]

Vonleh has looked the best as far as low post scoring, which is why I think he needs to start instead of Aminu.

This is a good question and I would lean to...no don't start him over Aminu. I don't want Dame and CJ delaying getting involved in the offense by trying to get Vonleh involved early on...and that did seem to happen last year when Noah started.

The earlier they get hot the better. Plus Vonleh is not as good of a perimeter defender as Aminu, so I would bring him off the bench and let him post up with the second unit.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

He'd be a saint in Utah playing for Quin McSnyder.

BNM

Sounds good.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Sounds good.
View attachment 10390

But... how many more games does it get us?????lol

 

[Dougnsalem]

But... how many more games does it get us?????lol

Ehh, don't matter. We're already over 60 wins by my calculations.....

 

[Orion Bailey]

Ehh, don't matter. We're already over 60 wins by my calculations.....

Holy cow. This place might just take Kings and my titles away for being the most optimistic. looks like we have another to compete with! lol

I hope your right. I'm counting 47-48 in trying to be impartial and looking at the schedule.

 

[chzbrgr]

Vonleh deserves to be ahead of Leonard in the rotation.

Connaughton will never be a serviceable NBA player, and if they can't trade him, the Blazers just need to cut him and eat the remainder of his contract.

This sums the preseason up + improvements from Harkless.

 

[chzbrgr]

Grant Jerrett will be our 15th man Montero gets cut

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

We still have three more preseason games before the season starts 10/25. I'm hoping that Stotts can set his rotation and start giving our guys some stability in the last two games.

I think he was trying that last night; might even be why he left Plumlee in with all those fouls. I think he wants to start Plumlee, Aminu, Harkless, dame and McCollum, sub ET in for McCollum at the 6 or 7 minute mark, ET plays with dame for awhile then McCollum back in for Dame vut ET stays. At some point Leonard and Davis sub in for Aminu and Plumlee and Crabbe subs in for Harkless. Looks like a nine man rotation. Napier might be used in special situations. As I said I think that's what he wants to do; it will take awhile before he finds out if it works.

 

[Haakzilla]

82-0 is still a possibility!

 

[Chris Craig]

Aminu is struggling at the 4

 

[riverman]

Nobody looks good apart from Lillard.

vonleh looks great

 

[jlprk]

He'd be a saint in Utah playing for Quin McSnyder.

Pre-draft video...
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...or-draft-prospect-Pat-Connaughton.html?pg=all

Video doesn't work in this one.
http://www.sltrib.com/blogs/jazznotes/2589378-155/story.html

 

[Dougnsalem]

82-0 is still a possibility!

Well @Orion Bailey , I don't think we don't have a chance for the homer title. One thing I've noticed, and that's Haak has been real consistent with his hopes/predictions....

 

[0-Our!]

meyers leonard has hit his ceiling and will not be any better than the player he is now. vonleh should definitely be in the rotation over leonard. at least vonleh doesnt set a screen for his own player.

& when it came to: "...set a screen on his own player..." I woulda kicked 'Nards in the nads!

 

[Boob-No-More]

vonleh looks great

I was visiting a sick kid last night and missed most of the game. I saw the first quarter and heard the last three and a half minutes of the game on the radio on my way home.

So, a question for those who saw the entire game. Was Noah matched up with Blake at all last night? We saw last season that Vonleh can play solid position defense as a starter. But last year he struggled mightily to score against other staring power forwards. So far in preseason, he's shown he can score in a variety of ways, but it's been against 19-year olds and other 3rd stringers. If he could score against other starting power forwards, it would be HUGE for this team.

That's the one thing we lack - good two way players. That's why Al Horford would have been such a great fit here (but, that's why he's a great fit anywhere). Since we can't seem to attract those type of players via free agency, developing them internally is our best shot. Based on what I saw defensively last season, and what I've seen so far this preseason, Noah Vonleh has the highest potential of anyone on our roster to develop into a player that is above average on both ends of the court. But, he still needs to prove he can score against other top players - not just teenage rookies and 3rd stringers trying to make a roster.

Personally, I'd love to see him start these last two preseason games - not with the idea he'll be our starting power forward on opening night, but just to see how his offensive game has improved against real, top quality, NBA players.

BNM