Predict our rotation before training camp

[Pinwheel1]

I'm looking at Ezeli as a specialist, rather than a rotation player. It's far more important that he's healthy and in shape for the POs than it is that he plays regular minutes in the regular season


Turner
Crabbe
Harkless
Aminu
Plumlee

Not to nit pick your long and well thought out post......but these two items above I would question....

Once Ezeli is healthy, he needs to play 20 minutes in most games. I think we need him to play regular minutes or there will not be enough chemistry once the playoffs start. Plus we actually need to make the playoffs.

And even though your scenario is only having Dame and CJ both sit at the same time for 3-4 minutes a game, I am not sure it is ever necessary for that to happen, except in a blow out. We can limit their minutes without it, especially since ET will need lots of minutes at SG in order for Harkless and Crabbe to get enough minutes at SF.

 

[illmatic99]

Think we often forget how good Plums looked in that Clippers series. He averaged 8pts, 13 rebs, 6 assists, with a steal and block per game in less than 30 mpg that series. Those are prime Joakim Noah numbers. Nearly 6 apg from a center is unheard of.

His post defense is trash, but as a release man for Dame traps, he's awesome. I think we will see lineups where he plays PF with Meyers/Ezelil.

 

[blue9]

Not to nit pick your long and well thought out post......but these two items above I would question....

Once Ezeli is healthy, he needs to play 20 minutes in most games. I think we need him to play regular minutes or there will not be enough chemistry once the playoffs start. Plus we actually need to make the playoffs.

And even though your scenario is only having Dame and CJ both sit at the same time for 3-4 minutes a game, I am not sure it is ever necessary for that to happen, except in a blow out. We can limit their minutes without it, especially since ET will need lots of minutes at SG in order for Harkless and Crabbe to get enough minutes at SF.

I don't know how well thought out it is - I've not put any thought into minute distribution. It was just an example to show that, by staggering substitutions, we should be able to play Aminu/Harkless at PF for 80%+ of the game (this 80% is just an off-the-cuff number). IMO the roster is still a work in progress and it will need to be adjusted via trade in order to bring balance and alleviate a minutes crunch for our under-skilled (yet deserving) bigs. Until a trade happens then at least one of Davis/Plumlee/Ezeli will be playing far fewer minutes than they'd like to be playing. In the early-going I expect Ezeli to ride the bench, and if it were up to me Davis would probably be sitting next to him while we mainly play Aminu/Harkless/Meyers/Plumlee in the front court. But we need to play Davis to maintain some level of trade value.

Hopefully Neil makes a nice trade to help solve the problem of which bigs get minutes.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The key to the rotations is which player starts at SF?

My guess, Turner will backup both Dame and CJ. We have a better balance of skills if he comes off of the bench.

I have no clue if the starting SF will be Moe or Crabbe. I would lean towards starting Moe because we know it worked at the end of last season. But I would not be surprised if Stotts starts Crabbe.

I’m going with the OPs rotation. Good work.

Simplest (but effective) 1-3 rotation would be as follows:
6min Dame/CJ/Moe
6min Dame/ET/AC
6min CJ/ET/AC
6min Dame/CJ/Moe
Lather, Rinse, Repeat

Gives 36 mpg to Dame/CJ, 24 mpg each to Moe, AC, and ET, with 2 shooters and 2 ball-handlers on the floor at all times.

0% chance it actually happens like that, but it makes sense to me.

 

[chzbrgr]

Simplest (but effective) 1-3 rotation would be as follows:

6min CJ/ET/AC

These are the lineups Im most excited to see esp with Aminu and Ezeli. Nothing against dame I just think this could be our most effective unit next year. Super balanced with shooters and defense.

 

[illmatic99]

These are the lineups Im most excited to see esp with Aminu and Ezeli. Nothing against dame I just think this could be our most effective unit next year. Super balanced with shooters and defense.

It would run other 2nd units off the floor

 

[BonesJones]

Lillard (35) / McCollum (13)
McCollum (21) / Crabbe (25) / Turner (2)
Harkless (20) / Turner (23) / Aminu (5)
Aminu (20) / Davis (20) / Leonard (8)
Ezeli (18) / Plumlee (20) / Leonard (10)

Lillard - 35
McCollum - 34
Aminu - 25
Turner - 25
Crabbe - 25
Davis - 20
Harkless - 20
Plumlee - 20
Ezeli - 18
Leonard - 18

- Can almost get everybody 20mpg.
- Turner, Crabbe, Davis, Plumlee, and Leonard would make up the best bench in the league
- Harmless and Aminu fit really well together, especially next to Lillard and CJ.
-I like Aminu/Ezeli (Outside/Inside with great defense) and Davis/Leonard (Great Balance) frontcourt pairings. Plumlee is a wild card.

 

[BonesJones]

Best lineups:
Lillard/CJ
Crabbe
Turner
Aminu/Davis
Leonard
-4 shooters with Aminu, 3 with Davis who brings more inside. 3 good defenders, 2 ball handlers

Lillard
CJ
Harkless
Aminu
Ezeli
-Tons of defense and athleticism next to McLillard. 3 Defenders, 3 Shooters, 2 Ball Handlers

Lillard/CJ
Crabbe
Turner
Aminu
Ezeli
-4 good defenders while keeping 3 shooters and 2 ball handlers on the court.

Lillard
CJ
Turner
Davis
Leonard
-3 Ball Handlers on the wing, with a great Pick-n-ROLL big in Davis and a great Pick-n-POP big in Leonard. Maintains spacing with 3 shooters (Lillard, CJ, Leonard), while putting 2 solid defenders on the court (Davis, Turner). If the other team is playing a stretch-4 and/or we want a 4th shooter, substitute Aminu for Davis.

 

[Scalma]

Starters

Lillard
McCollum
Harkless
Aminu
Plumlee

2nd unit

McCollum
Crabbe
Turner
Leonard (guards centers on defense)
Davis

Ezeli used for specific match ups, at least early in the season. for example, against bigger more bruising post centers you'll see more of festus and less of plumlee.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Starters

Lillard
McCollum
Harkless
Aminu
Plumlee

2nd unit

McCollum
Crabbe
Turner
Leonard (guards centers on defense)
Davis

Ezeli used for specific match ups, at least early in the season. for example, against bigger more bruising post centers you'll see more of festus and less of plumlee.

Seems that Leonard would be the better option against bigger, bruising post centers. Ezeli is more of value against teams that attack the lane from the perimeter when we need improved help defense and rim protection.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Anyone else intrigued by the 2nd half starting line up of Dame, CJ, Crabbe, Harkless, and Davis? I think the center spot has a lot of options with Davis, Plums, Ezeli and even Leonard (i.e at the end of games when Myers free throw shooting is improtant) but I really liked the other 4........alot

I am not down on Aminu at all, but the way the Blazers started out the 3rd quarter got me thinking about that as another option to close games out as well. Harkless at the 4 is the key. If he continues to hit the 3 pt shot his versatility is going to be huge for us.

 

[illmatic99]

Anyone else intrigued by the 2nd half starting line up of Dame, CJ, Crabbe, Harkless, and Davis? I think the center spot has a lot of options with Davis, Plums, Ezeli and even Leonard (i.e at the end of games when Myers free throw shooting is improtant) but I really liked the other 4........alot

I am not down on Aminu at all, but the way the Blazers started out the 3rd quarter got me thinking about that as another option to close games out as well. Harkless at the 4 is the key. If he continues to hit the 3 pt shot his versatility is going to be huge for us.

Mentioned the same in the game thread. That lineup is nasty offensively.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Anyone else intrigued by the 2nd half starting line up of Dame, CJ, Crabbe, Harkless, and Davis? I think the center spot has a lot of options with Davis, Plums, Ezeli and even Leonard (i.e at the end of games when Myers free throw shooting is improtant) but I really liked the other 4........alot

I am not down on Aminu at all, but the way the Blazers started out the 3rd quarter got me thinking about that as another option to close games out as well. Harkless at the 4 is the key. If he continues to hit the 3 pt shot his versatility is going to be huge for us.

I was watching Aminu come out for half time shoot around and he couldn't make a layup. He literally shot four shots in a row from 5 feet and bricked them all. I am wondering if the coaches saw that and it influenced their second half starting lineup decision at all?