set more screens

[Blazer4ever]

This is simple basketball. Actualy it is simply math.
A good screen helps both the player getting the pick and the player setting the pick to get free of the defense. I believe one good pick in a possesion raises the chance of scoring by about 50% and another pick raises it by another 25% etc.
So, if you have a 40% chance of scoring in a possesion without any pick, one good pick will raise the chance to 60% and two will make it 70%.
I don't think it should only be the big men settting the picks, either. A guy like Wesley can set a very good pick if he's asked to, also Lillard and even Batum. Worst case scenario, he gets run over and we get a foul.
I think if we make a concentrated effort as a team to set significantly more picks, we get much much better, much harder to beat, it doesn't require any major changes, just to change our offensive philosophy a bit, I think it's vital for us to make that change.
Go Blazers

 

[Orion Bailey]

This is simple basketball. Actually it is simply math.
A good screen helps both the player getting the pick and the player setting the pick to get free of the defense. I believe one good pick in a possession raises the chance of scoring by about 50% and another pick raises it by another 25% etc.
So, if you have a 40% chance of scoring in a possession without any pick, one good pick will raise the chance to 60% and two will make it 70%.
I don't think it should only be the big men setting the picks, either. A guy like Wesley can set a very good pick if he's asked to, also Lillard and even Batum. Worst case scenario, he gets run over and we get a foul.
I think if we make a concentrated effort as a team to set significantly more picks, we get much much better, much harder to beat, it doesn't require any major changes, just to change our offensive philosophy a bit, I think it's vital for us to make that change.
Go Blazers

I agree about the percentages going up. I don't know if I agree with changing the scheme of our offense to compensate for more screens, because our main screeners are injured (Rolo, Joel). If Wes and Nico are setting screens, then they aren't spotted up on the three point line. I think have our guards doing a lot more screening will bottle neck things. I think they need to continue what they are doing, except bench Nico for an extended period. We aren't far from getting both our big men back and then our game is back to the way we started. Like someone said in another thread, I don't think most people understand how important that one two punch in the center position is. When we get Rolo and Joel back, things will be much better on the interior. What I saw last night was interior penetration was still killing us. Kaman isn't a total liability defensively, but we all know he is an offensive center first. When teams can come out of the gate and penetrate on us and then kick it back out for the threes, we are in trouble and on the reactionary side. Get us Rolo back in the middle and that doesn't happen. Have Kaman coming back off the bench, and the offense continues while the bench comes in. Our team is displaced right now and honestly, I think they have done a hell of a job considering all the injuries, changes in the lineup etc. Yes we have a core that has been together, but the team as a whole is still pretty young and new. It takes time for different lineups to get comfortable. All of this is good for the team down the stretch.
We will be just fine as long as our medical staff does better than in years past with dealing with injuries. That's our liability to me. our medical staff. I know IT was changed out a year or two ago, but Portland's medical staff history and their decisions have been atrocious. they could just as easily mess our season up by not properly treating our hurt players.
Picks are a part of the answer, but not changing the offense to do so. Patience and the picks will be back in top form in a couple more weeks.

 

[riverman]

Our two best screen setters are injured. I think the medical staff is getting bashed for no reason, don't buy any of that speculation. It's really not necessary to find a scapegoat everytime the team has a slump. Look at Lamarcus' production after they wrapped his torn ligament hand. That's good work. The medical staff does not turn the ball over, miss shots or make lazy passes.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Our two best screen setters are injured. I think the medical staff is getting bashed for no reason, don't buy any of that speculation. It's really not necessary to find a scapegoat everytime the team has a slump. Look at Lamarcus' production after they wrapped his torn ligament hand. That's good work. The medical staff does not turn the ball over, miss shots or make lazy passes.

I had a typo there. I think the medical staff was revamped a year or two ago? There has been known issues with past staffs and Portland injuries though. But agreed, minor issue overall. The agreed point is we don't need to make a bunch of changes to how we play our offense to only have to go back again in another couple weeks. we will be fine. Just a tough stretch.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

i knew acupuncture was shit

 

[riverman]

i knew acupuncture was shit

They've switched over to Chinese cupping now

 

[Blazer4ever]

Thank you Orion for the well-thought response. I still maintain that if we set more screens we win more games.
Getting Rolo and Freeland back is definitely part of it, but it is one of the biggest reasons we miss them. Kaman doesn't play defense or set screens, right now I'd have him on the IR if the playoffs started today, and I think the rest of the team should also be setting more picks cause it would make us even more potent the way having Rolo and Freeland does. Having them back would make us better, having other players also concentrate more on setting screens would make us even more elite.
If Batum sets a screen he can pick-and-pop like Lamarcus does, in his case to the 3 point line, the same goes for Wesley, they can also go to the basket against say Damian's defender, then if the Center comes to help make the pass inside to one of our bigs that is open. It just gives us a much better opportunity to score on each and every possesion.