Should Stotts be fired if the Blazers lose the series?

[e_blazer]

Those two extra home games where we struggle are that important to you?

It boggles my mind that some people here are ready to leap to firing the coach and blowing up the team after one playoff game loss out of a seven game series. The Blazers go from being the 3rd seed in the West and favored to win their series to being a case for a total rebuild on the basis of one sub-par game? You can't even wait to see what adjustments Stotts makes and how the series plays out?

 

[illmatic99]

It boggles my mind that some people here are ready to leap to firing the coach and blowing up the team after one playoff game loss out of a seven game series. The Blazers go from being the 3rd seed in the West and favored to win their series to being a case for a total rebuild on the basis of one sub-par game? You can't even wait to see what adjustments Stotts makes and how the series plays out?

Point to me where I said all these comments. I asked a question.

Chill.

And I don't want to blow up. We literally can't do that with our payroll.

But thinking that we can do better in the playoffs with a different coach is a real possibility. Or is my opinion of that unwarranted either? Maybe I'm jumping too far ahead there too. Smh.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Can you tell me exactly when his first chance was? As opposed to his "Last Chance"?

Eventually the fans are going to have to realize the only way this roster wins is if they move the team to someplace where Free Agents want to be. /s

 

[PtldPlatypus]

It boggles my mind that some people here are ready to leap to firing the coach and blowing up the team after one playoff game loss out of a seven game series. The Blazers go from being the 3rd seed in the West and favored to win their series to being a case for a total rebuild on the basis of one sub-par game? You can't even wait to see what adjustments Stotts makes and how the series plays out?

I think most of the people interested in firing Stotts were already of that opinion prior to game 1, and simply using that game (and projection of expectations for the rest of the series) as support for their preexisting position. I doubt many have been swayed significantly by a single game.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

It boggles my mind that some people here are ready to leap to firing the coach and blowing up the team after one playoff game loss out of a seven game series. The Blazers go from being the 3rd seed in the West and favored to win their series to being a case for a total rebuild on the basis of one sub-par game? You can't even wait to see what adjustments Stotts makes and how the series plays out?

We shouldn’t have been down 18 in Game 1. We shouldn’t have let NO go on a 12-0 run without a timeout in the middle. We shouldn’t have been so lackadaisical with our passing over and over. Stotts is a nice man but I watched Game 1 and thought about what a coach like a Pop would do in those situations and every time Stotts erred on the side of trust and letting it play out, it blew up in his face.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

I think most of the people interested in firing Stotts were already of that opinion prior to game 1, and simply using that game (and projection of expectations for the rest of the series) as support for their preexisting position. I doubt many have been swayed significantly by a single game.

I was probably the only person swayed by Game 1. It was very very frustrating to watch, and I felt like the shortcomings were from a coach not reminding the players that this is the playoffs, not a January game.

 

[illmatic99]

I think most of the people interested in firing Stotts were already of that opinion prior to game 1, and simply using that game (and projection of expectations for the rest of the series) as support for their preexisting position. I doubt many have been swayed significantly by a single game.

Forum police will have none of it. Can't express any negative opinions without "boggling minds."

 

[illmatic99]

I was probably the only person swayed by Game 1. It was very very frustrating to watch, and I felt like the shortcomings were from a coach not reminding the players that this is the playoffs, not a January game.

I'm trying my best to let his coaching decisions in the last 12 seconds go. Even Pop has done some stupid shit in the playoffs (like taking Duncan out in the final moments of a championship clinching game 6, letting Bosh get an offensive rebound that led to a series changing three by Ray Allen).

 

[SportsAndWhine]

I'm trying my best to let his coaching decisions in the last 12 seconds go. Even Pop has done some stupid shit in the playoffs (like taking Duncan out in the final moments of a championship clinching game 6, letting Bosh get an offensive rebound that led to a series changing three by Ray Allen).

The last 12 seconds I don’t even count because we should have been up 7 at that point.

 

[Sedatedfork]

Are the assistant coaches adequate? Not living in Portland, I don't have a great sense of how much help he gets.

 

[e_blazer]

Forum police will have none of it. Can't express any negative opinions without "boggling minds."

You can express any negative opinions you want; just as I can think it's amazingly short sighted to form a coherent opinion about the team's future on the basis of one game.

 

[e_blazer]

So much for the tolerant left! His mind can be boggled. Don’t police the forum police!

Okay then. There's a coherent take.

 

[e_blazer]

We shouldn’t have been down 18 in Game 1. We shouldn’t have let NO go on a 12-0 run without a timeout in the middle. We shouldn’t have been so lackadaisical with our passing over and over. Stotts is a nice man but I watched Game 1 and thought about what a coach like a Pop would do in those situations and every time Stotts erred on the side of trust and letting it play out, it blew up in his face.

I can think of multiple examples of times where Pop has let his team play through a bad stretch without calling a timeout. Phil Jackson was famous for doing that. And Stotts did make the adjustments needed for the team to make a push that nearly won the game. Except for a couple of bad decisions by his players, we'd probably be talking about what a masterful job he did in out-coaching Gentry the second half of the game.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Okay then. There's a coherent take.

Despite my red-hot spicy take that Stotts failed the team so spectacularly that I’m now against him, I also think I’m definitely not entitled to having everyone agree with or even respect my opinion. Some of the dudes here really think people have to respect their shitty takes, but that’s just entitlement in action.

 

[e_blazer]

Despite my red-hot spicy take that Stotts failed the team so spectacularly that I’m now against him, I’m definitely not entitled to having everyone agree with or even respect my opinion. Some of the dudes here really think people have to respect their shitty takes, but that’s just entitlement in action.

Two in a row.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

I can think of multiple examples of times where Pop has let his team play through a bad stretch without calling a timeout. Phil Jackson was famous for doing that. And Stotts did make the adjustments needed for the team to make a push that nearly won the game. Except for a couple of bad decisions by his players, we'd probably be talking about what a masterful job he did in out-coaching Gentry the second half of the game.

Yes but let’s be real about Pop’s reputation: if the momentum is against his team and his team is not taking it seriously out there, he’s going to stop the game and let them know.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Two in a row.

If I get four out of seven I get to stay yeah?

 

[e_blazer]

I think most of the people interested in firing Stotts were already of that opinion prior to game 1, and simply using that game (and projection of expectations for the rest of the series) as support for their preexisting position. I doubt many have been swayed significantly by a single game.

There's a cycle for head coaches in the NBA with fan opinion. The honeymoon phase after being hired. The "Okay, he needs time to put his system into action" phase. The, "He's probably not the guy for the job, but who else could we get" phase. And finally, the "We want his head on a platter" phase. Depending upon the level of success, the time required for those phases to cycle can go from a single year to 3 years or more. It's a testament to Terry that he's only reached the second to last phase after 6 years.

 

[e_blazer]

If I get four out of seven I get to stay yeah?

Sure, but lay off the forum police crap. Nobody gives a shit what I post.

 

[BBert]

If they ultimately lose, I would say firing him should probably come down to how they lose. If there's a lot of breakdowns and "Keystone Kops" bullshit, then absolutely. If AD just goes HAM and destroys the Blazers, what can you do? Sometimes it's just a terrible match-up.

I've been meaning to say some form of that but I was too lazy to form words

 

[e_blazer]

Pretty good take by Dwight Jaynes. I don't think it's worthy of it's own thread, so I'll post the link here:

http://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/...l-blazer-fans-brought-it-and-their-team-didnt

 

[BBert]

It boggles my mind that some people here are ready to leap to firing the coach and blowing up the team after one playoff game loss out of a seven game series. The Blazers go from being the 3rd seed in the West and favored to win their series to being a case for a total rebuild on the basis of one sub-par game? You can't even wait to see what adjustments Stotts makes and how the series plays out?

I have sensed a slight bit of negativity around here following the loss. Have you noticed any of that, or is it my imagination?

 

[THE HCP]

This is his last chance. If he loses this series, he has to go. Nice guy and good coach, but if Pelicans win the series Allen will have to face the fact that the job simply is not getting done, and let him move on. Shouldn’t have kept him this long. When so many players start making excuses for him, it’s time to go.

Do you think a different coach could have done MORE with this roster? Please don't reply with, "I don't know, we'll have to see". We have 2 stars, a decent center and a roster full of roll players and we got the third seed in the West. I'm pretty with happy with how he did this season.

 

[e_blazer]

I have sensed a slight bit of negativity around here following the loss. Have you noticed any of that, or is it my imagination?

Just a tad little bit, I guess.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Sure, but lay off the forum police crap.

You tell that to @yuyuza1, not me. I'm just a joke machine that sometimes spits out stats accidentally.

Nobody gives a shit what I post.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Do you think a different coach could have done MORE with this roster? Please don't reply with, "I don't know, we'll have to see". We have 2 stars, a decent center and a roster full of roll players and we got the third seed in the West. I'm pretty with happy with how he did this season.

Hey now, you don't get to be all "we played opponents who were injured, that's why we're 3rd seed!" and all "Stotts is great because we're 3rd seed!" AT THE SAME TIME!

 

[THE HCP]

Hey now, you don't get to be all "we played opponents who were injured, that's why we're 3rd seed!" and all "Stotts is great because we're 3rd seed!" AT THE SAME TIME!

I was speaking to those who got upset when I said we got the 3rd seed partially because of other teams injuries. I feel we did. But regardless we got the 3 seed. I see what your saying though.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

I was speaking to those who got upset when I said we got the 3rd seed partially because of other teams injuries. I feel we did. But regardless we got the 3 seed. I see what your saying though.

If Terry Stotts personally injured those players, it'd make perfect sense, and I think a few posters here would have more respect for him

 

[tester551]

It boggles my mind that some people here are ready to leap to firing the coach and blowing up the team after one playoff game loss out of a seven game series. The Blazers go from being the 3rd seed in the West and favored to win their series to being a case for a total rebuild on the basis of one sub-par game? You can't even wait to see what adjustments Stotts makes and how the series plays out?

I know the OP posed the question based on Game 1, but it did nothing to change my mind.

I think most of the people interested in firing Stotts were already of that opinion prior to game 1, and simply using that game (and projection of expectations for the rest of the series) as support for their preexisting position. I doubt many have been swayed significantly by a single game.

Exactly.

I like Stott's the person. Coach Stotts is good, but not great.

I don't want to draw too many comparisons to GSW, but this reminds me a lot of the Jackson/Kerr transition. Jackson was good, Kerr is great.

My biggest frustrations with Stotts are the following:

• Fast breaks-> How is it that this team can NOT run an effective fast break? It feels like we turn it over, miss a pass, or otherwise screw up a fast break at least 50% of the time.
  
• Mentality-> Stotts sets the tone for the team. He has a standard that some things are "good enough". A couple of recent comments from CJ & Dame underscore the issue.
  • CJ said a few games before the end of the season (during the loosing streak) that if someone told them that they would be sitting at 48-wins with 2 games left at the beginning of the year, that he'd "take it". This stated to me that the team was content with the season, and had lost some of the "edge" they need.
    
  • Dame said before Game 1, that "nobody takes harder 3pt shots than him" in the NBA - like it's a badge of honor. If you're taking hard shots... find a way to take easier shots.
• Every shot is a "good" shot-> The notion that every shot is a good shot if you're open is fallible. I'm willing to somewhat overlook this, because you want everyone to feel good and have confidence in shooting. But this mentality leads to some terrible shot selection and extremely difficult shots by Dame & CJ.

There's a few more things, but I'm out of time & have to run.

 

[illmatic99]

I know the OP posed the question based on Game 1, but it did nothing to change my mind.


Exactly.

I like Stott's the person. Coach Stotts is good, but not great.

I don't want to draw too many comparisons to GSW, but this reminds me a lot of the Jackson/Kerr transition. Jackson was good, Kerr is great.

My biggest frustrations with Stotts are the following:

• Fast breaks-> How is it that this team can NOT run an effective fast break? It feels like we turn it over, miss a pass, or otherwise screw up a fast break at least 50% of the time.
  
• Mentality-> Stotts sets the tone for the team. He has a standard that some things are "good enough". A couple of recent comments from CJ & Dame underscore the issue.
  • CJ said a few games before the end of the season (during the loosing streak) that if someone told them that they would be sitting at 48-wins with 2 games left at the beginning of the year, that he'd "take it". This stated to me that the team was content with the season, and had lost some of the "edge" they need.
    
  • Dame said before Game 1, that "nobody takes harder 3pt shots than him" in the NBA - like it's a badge of honor. If you're taking hard shots... find a way to take easier shots.
• Every shot is a "good" shot-> The notion that every shot is a good shot if you're open is fallible. I'm willing to somewhat overlook this, because you want everyone to feel good and have confidence in shooting. But this mentality leads to some terrible shot selection and extremely difficult shots by Dame & CJ.

There's a few more things, but I'm out of time & have to run.

Well said.

This team could use some discipline. Not necessarily a guy to micromanage the hell out of every play, but someone who can refine and improve upon what Terry has created. It's not some negative indictment of Stotts, but Dame and CJ are at a stage in their careers where their development will come from incremental changes to their efficiency. And having Terry not give a damn when they go into one on five mode will not help.

I don't know who that guy is. But that's who we need to find.

What is Terry's contract situation like?