Stacking up with the rest of the Western Conference

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
I'm just hoping Festus' knees last until Meyers gets back.
 
Minstrel said:
The Clippers' bench has been trash for years. I think the Clippers, when healthy, were significantly better than the Blazers but, obviously, they were missing Griffin for a big chunk of the regular season and then lost Paul and Griffin in the series against the Blazers.

I think the Blazers have narrowed the gap slightly, but I see the Blazers as a 50-win team and the Clippers as a 55-56 win team. A major injury to any of their main players could certainly give the Blazers a chance to overtake them.
Click to expand...
We played at a 50 win level after the guys got used to playing with each other. How do we not improve from that?

Clippers got worse. They're a 51-54 win team. I think we're a 53-57 win team.
 
BonesJones said:
We played at a 50 win level after the guys got used to playing with each other. How do we not improve from that?

Clippers got worse. They're a 51-54 win team. I think we're a 53-57 win team.
Click to expand...

I think the Blazers, Clippers, Grizz and Thunder fight it out for spots 3-6.
 
TBpup said:
That is one of the few things (along with perimeter back-court defense) that keeps this team from being a contender. There is no one to create a mismatch anywhere inside of 20'. Just occasionally to have that option when outside shots aren't falling or when the refs are 'letting 'em play' would take a lot pressure off of the perimeter players.
Click to expand...
Having shooters at the 4 and 5 brings bigs out of the paint giving us an advantage at the rim because we Dame, CJ, and Turner can attack and take advantage of it. We get easier buckets with spacing from Leonard and Aminu in the frontcourt
 
BonesJones said:
Having shooters at the 4 and 5 brings bigs out of the paint giving us an advantage at the rim because we Dame, CJ, and Turner can attack and take advantage of it. We get easier buckets with spacing from Leonard and Aminu in the frontcourt
Click to expand...
Absolutely. .good point. But I'm a little worried stotts is going to try and play Leonard at the 4 again this year with ezeli and plumbs at the 5. It was a disaster last year. Leonard has to play the 5 to have advantage of spacing aND to be able to stay on the floor defensively as he simply cannot guard stretch 4s on the perimiter.
 
Hank The Dwarf said:
Absolutely. .good point. But I'm a little worried stotts is going to try and play Leonard at the 4 again this year with ezeli and plumbs at the 5. It was a disaster last year. Leonard has to play the 5 to have advantage of spacing aND to be able to stay on the floor defensively as he simply cannot guard stretch 4s on the perimiter.
Click to expand...
Yeah that'd be foolish. I have no clue how theyre gonna make it work with Aminu, Davis, Vonleh and maybe Harkless playing the 4 as well. They really need to trade Plumlee.
 
KingAlbertoJrSpeed said:
Y'all are a lot more optimistic. I like it. 50 wins makes sense to me.
Click to expand...

Holy crap. This is literally the most shocking thing I've ever read on the internet and I've seen a lot of shit on the internet.

Guys, when your predictions are leading to Speed suggesting you pump the breaks...I can't even finish that sentence.
 
One of the real nice things about our proposed depth for this season is that they're all on 2nd contracts, assuming Plumlee starts, and if we sign Harkless. Generally, you get a young team with too much depth and it always sounds good to fans, but the reality is, those guys want to get more time, to get that next big check. But if we already have Leonard, Crabbe, Harkless, Ezeli signed, that issue isn't as prevalent as it was when we had Webster, Bayless, Outlaw, Frye, etc. all vying for minutes and eyeing their second contract.
 
Not only is Portland deep, they are versatile and can match up with different types of teams. Oh you got gasol and zbo? Here's Ezeli and Davis for your bitch ass. Then against smaller more modern teams, we got the length and athleticism to match up there as well.
 
Oh is that CHANDLER PARSONS? Here's Jake Layman, he's way hotter.
 
Scalma said:
Not only is Portland deep, they are versatile and can match up with different types of teams. Oh you got gasol and zbo? Here's Ezeli and Davis for your bitch ass. Then against smaller more modern teams, we got the length and athleticism to match up there as well.
Click to expand...
Which is why I'm more hesitant for a consolidation trade. Guys got their money. Now, we use them when we need them. We need a big to body Gasol up, Ezeli and Leonard get minutes. We need quickness, Plumlee and Vonleh seeing more time. Teams go small, we can play Lillard, CJ, Crabbe, Turner, Aminu. Flexibility and matchups over positions is key.
 
RR7 said:
Which is why I'm more hesitant for a consolidation trade. Guys got their money. Now, we use them when we need them. We need a big to body Gasol up, Ezeli and Leonard get minutes. We need quickness, Plumlee and Vonleh seeing more time. Teams go small, we can play Lillard, CJ, Crabbe, Turner, Aminu. Flexibility and matchups over positions is key.
Click to expand...

I just think it will be difficult to keep people happy.
 
Natebishop3 said:
I just think it will be difficult to keep people happy.
Click to expand...
People are definitely going to have to buy into the system. It's going to be on the coaching staff and Dame to keep everyone on board.
 
Natebishop3 said:
I just think it will be difficult to keep people happy.
Click to expand...

Dude, this isn't, like, some children's birthday party wish factory. We're trying to win games here and if people have to get hurt, if a few people need to die potentially, that's called being a professional. Last thing we need is a bunch of Kevin Durants who want to be "happy" rather than sacrifice. Am I right, bro?
 
I am really digging the system Olshey/Stotts are building..... at least it seems with the players they are getting. It reminds me of platooning a bit in baseball. You throw away stats and traditional roles in favor of situational machups. I can see why they need the depth. You have to have a player for every kind of defensive situation to play so many rotations. I'm sure offensively it's a little more cut and dry. I would still like to sign Harkless though.
 
Without even looking at rotation and such, I figure players will need these minutes to continue to improve and be happy:

Dame: 35
CJ: 35
Turner: 30-35
Aminu: 30
Ezeli: 25-30

Crabbe: 25-30
Harkless: 25-30
Davis: 20-25
Plumlee: 15-20
Leonard: 20-25 (when he comes back)

Vonleh SHOULD be getting 15-20 minutes to develop.... but from where?

Dame with 35 minutes at the point.

CJ with 35 minutes at shooting guard.

Turner with 17 minutes at small forward and 13 minutes at point guard. (total 30)

Aminu with 30 minutes at power forward.

Ezeli with 25 minutes at center.

Crabbe with 13 minutes at shooting guard and 17 minutes at small forward (total 30)

Harkless with 12 minutes at small forward and 13 minutes at power forward (total 25)

Davis with 5 minutes at power forward and 15 minutes at center (total 20)

Plumlee with 8 minutes at center.

That's all the minutes. It leaves nothing for Vonleh. Nothing for Leonard. It's gonna be REAL tough to find minutes for guys. Terry is gonna earn every penny of that extension.
 
Remember when this place was a hell for every optimist. Between the "Fire Olshey" and the "Move to Seattle"? Good ol' times.

...

...

It was 6 days ago.

But I am with you on this. 50 wins has to be the floor. We may lack a bit of starpower in comparaison with other temas in the west but we are so deep that makes for it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top