Start Meyers against the Rockets

[H.C.]

Some seem to think that all NBA players will take nearly all shot opportunities, but that is not true. There is a balance being made between shooting and ball movement to enhance the quality of the shot. Effective team offense improves when this balance is optimized. Many big players seem to limit their FGA per game.

It appears that Meyers is limiting his number of FGA to 8, as he did in the Pacers game, and as I remember him saying once in an interview last year. Meyers is a humble team-oriented player who has consistently said that he is focused on improving and is working on team chemistry through increasing trust. He follows instructions and works hard. In my view, he is making significant progress.

Instead of just assuming that he will take more shots, Blazer coaches should increase his assigned number to 10 (or more when he is hot) FGA. This green light for more shooting can open his chances for 6 swish3s per game, and improve the free flow of the offense. Adding the lob dunk assisted by CJ (or Dame or others) adds exciting punctuation. Meyers can contribute more than 20 points per game. The Blazers are fun to watch when he is adding 1 point per minute! It is important to team chemistry to reward the humble work ethic. Surely his performance against the Pacers should bring him more FGA and increased minutes.

Yeah I'd ignore and talk around the question to if I were you too.

Nards has improved and nobody says he hasn't. Even when he fell out of the rotation due to his on the court play.
But you're starting to remind me of a lady on the previous forums.
She was all over this french player the Blazers had.
We all know how that turned out.

 

[swish3]

Wouldn't Blazer fans like to see Meyers averaging 18+ points per game?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Wouldn't Blazer fans like to see Meyers averaging 18+ points per game?

Not if he's allowing 25, or turning the ball over 7 times in the process. I assume that if the coaching staff believed he could do so within the flow of the offense without harming the team in other ways, he'd have that opportunity. I trust their evaluation of him significantly more than yours.

 

[BonesJones]

Some seem to think that all NBA players will take nearly all shot opportunities, but that is not true. There is a balance being made between shooting and ball movement to enhance the quality of the shot. Effective team offense improves when this balance is optimized. Many big players seem to limit their FGA per game.

It appears that Meyers is limiting his number of FGA to 8, as he did in the Pacers game, and as I remember him saying once in an interview last year. Meyers is a humble team-oriented player who has consistently said that he is focused on improving and is working on team chemistry through increasing trust. He follows instructions and works hard. In my view, he is making significant progress.

Instead of just assuming that he will take more shots, Blazer coaches should increase his assigned number to 10 (or more when he is hot) FGA. This green light for more shooting can open his chances for 6 swish3s per game, and improve the free flow of the offense. Adding the lob dunk assisted by CJ (or Dame or others) adds exciting punctuation. Meyers can contribute more than 20 points per game. The Blazers are fun to watch when he is adding 1 point per minute! It is important to team chemistry to reward the humble work ethic. Surely his performance against the Pacers should bring him more FGA and increased minutes.

They aren't assigned a certain number of shots per game, they just play basketball... They tell Meyers to shoot man. Everything you say they need to do they do, and there's still times where Meyers will pass up some shots and not be in the right place offensively.

 

[Strenuus]

They aren't assigned a certain number of shots per game, they just play basketball... They tell Meyers to shoot man. Everything you say they need to do they do, and there's still times where Meyers will pass up some shots and not be in the right place offensively.

It's really mind-boggling how he doesn't get that...

 

[BonesJones]

It's really mind-boggling how he doesn't get that...

Maybe he is Meyers

 

[Draco]

I have a couple of new angles to contribute to this debate.

We lost to the Rockets because they adjusted and found a way to defend/disrupt Dame’s & CJ’s game, especially their 3 pt shooting. Between them they only made 5 of 17 three pt shots, well below their average. What we needed in that game was another good 3 pt shooter to help spread the floor to take some of the pressure off of Dame & CJ.

The next best 3 pt shooter on the team is Leonard. Maybe that is why Leonard played twice as many minutes in the two games we just won, than he played in the Rockets game. Forcing the Bulls & Pacers to defend a third 3 pt scoring threat.

Now that the other teams have seen how to defend our dynamic duo, playing Leonard more makes sense against the better wing defending teams.

We keep talking about player development. But what is seldom, if ever mentioned is coach development. Coaches develop too.

Maybe coach Stotts has found an answer to a new problem. There will be times Leonard is the best answer against good wing defending teams.

Good post. Yeah Meyers has value; if the offense is bogged down or it's a slower game. Many games offense isn't a problem but it certainly was against Houston in the second half.

Meyers is not the third best shooter; Crabbe is a superior shooter. But Meyers is much better than Harkless which I think was more your point.

In general I prefer Harkless on the court. Meyers has a useful role though; same as Matt Bonner.

 

[Draco]

They aren't assigned a certain number of shots per game, they just play basketball... They tell Meyers to shoot man. Everything you say they need to do they do, and there's still times where Meyers will pass up some shots and not be in the right place offensively.

Coaches never had to harp on Dame, CJ, Hendo, Crabbe, Kaman, Wes, Rolo, LMA to shoot open shots. Those players just made the correct decision from day 1.

Meyers has some Batum confidence issues where he won't be assertive. That's on him not the staff. It's very odd to see at the NBA level.

 

[BonesJones]

Coaches never had to harp on Dame, CJ, Hendo, Crabbe, Kaman, Wes, Rolo, LMA to shoot open shots. Those players just made the correct decision from day 1.

Meyers has some Batum confidence issues where he won't be assertive. That's on him not the staff. It's very odd to see at the NBA level.

Granted, he's only had 2 years to develop his mindset as a shooter. He never shot 3s in college or probably even high school. That could be part of it

 

[swish3]

To develop the mindset that results in free-flowing 80% shooting, the planned encouragement can help. This is a transition for a young and developing player who is showing a lot of talent, both offensively and defensively.

What we saw in the Pacers game was excellent scoring that could be even more strongly developed with more shots and more minutes. Meyers net effectiveness balance is far more favorable than 17 points with failed defense (allowing 25 points and 7 turnovers). What we saw instead is allowing 6 points and no turnovers, together with some excellent boxing out under the rim. Meyers must be credited furthermore with holding Cousins to 2 of 12 shooting. The 8 other Blazers that Draco named took a lot of shots, but some of them were poor choices, rather than being correct. Meyers seems pretty conservative. Both offensively and defensively, I see a lot of reason to give him the minutes and the mindset to shoot at least 10 FGA per game.

That Meyers does not have the mindset that Strennus sees as an obvious given for the majority of players does seem apparent. If we agree that Meyers humble, work ethic approach might benefit from strong, earned encouragement by the mandate to shoot 10+ FGA per game, this may be the time to try it and find out.

 

[riverman]

Shoutout to swish3....it was very brave of you to bring your enthusiasm for Meyers to a forum where he's been a punching bag for awhile...he's polarizing to say the least but my answer to how he's used is....Stotts knows how to use him effectively and has given him ample opportunity to be a core starter. Meyers though, unlike CJ....hasn't been able to sustain his level of confidence over multiple games. Right now he's playing well...if he continues to, he'll get more minutes and more shots. Stotts has said many times when it comes to Meyers, it's not talent or IQ...it's maturity. Trust in Stotts!

 

[swish3]

OK. Thanks Riverman!

It is the mindset developing that is valuable in this case. Coach Stotts is using him effectively and getting some great performance out of him at both ends of the court, I agree. It does seem that the quota of shots that CJ and Meyers have in mind does influence how many shots they take. The Blazers look better when ball movement and sharp passes open good shot opportunities, as contrasted with CJ taking one early (more than 10 sec remaining) in the shot clock. Now is a great time to further develop Meyers maturity.

 

[swish3]

That was an impressive game for Meyers with the double double and some excellent defense, including the nice pack of rebounds. His impressive 60% of swish3s would have been 80% if that obvious foul would have been called. It sure will be helpful when the fouls of Meyers are called correctly.

If we can get Meyers to take the 10+ FGA, his development can keep moving ahead. With hitting his opening 3 swish3s, the Blazers could well look to Meyers to increase his number of shots. There were still only 30 3 pt attempts when 32 has been a good number for wins. For this enjoyable Knicks win at MSG, it has to be encouraging (and maturing) for Meyers to have the 24+ minutes that he has earned.

The Blazers were 90% for FT tonight! Isn't that sweet?

 

[Strenuus]

That was an impressive game for Meyers with the double double and some excellent defense, including the nice pack of rebounds. His impressive 60% of swish3s would have been 80% if that obvious foul would have been called. It sure will be helpful when the fouls of Meyers are called correctly.

If we can get Meyers to take the 10+ FGA, his development can keep moving ahead. With hitting his opening 3 swish3s, the Blazers could well look to Meyers to increase his number of shots. There were still only 30 3 pt attempts when 32 has been a good number for wins. For this enjoyable Knicks win at MSG, it has to be encouraging (and maturing) for Meyers to have the 24+ minutes that he has earned.

The Blazers were 90% for FT tonight! Isn't that sweet?

teehee... siwsh3s.

That wasn't a foul... looked like he got all ball.

I'm fine with Meyers taking 6 shots a game. 10 is too much IMO.