Stat of the Night

[THE HCP]

Dame takes some ill advised shots, but he gets his teammates involved. CJ is a complete black hole... he makes up his mind he is going to take shot before seeing what the defense offers. When you have two players tho that prioritize getting their shots, your offense has no chance. It doesn’t matter who we bring in as role players or how talented they are... if they don’t get consistent touches in the offense they are set up for failure. Stop making excuses for McLillard... the stars are responsible for a teams success or failure... not the fringe players.

But why does this surprise you? CJ has always played like that. I have no problem with that. He can take a game over. What I have a problem with is the other cats not holding their own when needed to. CJ and Dame are the only reason we are 13-11 and NOT 3-21.

 

[THE HCP]

Yes, but it's the design of the offense. Plays aren't run for anyone else and because of that, when other players do get the ball, they don't have the confidence or the rhythm to take or create a shot. Then when they are wide open, often times they don't get the ball for the easy bucket.....and an assist for Dame or CJ.

But who the hell on this roster do you want shooting? I got blasted on the daily last season for claiming we only had 2 quality starters and a bunch of role playing bench guys on our club.

 

[blue9]

But who the hell on this roster do you want shooting? I got blasted on the daily last season for claiming we only had 2 quality starters and a bunch of role playing bench guys on our club.

I want Harkless, Pat, Aminu, Noah, and Ed cutting to the hoop off screens and back-doors! I even want Noah shooting open 10-15-footers when the defense collapses on Nurk/Dame/CJ as they drive to the basket! Our player/ball movement is abysmal.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Not only are we dead last, we're projected to have the lowest season assist total of any team in the last 10 years. The reason is obvious: the play options run from the best player to the worst player in order, without fail. The longer a play runs, the more passes that occur, the worse our offense becomes.

An example: Dame starts a play, is doubled off the pick, so he passes it to CJ; CJ's instantly doubled off of Aminu, so CJ passes it to Aminu. Aminu gets doubled off of Harkless, so he passes to Harkless. Now you have Harkless taking a three (or not because he's above 35% and about to earn $500,000) or he passes the ball at the last second to Nurkic, who isn't really in position.

Everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but there's no useful PLACEMENT or SPACING in the motion. Nobody is forcing the defense to do their bidding; it's actually the opposite: the defense is ordering us around.

The opposing defense leads the offensive action like sheepdogs herding sheep. They double off of increasingly worse offensive options, and our read offense obeys without fail, passing the ball to worse and worse players until you have your 5th option tossing a three.

THEN in the 3rd and 4th quarters, Dame sees we're down 15 and decides that the offensive sets suck so he's going to stop passing the ball to players who can't shoot, and just shoot himself. Forum members scream about hero ball, but seriously, what is he supposed to do?

 

[TBpup]

But why does this surprise you? CJ has always played like that. I have no problem with that. He can take a game over. What I have a problem with is the other cats not holding their own when needed to. CJ and Dame are the only reason we are 13-11 and NOT 3-21.

Tough for the cats to do much when they rarely see the ball in a position or situation that fits their strengths. Aminu, Harkless, Vonleh etc all finish very well on the break. Tough to blame them when Dame/CJ won't run. They aren't great outside shooters but there are other ways to get good shots and score. Being DEAD LAST in assists and fast break points tells me other teams are finding ways. If Dame/CJ/Nurk are so good, and draw so much attention, that means there are opportunities elsewhere period.

I've broken down the TYPES of shots players are getting and how often they get missed in places of strength ad nauseam. Kersey couldn't shoot, neither could Buck, Drexler's shot was broken and Duck was only good for an occasional mid-range jumper....and that starting group did just fine.

 

[Blazinaway]

The Blazers' 3rd, 4th, & 5th highest paid players combined for 8 points, 1 rebound, and 3 assists in 33 minutes. They're owed a collective $105 million over the next 3 seasons.

This is

LOL, I read that and get depressed and start to puke

 

[BBert]

Not only are we dead last, we're projected to have the lowest season assist total of any team in the last 10 years. The reason is obvious: the play options run from the best player to the worst player in order, without fail. The longer a play runs, the more passes that occur, the worse our offense becomes.

An example: Dame starts a play, is doubled off the pick, so he passes it to CJ; CJ's instantly doubled off of Aminu, so CJ passes it to Aminu. Aminu gets doubled off of Harkless, so he passes to Harkless. Now you have Harkless taking a three (or not because he's above 35% and about to earn $500,000) or he passes the ball at the last second to Nurkic, who isn't really in position.

Everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but there's no useful PLACEMENT or SPACING in the motion. Nobody is forcing the defense to do their bidding; it's actually the opposite: the defense is ordering us around.

The opposing defense leads the offensive action like sheepdogs herding sheep. They double off of increasingly worse offensive options, and our read offense obeys without fail, passing the ball to worse and worse players until you have your 5th option tossing a three.

THEN in the 3rd and 4th quarters, Dame sees we're down 15 and decides that the offensive sets suck so he's going to stop passing the ball to players who can't shoot, and just shoot himself. Forum members scream about hero ball, but seriously, what is he supposed to do?

 

[rotary111]

It's at the point where while passing it to each other around the 3 point line, whoever has the ball other than Dame or CJ doesn't even look inside to make a pass or to drive through the key even if they are WIDE open because the offense is made to get the ball BACK to Dame or CJ. That's not a knock on our guards it's the majority of our offense. We need change one way or another.

 

[Five Second Violation]

I wish you'd stop combining Dame/CJ. Dame actually finds his teammates. Whether it's underneath, or on a kickout, or post entries, etc. And his P&R timing is perfection-- it's not his fault Nurk can't finish at the hoop with his weak ass one legged floaters (that's on HIM, not Dame). He has times when he feels compelled to take over and his shot selection reverts to shit, but for the most part, he's always aware of where everybody is and does his best to find them. He had like 8 assists last night when everyone was so cold-- that's no easy task.

CJ, on the other hand, is a freaking ballhog. It looks good when he's got it going, but when he's 2/12 and takes 15 dribbles to take a fadeaway over 2 guys from 20 feet, all you can do is shake your head. He has a one track mind, and constantly misses cutters/open teammates. And he is absolutely terrible at finishing around the rim. Dude needs to learn how to draw contact and get to the line, because he's not effective at all when his shot is cold.

Yeah, they're on a different level right now.

I hate to say it, because his last two seasons gave me so much hope, but CJ is looking more like a slightly rich man's version of Jamal Crawford right now. It's hard to watch and probably harder still to share the court with.

 

[riverman]

I got blasted on the daily last season for claiming we only had 2 quality starters

that would explain you sleeping in the hallway of the hotel on the road....getting blasted by the players must be a bitch!

 

[Chris Craig]

Portland is dead last in the league in assists (per Jay Allen on the 5th Quarter show).

Pass the fucking ball CJ

 

[Orion Bailey]

Very true, but a good PG can do things to get his players better looks and be set up in better position for something that takes advantage of their strengths. How many times have I seen Dame on the PnR get the ball to Nurkic too early where he has to put the ball on the floor instead of being able to just go up strong?

How many times have I seen Dame/CJ completely miss a wide-open player right at the rim that would help get them going and get some rhythm to make other shots? All of these players can play. They may not be great ISO players but few are. They may not be great shooters but there aren't really that many of those either.

Harkless, Aminu, Vonleh all have length and good to great hops yet even with all the attention paid to Dame/CJ, how often do I see them getting passes at the rim? The other team's big is often out hedging against Dame with Nurk in a PnR so it's not like there is some giant just planted under the rim. Yet game after game I see missed opportunities right at the rim where players don't even get a chance.

And don't start with Dame/CJ and how little they run to get fast breaks/easy baskets that would also help players with less ISO ability get in a flow and rhythm.

The roster certainly has holes but so does just about every roster in the league. I just don't think they are taking advantage of many of the opportunities they do have to take advantage of the strengths some of their players do have.

You have some legit points but that first highlighted is not fair.

Is Nurk setting the screen too high? Is Stotts telling him to set it that high? A point guard doesnt set the screen....

 

[TBpup]

You have some legit points but that first highlighted is not fair.

Is Nurk setting the screen too high? Is Stotts telling him to set it that high? A point guard doesnt set the screen....

Where the screen is set has little to do with when Dame gets him the ball. Chris Paul is a master of drawing the defense and waiting until his man only has to catch and elevate. In fact, Paul will actually hesitate or even back up a bit just to make sure he has the bigger defender engaged while allowing his teammate to get closer to the basket. There is a bit of an art to it but if he gives the ball (formerly) to Deandre Jordan at the foul line or above, that's not overly helpful.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Where the screen is set has little to do with when Dame gets him the ball. Chris Paul is a master of drawing the defense and waiting until his man only has to catch and elevate. In fact, Paul will actually hesitate or even back up a bit just to make sure he has the bigger defender engaged while allowing his teammate to get closer to the basket. There is a bit of an art to it but if he gives the ball (formerly) to Deandre Jordan at the foul line or above, that's not overly helpful.

Perhaps the coaching staff should know to point this out, or design plays that are slightly different to help with this. I'd like you to tell me with a straight face that Dame, who has received most of his formative picks from LaMarcus "and I'll just pop and shoot from out here" Aldridge, is at fault for not magically knowing when Jusuf Nurkic is at the perfect spot in his roll. At the very least we're still in the "give it time" section of that story.

 

[TBpup]

Nothing magical about it.

 

[illmatic99]

Where the screen is set has little to do with when Dame gets him the ball. Chris Paul is a master of drawing the defense and waiting until his man only has to catch and elevate. In fact, Paul will actually hesitate or even back up a bit just to make sure he has the bigger defender engaged while allowing his teammate to get closer to the basket. There is a bit of an art to it but if he gives the ball (formerly) to Deandre Jordan at the foul line or above, that's not overly helpful.

Dame is not a threat to shoot that midrange shot. He can make it, but hardly takes it. CP is usually among the leaders in attempts and makes from that range. Defenses play Dame a bit differently than they do CP.

 

[riverman]

Dame definitely has more zip on his passes..especially the bounce pass on the pick and roll with Nurk....they keep it up and the chemistry will come...we've improved the defense and last game passing was much improved....just need to put together a string of top shelf two way games now

 

[dviss1]

An example: Dame starts a play, is doubled off the pick, so he passes it to CJ; CJ's instantly doubled off of Aminu, so CJ passes it to Aminu. Aminu gets doubled off of Harkless, so he passes to Harkless. Now you have Harkless taking a three (or not because he's above 35% and about to earn $500,000) or he passes the ball at the last second to Nurkic, who isn't really in position.

This is a load of crap.

Aminu hasn't been doubled all season and neither has CJ AFTER Dame has been doubled. This many double teams simply doesn't happen on 1 defensive possession so you've ruined the credibility of your whole post.