Stotts Speaks

[HailBlazers]

Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts was a guest on the August 18 edition of SiriusXM NBA Radio’s “Off The Dribble”

Do the changes to the roster change your style of play, especially without a go-to player like LaMarcus Aldridge to give the ball to? Is it more uptempo?

“I’d like to be a little more uptempo because we do have some guys who can get out and run. Our bigs can run, we’re probably a more athletic team, top to bottom, than we have been in the past and certainly getting out in transition, getting easy baskets is going to be important. The offensive end is going to be fluid, it’s going to be a work in progress because we’ve been one of the leaders in shooting threes over the last few years, obviously having LaMarcus on the block to throw it to. We don’t have the number of three-point shooters, that’s going to be something that I want to improve on. I don’t want to just concede the fact that we’re not going to shoot as many threes.

“We’re looking at what players can do. I want to put some of these players in positions that maybe they haven’t been in before. Like Al-Farouq Aminu, putting him in ball screens and letting him be somewhat of a facilitator in the way we used Nic Batum in the last few years. Not having a low post presence will open up the floor a little bit more. Having Meyers Leonard on the court as a 7-footer who can make threes but still defend and have a presence at the defensive end. We’ve got a lot of players and I think one of the things I’m really looking forward to is seeing how things come together, how things evolve, see what some of the players can do that they haven’t really been put in position to do in the past. I can’t tell you right now in August how the offense is going to look, but I think we’ve got enough players that have skills that we have to take advantage of.”

 

[Nikolokolus]

In other words, "Holy hell! How am I going to manufacture points with this bunch?"

 

[handiman]

In other words, "Holy hell! How am I going to manufacture points with this bunch?"

Well, we held onto the only two guys who could score against Memphis.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Well, we held onto the only two guys who could score against Memphis.

Who were both allowed to run free while they utterly shut down Lillard and Aldridge.

 

[HailBlazers]

Who were both allowed to run free while they utterly shut down Lillard and Aldridge.

Looking back at the stats, man Aldridge was disappointing (Obviously Lillard had been for months). Worst ever playoffs PER, and FG%.

 

[Mediocre Man]

In other words, "Holy hell! How am I going to manufacture points with this bunch?"

He should visit this forum. There are some here that will try to convince him we will be just like the elite teams.

 

[blue9]

We don’t have the number of three-point shooters, that’s going to be something that I want to improve on. I don’t want to just concede the fact that we’re not going to shoot as many threes.

Le sigh. I don't think he has a clue. I mean, I thought that was clear when he first was hired and said he was going to use LMA like Dirk was used in DAL. But this is just another piece to add to the list.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Hahahahaa nice but brief. Good luck with thaat warm reception for LA

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Hahahahaa nice but brief. Good luck with thaat warm reception for LA

my only question is if lillard dunks on him how many gallons of tears will be mopped off the floor and will the roof actually come off of the moda

 

[Sedatedfork]

Instead of Booing LA, we should just "hisssss"

 

[THE HCP]

I think the fans will cheer him......... best approach would be crickets. Absolute silence while the sound of crickets is pumped thru the PA system.

 

[handiman]

Who were both allowed to run free while they utterly shut down Lillard and Aldridge.

That's the easy way out. How come no one else on the court could do anything when also allowed to run free? Why were Myers and CJ still able to run free even when Memphis tried slowing them down?

I've been a huge fan of Lillard since before the draft, but his regression last year with handling trapping double teams has me very nervous about building around him as the only established offensive threat. CJ made it clear in the playoffs how much tougher it is to defend a PG who probes and attacks, rather than back away from the D.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's the easy way out. How come no one else on the court could do anything when also allowed to run free? Why were Myers and CJ still able to run free even when Memphis tried slowing them down?

I've been a huge fan of Lillard since before the draft, but his regression last year with handling trapping double teams has me very nervous about building around him as the only established offensive threat. CJ made it clear in the playoffs how much tougher it is to defend a PG who probes and attacks, rather than back away from the D.

What do you mean the "easy way out?" Memphis pretty clearly adopted a strategy of shutting down our two best players and conceded that certain other guys might get free. Good for CJ and Meyers that they could take advantage of all that extra attention Lillard and LA got, but saying that Memphis tried to slow them down doesn't really hold up when you look at the outcome - Memphis clearly chose and executed a strategy that won them the series: Take away our two best offensive weapons and take away the three and live with whatever else happened.

Ultimately, if Meyer's' and CJ's contributions had been so meaningful then why didn't they narrow the gap and make the team more competitive in that series than they were?

 

[tlongII]

I think the fans will cheer him......... best approach would be crickets. Absolute silence while the sound of crickets is pumped thru the PA system.

No way. He will be booed mercilessly.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I still think complete silence, like you don't matter 1 fuck to us, is the way to go.

 

[handiman]

What do you mean the "easy way out?" Memphis pretty clearly adopted a strategy of shutting down our two best players and conceded that certain other guys might get free. Good for CJ and Meyers that they could take advantage of all that extra attention Lillard and LA got, but saying that Memphis tried to slow them down doesn't really hold up when you look at the outcome - Memphis clearly chose and executed a strategy that won them the series: Take away our two best offensive weapons and take away the three and live with whatever else happened.

Memphis tried pretty hard to slow down CJ and Meyers but had no answers until CJ fatigued toward the end. Not a surprise, given how little PT he's gotten so far in his career.

Memphis didn't just focus on shutting down LMA and Lillard. They swarmed everyone on the court. Do you really think they prepared for everyone but those two? CJ figured out that he could attack their defenders and keep them on their heels. Everyone else allowed themselves to be pushed further out on the perimeter. I do concede that Meyer's productivity may have coincidence due purely to lights out shooting and that being what the defense was giving him, but I believe deep down that he was progressing toward that level all season long and his overall game was stellar in the playoffs, not just his shooting.

Ultimately, if Meyer's' and CJ's contributions had been so meaningful then why didn't they narrow the gap and make the team more competitive in that series than they were?

We must have been watching a different series. Pretty much everyone had thrown in the towel and assumed we were getting swept until those two got an opportunity to make it competitive. Even so, Stotts kept pulling them in favor of ineffective starters until it was too late.

 

[blue9]

Even so, Stotts kept pulling them in favor of ineffective starters until it was too late.

Stotts really let his inability to make adjustments shine through during that series.

 

[BBert]

I still think complete silence, like you don't matter 1 fuck to us, is the way to go.

My position exactly.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I still think complete silence, like you don't matter 1 fuck to us, is the way to go.

I think we can one up the complete silence. Complete silence while everyone in the Moda Center starts texting on their cell phone. Even if faking it. Everyone completely preoccupied as if its an intermission or something.