Takeaways From Portland’s 2015 Las Vegas Summer League

[ripcityboy]

Flip This Blazer should be the goal in the future.


Keep the prisoner until they are worth more and then punt them somewhere else. Guerilla warfare.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

So would you be more happy if you expect them to win 10 games to start every year?

Every year? Really?

 

[Orion Bailey]

It's not BS. I'm having a hard time seeing where the scoring is going to come from. Teams are going to double team the shit out of Lillard. But here's the deal, if I believe the Blazers are going to struggle to win 20 games and then end up winning 25 games, I'm a happy fan. They exceeded my expectations. If you believe that they'll win 30 games and they only win 25 games you'll be disappointed. If they do win 30 games I'll still be a happier fan than you because they barely met your expectations while blasting past mine.

I'm setting myself up to be a happy fan while you're a 50/50 shot at being bitterly disappointed.

Hey Sly,

You don't think with the "In the paint" acquisitions, that Dame wont be able to lob/pass to the bigs for layups and dunks? IF Dame is double teamed, I expect him to average 8.5-11 assists per game because their must be an open man somewhere and usually that rotation of the double team once the ball is passed leaves the guy in the middle open. I dont see the double teams near as big of a problem as it would be last year, because we have more guys who can move around the court off the ball instead of plant their ass 18 ft from the basket and give weak screens.
If Plumlee and Davis do what they are here for, they will make teams pay for doubling Dame.

 

[Schilly]

Olshey and Stotts are handing the keys of
the Porsche to Lillard, much the same way Curry was entrusted when Ellis left. Thus is Dames true opportunity to step up and be the man.

I put the over under at 29.5.

Extra button should say "_ Fucks Given" so if it's not liked "0 Fucks Given"

We are getting way too excited about summer league players. I'm not talking about the Vonleh s of the world I'm talking about the undersize pgs and sgs so put up good numbers but have yet to stick with a team for a season. It's fun to dream big, but there aren't many guys who follow that pattern who are enough of an impact to make a difference. Think Anthony Goldwire or Omar Cook.

 

[BrianFromWA]

wow...deep pull, Schilly. Dude could shoot, though.

 

[Schilly]

Goldwire 10 years in the league 9 teams, only 266 games played, 72 total starts, made a career being the 3rd string PG.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Hey Sly,

You don't think with the "In the paint" acquisitions, that Dame wont be able to lob/pass to the bigs for layups and dunks? IF Dame is double teamed, I expect him to average 8.5-11 assists per game because their must be an open man somewhere and usually that rotation of the double team once the ball is passed leaves the guy in the middle open. I dont see the double teams near as big of a problem as it would be last year, because we have more guys who can move around the court off the ball instead of plant their ass 18 ft from the basket and give weak screens.
If Plumlee and Davis do what they are here for, they will make teams pay for doubling Dame.

Yes, I can see that happening. I believe that Stotts is a much better coach than what people give him credit for. He's not a 3pt shooting coach, he's a coach that puts players in the best position to take advantage of their strengths. It's just not going to be a flip the switch type of thing. There is going to be a steep learning curve this season.

 

[Schilly]

I think that's a point none of us have considered. We have seen Stotts coach based on what we had. It's premature to assume he can't coach a different way with different tool. Good coaches can adjust to the players they have. Of course some coaches are so systematic that it requires the right players for the system (see Phil Jackson).

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I think that's a point none of us have considered. We have seen Stotts coach based on what we had. It's premature to assume he can't coach a different way with different tool. Good coaches can adjust to the players they have. Of course some coaches are so systematic that it requires the right players for the system (see Phil Jackson).

I firmly believe that Stotts will adjust his offense to the strengths of his players. He's not going to try and turn them into 3 pt shooters. That was just a strength that some of our previous players had. He's completely opposite of Nate Pound the Square Peg into the Round Hole McMillan.

 

[Schilly]

All we saw with Nate, that I recall, was some form of isolation basketball. 1st with Roy, then with Lamarcus.

 

[Draco]

Olshey and Stotts are handing the keys of
the Porsche to Lillard, much the same way Curry was entrusted when Ellis left. Thus is Dames true opportunity to step up and be the man.

I put the over under at 29.5.

Extra button should say "_ Fucks Given" so if it's not liked "0 Fucks Given"

We are getting way too excited about summer league players. I'm not talking about the Vonleh s of the world I'm talking about the undersize pgs and sgs so put up good numbers but have yet to stick with a team for a season. It's fun to dream big, but there aren't many guys who follow that pattern who are enough of an impact to make a difference. Think Anthony Goldwire or Omar Cook.

Yeah I expect 30 wins as well. We have proven NBA contributors to pair with Lillard so this won't be an epically bad team. But there will be a learning curve and mistakes and unfamiliarity. The west is such a blood bath I don't see us winning games from GS, SAS, OKC, HOU, LAC, MEM. Outside of the terrible DEN, LAL, MIN the other west teams have good groups of talent. I guess I'd rank us 12th in the conference. If we have an injury or some unlucky breaks I could see us barely getting 20 wins.

On the positive side if a couple of our players become legit NBA starters and some more solid roll players 40 wins might be possible. It's less likely than not but still a very real possibility. To do that we'll need to beat up on the East and play well at home when opponents are jet lagged.

 

[magnifier661]

All we saw with Nate, that I recall, was some form of isolation basketball. 1st with Roy, then with Lamarcus.

You forgot when he thought crawchuck was Roy ISO ready as well

 

[Orion Bailey]

Olshey and Stotts are handing the keys of
the Porsche to Lillard, much the same way Curry was entrusted when Ellis left. Thus is Dames true opportunity to step up and be the man.

I put the over under at 29.5.

Extra button should say "_ Fucks Given" so if it's not liked "0 Fucks Given"

We are getting way too excited about summer league players. I'm not talking about the Vonleh s of the world I'm talking about the undersize pgs and sgs so put up good numbers but have yet to stick with a team for a season. It's fun to dream big, but there aren't many guys who follow that pattern who are enough of an impact to make a difference. Think Anthony Goldwire or Omar Cook.

I must admit, this is the first year Ive really followed summer league and its obvious it is a step down in play caliber.
With that said, I would think the guys have the ability to mature and that alone might make this next season provide more opportunities for that growth to show. Is summer league usually packed full of fools gold young hopefulls, and all the talk about the potential is crazy talk, or do we actually have a few potentials compared to most other summer league rosters? I know that sounds a bit naive, but I know hardly anything about any other teams rosters, other than the ones we played.

 

[lawai'a]

I must admit, this is the first year Ive really followed summer league and its obvious it is a step down in play caliber.
With that said, I would think the guys have the ability to mature and that alone might make this next season provide more opportunities for that growth to show. Is summer league usually packed full of fools gold young hopefulls, and all the talk about the potential is crazy talk, or do we actually have a few potentials compared to most other summer league rosters? I know that sounds a bit naive, but I know hardly anything about any other teams rosters, other than the ones we played.

the talk of a bigs performance in summer league being a truer guage of potential (Noah Vonleh) over guard play(Jerrad Bayless) should probably be tempered by Anthony Randolph's near all worldly rookie summer league after being drafted by the warriors. His career arc has more mirrored bayless'. course he couldn't shoot like noah though.

 

[Draco]

I must admit, this is the first year Ive really followed summer league and its obvious it is a step down in play caliber.
With that said, I would think the guys have the ability to mature and that alone might make this next season provide more opportunities for that growth to show. Is summer league usually packed full of fools gold young hopefulls, and all the talk about the potential is crazy talk, or do we actually have a few potentials compared to most other summer league rosters? I know that sounds a bit naive, but I know hardly anything about any other teams rosters, other than the ones we played.

If a player looks very bad in summer league it can be a real red flag. But playing well doesn't indicate as much.

Think of it more as college games. They mean something but there's hundreds of great college players every year that never amount to anything at the next level. A bad college player isn't going to be good in the NBA.

 

[BonesJones]

I expect something like 33 wins, which is no man's land. I'm hoping for a playoff push or a bottom 5 record

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Often, people will speak of transferrable skills. rebounding and shooting are good examples of these. Vonleh showed both of these and that bodes well.

 

[tlongII]

Just want to get this bet memorialized. Mags has got over 30 wins. I have under 30 wins. If they finish with 30 wins exactly it's a push.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Just want to get this bet memorialized. Mags has got over 30 wins. I have under 30 wins. If they finish with 30 wins exactly it's a push.

Weak. Put a hook on it; either 29.5 or 30.5. Don't allow for possibility of a push.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Weak. Put a hook on it; either 29.5 or 30.5. Don't allow for possibility of a push.

Yeah, Plus, didn't he say it was for 28 wins and now you have bumped up to 30 full on homer style? (Join the club. We know your one of us, just in hiding)

 

[tlongII]

It's my bet. Don't care if you think it's weak or not.