Exclusive The Blazers Offense is Stepping Up Without McCollum & Nurkic

[kjironman1]

That's silly. If Nurk and Kanter score about the same amount of points on similar percentages then one of them being a great passer absolutely 100% makes that person better on offense.

This might not be popular but Kanter is way better at scoring around the rim without question in my mind. Nurk has a lazy flip shot that is problematic at best. Kanter can make a simple layup almost effortlessly. Kanter also has absolutely no problem dunking when he has the chance. Nurk seems to only dunk when Lillard tells him to?

 

[BigGameDamian]

LMA has a decent outside shot and I think he has moved in because of POP and the need for paint ball.

LMA is far less injury prone than Blake.

If Aldridge really wants to come back and be a Blazers I have no problem with him coming back.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Probably don't have enough picks to include to make this viable, but I like to dream occasionally.


View attachment 25442

Not enough picks and two other GM's who don't want to be fired... So hit it while NO hasn't got a new GM yet?

 

[B-Roy]

Kanter is a better offensive player than Nurk. There's literally no metric that says otherwise.

 

[Mediocre Man]

That's silly. If Nurk and Kanter score about the same amount of points on similar percentages then one of them being a great passer absolutely 100% makes that person better on offense.

No reason to continue this. Arguing to argue is asinine and has ruined this forum

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Kanter is a better offensive player than Nurk. There's literally no metric that says otherwise.

Assists pretty much belongs to Nurk, which in fairness to Nurkic I think one of his best attributes offensively is that they could run the offense through him and he can create for others. Outside of that I agree with you.

 

[tlongII]

No reason to continue this. Arguing to argue is asinine and has ruined this forum

IS NOT!

 

[BBert]

Is Kanter mo betta at offense than Nurk is mo betta at defense plus passing?

 

[BBert]

IS NOT!

LESS FILLING!!!

 

[stampedehero]

Having Kanter is like having State Farm. He is not fluid and he lacks the skills to cut & receive passes towards the basket like Nurk but I'm glad we have back up.

 

[andalusian]

The Blazers have a higher OTRG with EK than with Nurk - and his OBPM is higher - so there is an argument to make that EK is better on offense even when you consider passing. Of course, the difference between them on offense is no-where near as big as the difference between them on defense - which is why Nurk a much much better player than EK.

 

[hoopsjock]

No reason to continue this. Arguing to argue is asinine and has ruined this forum

Nurk scores, is a good rebounder, and passer.

Kanter scores and is a good rebounder.

Thus making Nurk a better all-around offensive player.

By mentioning Lonzo Ball you are implying that I'm saying passing is the end all be all for determining offense. That is indeed silly to take the conversation that way. I don't know what forum injustice has to do with the discussion.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Nurk scores, is a good rebounder, and passer.

Kanter scores and is a good rebounder.

Thus making Nurk a better all-around offensive player.

By mentioning Lonzo Ball you are implying that I'm saying passing is the end all be all for determining offense. That is indeed silly to take the conversation that way. I don't know what forum injustice has to do with the discussion.

I really, really like Nurk and while I think he's very good offensively, I think his true value to the team and the part they have no way to replace is on the defensive side of the ball.
I think overall Nurk and Kanter are fairly comparable overall on offense one is a better "scorer" one is more a jack of all trades on offense.

 

[andalusian]

Nurk scores, is a good rebounder, and passer.

I love Nurk, but he is not an efficient scorer for a bug guy. His TS% for a guy that is that big is rather bad.

Of the 6'9''+ players that played at least half a season - Nurk is 51st of 61 in the league. EK is 39th and if we use his TS% while playing in Portland he would be 23rd.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Nurk scores, is a good rebounder, and passer.

Kanter scores and is a good rebounder.

Thus making Nurk a better all-around offensive player.

By mentioning Lonzo Ball you are implying that I'm saying passing is the end all be all for determining offense. That is indeed silly to take the conversation that way. I don't know what forum injustice has to do with the discussion.

It's not a discussion. We disagree.

 

[hoopsjock]

It's not a discussion. We disagree.

What are you disagreeing about though?

Do you think Nurk isn't a better passer?

Or are you saying passing doesn't factor into offensive ability?

 

[kjironman1]

What are you disagreeing about though?

Do you think Nurk isn't a better passer?

Or are you saying passing doesn't factor into offensive ability?

Personally i don't think they are even close on the offensive end. Kanter is better all around on the offensive side of things. But there is no question Nurk is better on defense.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Personally i don't think they are even close on the offensive end. Kanter is better all around on the offensive side of things. But there is no question Nurk is better on defense.

Hope it doesnt come off as argueing to argue, one other thing Nurk does very well that I dont think Kanter is as good is setting screens.
Part of that may be just not having the same Chemistry with the team as the Nurk did.

 

[KingSpeed]

What are you disagreeing about though?

Do you think Nurk isn't a better passer?

Or are you saying passing doesn't factor into offensive ability?

Kanter has been a pretty good passer for us. Better? I don’t know but it’s pretty close.

 

[hoopsjock]

Kanter has been a pretty good passer for us. Better? I don’t know but it’s pretty close.

Enes with Portland: 1.3 APG, 10.2 AST%

Nurk this year: 3.2 APG, 17.9 AST%

That's not that close.

 

[mook]

Nurk is also a much better screen setter, while Enes seems like a better scorer in the low post. Given that Dame is an elite pick and roll point guard with (at best) mediocre defense, you want a good defensive center who can set great screens.

Anyway, Enes + Zach= Nurk, which may be why we haven't lost more games than we have without him. Very glad we have them both.

I do think there's a collective mental block we all have about next year. Without Canter, Hood and Steph, it could get brutal pretty quickly for us. Like when we were on pace to win 27 games before trading for Nurkic.

 

[BonesJones]

Nurk is also a much better screen setter, while Enes seems like a better scorer in the low post. Given that Dame is an elite pick and roll point guard with (at best) mediocre defense, you want a good defensive center who can set great screens.

Anyway, Enes + Zach= Nurk, which may be why we haven't lost more games than we have without him. Very glad we have them both.

I do think there's a collective mental block we all have about next year. Without Canter, Hood and Steph, it could get brutal pretty quickly for us. Like when we were on pace to win 27 games before trading for Nurkic.

Why do people assume we wont bring back any of those 3?

 

[andalusian]

I do think there's a collective mental block we all have about next year. Without Canter, Hood and Steph, it could get brutal pretty quickly for us.

Team did OK without Steph this year, Just sayin'

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Why do people assume we wont bring back any of those 3?

I watched some youtube video recently that said that all three will most likely be offered contracts this summer worth more than the $5.5M we can offer them with our taxpayer MLE. Seemed like the dude knew what he was talking about.

Lemme know if you want the link; I can probably track it down.

 

[Jack Hoffener]

This might not be popular but Kanter is way better at scoring around the rim without question in my mind. Nurk has a lazy flip shot that is problematic at best. Kanter can make a simple layup almost effortlessly. Kanter also has absolutely no problem dunking when he has the chance. Nurk seems to only dunk when Lillard tells him to?

I would say Kanter is the more polished offensive player, but Nurk is equally effective in scoring.

 

[andalusian]

I would say Kanter is the more polished offensive player, but Nurk is equally effective in scoring.

TS% strongly disagrees with this assessment.

The good thing is that if Nurk gets back healthy (something we all hope for) - there is still place for him to get much better.

 

[hoopsjock]

Another overlooked stat in Nurk's favor is he was getting to the free throw line 5.1 times per game this year. Kanter with the Blazers is averaging 2.9 attempts per game and 2.7 for his career. The ability to get to the line consistently is an underrated offensive skill. It's one of the reasons CJ isn't as efficient as Dame is because he doesn't draw as many fouls.

 

[B-Roy]

Another overlooked stat in Nurk's favor is he was getting to the free throw line 5.1 times per game this year. Kanter with the Blazers is averaging 2.9 attempts per game and 2.7 for his career. The ability to get to the line consistently is an underrated offensive skill. It's one of the reasons CJ isn't as efficient as Dame is because he doesn't draw as many fouls.

The problem is there is a stat that incorporates free throws shot, and Kanter is better in that stat as well (TS%).

 

[hoopsjock]

The problem is there is a stat that incorporates free throws shot, and Kanter is better in that stat as well (TS%).

TS% only incorporates free throw %, not attempts or free throw rate (I'm pretty sure).

 

[PtldPlatypus]

TS% only incorporates free throw %, not attempts or free throw rate (I'm pretty sure).

Nope. B-Roy's right on this one. It's based on actual FGA and FTA, so rate is factored in.