The Raptors should be an example to us of how to build a better team

[illmatic99]

Collins is two years younger than Siakam. Can we expect a similar kind of jump from Zach in year 3?

Pascal went to 17/7/3 and a 19 PER in 12 more mins. If Collins can play 30+ mins, he should be able to contribute in a similar fashion. He is the ONE guy we have who can elevate us to a higher level.

 

[e_blazer]

Collins is two years younger than Siakam. Can we expect a similar kind of jump from Zach in year 3?

Pascal went to 17/7/3 and a 19 PER in 12 more mins. If Collins can play 30+ mins, he should be able to contribute in a similar fashion. He is the ONE guy we have who can elevate us to a higher level.

I think Simons is a second guy who can make a huge jump. The question is whether that jump can come soon enough to fit Dame’s window.

 

[CupWizier]

I think Simons is a second guy who can make a huge jump. The question is whether that jump can come soon enough to fit Dame’s window.

Well it appears Lillard will be signing an extension so that will keep him here for several more years. If Simmons hasn't shown enough improvement by the time Lillard is half way through his extension then he likely will at best maybe be a serviceable player off the bench, but if he takes that jump then he should be right in the thick of Lillards time here.

 

[dviss1]

Collins is two years younger than Siakam. Can we expect a similar kind of jump from Zach in year 3?

Pascal went to 17/7/3 and a 19 PER in 12 more mins. If Collins can play 30+ mins, he should be able to contribute in a similar fashion. He is the ONE guy we have who can elevate us to a higher level.

The biggest difference I see between the two are:

Ballhandling (PS brings it up A LOT)

On the ball Defense. Zach isn't on PS level yet.

 

[illmatic99]

The biggest difference I see between the two are:

Ballhandling (PS brings it up A LOT)

On the ball Defense. Zach isn't on PS level yet.

Well they're different players. I'm thinning about impact.

 

[illmatic99]

I think Simons is a second guy who can make a huge jump. The question is whether that jump can come soon enough to fit Dame’s window.

Unless there are injuries, I don't see Simons getting minutes to improve significantly in the next few years. Collins should be slotted in for 25-30 mpg at least if he can stay on the floor.

 

[e_blazer]

Unless there are injuries, I don't see Simons getting minutes to improve significantly in the next few years. Collins should be slotted in for 25-30 mpg at least if he can stay on the floor.

I think he gets minutes next year. Curry's almost certainly gone, so that opens up some minutes there.

 

[illmatic99]

I think he gets minutes next year. Curry's almost certainly gone, so that opens up some minutes there.

Hope so, but I have a feeling Neil will bring in a vet.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Hope so, but I have a feeling Neil will bring in a vet.

I'd say it is darn near guaranteed. There were times this season that Simons could have gotten some burn, and for the first 81 games Stotts refused to play him. Tough to read that as anything other than a coach not having any faith in the player.

 

[Natebishop3]

Many in here were against trading CJ+Collins(for example)+a 1st for Kawhi because he wouldn't resign so don't act like you were all for it if we could get him. There was a thread with some trade suggestion from Canzano last May.

I would have done it. I have been in favor of trading CJ for years. I wanted to trade CJ for Paul George.

 

[BonesJones]

Collins is two years younger than Siakam. Can we expect a similar kind of jump from Zach in year 3?

Pascal went to 17/7/3 and a 19 PER in 12 more mins. If Collins can play 30+ mins, he should be able to contribute in a similar fashion. He is the ONE guy we have who can elevate us to a higher level.

Ehh, Pascal is insanely improved. Cant expect Zach to improve that much.

But Zach is further along than people think. But Zach is also a different type of player than Pascal.

 

[joeBlazers]

Kawhi would have wasted his time in Portland.
Until our coach upgrades him mentality to prioritize defense and high IQ Ball, this team is not beating the Warriors.
I don't believe in a coach that lets CJ shoot 10 3-pointers, when CJ is a far better midrange player.
Our Hero Ball mentality is killing us. And our coach isn't helping.

Many in here were against trading CJ+Collins(for example)+a 1st for Kawhi because he wouldn't resign so don't act like you were all for it if we could get him. There was a thread with some trade suggestion from Canzano last May.

 

[BonesJones]

Kawhi would have wasted his time in Portland.
Until our coach upgrades him mentality to prioritize defense and high IQ Ball, this team is not beating the Warriors.
I don't believe in a coach that lets CJ shoot 10 3-pointers, when CJ is a far better midrange player.
Our Hero Ball mentality is killing us. And our coach isn't helping.

I agree with most of this, but CJ scores more points per shot on 3s than mid-range shots.

 

[Natebishop3]

Kawhi would have wasted his time in Portland.
Until our coach upgrades him mentality to prioritize defense and high IQ Ball, this team is not beating the Warriors.
I don't believe in a coach that lets CJ shoot 10 3-pointers, when CJ is a far better midrange player.
Our Hero Ball mentality is killing us. And our coach isn't helping.

I agree about the hero ball, but I think if we had Kawhi instead of CJ, and if we had been healthy, this team could have absolutely beaten Golden State. I still think we could have beaten them without Kawhi. We had a big lead in 3 out of the 4 games. It was coaching that cost us those leads.

 

[Orion Bailey]

If Toronto wins it all @Natebishop3 you can tell me to shut the hell up and fuck off. Until then though, its still a crap shoot and may not pan out other than advancing to the finals from the ECF's from last year. Some may say that's attributable ot no LBJ(im not sure I buy that)

 

[BonesJones]

If Toronto wins it all @Natebishop3 you can tell me to shut the hell up and fuck off. Until then though, its still a crap shoot and may not pan out other than advancing to the finals from the ECF's from last year. Some may say that's attributable ot no LBJ(im not sure I buy that)

This Raptor team might've swept last year's Cavs team.

 

[BonesJones]

The biggest difference I see between the two are:

Ballhandling (PS brings it up A LOT)

On the ball Defense. Zach isn't on PS level yet.

Finishing ability as well.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Finishing ability as well.

Blazers dont have a single forward that looks comfortable taking the ball from a rebound and playing point forward. I guess ET is the closest to that, but its ET so....

If I had one wish for them this off season outside of the obvious get ET off this team, finding a real point forward thats not a freaking wreck offensively would be great...

 

[BonesJones]

Blazers dont have a single forward that looks comfortable taking the ball from a rebound and playing point forward. I guess ET is the closest to that, but its ET so....

If I had one wish for them this off season outside of the obvious get ET off this team, finding a real point forward thats not a freaking wreck offensively would be great...

Bazely!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Bazely!

I saw JDC posted some highschool vids of him, I need to go watch some at some point. Honestly I barely remember watching him play.

 

[joeBlazers]

Maybe ML, Zach or Jake can add it to their book of work for the summer?

Blazers dont have a single forward that looks comfortable taking the ball from a rebound and playing point forward. I guess ET is the closest to that, but its ET so....

If I had one wish for them this off season outside of the obvious get ET off this team, finding a real point forward thats not a freaking wreck offensively would be great...

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Maybe ML, Zach or Jake can add it to their book of work for the summer?

Maybe Zach or Jake, I think that ship has sailed for ML, but to be fair he does seem to work hard so who knows.

 

[joeBlazers]

30 points against the Warriors !!!
Maybe the coach just ... clueless?

Maybe Zach or Jake, I think that ship has sailed for ML, but to be fair he does seem to work hard so who knows.

 

[MarAzul]

I agree about the hero ball, but I think if we had Kawhi instead of CJ, and if we had been healthy, this team could have absolutely beaten Golden State. I still think we could have beaten them without Kawhi. We had a big lead in 3 out of the 4 games. It was coaching that cost us those leads.

You guys are discussing the pawns. Swap trade cut but no difference. We must have a owner that wants to win
So that you can get a basketball coach that knows how to win. We have neither and haven't had for nearly 30 years.
But you see, the butts are in the seats. No change needed.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

30 points against the Warriors !!!
Maybe the coach just ... clueless?

Meyers did play point center the last couple minutes against the kings!

 

[joeBlazers]

I have lost faith in Stotts. I don't believe he can compete with the better coached teams.

 

[e_blazer]

These Stotts sucks threads always leave me scratching my head. The Blazers win 53 games, about 8-10 more than most “experts” predicted; they make the WCF, when almost everyone said they wouldn’t get out of the first round; they give the Warriors a fight even though Dame, Kanter, and Hood are banged up; and still it’s Stotts to blame that they don’t win the title?

 

[Natebishop3]

The Blazers win 53 games, about 8-10 more than most “experts” predicted

I literally couldn't care less about regular season record. It means absolutely zilch if you can't convert in the playoffs.

Yes. We beat a horrible Thunder team.

Yes, we barely squeaked by a Denver team that was in its first ever playoffs with that roster.

Stotts still showed a complete ineptitude to beat a trap. This has been going on for FOUR YEARS.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I literally couldn't care less about regular season record. It means absolutely zilch if you can't convert in the playoffs.

Yes. We beat a horrible Thunder team.

Yes, we barely squeaked by a Denver team that was in its first ever playoffs with that roster.

Stotts still showed a complete ineptitude to beat a trap. This has been going on for FOUR YEARS.

Ok so if they were a 40 win team and missed the playoffs you wouldn't care? Have to win in the regular season to turn it into playoff success.

OKC is a flawed team, but not a horrible team.
Denvers a legitimately good team that the Blazers beat, they are young but so what?

Blazers choked so bad in that GS series, Blame Stotts if you want but that was a complete team meltdown from top to bottom. Stotts has issues but the players had plenty of opportunities to make open shots, or to just play smart basketball.

You can be mad at Stotts and Im fine with that, but I havent for a second believed that series was all on him. The 2nd half performances top to bottom looked like Phoenix suns basketball...

 

[joeBlazers]

I would buy it, if it was the first time we lost to GS.
This is the 3rd or 4th time they trash us. And that's my point. We aren't learning anything.
I didn't say Stotts is trash. I said he is incapable of beating good coached teams.
Again, I'm not necessarily asking him to win the series ... Damned, make it competitive. Win some games. Scare the hell out of them. Win a game on the road or at least win all your home games ...

Blazers choked so bad in that GS series, Blame Stotts if you want but that was a complete team meltdown from top to bottom. Stotts has issues but the players had plenty of opportunities to make open shots, or to just play smart basketball.

You can be mad at Stotts and Im fine with that, but I havent for a second believed that series was all on him. The 2nd half performances top to bottom looked like Phoenix suns basketball...