Game Thread WESTERN FINALS, GAME 2: BLAZERS @ WARRIORS - 5/16/19, THURSDAY, 6PM, ESPN (2 Viewers)

[Sheldon Shape]

Only Terry Stotts would opt for Evan Turner over Rodney Hood and Meyers Leonard over Enes Kanter or Zach Collins. WTF. Seriously? These are EASY decisions, man. If Rodney was in, they wouldn't have been able to blitz Dame and CJ. Terry is killing me over here.

 

[BlazerBeav]

That foul call on Dame with Curry shooting three free throws was total bullshit. Curry kicked his leg out and basically kicked Dame and then dropped.

Made so much worse by Dame twice getting fouled on threes and no whistle blown.

 

[HailBlazers]

Actually they didn’t. The last foul call on the warrriors was on Green with 7:48 left in the game. No other fouls were called, shooting or in the floor, for the warriors.

No way. For realzz?

 

[wizenheimer]

Phil Jackson, Mitch Kupchak, and Rich Cho off the top of my head in that same month were all worse.

nope....Olshey gave out 342 million dollars that summer to CJ, Crabbe, Turner, Meyers, Harkless, and Ezeli. Take out CJ and it was 236 million for a collection of really low level role players, including one who never suited up.

signing Mozgov and Deng for 130M, or Noah and Courtney Lee for 110M is not as bad as what Olshey did.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm still happy with the season as a whole.


But terry stotts can get the fuck off this team.

 

[hoopsjock]

I seriously can't comprehend how an NBA coach can be so stupid.

When asked what he thought of the last possession and if he looked to go iso there?

"On the very last one? You know honestly, we were out of timeouts. Just, it wasn't, we just gotta get a shot up. You know, get him the ball, it's a tough situation to be in. Ummm you know, we couldn't necessarily run something to run a play but I thought he did the best job he could to try and get a three up."

There was over 10 seconds left. Why couldn't we run a play?

 

[wizenheimer]

"Fez Forthright said: ↑

Denver and GS found out how to defend Lillard.

He hasn't had a decent game since game 5 against OKC."

He was good tonight.

it's really loopy the short term memory loss some Blazer fans have

* Dame had 39 points & 6 assists in game 1
* He had 28 points and 8 assist in game 3
* He had 28 points and 7 assists in game 4
* He had 32 points and 5 assists in game 6
* in game 7, when he couldn't throw it in the ocean, he had 13 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists & 3 steals

and all along he's been playing really solid defense

LOL...and yet for some that equals shitty play by somebody he doesn't care

 

[BlazerBeav]

I'm still happy with the season as a whole.


But terry stotts can get the fuck off this team.

Just do not understand this take at all. Who out there is better? Stotts, if CJ makes an open jumper late, would have the Blazers tied 1-1 in the Conference Finals without their starting center.

 

[wizenheimer]

I seriously can't comprehend how an NBA coach can be so stupid.

When asked what he thought of the last possession and if he looked to go iso there?

"On the very last one? You know honestly, we were out of timeouts. Just, it wasn't, we just gotta get a shot up. You know, get him the ball, it's a tough situation to be in. Ummm you know, we couldn't necessarily run something to run a play but I thought he did the best job he could to try and get a three up."

There was over 10 seconds left. Why couldn't we run a play?

the iso-hero-ball by Dame/CJ has become such a crutch for Portland and Stotts that the idea of actually having a go-to play that may have some misdirection and passing and isn't hero-ball probably isn't an option they ever work on

 

[hoopsjock]

nope....Olshey gave out 342 million dollars that summer to CJ, Crabbe, Turner, Meyers, Harkless, and Ezeli. Take out CJ and it was 236 million for a collection of really low level role players, including one who never suited up.

signing Mozgov and Deng for 130M, or Noah and Courtney Lee for 110M is not as bad as what Olshey did.

Since when does the dollar amount paid over weigh the results of the team? The Lakers and Knicks haven't sniffed the playoffs since that summer. The Hornets haven't made the playoffs either. Those guys had to be traded away with big assets or stretched to get off the roster. The Blazers are in the WCF, there is no comparison.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I’m happy with the season. We did what we did. I thought it was over when Nurk went down. I thought we’d lose in the first round. After we won the firs roundt, I thought we’d win it all, no joke. Thought we’d lose Game One in Round Three, then win Game Two, and win 3 outta 4. If we lost in the WCF WITH Nurk, I’d have been happy. To be in the WCF WITHOUT Nurk, I’m happy. Figured we’d be 1-1 after today. We ain’t. Dubs ain’t that good but we’re still not on that level, I see, after today. But our window is open, still for this year and next. I am proud of the team but our shot ain’t closed for this year and we have more time.

 

[TBpup]

the iso-hero-ball by Dame/CJ has become such a crutch for Portland and Stotts that the idea of actually having a go-to play that may have some misdirection and passing and isn't hero-ball probably isn't an option they ever work on

Quite right. Stotts is living off of Dame/CJ being able to often hit VERY difficult shots.....while many other teams get much better looks albeit from players not as talented. Why can't he design something to create easier looks?

 

[Strenuus]

Just do not understand this take at all. Who out there is better? Stotts, if CJ makes an open jumper late, would have the Blazers tied 1-1 in the Conference Finals without their starting center.

Even if we won tonight, I want stotts off thus team. We win in spite of him.

 

[Natebishop3]

Even if we won tonight, I want stotts off thus team. We win in spite of him.

And that's how I felt about McMillan as well. I'm tired of having coaches that rely on star players to make something happen. That's not what Golden State does.

 

[Natebishop3]

It's one of two ways.... either Terry encourages out guards to freeze out their teammates and jack shots, or he has no control over his players.

Dame at least tries to pass the ball and find teammates. CJ is the biggest ball hog I have ever seen on this team. His first four options on offense are CJ, CJ, CJ, and then maybe a teammate.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Quote book is up, there is a more accurate/complete version of the Stotts statement some of you are upset over.

 

[wizenheimer]

Since when does the dollar amount paid over weigh the results of the team? The Lakers and Knicks haven't sniffed the playoffs since that summer. The Hornets haven't made the playoffs either. Those guys had to be traded away with big assets or stretched to get off the roster. The Blazers are in the WCF, there is no comparison.

and what did Olshey do that summer that put Portland in the WCF 3 years later? Dame & CJ were already on the team. So was Aminu and Davis. Nurkic came in a year after that summer. And Portland is looking at the possibility of losing several free agents because of the after-effects of that spending binge.

Who knows how good Portland could be right now if he hadn't wasted all that money and cap-space on those marginal players. Portland is in the WCF in spite of that summer, not because of it

 

[TBpup]

Stotts said they couldn't run a play in the last 10 seconds. What? They way this team walks the ball up the floor, they often don't get into much until there are 10 seconds left. Odd....

 

[hoopsjock]

and what did Olshey do that summer that put Portland in the WCF 3 years later? Dame & CJ were already on the team. So was Aminu and Davis. Nurkic came in a year after that summer. And Portland is looking at the possibility of losing several free agents because of the after-effects of that spending binge

I know you like him but that summer's decisions were terrible

I never said Olshey's moves weren't terrible that summer, they were. However, the three teams GM's I mentioned were all worse because they used up their cap space and didn't result in anything positive happening.

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[Sheldon Shape]

and what did Olshey do that summer that put Portland in the WCF 3 years later? Dame & CJ were already on the team. So was Aminu and Davis. Nurkic came in a year after that summer. And Portland is looking at the possibility of losing several free agents because of the after-effects of that spending binge.

Who knows how good Portland could be right now if he hadn't wasted all that money and cap-space on those marginal players. Portland is in the WCF in spite of that summer, not because of it

He paid the market cost in an off-season where everything was inflated. It was definitely bad luck. Perhaps some bad decisions but it was use it or lose it. I understand why. I think Kent Bazemore went for 17 mil that off season as well. He's been one of our better GMs no question. Perfect? No. But, he's been very good. His biggest mistake is letting Stotts stay as long as he has.

 

[Dubsfan]

Actually they didn’t. The last foul call on the warrriors was on Green with 7:48 left in the game. No other fouls were called, shooting or in the floor, for the warriors.

Klay fouled Dame with 10 seconds left. Dame tried to draw a foul earlier, but even if he got it, it wouldn't have mattered because Seth got a 3 on the offensive rebound anyway. And there weren't any borderline calls left out. It was good basketball by both teams down to the wire.

 

[Dubsfan]

That is fucking ridiculous. They were fouling every other possession.

We must be watching different games then.

 

[TBpup]

He paid the market cost in an off-season where everything was inflated. It was definitely bad luck. Perhaps some bad decisions but it was use it or lose it. I understand why. I think Kent Bazemore went for 17 mil that off season as well. He's been one of our better GMs no question. Perfect? No. But, he's been very good. His biggest mistake is letting Stotts stay as long as he has.

As bad as the AMOUNT of money was, the amount of years was worse. Who was holding a gun to his head making him offer the full 4 years at those rates?

 

[BlazerBeav]

Quite right. Stotts is living off of Dame/CJ being able to often hit VERY difficult shots.....while many other teams get much better looks albeit from players not as talented. Why can't he design something to create easier looks?

What teams would those be? Every last second situation in the NBA is a good player taking a tough shot - see Leonard's game winner against Philly.

 

[TBpup]

What teams would those be? Every last second situation in the NBA is a good player taking a tough shot - see Leonard's game winner against Philly.

Over the years, I've seen Pop get very good looks for players most people have never heard of. Bud also gets good looks for tons of players. I think the Bucks had 7 players in double figures in their close out game against the Celtics. They are certainly easier shots than what Dame and CJ are getting.

 

[Natebishop3]

What teams would those be? Every last second situation in the NBA is a good player taking a tough shot - see Leonard's game winner against Philly.

He isn't talking about last second shots. He's talking about overall. Throughout the game. Other team's are able to find ways to get their stars open looks. We have allowed our best player to be completely taken out of the game.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Over the years, I've seen Pop get very good looks for players most people have never heard of. Bud also gets good looks for tons of players. I think the Bucks had 7 players in double figures in their close out game against the Celtics. They are certainly easier shots than what Dame and CJ are getting.

LOL! Your example is perhaps the greatest coach in NBA history. Are you arguing we replace Stotts with Pop, because if so, I agree. We should do that right now.

 

[Natebishop3]

LOL! Your example is perhaps the greatest coach in NBA history. Are you arguing we replace Stotts with Pop, because if so, I agree. We should do that right now.

Phil Jackson is the greatest coach. He won two separate three-peats with two different teams and two different groups of players.

Greg Popovich hasn't been able to win jack shit without Tim Duncan. He's a great coach, but I also think he's one of the most overrated coaches of all time.

 

[hoopsjock]

We took our second to last timeout with 53 seconds left. The "playcall" was a CJ iso. Why do we need to burn one of our remaining 2 timeouts if that's all we're going to do?

We took our final timeout with 12.3 seconds left. They had a foul to give which they used with 10 seconds left. The "play" was just to give it to Dame because for some reason there wasn't enough time to do anything else according to Stotts.

Just brutally bad coaching. If we save our timeout we can go for a quick two instead. We seriously don't have a play that can result in an open shot that takes less than 10 seconds? What about the play in game 4 versus Denver where CJ got an open 3 off the in bounds pass (the one where they called it a 2 pointer)?

I swear Stotts used to have decent out of bounds plays in those scenarios his first couple years here.