As for the whole Thibbs things, this girl I have gone out with a few times is a huge Bullz fan. She's adamant that he needs to go for the team to move on and grow and to change their identity and to catch up with today's NBA. Honestly I am not 100% sold on Stotts anymore, but I am not sure I would let him go simply to replace him with Thibbs at this point. Thibbs is certainly a good coach, but after watching both the Spurs and now the Dubs cream the NBA back to back with ultra modern and balanced offenses, including a defensive juggernaut like Memphis, I am just not sold that a defense first philosophy in today's modern NBA is what wins. The grass is not always greener on the other side, check out how more Bullz fans feel to get a larger sample size.
This is stream of consciousness, but the last team I can think of that won an NBA title on having an identity as purely a defensive juggernaut was the Celtics with KG, Pierce, and Allen. In today's modern NBA, starting especially with the Mavs back a few years ago (2011?) , it seems like modern offenses that focus on spreading the floor with shooters, shooting lots of 3's, and fluid ball movement is what wins. The Dubs, Spurs, Blazers, Houston, Mavs, Clips, and hell even the Hawks are more or less proving this point, and one of the masterminds behind this current logic was and is Terry Stotts. Obvious D'Antoni really started the trend with Phoenix back with Nash and co, but it really was validated by none other than Carlisle's coaching staff in 2011 with that sharp shooting Mavs team on a mission from God; and then again in 2014 with Pops and another Texas team on a mission from God.
The major thing that kills me though that I can see as a major difference philosophically between Portland's offense and say Golden States' (aside from Stephen Curry being involved) is that the Dubs shoot far far earlier in the shot clock. Far too often do I hear Terry yelling "Five, Four, Three.." then a jacked up shot goes up in desperation, and it's almost always rushed and not a clean look. What makes Golden States' offense just so lethal is that they have been coached to shoot at any clean look they get, and frankly they have an amazing point guard that can make that happen. That is a luxury, but we're only a year or two removed from Portland playing a much more similar style of ball to that than they did this year.
I am not sure what changed, but I remember early in the season last year, and even this year to a lesser extent, the Blazers played far more loose and they would play similar to how Golden State plays now. I am not sure if it is/was confidence, Wes getting hurt, Batum playing like ass this year, or Dame getting trapped more, or some combination of all of those reasons, but either way we need to get back to shooting earlier in the shot clock when we have an open uncontested shot. I read an article on this and statistically it is absolutely mind blowing how much of a difference it makes to do this, and I think it will be the next big trend in the NBA. Watch the Warriors and watch just how often they shoot unguarded, wide open shots within the first 7 seconds of the shot clock, it's quite surprising. I think Kerr along with Curry have really mastered this particular trade and have blazed a path that will lead to others attempting to mimic this style of basketball.
