What to do at SF (post-TPE)

[riverman]

I don’t think Aminu should be allowed to dribble. Every time he dribbles I cringe a bit...

Chief pushes the ball in front of him like a soccer player moves a ball...lot of angles and hitches...he's unconventional that way..same with his shooting...CJ worked with him last season on his 3 pt form...the guy has improved every season here...and most importantly...he doesn't turn the ball over much...people just see him with an unconventional handle and think it's bad...but he makes it work...finishes layups..I think he's fun to watch myself....he doesn't have the low close to the body dribble ...his dribbles are loopy and angular more than up and down like most people use...I've always thought it was growing up playing soccer that gave him his style.....just my opinion...most won't agree and that's all good..not something I care to argue about

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Chief pushes the ball in front of him like a soccer player moves a ball...lot of angles and hitches...he's unconventional that way..same with his shooting...CJ worked with him last season on his 3 pt form...the guy has improved every season here...and most importantly...he doesn't turn the ball over much...people just see him with an unconventional handle and think it's bad...but he makes it work...finishes layups..I think he's fun to watch myself....he doesn't have the low close to the body dribble ...his dribbles are loopy and angular more than up and down like most people use...I've always thought it was growing up playing soccer that gave him his style.....just my opinion...most won't agree and that's all good..not something I care to argue about

He did get noticeably better last year at not dribbling the ball off his legs and all that. In traffic though it’s terrifying to watch. I can’t disagree that he gets better every year. I really overall like Aminu, very good role player on a great contract.
Just he’s one of those guys that at times will try to do somethings that isn’t in his wheel house and when he starts to dribble I literally have no idea of what’s about to happen will be good or bad...

 

[dviss1]

Harkness isn't any better than Aminu. Your theory doesn't hold much weight

He's much better than Aminu. Look at the turnover stats.

But besides that, is your eye test failing you?

 

[dviss1]

Y'all are trippin. Harkless isn't a bad dribbler or passer.

He isn't a world beater with these skills but let's not push the narrative that he's bad at them, because he's not.

Say what y'all want, but when he's completely engaged, he's a better player than Aminu.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Y'all are trippin. Harkless isn't a bad dribbler or passer.

He isn't a world beater with these skills but let's not push the narrative that he's bad at them, because he's not.

Say what y'all want, but when he's completely engaged, he's a better player than Aminu.

Hmm. I’d say Both are pretty solid role players with similar skill sets. Harkless has the “raw” talent I think to be better, but you never know what you’re getting in terms of statistics & effort. Aminu is more consistent in terms of bringing energy everyday. I’d probably say Harkless is better. Overall I think both players are on good to great contracts for what they bring. Harkless pulling the stick out... can be a very good role player.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Somewhere I read that when we played Lillard, CJ and Napier together we outscored the other team healthily. Substitute Curry or Baldwin, both of which are better than Napier at most things, and I don't see why we can't have similar success. The mystery was that Stotts didn't use Napier at all against New Orleans. Maybe he overthought matchups instead of just seeing if they could matchup with us. (Plus, New Orleans was the better team, and had they had the same lineup for the whole season, we wouldn't've been playing them, they would've bumped us down to #4 in the West.)

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Harkless drives me crazy. He should be the prototype SF. He's built like Scottie Pippen and has real talent. Why can't he stay in the groove?

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Somewhere I read that when we played Lillard, CJ and Napier together we outscored the other team healthily. Substitute Curry or Baldwin, both of which are better than Napier at most things, and I don't see why we can't have similar success. The mystery was that Stotts didn't use Napier at all against New Orleans. Maybe he overthought matchups instead of just seeing if they could matchup with us. (Plus, New Orleans was the better team, and had they had the same lineup for the whole season, we wouldn't've been playing them, they would've bumped us down to #4 in the West.)

Napier had good moments but overall I thought especially towards the end of the season he played bad. I’ll give him some credit his defense for a guard was pesky and he brought it!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Harkless drives me crazy. He should be the prototype SF. He's built like Scottie Pippen and has real talent. Why can't he stay in the groove?

It’s very hard mentally for some guys to go from the man in middle school, highschool, aau, and even college. To being a role player in the NBA I think Harkless’ biggest adjustment is mentally being engaged playing the role that makes him the best player he can be and makes the Blazers a better team.
2nd half of this year was Moe being a slasher and defender and doing what he does really well, without the woe is me I’m not getting the ball all the time. That Moe Harkless makes the Blazers a much better team.

 

[dviss1]

Hmm. I’d say Both are pretty solid role players with similar skill sets. Harkless has the “raw” talent I think to be better, but you never know what you’re getting in terms of statistics & effort. Aminu is more consistent in terms of bringing energy everyday. I’d probably say Harkless is better. Overall I think both players are on good to great contracts for what they bring. Harkless pulling the stick out... can be a very good role player.

I'm talking skill wise.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I'm talking skill wise.

I understand it was just an interesting thought that my mind wanted to wander down cause I haven’t really compared them that much (in my head at least). I had fun time going down that path.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Y'all are trippin. Harkless isn't a bad dribbler or passer.

He isn't a world beater with these skills but let's not push the narrative that he's bad at them, because he's not.

Say what y'all want, but when he's completely engaged, he's a better player than Aminu.

And there's the rub. For all his on-court flaws, Aminu is hard-working and professional. Harkless...not so much.

 

[tester551]

He's much better than Aminu. Look at the turnover stats.

But besides that, is your eye test failing you?

Turnovers: Harkless: 1.6/100 possessions & Aminu: 1.9/100 possessions

Very similar skill set. Neither one is really a threat to take someone off the dribble. Both can attack a closeout with similar success.

You just hate Aminu because his 'style' is unconventional, so you think he's much worse.

 

[riverman]

He's much better than Aminu. Look at the turnover stats.

But besides that, is your eye test failing you?

Chief is bangin' in the post more than Mo...that's why you see a turnover but he's not a turnover machine by any stretch...post players are going to get some balls swiped away from them...happens to Nurk too...ET turns the ball over steppin' out of bounds and off his foot more than anybody on the roster from what I've seen

 

[lawai'a]

Chief is bangin' in the post more than Mo...that's why you see a turnover but he's not a turnover machine by any stretch...post players are going to get some balls swiped away from them...happens to Nurk too...ET turns the ball over steppin' out of bounds and off his foot more than anybody on the roster from what I've seen

shades of raymond felton, maybe not quite that bad though, lol

 

[BonesJones]

Chief is bangin' in the post more than Mo...that's why you see a turnover but he's not a turnover machine by any stretch...post players are going to get some balls swiped away from them...happens to Nurk too...ET turns the ball over steppin' out of bounds and off his foot more than anybody on the roster from what I've seen

Moe posts up more than Chief does

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Just to Trigger some in here

Mikal Bridges has way bigger upside than you think

 

[riverman]

Moe posts up more than Chief does

nah...Chief gets way more rebounds and takes on bigger guys night in night out....bangin' in the post..Mo doesn't spend near the time Chief does in the paint.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Do this and go after Monroe.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ychs7ya8

 

[Scalma]

Do this and go after Monroe.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ychs7ya8

No way Brooklyn does that. They want their cap space next summer.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

No way Brooklyn does that. They want their cap space next summer.

I thought Brooklyn just wanted all of Portland’s players?

 

[BonesJones]

nah...Chief gets way more rebounds and takes on bigger guys night in night out....bangin' in the post..Mo doesn't spend near the time Chief does in the paint.

You tell me I'm wrong, when I'm just going off statistical evidence, and you're going off of...?

 

[riverman]

You tell me I'm wrong, when I'm just going off statistical evidence, and you're going off of...?

dude...I'm not arguing this point...I follow the games...I never check statistics to form my opinion of what I see players do but hey....you're welcome to disagree and use your method of observation....I still say Chief is in the paint more than Mo....agree to disagree...I think stats can be misleading...just like shooting percentages..Chief is on the court more than Mo as well

 

[Orion Bailey]

You tell me I'm wrong, when I'm just going off statistical evidence, and you're going off of...?

dude...I'm not arguing this point...I follow the games...I never check statistics to form my opinion of what I see players do but hey....you're welcome to disagree and use your method of observation....I still say Chief is in the paint more than Mo....agree to disagree...I think stats can be misleading...just like shooting percentages..Chief is on the court more than Mo as well

Maybe you are both right but just talking semantics?

For example, I do believe Harkless posts up more on offense, than Aminu does.

However I also believe it to be true that Aminu is guarding the 4 alot more, which puts him in the paint alot more on Defense.

Overall, Aminu may spend a little bit more time in the paint. But Harkless posts up more.

 

[BonesJones]

Maybe you are both right but just talking semantics?

For example, I do believe Harkless posts up more on offense, than Aminu does.

However I also believe it to be true that Aminu is guarding the 4 alot more, which puts him in the paint alot more on Defense.

Overall, Aminu may spend a little bit more time in the paint. But Harkless posts up more.

Obviously Aminu would guard more post ups, he plays the 4 lol.

 

[riverman]

Obviously Aminu would guard more post ups, he plays the 4 lol.

My original post on this topic was Chief rebounds more and balls get swiped more when you're bangin' for rebounds...pt being that's where Chief's turnovers more than likely happen...having the ball in his hands in the painted area...somehow this became about offense and defense...my point was possesions and lost possesions.

 

[Orion Bailey]

My original post on this topic was Chief rebounds more and balls get swiped more when you're bangin' for rebounds...pt being that's where Chief's turnovers more than likely happen...having the ball in his hands in the painted area...somehow this became about offense and defense...my point was possesions and lost possesions.

I might have steered that in the wrong direction. Who the hell let me behind the wheel three drinks in???

 

[BonesJones]

dude...I'm not arguing this point...I follow the games...I never check statistics to form my opinion of what I see players do but hey....you're welcome to disagree and use your method of observation....I still say Chief is in the paint more than Mo....agree to disagree...I think stats can be misleading...just like shooting percentages..Chief is on the court more than Mo as well

Its based on possessions the player is on the court. I dont see hpw that stat could be misleading to the point where it says Moe posts up 11x more but hey, believe what you want.

 

[BonesJones]

My original post on this topic was Chief rebounds more and balls get swiped more when you're bangin' for rebounds...pt being that's where Chief's turnovers more than likely happen...having the ball in his hands in the painted area...somehow this became about offense and defense...my point was possesions and lost possesions.

Is it about offensive post ups or not? That's where it started.

 

[riverman]

Is it about offensive post ups or not? That's where it started.

That was not my idea.I said "bangin' in the post" not posting up his man...if it entered and I missed it, my bad...I was talking about Chief's turnovers and time in the post....not post ups on offense...I was talking about possessions...rebounds and how it's easy to get turnovers when he's in the paint...then I mentioned that ET is the guy who steps out of bounds or dribbles off his foot....it was in reference to his unusual style of ball handling which I attributed to soccer playing.....somehow this all got derailed...I started the conversation when someone said Chief should never dribble....how it got to this, I'm not sure bones...so be it. And on topic...it didn't start with you at all....I had quite a few posts about it before you replied to mine