In theory that's fine but it took Stotts 16 quarters before he realized Nurk could do whatever he wanted with Mirotic. That was our most successful quarter because we finally got Nurk involved. He can be so good if Stotts integrates him properly in the offense like he did when Nurk first arrived in Portland.
How many times do I have to repeat myself?
Most of his success when he first arrived in Portland was out of the high post.
Nurk would get the ball with a foot outside the paint facing up and make decisions. Players would cut off him, etc.
Nurk throughout this season Nurk was inconsistent in the low post, with his back to the basket.
See Nurk allowing Harrison Barnes checking him on the block. I mean really how many times does that need to be said?
Nurk did get better with this as the season went along, but Portland DID open the season giving Nurk block touches.
Only to have Nurk have turnover, after turnover, after turnover, after turnover, after bad shot, after turnover, after turnover. How many times does that need to be said as well?
See this forum complaining and calling Nurk shit/turnover prone/bad shot prone. To start the year.
A coach cannot make a player be aggressive. A coach can only put a player in a position to succeed, and tell the player to be aggressive...
But it's been said countless times over the year that the players & coaches are blue in the face with telling Nurk to be aggressive.
Now if you want to talk about Stotts not putting Lillard in a position to succeed in the playoffs that's legit. Nurk though, is inconsistent.
Shit the first play of game 1 got Nurk an easy dunk at the rim with no defenders.
What did he do? He tossed up a bunny runner. Got his own rebound and tossed up a hook shot.
After he made said hook shot, he raised his hand because he KNEW he should have dunked the ball.
Nurk has to make the decision to come into the 18-19 season that he's going to be aggressive and break rims. No coach can do that for him.