What's wrong with the Blazers?!

[Strenuus]

http://www.blazersedge.com/2015/2/2/7961935/portland-trail-blazers-offense-whats-wrong

And then the wheels came off, losing four of the last five against mostly beatable competition.

Without arguably their two best defenders, Robin Lopez and Joel Freeland, it would make sense if the defense was the problem. We could chalk it up to injures and confidently state the Blazers will right the ship when those guys return, perhaps sooner rather than later. Unfortunately (or I guess fortunately), the defense has held up pretty well allowing a solid 100.6 points every 100 possessions. That's a little worse than their season mark but certainly good enough to win some games.

Good article read. Some vids to provide examples. Worth the read.

 

[BBert]

We hit clutch shots. We win.

We miss clutch shots. We lose.

Game over.

 

[e_blazer]

Using the Milwaukee game as your primary source for analyzing what's "wrong" with the Blazers is pretty silly, IMO. That was arguably the Blazers' worst game of the month. They looked tired and dispirited after playing their hearts out against Cleveland and Atlanta and just coming up short in each of those games. If the Blazers had dropped a couple more critical shots in those games they'd have won them both and this whole "article" wouldn't have been written.

It's a long season and the Blazers woes have been a combination of shooting slumps, injuries to their key rebounders and defensive big men, Aldridge missing some games with consequent losses to lesser teams, and a bunch of more minor injuries to Lillard, Batum and Matthews. Getting Rollo back into the starting lineup should be a shot in the arm, as will playing at home and getting in some practice time at their own facility. I'm only going to start worrying if they don't show positive results given these boosts.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Tired. Sore. Short-handed.

 

[KingSpeed]

We hit clutch shots. We win.

We miss clutch shots. We lose.

Game over.

Or we play better and don't need clutch shots at the end. These games don't all have to be so close.

 

[Kaydow]

We hit clutch shots. We win.

We miss clutch shots. We lose.

Game over.

But it's a lot easier to "hit clutch shots" when the floor is balanced/good spacing, quality screens are being set, ball movement is crisp, shooters are in rhythm, guys are healthy, & legs are fresh.

Good article that points out how symbiotic offensive success is.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Our biggest problem is and will always be (regardless of injury) our inability to close out games and win handily. This team has a flair for the dramatic.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Our biggest problem is and will always be (regardless of injury) our inability to close out games and win handily. This team has a flair for the dramatic.

I th0ught that was our biggest problem last year? This year we have double digit games where we came from ten back to win the game. No we didnt have the lead to "Close It Out", but in all reality, coming from behind at the end to win a game is a close out in my opinion. You cant do it without shutting the other team down. I dont think this is our biggest problem, especially with Dame coming into his own and wanting to take the shot. When injury free our biggest problem is Nico's inconsistency and no quality backup for him. Every other position has a quality/full of promise backup, but Nico. If we had that quality backup, Nico would be benched and possibly even have to earn his spot back.

 

[Strenuus]

I th0ught that was our biggest problem last year? This year we have double digit games where we came from ten back to win the game. No we didnt have the lead to "Close It Out", but in all reality, coming from behind at the end to win a game is a close out in my opinion. You cant do it without shutting the other team down. I dont think this is our biggest problem, especially with Dame coming into his own and wanting to take the shot. When injury free our biggest problem is Nico's inconsistency and no quality backup for him. Every other position has a quality/full of promise backup, but Nico. If we had that quality backup, Nico would be benched and possibly even have to earn his spot back.

In before someone says "with crabbe we're 7-0".

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I th0ught that was our biggest problem last year? This year we have double digit games where we came from ten back to win the game. No we didnt have the lead to "Close It Out", but in all reality, coming from behind at the end to win a game is a close out in my opinion. You cant do it without shutting the other team down. I dont think this is our biggest problem, especially with Dame coming into his own and wanting to take the shot. When injury free our biggest problem is Nico's inconsistency and no quality backup for him. Every other position has a quality/full of promise backup, but Nico. If we had that quality backup, Nico would be benched and possibly even have to earn his spot back.

Closing out games imo is taking a 6 point lead in the 4th and turning it into a 13 point lead with little to no time left for a comeback. How many times have we had a lead, blown it and won on some crazy shit? Too many times, to be a champion you have to eliminate all hope of a comeback.

Don't get me wrong I love LillardTime but we shouldn't be praying for it EVERY game.

 

[Orion Bailey]

In before someone says "with crabbe we're 7-0".

I cant seem to figure out how to find the stats he had in those 7 games, but I am willing to bet that he was not in the top 3 in pts, rebounds or assists in any of those games. I know one of the games he had 2 pts, 0 rebounds and 2 assists ( I might have the assists and rebounds switched). I am not saying he is a liability, but I have seen nothing that tells me he is that slasher/wing/creator off the bench that we ALL know we need.

Closing out games imo is taking a 6 point lead in the 4th and turning it into a 13 point lead with little to no time left for a comeback. How many times have we had a lead, blown it and won on some crazy shit? Too many times, to be a champion you have to eliminate all hope of a comeback.

Don't get me wrong I love LillardTime but we shouldn't be praying for it EVERY game.

We have seen some crazy shit, but mostly after injuries happened. Prior to the injuries? Id have to go back and check stats again, but we were having to come back in most games and had to close out ferociously. To me that isnt an issue with closing as much as it is with our starts. How many games have we given an early lead to the opponent only to have to claw back? If we have an issue aside from any one player, it is how we are starting games. I am pretty sure it has even been noted in other threads by most that it isnt our 4th quarters, but our first quarters that are atrocious. Also, Dame's biggest struggle right now is himself at the end of games. He KNOWs he can finish, but he also needs to know when it isnt falling and get it to the hot hand if he isnt the one. Better 4th quarter decision making is his biggest setback in my opinion.