Which guard pairing will start the season-opener?

[blazerfan11]

if Portland was going to start their best guards, at the time, it would be Brogdon/Ant. But the Blazers didn't draft Scoot, then trade Dame, to start with Scoot on the bench

Brogdon came off the bench all last season so he may be OK with it. But he'll probably be the best guard Portland has in October so maybe it might cause some friction.

Problem is that if Brogdon doesn't get consistent minutes of around 25/game it won't ease the worries other teams might have about his health

I don't think Brogdon's minutes will be a problem for anyone if he plays fully healthy when he plays.

The fact that he's a passing and shooting/scoring point guard mean he would fit fine in the 2nd unit.

Scoot needs the best scorers around him to be his most effective. So I would actually start Brogdon instead of Simons but I don't think that would happen.

 

[blazerfan11]

I think Cronin answering that players will earn their spots, makes me think the most veteran will likely start the season.

That would be really stupid seeing that the Blazers basically traded Damian Lillard to keep Scoot Henderson, and the fact that Scoot has played professional ball for 2 seasons.

 

[Quatro44]

Picked Scoot/Ant. That is my simple answer. I’m ready for the season to start.

 

[blazerfan11]

The Blazers need to get Ayton going from Day 1.
He's the one main scorer that can't dribble the ball the length of the court and score by himself.
He'll probably be the highest-percentage scoring option and worth getting the ball to.

Starting Brodgon and Scoot together allows for the best chance to get the ball to Ayton in good position to score as much as possible.
That pair brings the 3-point shooting of Brogdon and full-court speed of Scoot.

 

[hypnosmurf]

Mays and Thybulle.

 

[THE HCP]

I haven't heard anything, but I truly believe Brogdon is NOT in our future plans.

 

[Whyachi]

guard pairing? More like guard trifecta.
We can't have a true Blazer team unless 3 guards are always on the court watching the other team get rebounds and dunks.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

I chose brogdon and Ant but brogdon might be gone. If so, scoot. We have alot of youth. That experience to start the games will help i think.

 

[e_blazer]

From yesterday’s interviews, it sure sounded like the plan is to start Brogdan and Ant, with Sharpe and Scoot coming off the bench. I suppose having a bigger, experienced PG next to Ant makes sense, at least to start the season. It’s going to be interesting seeing how long they can keep the young guys on the second string though.

 

[bigbailes]

I'm with the majority here in that there isn't a world where Scoot should be doing anything but playing in the starting lineup from the jump. I didn't listen to much of Dame's interview yesterday but one thing he talked about was 'announcing his presence' at every step of his journey, including coming into a team that already had LMA, Wes and Batum on it. He didn't feel the need to take over, but to let people know he was here and the rest of it took care of itself. I envision that with Scoot, you can say Ant is the 'leader' but I have a real feeling the locker room is going to naturally revolve around Scoot and his magnetism.

 

[maxiep]

From yesterday’s interviews, it sure sounded like the plan is to start Brogdan and Ant, with Sharpe and Scoot coming off the bench. I suppose having a bigger, experienced PG next to Ant makes sense, at least to start the season. It’s going to be interesting seeing how long they can keep the young guys on the second string though.

I'm a big fan of players earning spots rather than them being given. If Scoot and Shae are what we thought, eventually they'll start.

I think many of us are sleeping on how good Anfernee can be, however. His defense will be improved simply because he'll be sharing a backcourt with size (Shae) or players who actually care about defense (Scoot, Malcolm). Our post defense should also be much better.

I think the undersized Dame/CJ/Ant defensive sieve days are gone for good.

 

[e_blazer]

I'm a big fan of players earning spots rather than them being given. If Scoot and Shae are what we thought, eventually they'll start.

I think many of us are sleeping on how good Anfernee can be, however. His defense will be improved simply because he'll be sharing a backcourt with size (Shae) or players who actually care about defense (Scoot, Malcolm). Our post defense should also be much better.

I think the undersized Dame/CJ/Ant defensive sieve days are gone for good.

You’re preaching to the choir about Ant. But you’re going to have to buy Wizenheimer a new head, because his just exploded.

 

[Hoopguru]

Time to showcase Ant without D's presence. He could become the best scoring 2 guard in the league with close to 30 shots per game, or he could blend in more with a team game.

 

[blazerkor]

I take Joe and Chauncey at their word and think they will start the guys who earn it. I fucking love Scoot and Shae but I don't think they'll beat out either Ant or Brogdon, especially since Brogdon almost definitely will be the best defender and most steady ball handler to set the table for Ant being the most effective he can be. How long will Malcolm be on the team? I don't know if he'll make it to opening night but if he does I can see us featuring him to increase his trade value. I still think that Scoot and Shae will get more than 20 minutes a night each and I don't think the season will end with that starting duo but I could definitely see them getting the nod.

 

[Shaboid]

If Brogdon is here then I think you give him the start, if for nothing else, to show him off to teams in hopes of moving him. And Ant is the other "vet" you start. I still imagine Scoot and Sharpe average 30+ minutes though.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Not only only will Scoot start, but he will be the face of the franchise moving forward. He certainly has the temperament for it.

 

[Predator]

I find it interesting that Ant struggles to play with another ball dominant guard… and we are most likely going to play with him with Scoot

Ant / Scoot

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Ant / Scoot

Is that a prediction of starters, or a suggestion for Simons to move along? "Ant--scoot!!"

 

[inconceivable]

Our 2nd unit are defensive juggernauts

Brogdon
Thybulle
Knox / Rupert
Jabari
Timelord

 

[wizenheimer]

Is that a prediction of starters, or a suggestion for Simons to move along? "Ant--scoot!!"

careful now, you'll be called a hater

 

[Chris Craig]

From yesterday’s interviews, it sure sounded like the plan is to start Brogdan and Ant, with Sharpe and Scoot coming off the bench. I suppose having a bigger, experienced PG next to Ant makes sense, at least to start the season. It’s going to be interesting seeing how long they can keep the young guys on the second string though.

That's not what it sounded like to me. Sounded like Brogdon is here to mentor scoot and come off the bench. Cronin did seem to imply he isn't looking to move Brogdon.

 

[andalusian]

I find it interesting that Ant struggles to play with another ball dominant guard… and we are most likely going to play with him with Scoot

Ant / Scoot

I think Scoot is more a CP3 type of PG than Dame is/was - so I would not mind looking it and seeing how it works. Dame called his number a lot more than I suspect Scoot will, but only time will tell.

 

[inconceivable]

That's not what it sounded like to me. Sounded like Brogdon is here to mentor scoot and come off the bench. Cronin did seem to imply he isn't looking to move Brogdon.

He said, "we're open-minded" when it comes to Brogdon, meaning their initial plan was to flip him immediately but they were not satisfied with the offers so they'll wait it out.

 

[blazerfan11]

From yesterday’s interviews, it sure sounded like the plan is to start Brogdan and Ant, with Sharpe and Scoot coming off the bench. I suppose having a bigger, experienced PG next to Ant makes sense, at least to start the season. It’s going to be interesting seeing how long they can keep the young guys on the second string though.

It makes no sense at all to me to not start Scoot and instead put Simons in the lineup instead.

It's sucking up to Anfernee Simons just like we did with CJ McCollum.

Cronin made a choice between Scoot and Lillard. Scoot is ready to play immediately. Why wouldn't he be a very high priority?

As I said earlier, it's Simons who need to Earn a starting spot by showing an above-average skill besides scoring.

Brogdon has it. Scoot has it. Simons does not.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Cronin made a choice between Scoot and Lillard.

Are you saying when he drafted him? or a couple of weeks ago? Either way, I don't think it is true. Joe did what so many other Portland GMs did not.....he took the best player available regardless of position. Or at least who most people thought was the BPA. Dame was the one who elected to go.

 

[THE HCP]

Our 2nd unit are defensive juggernauts

Brogdon
Thybulle
Knox / Rupert
Jabari
Timelord

They BETTER be....that lineup isn't scoring a single point. Thats why you start Matisse and Shae is the number 1 option with a green light with the bench mob.

 

[blazerfan11]

Are you saying when he drafted him? or a couple of weeks ago? Either way, I don't think it is true. Joe did what so many other Portland GMs did not.....he took the best player available regardless of position. Or at least who most people thought was the BPA. Dame was the one who elected to go.

Oh I agree completely.

Cronin made the right "choice." For many of us, there was no choice. Only by Dame.

 

[Pinwheel1]

They BETTER be....that lineup isn't scoring a single point. Thats why you start Matisse and Shae is the number 1 option with a green light with the bench mob.

That is also the reason why I go back and forth on not starting Simons. He is the best player on the team at creating his own shot.
But it also works if he starts and comes out early only to return to begin the 2nd and 4th quarters with the 2nd unit. Either way works for me. But if we are giving anyone the green light with the bench mob....it should be Ant.

 

[e_blazer]

That's not what it sounded like to me. Sounded like Brogdon is here to mentor scoot and come off the bench. Cronin did seem to imply he isn't looking to move Brogdon.

I suspect Chauncey will want whoever starts to earn it in camp, not be handed the job by draft status.

As he should do, IMHO. If Scoot is the guy we think he is, he’ll earn the starting spot.

 

[blazerfan11]

I suspect Chauncey will want whoever starts to earn it in camp, not be handed the job by draft status.

As he should do, IMHO. If Scoot is the guy we think he is, he’ll earn the starting spot.

The problem with Chauncey's evaluation is that I think it'll come with "veteran experience" bonus points, which is exactly the wrong way to decide.

A "veteran" should be clearly better than a rookie, not the other way around.