It is Stotts' fault when we get outplayed. And every game it's due to a combination of 4 things
-Inconsistency-
This team was the most inconsistent team all year, not just from game to game, but within each game itself. From blowing huge leads to making huge comebacks, the fact that through 87 games the team couldn't find a way to steady itself worries me
-Slow Offense-
This team battled the shot clock more then any team I've watched. Sets were too slow to develop, and were rather unimaginative for an offensive coach. The Blazers play off of teams doubling Aldridge and ball movement. But they consistently cross half court with 17 seconds on the shot clock, run 10 seconds of unneeded motion to get LA the ball with 7 seconds. Teams double him with 4 seconds remaining and then you get a wild shot by LA or a desperate shot after the kick out.
-Defensive Passiveness-
Teems have it extremely easy against us. They aren't bothered and are obviously comfortable playing against our defense. It's designed to show teams to settle into midrange shots, but you don't wanna tan to settle into anything. The fact he Nevers switches up schemes make it extremely easy for the opposition
-Lack of Adjustments-
Remember Beno Udrih going off in the regular season, and then in the playoffs? Only because we allowed him to do the only thing hes really good at (midrange shooting) over and over and over again? And the fact that when certain lineups obviously aren't working, he'll still play them? I mean, the dude never trusts his bench, even when his bench is outplaying his starters. And he also runs Dame into the ground, even when it's obvious he needs time off.
So many things I disagree with in your post.
First lets start with it not being stotts fault if we are outplayed. Sometimes players and stars just go off and nothing you draw up or do hinders that player or the play they are killing you with. Sometimes teams just come out flat and nothing is working, as long as the players are engaged its not Stotts fault.
Pretty much whenever you lose you got outplayed and if its always the coaches fault then we wouldnt have people talking about what a great coach Brad Stevens is.
Inconsistency with the team come from how many long 2s and 3s we take. When there going in great when they arent you go through scoring droughts. Unless you want to tell a team to turn down open looks just because they are missing them, which an open look in the NBA is a great look unless your a player like Tony Allen who is open because the D knows your going to miss. Stotts would also call timeouts when were missing a ton and try to get better looks or have someone attack the basket.
Slow offense: You just explained problems with almost every team. We dont cross halfcourt at 17 secounds all that often and it happening once or twice a game doesnt make the other 50 times we crossed it with 20+ seconds evaporate. If a team brings full pressure we would cross later then usual but we were almost never fighting to get across center court which if your bringing it over constantly at 17s you would be. That unnecessary motion you talk about is done for a few reasons, 1 is to tire a defender out another is to try and get open. Its the times people are just standing around you should be bitching about.
We do need to work on running off missed shots more but when your scoring over 100 a game there isnt a real problem with your offense.
Team D:
Yes we run a scheme, as does pretty much every team in the league. Our D looks horrible when we play a team that loves the midrange like the Grizz or the Wolves but it was pretty damn effective as we were a top 5 D when Wes went down and after that it was blow after blow to the team and we couldnt stop a twig. As for never switching Schemes, you switch up defensive assignments, which Stotts does, but asking a coach and his assistants to create a whole new scheme then getting the players to practice said scheme is an impossible order.
Defensive Adjustments:
Stotts didnt trust the bench last year or the year before but can you blame him? Look at those bench units, this year we had tons of injuries which made it all but impossible to get a real bench rotation down. Stotts did get good bench play before injuries really started effecting it. As for runninf his players into the ground, Thibs is renown for this and yet considered one of the best coaches in the league.
I saw Beno get open during the playoffs the same reason he got open during the regular season, Memphis sets damn goodnl screens. Stotts did make offensive and defensive adjustments and as much as they didnt work he didnt pull a McMillian and do nothing during the Grizz series or the regular season.
