Why is Meyers struggling?

[Rastapopoulos]

Theories, please. The most depressing one would be simply that he always was bad and that the series against Memphis was just an anomaly. But it might be true: he was playing center against a lumberer (Gasol) who couldn't chase him out to the three point line so he had plenty of time to set up his slow-and-low release three point shot. Meanwhile, now he's being played at PF against players who are faster than him and can chase him around and he looks rattled. Maybe try playing him and Ed Davis as a pair instead of him and Plumlee?

 

[julius]

I think he's better suited to come off the bench right now. The problem is, Stotts seems to think having a deep shooting PF/C is best. But having someone who provides little else when his shot isn't going isn't helping much actually.

I think they should either start Harkless at SF, move Aminu to PF, or start Ed Davis instead.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

He's well-suited to play C against another team's slow defensive C. In fact, he could be really useful getting the other team to pull a player like that. But then again, if you play him next to a non-shooting PF then the other team can just switch their C onto that guy (Davis). Maybe, just maybe, Meyers has been hurt more than any other player by Aldridge leaving? He's only useful so long as he's playing next to another shooter?

 

[e_blazer]

A. It's early and a 3 game sample size doesn't mean much.

B. Most guys struggle making the jump from bench player to starter.

C. Maybe he's not good enough.

Guess we'll find out what the truth is this season. It's not like we were expecting playoffs here you know.

 

[TBpup]

He's playing almost exclusively PF so he is being guarded by a more mobile player. Often time, other teams will switch defensively and put a SF or even a G on him so he has no time to get his shot off. He is shooting or trying to shoot much more quickly than last season. You can tell it was a point of emphasis to get his shot off sooner without such the long wind up. Between those things, his percentages have gone down significantly.

Also, everything is at the arc. The Blazers don't run a single play on the block anymore so everything starts where Meyers shoots from. The guards may penetrate but if they've beaten their man off the dribble, they shoot. If not, they pass out mostly to the wing. The big men start at the top which is where all the defenders were and it takes a 2nd pass to get the ball back to them from the wing and the Blazers just aren't rotating the ball very quickly yet.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Theories, please. ?

Theories, please. The most depressing one would be simply that he always was bad and that the series against Memphis was just an anomaly. But it might be true: he was playing center against a lumberer (Gasol) who couldn't chase him out to the three point line so he had plenty of time to set up his slow-and-low release three point shot. Meanwhile, now he's being played at PF against players who are faster than him and can chase him around and he looks rattled. Maybe try playing him and Ed Davis as a pair instead of him and Plumlee?

Maybe just relax, it has been been only three games. If you saw the game then you know he was missing wide opne shots. Faster PF's chasing him.......was not the issue. The growing pains this year are going to be frustrating It is going to be a long season, especially on this message board........Plus he one of our few bigs who can make free throws.

 

[Blazers Roy]

We are asking too much of him.
Being a legit starting PF in the NBA is a tough job and his actual position is stretch 5.

I don't care too much about his career, he is just another nice player who should be used as a joker\x-factor in some games.
We should open with Aminu at PF imo.

 

[Chris Craig]

Because he lacks confidence

 

[Draco]

I think he's Matt Bonner. Good role player in spot minutes against certain opposition lineups. Not an every game rotational player. Thank gosh we haven't extended him for $10mil per year as some suggested.

 

[MARIS61]

He's doing fine so far, considering the experienced talent he's facing.

Give him a couple months starting and you'll forget you ever worried about him.

Stotts needs to get a driving, attacking game going inside to the hoop. Without that, guys standing at the arc will never be open.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

He's doing fine so far, considering the experienced talent he's facing.

Give him a couple months starting and you'll forget you ever worried about him.

Stotts needs to get a driving, attacking game going inside to the hoop. Without that, guys standing at the arc will never be open.

Agreed. Until Lillard and our bigs can get a rhythm going to the hoop (and that might take 20-30 games), Meyers won't have as good an opportunity as he had last season where LMA was a defensive must and Lillard was an automatic double-team.

 

[Draco]

He's well-suited to play C against another team's slow defensive C. In fact, he could be really useful getting the other team to pull a player like that. But then again, if you play him next to a non-shooting PF then the other team can just switch their C onto that guy (Davis). Maybe, just maybe, Meyers has been hurt more than any other player by Aldridge leaving? He's only useful so long as he's playing next to another shooter?

Interesting concern. I wonder if he should be paired with Vonleh?

I remember last year multiple games where he got abused against small ball PF and had to be taken out. I had my doubts about him as an every day NBA PF with the way the game has changed. People don't give LaMarcus enough credit for guarding stretch 4's and small players. That's a difficult task and Meyers will likely never be decent at it.

Problem is I just don't know if he has the interior game to anchor a defense as a center. His shooting is a legit skill but he needs more than that to be an above average contributor night in and night out in the NBA.

 

[Draco]

Agreed. Until Lillard and our bigs can get a rhythm going to the hoop (and that might take 20-30 games), Meyers won't have as good an opportunity as he had last season where LMA was a defensive must and Lillard was an automatic double-team.

That's basically a Matt Bonner role. It has value but we had hoped Meyers could be more; a legit 2nd or 3rd option. Those options can create offense without multiple teammates setting them up.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Problem is I just don't know if he has the interior game to anchor a defense as a center. His shooting is a legit skill but he needs more than that to be an above average contributor night in and night out in the NBA.

Agreed. Again, he looked deceptively good against Memphis in that he was actually large enough to slow Gasol down a little. But (a) Gasol wasn't really looking to score much, and (b) the main job of a center is to protect the rim, not just guard his man one-on-one, and Leonard will never be a shot-blocker.

I think there's a very good reason the Blazers haven't signed him to an extension.

 

[Draco]

He's playing almost exclusively PF so he is being guarded by a more mobile player. Often time, other teams will switch defensively and put a SF or even a G on him so he has no time to get his shot off. He is shooting or trying to shoot much more quickly than last season. You can tell it was a point of emphasis to get his shot off sooner without such the long wind up. Between those things, his percentages have gone down significantly.

Also, everything is at the arc. The Blazers don't run a single play on the block anymore so everything starts where Meyers shoots from. The guards may penetrate but if they've beaten their man off the dribble, they shoot. If not, they pass out mostly to the wing. The big men start at the top which is where all the defenders were and it takes a 2nd pass to get the ball back to them from the wing and the Blazers just aren't rotating the ball very quickly yet.

If you're 7'1" shoot 50/40/90 don't mess with shot mechanics! That talk really concerned me over the summer and if its hurting his percentages really has me perplexed.

Meyers is shooting 2/13 on threes this season. Yes it's a small sample size but I don't think he ever had a stretch that bad last season.

 

[Nikolokolus]

We are asking too much of him.
Being a legit starting PF in the NBA is a tough job and his actual position is stretch 5.

I don't care too much about his career, he is just another nice player who should be used as a joker\x-factor in some games.
We should open with Aminu at PF imo.

Exhibit A why I said the Blazers shouldn't extend him and let him get to restricted free agency.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If you saw the game then you know he was missing wide open shots.

When your release is that slow, no shot is "wide open".

 

[oldmangrouch]

Leonard is who he is. It's a sign of how desperate we are that we took that late season hint of relevancy seriously.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

That's basically a Matt Bonner role. It has value but we had hoped Meyers could be more; a legit 2nd or 3rd option. Those options can create offense without multiple teammates setting them up.

You might have to wait for growth.

Kim Hughes bring fired might be playing into this.

 

[Blazers Roy]

While we're at it, it's time to chill that Vonleh hype a bit as well.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Because I bought his Jersey dammit!!! Close thread....

Honestly I expected more. Not necessarily better play, but more confident play. He sure looks unsure out there.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Theories, please.

He has a first name for a last name and a last name for a first name. He's a 7ft player who can't play near the basketball. He's been cursed from birth to always be the opposite of what he should be.

 

[SpamKing]

He's playing like crap because he's a big sissy. The guy has a huge payday on the horizon if he proves that he's worth the risk, but his lack of cojones is keeping him from earning it and he knows it. The only way this guy can perform is if nobody expects anything out of him, especially himself . . .

 

[Natebishop3]

He looks completely unsure of himself right now. It could be a few factors.

He could be pressing because of the contract thing.

He could be feeling the aftereffects of Kim Hughes being fired.

I honestly don't know, but right now he's not producing at all.

 

[oldmangrouch]

On a serious note, there will always be players who try to make the jump from college to the NBA and suddenly feel as if the game is being played on fast forward. We have 3+ years of evidence that Leonard just doesn't have very good instincts for the game.

 

[Pinwheel1]

You guys are overthinking this, much like Meyers is right now with his shot. When outside shooters (especially young players) miss a few, it gets in their head. Hopefully it won't last too long but at some point he will get his confidence back and his 3's will level off at around 40%.

His slow release is not a factor.

 

[BlayZa]

if i had to pick something, i'd say its a mix of adjusting to being a starter, the pressures that entails + pressure to hit the deep open shot + still be a def force + trying to sort your contract.

I think once the team finds itself, he'll fine

 

[TBpup]

You guys are overthinking this, much like Meyers is right now with his shot. When outside shooters (especially young players) miss a few, it gets in their head. Hopefully it won't last too long but at some point he will get his confidence back and his 3's will level off at around 40%.

His slow release is not a factor.

It can be when it is a departure from the way he has shot the ball all of his life. A quicker release is totally new for him and will take some time.

 

[Pinwheel1]

It can be when it is a departure from the way he has shot the ball all of his life. A quicker release is totally new for him and will take some time.

I never said his quicker release wasn't a factor, just that his slow release wasn't.
Seriously though are you saying he changed his shooting form. It looked the same to me last night.
He just looked cold.

 

[TBpup]

His average shot release is much quicker than last season. Last year was much more of a slow wind up that took forever but was fine because no one was coming out on him. In the Memphis series, by the end some people were running at him and he had to get a couple off more quickly but he already had a rhythm by then and was in the groove. He's not getting much of a chance to get into that groove and isn't used to the quicker release quite yet.