Will there be growing pains?

[Strenuus]

As most of you know, i take a "20 game approach" to the season where i dont get too high or too low in the beginning of the season.

That said, how do you think the first 20 games will be? Whenever you have this much turnover it takes awhile (even if you have two big time players in dame and CJ).

How Will the growing pains be? Do you think we will jive quicker than most in a similar situation?

I think if we go 12-8 in our first 20 thats a damn good start, imo.

 

[hoopsjock]

As most of you know, i take a "20 game approach" to the season where i dont get too high or too low in the beginning of the season.

That said, how do you think the first 20 games will be? Whenever you have this much turnover it takes awhile (even if you have two big time players in dame and CJ).

How Will the growing pains be? Do you think we will jive quicker than most in a similar situation?

I think if we go 12-8 in our first 20 thats a damn good start, imo.

I think the tough early schedule will be more of a factor than the team meshing. Anytime a team has 2 players that monopolize the shot attempts coming back it's easier for the new players to know their role of just having to do their specific jobs. Whereas teams like LAC, LAL, and Hou are trying to integrate two super star players to learn to play with each other.

I think the starting lineup will be Dame, CJ, Hood, Collins, and Whiteside. 4 of those guys already played together last year with success in the playoffs. With how quickly Kanter fit in with very little practice time in the middle of the season I highly doubt it will take Whiteside long to do the same considering he'll have a whole training camp more than Kanter did.

The bench might be what takes some time to gel butI like the mix of vets and young guys.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I think the tough early schedule will be more of a factor than the team meshing. Anytime a team has 2 players that monopolize the shot attempts coming back it's easier for the new players to know their role of just having to do their specific jobs. Whereas teams like LAC, LAL, and Hou are trying to integrate two super star players to learn to play with each other.

I think the starting lineup will be Dame, CJ, Hood, Collins, and Whiteside. 4 of those guys already played together last year with success in the playoffs. With how quickly Kanter fit in with very little practice time in the middle of the season I highly doubt it will take Whiteside long to do the same considering he'll have a whole training camp more than Kanter did.

The bench might be what takes some time to gel butI like the mix of vets and young guys.

I think it'll be Bazemore who starts at the 3 (could definitely be wrong). I think Baze is more of a 3 and D fit with the first unit. Hood is better with the ball in his hands and they're probably more comfortable running offense through him when the bench is out there he may finish a bunch of games on the nights he's "on" though. I agree for the most part with you though.

 

[GhostOfPGA]

Yes there will be. Massive overhaul of role players, but ultimately it will be better long term.

 

[hoopsjock]

I think it'll be Bazemore who starts at the 3 (could definitely be wrong). I think Baze is more of a 3 and D fit with the first unit. Hood is better with the ball in his hands and they're probably more comfortable running offense through him when the bench is out there he may finish a bunch of games on the nights he's "on" though. I agree for the most part with you though.

Both Stotts and Olshey have made comments that Hood will be starting. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with your reasoning but I think they told Hood he'd be the starter.

Hood is a better pure scorer than Baze but Baze is better if we need more of a PG type to take pressure off of Simons bringing the ball up in the 2nd unit.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Both Stotts and Olshey have made comments that Hood will be starting. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with your reasoning but I think they told Hood he'd be the starter.

Hood is a better pure scorer than Baze but Baze is better if we need more of a PG type to take pressure off of Simons bringing the ball up in the 2nd unit.

Maybe the summer's fried some things (or they were already fried heh), I don't remember many comments about who would be starting. - Not saying they didn't happen just that I don't remember -

 

[Hoopguru]

I think it'll be Bazemore who starts at the 3 (could definitely be wrong). I think Baze is more of a 3 and D fit with the first unit. Hood is better with the ball in his hands and they're probably more comfortable running offense through him when the bench is out there he may finish a bunch of games on the nights he's "on" though. I agree for the most part with you though.

Hood played a lot of two guard at Utah.

 

[Hoopguru]

13 & 7
maybe 14 & 6
be great if it was 15 & 5

Many of the other teams also will be fitting pieces and I like our vets we picked up.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Both Stotts and Olshey have made comments that Hood will be starting. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with your reasoning but I think they told Hood he'd be the starter.

Hood is a better pure scorer than Baze but Baze is better if we need more of a PG type to take pressure off of Simons bringing the ball up in the 2nd unit.

Not only do I agree with you that Hood will start at the 3, but I also think that we're going to be pleasantly surprised by his production at that spot. I would not be surprised to see him contributing 15 ppg.

 

[hoopsjock]

Not only do I agree with you that Hood will start at the 3, but I also think that we're going to be pleasantly surprised by his production at that spot. I would not be surprised to see him contributing 15 ppg.

I think people are overlooking how good Hood was on defense before he tweaked his knee in Game 7 of the Denver series. Stotts was using him defensively the exact way he used Harkless and there wasn't really any difference on that end.

 

[B-Roy]

Not only do I agree with you that Hood will start at the 3, but I also think that we're going to be pleasantly surprised by his production at that spot. I would not be surprised to see him contributing 15 ppg.

I can't see that unless Dame and CJ seriously cut back on their usage rate.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I can't see that unless Dame and CJ seriously cut back on their usage rate.

We'll see. You may be right. The scoring available to the 3-4-5 spots on a Dame/CJ team is definitely a zero-sum game. I think Hood's scoring will come more at Collins' expense than anyone else.

 

[illmatic99]

I can't see that unless Dame and CJ seriously cut back on their usage rate.

Hood put up 10 ppg last year on 8 shots a game. He needs about 3-4 more looks per game to get to 15, with hopefully more 3pt FGAs. Moe and Aminu totaled about 13 shots. I think their absence will help him get close to 15 points. The shot distribution should be fairly the same as the end of last year unless we finally decide to run more and speed up the game. Only big change I see is hopefully a larger focus for Collins.

Here's how I see it:

Curry/Turner <---> Simons/Bazemore
Aminu/Harkless <---> Collins/Hood
Kanter <---> Whiteside
Layman <---> Hezonja
Meyers <---> Pau

Unless someone like Simons/Mario/Collins/Skal etc pops, it isn't that far fetched for Hood to be our 4th leading scorer.

 

[julius]

Growing pains? Sure, it's the facts of life. We already know who's the boss, and it's a small wonder, even with some of the guys being perfect strangers, that there's a chance for a dynasty.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Growing pains? Sure, it's the facts of life. We already know who's the boss, and it's a small wonder, even with some of the guys being perfect strangers, that there's a chance for a dynasty.

I think if we depend on our family ties and dominate at home with a full house, we've got a good chance to experience some wonder years.

 

[hoopsjock]

We'll see. You may be right. The scoring available to the 3-4-5 spots on a Dame/CJ team is definitely a zero-sum game. I think Hood's scoring will come more at Collins' expense than anyone else.

Nurk being out too leads to a few more available shots as Whiteside won't be as much of a focal point on offense as Nurk was. Nurk was also good for at least a couple times a game of getting someone an easy bucket which won't be the case with Whiteside. That leaves a few more possessions where shot creation will be needed and that is probably Hood's greatest strength.

 

[Happi]

Cheers! I think that we need to wait a bit to find out if this is a love boat, or if it's a hells kitchen. If the food at the Moda Center is good eats, we can all lean on each other during times of hardship. M*A*S*H.

 

[BigGameDamian]

No time for growing pains. Jody and Neil are going all in. 50 year anniversary and Jody's doing it for Paul.

 

[H.C.]

I'm not concerned about growing pains as much as I am injuries.
In 16-17 players were in and out of the lineup all year.
Something Stotts has shown to be one of his best assets as the HC, if not his best. Is figuring out how to get continuity quickly with the team.
But when you have Aminu in and out of the line up missing 21 games, Davis missing nearly half the season, and Turner getting another nagging injury every time he started to look like he was going to play half decent.... You can't build that easily because you don't know who is going to be available 5 games later.

Now I'm not saying these players were the reason why Portland was a top 5 seed, or struggling for the 8th seed/barely playing .500 ball...
I am saying that continuity has meant something to Portland for awhile now.
This is the first season sense Portland lost 4 out of 5 starters that we've had so few returning players. It was time for a change.

I do expect certain posters on this board if Whiteside struggles to protect the rim to start the season, to make countless threads about Collins being > Whiteside.(ala Nurk early in the 2018 season)
I also expect those posters to completely forget they said that as the season rolls on.(just like they did last year)

At the end of the day give me more than 10 wins in the first 20 games and I'll think Portland is right on pace for HCA in the first round again.
Which is what I believe will happen.

 

[Eastoff]

I think if we depend on our family ties and dominate at home with a full house, we've got a good chance to experience some wonder years.

The team lost some Friends, but Damian can still hold night Court. There should even be some Home Improvement. I think Ant will look like a regular Doogie Howser.

 

[Hoopguru]

The team lost some Friends, but Damian can still hold night Court. There should even be some Home Improvement. I think Ant will look like a regular Doogie Howser.

I don't see this season being Grimm at all!

 

[Strenuus]

Honestly i didnt see this coming. You fucks.


I love you.

 

[Orion Bailey]

20 games in and we have the best record in the league.

Mark this post.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

20 games in and we have the best record in the league.

Mark this post.

marked.

 

[Orion Bailey]

View attachment 27602
marked.

I always get pissed on around here. Im taking my post and going home!!!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I always get pissed on around here. Im taking my post and going home!!!

Its my territory now!

 

[julius]

This season is hard to predict, at least to me. There are some things that we already know how they will be, but there are many unsolved mysteries in relation to the team. For example, will the team have twin towers or fawlty towers? Will Damian and Hasaan need to have a heart to heart conversation at some point during the season? And with Meyers being gone, who will be the fall guy this year? I am excited about how the young ones will handle the playing time though. I also think we will see a calmer CJ this year, he's on his way to being married with children, which could lead him to a quantum leap of improvement on the court. With their insane schedule to start the season (lots of road games/long trips), I believe a strong start to the season should lead to happy days. I won't get too excited though, as I think anyone expecting them to win the title this year is living in a fantasy island.

I fear I have gone full ABM here. This thread has now jumped the shark.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

This season is hard to predict, at least to me. There are some things that we already know how they will be, but there are many unsolved mysteries in relation to the team. For example, will the team have twin towers or fawlty towers? Will Damian and Hasaan need to have a heart to heart conversation at some point during the season? And with Meyers being gone, who will be the fall guy this year? I am excite about how the young ones will handle the playing time though. I also think we will see a calmer CJ this year, he's on his way to being married with children, which lead him to a quantum leap of improvement on the court. With their insane schedule to start the season (lots of road games/long trips), I believe a strong start to the season should lead to happy days. I won't get too excited though, as I think anyone expecting them to win the title this year is living in a fantasy island.

I fear I have gone full ABM here. This thread has now jumped the shark.

I'm on a fantasy island, and it's amazing.

 

[BonesJones]

I'm not concerned about growing pains as much as I am injuries.
In 16-17 players were in and out of the lineup all year.
Something Stotts has shown to be one of his best assets as the HC, if not his best. Is figuring out how to get continuity quickly with the team.
But when you have Aminu in and out of the line up missing 21 games, Davis missing nearly half the season, and Turner getting another nagging injury every time he started to look like he was going to play half decent.... You can't build that easily because you don't know who is going to be available 5 games later.

Now I'm not saying these players were the reason why Portland was a top 5 seed, or struggling for the 8th seed/barely playing .500 ball...
I am saying that continuity has meant something to Portland for awhile now.
This is the first season sense Portland lost 4 out of 5 starters that we've had so few returning players. It was time for a change.

I do expect certain posters on this board if Whiteside struggles to protect the rim to start the season, to make countless threads about Collins being > Whiteside.(ala Nurk early in the 2018 season)
I also expect those posters to completely forget they said that as the season rolls on.(just like they did last year)

At the end of the day give me more than 10 wins in the first 20 games and I'll think Portland is right on pace for HCA in the first round again.
Which is what I believe will happen.

Continuity is because of Stotts and not simply having the same core group of players year after year?

20 games in and we have the best record in the league.

Mark this post.

Being 7-10 after 17 games means we're on a 50-win pace so I highly doubt that.

 

[THE HCP]

Not going out on much of a limb here, but I have us 10-10 after 20 games. Nothing to new ashamed of, that's a tough ass schedule!