So what's up with our defense? We're giving up the highest shooting percentage of anyone in the league. You can't just blame it on having an undersized center, because opponants are getting open looks all over the court, and the Blazers defense seems to break down very easily and players get to the rim. Not having a defensive presense inside is part of it, but it's really the whole team. This team has decent size and athetisism, and Wes and Nic have the rep of being good defenders, so why do we suck so bad? And does LaMarcus look like an old man to any of you? He's been reminding me of Kurt Thomas out there, lolly gagging around, just shooting jump shots....
We have 6 (maybe 7?) guys on this team that look like they belong on an active NBA roster, as such every time they step out on to the court the starters are intimately aware that they are going to be responsible for putting up 90-95% of the offensive output night and night out. I'm guessing that guys are conserving themselves a lot of the time on defense so they'll have the legs to finish a game. When they've been successful so far it's mostly been by keeping things close and finding a way to win at the end. When they lose they tend to get way behind and lose by a pretty high margin. In short, this was always how this was going to go this year with all of the castoffs and first year players we have. Try not to get too bogged down focusing on the game level details and force yourself to think big picture, it'll save you a boatload of cash in rolaids.
Blazers defense is horrible. Stotts riped Meyers Leonard after the game today about his defense and didn't even mention the guards or anyone else. I love Damian but he can't keep other point guards out of the paint.
Today we had two rookies starting; that's always gonna be a problem. And they are all still learning a new defensive system. I thought they were getting better at it in the two or three previous games, hopefully this is only a one game setback. Aldridge really needs to step up on defense, he is the only one on the team with the size, experience and athletic ability to be a game changer on defense (except Nic, when he is on). But it's my own opinion that Aldridge has a problem in the lack of speed in his recognition of a situation and then his reaction to the situation. This also hurts him in his rebounding. So, more effort may not help him that much.
Might not be a bad idea actually. They might through in another player to boot, to give us some depth.. This team really needs some interior toughness, and defense. We could move Hickson to PF, where he'd be more productive. LA is a good outside shooter, but I don't think this team needs anymore outside shooting, we need a defender interior player. Lillard Matthews Batum Hickson Noah
Well, he did say he's lost some "steps". And he had hip surgery in the off-season, so couldn't work out. And he's playing too many minutes. I predict some sitting out with nagging injuries in the very near future. (And it wouldn't be too bad of a thing, except for us poor naive fans who want wins. We'll get to see more Hickson, Freeland and Leonard. Okay, maybe the "see" part is a bad thing. But them getting minutes might be good for them.)
I am so tired of the LMA nut-hugging. He was a decent player (with the potential to be more then that)....but now he is damaged goods. I'm not convinced it is all the hip either - his head/heart are also suspect. Time for the team to be looking at options, before his value drops to zero.
Love Lillard, but he doesn't even attempt to get into a defensive stance many times, even when the opposing PG has the ball. I will blame that on him being dog-assed tired from playing so many minutes a game, and the same with the rest of the starters. Get an adequate back-up so Lillard doesn't have to play 40 minutes a game.
I think they've some decent individual defenders in their starters, but the lack of much production from the 5 and the bench equates to other teams having their way with Portland's overall team D. Hopefully Meyers develops into the missing interior intimidator, but they really could use another athletic SF to D up. I like the potential of making Nic the 1-3 stopper be it Chris Paul, James Harden or Durant. But when he's primarily covering an opponent's Guard, Wesley can't be the only option at covering opponent's SFs some quality depth would help [/captain obvious] STOMP
