Game Thread GAME# 37: BLAZERS @ HEAT - JANUARY 5, 2020 - SUNDAY, 3:00 PM, NBCSNW

But does he need a good coach at this point of his career? Apparently Chris Paul does not.
I'm not really arguing about it at all. I actually agree. Just seems like you are giving the coaches a little too much credit, or no credit in this case?
Chris Paul is very talented and yes he runs the team on the floor well. I also believe Dame can. But i have not seen it so much lately. He seems like he is pressing and his decision making has not been up to par. That absolutely could be because Stotts has no idea what he is trying to do with this group of players? But it also could be because the Players are not a good mix at all?
I just don't know at this point? The team should be better. Yes the injuries have taken their toll. But this team should probably be playing better ball?

 

Like @PtldPlatypus explained better than I could, good players can be successful with bad coaching because they're talented enough to overcome it. However, when you play a team that has more talent or is better coached than you either have to have your players play exceptionally well or you're going to lose (see WCF, Pelicans series, almost anytime we play a good team this year). Dame's one of the best players in the league but he can't overcome bad coaching, injuries, and roster issues all at the same time. Short of a trade, right now the only real thing that can change is the coaching and I just don't see it being good enough this year to compensate for the other things. In the NBA Dame has only ever known Stotts way of coaching so maybe he doesn't question him.

Whereas in CP3's case they haven't really had to deal with major injuries and he's got some decent players around him like Gallo and Adams who also know how to play the game and then add in the promising skills of SGA and they are playing great right now. Who know's if it's sustainable for them? They're definitely the best of the "worst" in the West right now which in this particular year means the 7th seed is theirs for the taking.

 

You have a point there.

This also has crossed my mind. Dame looks stagnant and kind of out of sorts? He almost looks to be searching for something that he can't quite reach?
I think it might be good for a coaching change. But Dame will not disrespect the coach. Sometimes a decision being made for you is the best way to make the decision.
I'm very much the same way. I will not bash the coach or the players. They are all trying and it shows in the frustration. Of course i like Stotts. He is a very upstanding man and coach. But his time may have come? One last push and maybe some changes through trades by the deadline and see what happens?

 

I just don't think Stotts will get fired this season. Everyone involved has the injury excuse. He'll get at least a pass until this point next year. I would love to see Dame and CJ play for a different coach before casting CJ off but who knows.

 

If CJ is traded, Stotts and NO won't be part of the Blazer organization anymore.
As long as NO and Stotts are here. Portland's back court won't be broken up.
So all those that wish CJ to be traded for a Klondike bar. Are dreaming.

Also there is a high chance that if CJ is traded, Stotts and NO fired.
That Lillard would also be traded.
No logic in holding into a 30+ year old guard when you do a full rebuild.
Nurk is young enough to be on the bubble and given his injury history theres a chance Portland would ask more than he's worth. I'd still say there is a 50/50 chance that Nurk would be traded also.

But I'm sure winning 5 games a year with Simons and Trent starting will make game threads and this forum sooooooo much more enjoyable.

 

The general consensus on this forum going into the 19-20 season is that Portland would be better offensively. But worse defensively.
Most believed they wouldn't have growing pains because of Lillard. Few believed those people were silly. Not because they didn't believe in Lillard.
But because when you replace 7 rotational players. It's crazy to think they'll be as good at game 1, as they would be game 82.
Portland's depth has gone to shit. The plan has been unraveled by several things.
Be it poor free agent signings or hyping a 20 year old to be better than your franchise player or injuries.
The depth became so much of an issue that Portland brought in a player who couldn't get a job in the league. The player accepted that he wouldn't be returning to basketball.
This player has had good games and bad games.
One thing is for certain though people wanted to see the young players play let them play through the mistakes. These people also wanted to win games. Melo has helped Portland win more games than Little would have.

NBA players generally do better when they know when they're going to come in, and when they're going to come out.
They generally do better when they know exactly what is expected of them. Helps build cohesion.
This entire year Portland hasn't been able to do that. CJ even made a joke a couple weeks ago talking about how they hadn't had anyone go down for a couple games. Then they lost Skal. Was great. CJ worse than jinxspeed.

 

I agree a lot of things went wrong this year. I am in general ok with it, it happens in sports.

 

Let me help you there:

Dame is like Stephon Marbury (with better shooting).
Chris Paul is like Jason Kidd (with better shooting)

 

I am merely observing the situation as it unfolds without expectations.

 

Agree.
But, I honestly believe with just one move, this roster should be in a position to make a deep playoff run, next year.

 

You just compared Damian Lillard to Stephon Marbury???
Dude was on 5 different teams in 12 years and ended his career with the Beijing Ducks. Multiple public feuds with players and management like KG, Larry Brown, and of course who can forget the sexual harassment trial with Isaiah Thomas. Not only public trial but literally coming to blows on the plane.
Dude even was on the Olympic Team that didn't win a gold.
But sure he's a coach now in China so he might compare to Dame right?

Let me help you out here. Don't try to help me out anymore.

Don't even get me started with the CP3 vs Kidd comparison......

 

Who cares about the crazy stuff he did. Marbury was insanely talented, very good in his prime. I was talking about on-court play-style alone.
You people are so sensitive with Lillard lol. I think even he wouldnt have a problem with the comparison.

 

Well that tells me a bunch about what you think.
Here is what i think. I think Stephon Marbury is and always has been a classless clown. Never won a damn thing and has been pretty much removed from having anything to do with the NBA because everyone who is anyone will not deal with his bullshit. Talent means nothing when you have absolutely no moral compass. It's like you weren't paying attention for ten years.

 

You and the drama.
I think you don't even realize how many NBA players were assholes\wife beaters\criminals etc.

Karl Malone was probably the biggest asshole ever and he's a hall of famer, former MVP and competed with the best of them.

I'm talking about gameplay alone and you're insisting on digressing from the subject.

Some people in the forum has a hard time respecting talented players because of off-court issues or bad character. Suddenly players like Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph, Jamal Crawford or Iverson are scrubs.

Look at tapes of actual gameplay instead of going with the soccer mom take and then tell me how horrible Stephon Marbury was.

 

And now he comes back with Zach Randolph.... I rest my case.
By the way pretty sure having won two League MVP awards and being on the All NBA team 11 times and having a statue placed outside the arena you played in and becoming a mentor for college athletes and becoming a strength and conditioning coach plus big man coach for an the Jazz would put Malone in a different category than Marbury. Not to mention actually winning a gold medal in the Olympics..... TWICE!

 

Me: Lillard's play and effect on the team is more similar to Marbury than Kidd or CP.
You: Marbury behavior was really bad, how do you compare them? OMG i cant believe you talk about Lillard Like that.
Me: Ok, but i'm talking about play and effect on the team. Behavior doesnt matter in this debate because other talented players were horrible people as well.
You: behavior doesn't matter because some of those players have achievements.

ME: GOOD BECAUSE MY POINT WAS NEVER ABOUT BEHAVIOR!

You were never interested in debating the point, you were just in it to be insulted for Lillard and to be his white knight.
Congratulations, you are THE #1 fan.

 

You:

Then You:

Me again:

Seriously You can choose to keep digging but you are already over your head. If you cannot see that moral compass has an effect on they way a player effects the team on and off the court then i don't know what to say? To say Lillard's effect on the team is similar to Stephon Marbury would be comical if it weren't such an insult to everything the guy stands for. There is absolutely nothing to debate here. So far in this conversation you have insulted not only Damian Lillard but pretty much the entire fanbase that supports him and you have called me a "Soccer mom", "White knight", "THE #1 fan" but whatever?
I'm going to stick with my original sentiment.In my opinion Lillard is nothing at all like Stephon Marbury on or off the court. Not only do the numbers back me up but the results of the two careers seem to be also.

 

Saying "Like" a player is not like saying "The same" player.

Effect on the team = effect on the team during a game. As i see it, both are shoot first,athletic Point Guards with good passing ability, yet both of them don't take completely solid basketball decisions. Kidd and CP were more like the opposite of that.

*Of course Lillard is way way better as a leader of a franchise.*

You seem to invent your own story around a very simple post I've made just to feel good about yourself.
My opinion is not extreme or "comical" as you make it , i just respect 2 very talented basketball players, you are the one taking it to the extreme.

This isn't a bad player:

 

I guess we can add "You seem to invent your own story around a very simple post I've made just to feel good about yourself." to the list of insults.
Whatever you say at this point makes absolutely no difference. Insulting people to try to make a point isn't making a point at all.
The two players do not compare. Sorry. Nothing has been invented.