Game Thread GAME# 52: SPURS @ BLAZERS - FEBRUARY 6, 2020 - THURSDAY, 7:00 PM, NBCSNW

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Darkwebs, Feb 4, 2020.

?

The trade deadline is a couple days away. Should the Blazers trade Hassan?

Poll closed Feb 6, 2020.
  1. Yes

    43.8%
  2. No

    56.3%
  1. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Actually, it seems like Portland does an poor job taking undervalued guys and making them useful compared to the average NBA team.

    Here's a list of 28 good role players (or better) that came into the league in the last 5 years as an undrafted free agent or that their team originally got with:
    - The 41st pick or lower
    - As a minimum level free agent with no market
    - As a trade throw-in


    Joe Ingles, Royce O'Neale, Nikola Jokic, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, Dillon Brooks, Thomas Bryant, Maxi Kleber, Daniel Thies, Montrezl Harrell, Bryn Forbes, Fred Vanvleet, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr, Monte Morris, Khris Middleton, Moritz Wagner, Terrence Davis, Spencer Dinwiddie, Alex Caruso, De'Anthony Melton, Dorian Finney-Smith, Ben McLemore, Nemanja Bjelica, Eric Paschall, Bruce Brown, Christian Wood, Danuel House, etc. Probably missing some.
     
  2. SIeepwalker

    SIeepwalker The lone sane poster

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    Wow Trent playing over CJ down the stretch

    Mario -12 in 13 minutes....
     
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  3. SIeepwalker

    SIeepwalker The lone sane poster

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    Great defense by Mario randomly picking up Hassan's man
     
  4. Blazers Roy

    Blazers Roy Well-Known Member

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    It's annoying how people here just can't enjoy Trent making open threes, they have to be salty about CJ for some reason.

    Then, when Trent gets defended like CJ and will miss shots or will got into some unrelated slump, people here would be salty about Trent again.

    I already called it with Simons. He had a few good games and people here were screaming about dumb CJ trades and then when he went through adversity people wanted Simons gone.

    We CAN enjoy a good game of one player without shitting on a different player.
     
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  5. stampedehero

    stampedehero Make Your Day, a Doobies Day Staff Member Moderator

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    Spurs
    Portland Trail Blazers Trail Blazers
    [​IMG] STARTERS STARTERS P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
    LaMarcus Aldridge L. Aldridge F 36 20 9 - 23 0 - 0 2 - 6 8 4 2 1 1 0
    DeMar DeRozan D. DeRozan F 37 21 6 - 16 9 - 9 0 - 0 7 6 3 0 1 0
    Trey Lyles T. Lyles C 34 23 9 - 11 1 - 1 4 - 6 10 0 2 0 0 4
    Bryn Forbes B. Forbes G 22 11 3 - 6 3 - 3 2 - 3 0 1 0 0 2 3
    Dejounte Murray D. Murray G 25 4 1 - 7 2 - 2 0 - 2 4 5 1 0 0 1
    [​IMG] BENCH P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
    Derrick White D. White - 23 15 4 - 8 7 - 7 0 - 1 1 3 0 1 0 1
    Patty Mills P. Mills - 21 14 5 - 10 2 - 3 2 - 6 2 2 0 0 0 0
    Rudy Gay R. Gay - 14 4 2 - 4 0 - 0 0 - 1 1 1 1 0 0 0
    Lonnie Walker IV L. Walker IV - 13 2 1 - 3 0 - 0 0 - 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
    Jakob Poeltl J. Poeltl - 12 3 1 - 2 1 - 3 0 - 0 4 2 0 0 0 1
    Marco Belinelli M. Belinelli - 3 0 0 - 2 0 - 0 0 - 2 1 1 0 0 0 0
    Chimezie Metu C. Metu DNP
    Drew Eubanks D. Eubanks DNP
    [​IMG] STARTERS STARTERS P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
    Carmelo Anthony C. Anthony F 35 20 8 - 15 0 - 0 4 - 7 8 4 0 0 0 2
    Trevor Ariza T. Ariza F 37 7 2 - 8 2 - 2 1 - 4 6 1 0 0 2 3
    Hassan Whiteside H. Whiteside C 36 17 8 - 10 1 - 3 0 - 0 23 1 1 4 2 3
    CJ McCollum C. McCollum G 30 19 8 - 19 1 - 2 2 - 6 3 6 0 1 1 5
    Damian Lillard D. Lillard G 37 26 9 - 20 5 - 5 3 - 9 2 10 0 0 7 1
    [​IMG] BENCH P MIN PTS FGM-A FTM-A 3PM-A REB AST STL BLK TO PF
    Gary Trent Jr. G. Trent Jr. - 24 18 6 - 7 0 - 0 6 - 7 0 4 0 1 0 1
    Anfernee Simons A. Simons - 15 10 4 - 7 0 - 0 2 - 4 1 1 0 0 0 1
    Mario Hezonja M. Hezonja - 13 2 1 - 2 0 - 0 0 - 0 3 0 1 0 0 1
    Caleb Swanigan C. Swanigan - 12 6 3 - 4 0 - 0 0 - 0 4 1 0 0 0 2

    A great WIN!!! Hassan grabs 23!
     
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  6. kjironman1

    kjironman1 Well-Known Member

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    The other thing involved here is that undrafted D-league player that gets thrown in on a trade gets put into a position where they have to play. They all have tools or they wouldn't be in the league at all. It's the coaching that makes them successful but it takes time.
     
  7. kjironman1

    kjironman1 Well-Known Member

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    I believe the quote was something to the effect of " Trent never sees a shot he doesn't like".
     
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  8. crandc

    crandc Well-Known Member

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    Dame couldn't sustain 50 ppg forever. Good to see he can be mortal and Blazers still win.
     
  9. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    I would say work ethic is the biggest factor on whether lower level players make it. Coaching and being in the right position also help as well. All players come into the league as a talented player and likely were stars at one time along the way. How much work they are willing to put in will help determine their success. A guy like Wes Mathews made himself into a solid NBA player after going undrafted because he was willing to put in the time and effort to improve himself. Even a guy like Giannis who was drafted mid first round put in the work and effort to become an MVP of the league which nobody saw happening.
     
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  10. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you did, I was just coming clean on what appears to be a bad take of mine!
     
  11. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    Interesting way of looking at it.

    Based off your number, 28 players (with a wide range of skill levels) over 5 years means you'd expect a team to have a productive undrafted free agent in any given year, 18% of the time. Melo certainly had no market and signed for the minimum and he's being very productive this year. A guy like Harkless who was given up for a top 55 protected pick started and was better than most on that list above. Was Nurk a throw in with the Plumlee trade?

    I think you're right, we haven't had a GM identify an undrafted talent that could change the franchise.
     
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  12. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    My brother is from Minnesota; I can guarantee you they complain about players coaches and GM, a lot.
     
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  13. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    That's coaching. He's a Spur through and through.
     
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  14. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    The irritation comes when fans write off a player so quickly. It is like they have no concept of the one and done NBA. Most of these young players are just not ready to contribute in their first year or two. So fans need to plan for it and accept it. How many times do we hear that a certain young player will never make it in the NBA or he is Europe bound? The answer is, pretty much every fucking year. It gets really old.

    As you say there is nothing wrong with saying Simons (or Trent, or Jake, or Connaughton or even Patty Mills) is not ready, or that he sucking right now. The issue is you would think that fans would be smart enough to understand that just because someone shoots a lot in a summer league game, or in the G league, or at the end of a blow out game.....doesn't mean they would play the same way with the starters. And it doesn't mean they won't get better if they have the right work ethic.
     
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  15. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    as well as Derrick White. That guy flopped anytime someone got close to him. They had 28 free throws to our 12. Ridiculous.
     
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  16. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I like how Anf is holding Collins back so he doesn't go all the way out onto the court. On the Dame/DeRozan photo I think DeRozan is saying "Look how much taller I am than CJ, I would make a great backcourt mate for you. Maybe you could motivate me to play defense, somehow Pops has failed."
     
  17. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    I know the guy is huge and ripped, but I look at him and still think, "Man, that kid's a wussy stringbean compared to his dad."
     
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  18. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    Ariza has been everything we thought Bazemore was supposed to be for us.
     
  19. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    Exactly. CJ is the new lightning rod.

    As for how the game was substituted by Stotts, regardless of the talent level, the Spurs are the best-coached team in the NBA. Pops just takes things away from you and forces countermoves. He knows our rotation and how Stotts likes to play our guys. CJ played just fine, Stotts modified his rotation and Trent stepped up. Three good things.

    The problem with familiarity is that you start seeing all the things players CAN'T do, rather than the amazing things they can do. I remember living in Chicago in the 90s. People were chill with Jordan, but Pip got ROASTED on a daily basis. At that point in time, he was a top-five player in the league. His crime: He wasn't MJ.

    I love CJ and am happy he's a Blazer.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2020
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  20. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Stotts went with the hot hand.

    Now I've seen everything!

    J/K Had to throw that in there.

    :cheers:
     
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