Game Thread Blazers vs OKC Tuesday July 28th, 3pm PST NBCSNW

That's 3 scrimmages in a row where teams have lit us up from the 3pt line. Scrimmages where we had Nurkic and Collins back...

Our 3pt defense was never going to be solved by getting bigs back. That's part of the reason why I just didn't soak up the "injury" excuse all season.

Our team has not improved our 3pt season at all ALL SEASON. That falls on the coach. I get that we don't have the best perimeter defenders, but we should've seen improvement. The fact that we haven't is frustrating.

For the people saying "it's just a scrimmage", the issues we're seeing in these scrimmages existed all season, and based on these scrimmages, will exist during the restart and won't just be solved by the presence of Nurkic and Collins like a lot of mainstream media guys led everyone to belive.

77 points given up with 8 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

Also, Nurk has dealt with foul trouble in multiple games. Having a defensive gameplan of playing Dame, CJ, and Melo together and just letting guys drive at Nurkic probably isn't the best idea.

 

Hezonja is a Top 5 player in this league.

 

I don't think the new defense, with bigs guarding wings, can work. Whiteside has neither the quickness of feet or quickness of mind to do it. Also maybe just not the consistent hustle mindset.

 

How well have our opponents shot from three when both of our lead perimeter defenders (Dame, CJ) are on the floor? They've only played 20 minutes together in all of preseason.

 

Trent hitting his 3 today nice to see

 

These scrimmages are just more of an example as to why I'm not a Terry Stotts fan. Yes we don't have Dame and CJ, but they don't have CP3... And Dame and CJ wouldn't solve our defensive issues, so it's obvious that we're just going to score 125 points in order to win, even though we have Nurkic and Collins back. Having to score 125 points to win is a recipe for disaster and will result in us missing the playoffs if we can't defend better.

 

Dame and C.J. played all season. Our 3pt defense struggled all season. Neither Dame and C.J. are good defenders. Our shotty 3pt defense during these scrimmages is not due to missing Dame or C.J.

 

That’s the sad part. We play much tougher teams

 

It's so blatantly obvious he should start over Melo. People excuse Melo starting at SF with the quote that "Well he wasn't brought in for his defense" which doesn't make sense because 1.) We need defense at that position next to Dame and C.J. and 2.) Trent is a better offensive player at this point.

 

Are you NOT? lol

 

I always make sure to light up the crack pipe before important games like this one.

 

Unless we win this game, I think we should trade Dame.

 

Games 2 & 3 in the scrimmages are 12 min quarters.

 

Dame & CJ got better at D over the break. Also- I hear we're trying out a new defense during this scrimmage that is built around letting the opposition shoot a lot of open threes. I don't think we'll play this way during the real games.

 

Got it.

 

Maybe Nurk and Zach can chase guys around but I think Whiteside is really only comfortable hanging out in the paint. Maybe has to be two different defenses depending on whether he is in or not.

 

Best backcourt defender we have...

 

You panic too much. Remember when you said we'd lose to OKC in 6 after we lost game 3? That was classic. We lose one game and you blame Stotts and say we have no chance lol.