Game Thread PRESEASON GAME# 4: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - DECEMBER 18, 2020 - FRIDAY, 6:00, NBCSNW

Was there a report on why Dame didn’t play?

 

G league.

 

Thanks.

 

I don't but I know it was during a timeout. I'm sure you can see other posts that came before and try to match that to the game. I believe it was the third quarter.

 

I actually feel it to be true. They said they were going to get serious with the rotation and minutes and after 1 blowout, I feel like they know the pressure was on so sitting Dame could help deflate it.

It didn't at all. Another substantial blowout. There is reason to be concerned as I said while you had others calling us crazy for making preseason a big deal.

This is a very big deal.

 

Let me guess???

blazers lost again and it’s not that big of a deal bc it’s preseason..

BLAZERS SUCKK!!! mark my word this will be a huuuuuge dissapointing season

 

I don't ever recall a Blazers team moving so quickly (in my mind) from high optimism to morose pessimism.

I usually temper my optimism but thought I had good reason to be optimistic this year so didn't really temper it.

It is a sad tale to move so quickly from "could we be real contenders" optimism to "Wow, I hope the come together as a team before it is too late" pessimism.

<sigh>

 

Okay. I'm changing my win loss prediction.

 

Just got done watching the Pac12 Championship... did we win?

 

I disagree with that.

Jimmy wouldn't be complicit. He'd be a good soldier and give the coach a shot - but after a while, Terry's ineptitude would frustrate the hell out of him & Jimmy would speak his mind.

For as good as Dame is, he also needs someone with that type of fire to push him

 

Better question.... How many times does Stotts chew him out about it?

 

Speaking truth to power is not Stotts' strong point.

 

Here’s the thing with Stotts and CJ’s gross style of play:

1. He is complicit and responsible for CJ’s lack of passing by instructing him to do exactly that which shows ineptitude, or

2. He doesn’t recognize it at all and doesn’t see anything wrong with it which shows incompetence and negligence, or

3. He sees it and has talked to CJ about it. The fact that CJ hasn’t changed and still plays the same way shows an inability to coach or a lack of respect for Stotts.

 

The fact that guys in here are drawing conclusions about a team that has been on the court together at the most 9 times (7 if you're counting Nurk) is absolutely crazy. For a second pretend that these games matter (we should all know they don't) three game slumps happen all of the time in this league. It wouldn't be a big deal in the middle of the season but in the preseason with two new starters, Nurk coming in late, new defensive schemes and Dame sitting out of the last game it's the end of the fucking world? You guys need to get a grip, for real.

 

sorry man, that you're bitching about guys bitching in game threads is kind of crazy too

for sure, pre-season games don't mean much. But the Blazers aren't the Warriors or Lakers...they don't have the history of coasting then just turning it on and going on winning streaks. They don't have that kind of top-level talent. In fact, they have a history in the Dame/CJ era of slow starts

maybe they will completely gear up between now and Wednesday. But that's only 5 days away and they won't likely be practicing tomorrow. And it's not like the Nuggets or the Kings had some massive advantage in training time either

personally, I think there is some over-reaction in these last 3 games threads. But part of that was, once again, unrealistic expectations based upon an on-paper off-season. Paper upgrades don't always equal the same level of real upgrades, and like it or not, all the Blazers really did was upgrade some role players. It's really rare that role players significantly alter the trajectory of a team