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

What the fuck happened to Nurkic, jokic once again flat out destroyed him

 

Point taken, game threads are always very knee jerk but I don't expect that in the preseason for the reasons I stated. I know this team isn't a reigning champion but that doesn't mean that 9 days into training camp that the goal of a game is to play in mid-season form and win at all costs. We are obviously working on new defensive schemes and personnel rotations. Stotts is very clearly putting more weight into those things than the final score. I'm still optimistic about the season but this back court will always have a hard time contending for a championship but I do think HCA is very likely.

 

I don't know about very likely. I think Lakers, Clippers, and Nuggets are all better. Portland might be better than Utah and have the inside track on 4th seed, especially with Porzingas out for Dallas. But if he comes back Jan 1 like Dallas is targeting, they can be a real threat for 4th. Josh Richardson is a good addition for then too, along with WCS

 

I was just looking at our schedule and our first 10 games we can be 1-9.

 

Everybody bitched about our poor bubble preseason and our difficult schedule. What happened? We went 6-2, won the play-in, and got a win vs the champs. Tonight's game means nothing.

 

Oh I think it's very close between the Clippers, Nuggets, Mavs, Jazz and us for the 2-6 spots. I just thought that we were right under the Clippers going into the last 9 days and 9 days even if four of them were televised and didn't look great, hasn't changed my opinion. 9 days for new schemes, 9 days with two new starters and really only 5 days with the starting lineup (Nurk missing the first two days of training camp and first Sac game and Dame missing tonight). It just doesn't sway my opinion.

We're deep and we have really good players. I still think we're the best team 1-10 and I don't think we have seen the team play like they will when it counts.

 

Well sure. We could also be 9-1. We could be 7-3. 10-0 maybe. Or 4-6. So many possibilities. There is no team on our schedule that can't be beaten. Relax.

 

agreed

 

Wait. So Lakers and Warriors can coast then turn it on.. Isn't that exactly what you admit the Blazers do every year? Start slow, then get hot.

Something to remember: In KD's regular season debut as a Warrior in Oakland, the Warriors lost by 30. Obviously, the talent was there. They just had to work it out.

 

Nurk has been checked out since his grandma died.

 

You keep bringing up the number of practices and the couple of new guys in the rotation like the Blazers are the only team dealing with that, like the Blazers are at some big disadvantage in that regard.

The Nuggets only played one preseason game before playing us. Why isn't that an advantage for the Blazers?

If you want to say "It's preseason and the Blazers aren't really trying so it means nothing," I'd disagree to some extent, but I'd admit it was possible. To continually act like the Blazers had 9 practices and present it like the teams they're playing have had 216 -- and continually be reminded that the Blazers and other teams all started practicing at the same time -- just seems a gross misinterpretation of facts.

 

Yeah. That's true.

 

Changing my win prediction to 23 Wins!

 

I think thebhop is that this year, we wont have to rely on Dame scoring 40ppg.

 

I highly doubt Stotts sat Dame during a preseason game that didn't matter to "releive the pressure". I dont think Stotts is worried about job security because of meaningless games.

 

It's only preseason and I'm already fucking sick of CJ

 

I have to admit i did this. I even had conversations with you about it. I said "It's not the loss it's HOW they lost". They did come out better in the bubble than i expected.

 

Yeah highly unlikely.
Stotts sat him to see other rotations and he played a bunch of different lineups in that game is what i'm thinking. I hope you noticed one rotation was pretty strong They had Kanter and Giles with DJJ and Trent with CJ. Jones got hurt and it was short lived but it was very strong for a short time. No question CJ needs to watch a bunch of video and he will have some now. The complaints about CJ have merit. The complaints about Stotts not holding CJ accountable seem to have merit also.
CJ has got to hit an open man if he is going to run the offense. But to be fair Trent got 18 shots. it's not like he wasn't getting the ball. Melo was a dismal 0-7. That isn't going to help this team at all. I'm not sure the Melo experiment off the bench is going to work? I hope it starts flowing better but it seems he immediately comes in and tries to be "Scoring Champ" Melo. He has got to find his role in that unit. Defenses know he is going to try to break someone down and force a shot. Obviously i don't like Melo and CJ on the court together unless both (Not just one) of them start playing team ball. (Please Obi-Stotts you're our only hope) Pull the plug if they won't play team ball.
-Elleby is very raw. But he does bring energy. He needs G-league. Do they have one this year? Elleby just needs a bunch of minutes before I'm willing to judge the guy.
-Giles is not ready to shoot from the outside. This is gonna hurt his minutes.
-Hood getting better but still not there yet and seems a step slow on defense.
-Nurkic is out of shape. You can immediately tell when he is tired. Sloppy passes, bad hacks and flimsy flip shots at the basket. Gonna be another week before you see any beast named Nurkic.
-RoCo is not sure where to be on any given play yet. They are finding their groove so to speak. maybe another week or two?

Lets talk about Collins. Zach could be the player that works better for this team? Combination of shooting and willingness to mix it up and play defense could help. Again he will be out of shape when he does come back and that is 10-20 games before he is really in the mix. When he comes back i would think the depth is going to push someone out of the rotation? Sorry to say this but Melo must take the cut.

-DJJ is the type of player that is going to deal with these kind of injuries. 4 games and twice now we have seen him come up hobbled. I love highlight reel dunks but they levy a toll on the body of the guy doing them. Go up get the ball but try to come down a bit more controlled. Doesn't look as good on ESPN but they all score 2 points.
-Gary Trent can shoot the ball. he will be a 3&D guy this team needs but he is not a great creator just yet. Again Dame, CJ, Melo, Nurk need to find this guy when he is open. It will come.

Blazers will struggle the first 20 games IMO. Hoping for 12-8 but i would not be surprised to see 10-10. At some point this season though they will gel and they will have a good run to help that record.

 

Wins and losses don't matter in the pre-season. But you should see growth and effort, getting better in execution....and it would be a huge stretch to say that any of that has happened. That isn't knee-jerk, it's sadly just reality. Of course it is early, but it is early for everyone, so it's a level playing field. I saw many other teams with roster changes coming together much faster, improving in what they were trying to do, and showing signs they were beginning to gel regardless of the outcome. Sadly, it is difficult to point to any sign of that with the Blazers.

I do so love the apples-to-oranges comparisons. Lakers/Warriors....may have started a LITTLE slow, then turned it on....AND WON CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Blazers start VERY slow, then turn it on.....to make the #8 seed? To get swept out of the Playoffs?

Please....better analogies would be helpful.

 

fuck terry stotts for what he did to nurk

fuck terry stotts cause he has no courage to do it to dame or cj mccollum or carmelo

fuck terry stotts for not being a good coach, i cant stand him

fuck terry stotts just because