Is our defense better?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Bingo Bango, Oct 16, 2021.

  1. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2008
    Messages:
    21,008
    Likes Received:
    13,564
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I don't think their age is the worry. Dame is the oldest with only 9 years in the league.
     
    blazerkor likes this.
  2. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2013
    Messages:
    66,305
    Likes Received:
    64,444
    Trophy Points:
    113
    When I see a solid 9 man rotation play a whole game, I'll judge the defense...as it is we watched some G league players tryouts for a roster spot...there's not enough of a sample size to gauge where we'll be on that side of the ball but we sure have had a big dropoff playing those guys on both sides of the ball....around Christmas we'll know what we pay for in Blazerland
     
    tykendo and BoomChakaLaka like this.
  3. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    37,387
    Likes Received:
    21,980
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Ballin'
    I guarantee you that Chauncey Billups is definitely one of those people.
     
    Cugel likes this.
  4. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2013
    Messages:
    66,305
    Likes Received:
    64,444
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I don't get any sense of Chauncey "worrying" about anything...I think he is enjoying the process...he seems happy to be in the mix to me. I just don't think he's going to rush what it takes to turn this into a two way team...
     
    tykendo likes this.
  5. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    37,387
    Likes Received:
    21,980
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Ballin'
    I bet they win the season series against us. And I also bet they are significantly better than last year.
     
  6. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2013
    Messages:
    66,305
    Likes Received:
    64,444
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I agree with the 2nd part of your post...not the first...this is the first time the Kings have had guys stick around that have played together...that team has been the revolving door of the league for players and coaches for decades...sucks for such a great fanbase to have to wait so long for a team identity but they have one now..
     
  7. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    37,387
    Likes Received:
    21,980
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Ballin'
    I also think Davion Mitchell is The Real Deal.
     
    riverman likes this.
  8. BoomChakaLaka

    BoomChakaLaka Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2008
    Messages:
    3,376
    Likes Received:
    2,073
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Designer / Artist
    Location:
    San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (formerly PDX)
    We will get a glimpse of our defensive prowess game 1.

    We will see if this was a fluke; games 2-5


    If we start the season 8-2, we will know that our defense has vastly improved!
     
    THE HCP and riverman like this.
  9. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    65,696
    Likes Received:
    51,897
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    N.E.P.
    Which is what worries me. You think Dame wants to wait?
     
  10. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2013
    Messages:
    66,305
    Likes Received:
    64,444
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I think Dame will wait....in Dame's words...."I've already won"....he's not stressed about where he works next season like some players are....when I say wait...I say wait until the team clicks...Dame just started his contract and he'll honor it....now some fair weather observers probably project that he's miserable in Portland...I'm not in that camp. Those folks are Laker fans
     
  11. Fairly-Hard

    Fairly-Hard Former Member Gone New!

    Joined:
    May 2, 2021
    Messages:
    9,062
    Likes Received:
    7,410
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Currently the apartment in the Moda
    Playing correctly takes less energy than trying to make up for mistakes and trying to play hero ball.
     
  12. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 19, 2008
    Messages:
    20,715
    Likes Received:
    32,575
    Trophy Points:
    113
    playing ''correctly'' might take less energy. But it very well may take more talent than what Portland has had the last few years; and that talent has to fit well.
    The 2nd team in stolshey era, Dame-Matthews-Batum-Aldridge-Lopez was better than any version since

    also, 6'2 - 6'3 - 6'3 - 6'7 - 6'11 makes it harder to play correctly when the basket is still 10' off the floor
     
    James lamphear, Fairly-Hard and TBpup like this.
  13. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2015
    Messages:
    53,587
    Likes Received:
    54,649
    Trophy Points:
    113
    We saw glimpses of an improved defense in preseason. We haven't sent the true rotation play a full game together yet. It's to early to tell.
     
    Fairly-Hard and riverman like this.
  14. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2013
    Messages:
    22,362
    Likes Received:
    34,003
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Investment Management / Financial Planner
    Location:
    Lake Oswego
    "If" is the key word. Of course IF he suddenly becomes a good defender, it will change the belief because the results have change. But it is more of a duo issue. Combined, Dame/CJ has been poor for years. It would be a pleasant surprise that as they are both ~30, suddenly they become better defenders. Much of defense is about effort.

    Dame uses most of his effort on the offensive end (much needed), while there have been countless times that CJ shows little to now effort at all. CJ can actually be a solid defender when he puts his mind to it, but that seems much too seldom.
     
    UKRAINEFAN likes this.
  15. Fairly-Hard

    Fairly-Hard Former Member Gone New!

    Joined:
    May 2, 2021
    Messages:
    9,062
    Likes Received:
    7,410
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Currently the apartment in the Moda
    No argument from me on this.
     
  16. tykendo

    tykendo Don't Tread On PDX

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2018
    Messages:
    6,346
    Likes Received:
    7,214
    Trophy Points:
    113
    if the refs allow him to get away with all that contact, he will be all defense. I saw him fouling a ton.
     
  17. Strenuus

    Strenuus Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2013
    Messages:
    48,609
    Likes Received:
    33,635
    Trophy Points:
    113
    It's the first ever games under someone new. The preseason is the LAST time to ever question if it's working. Its common sense

    30-40 games in? Yes. But now? No, that's fucking stupid and you won't change my mind on that.
     
  18. Driew

    Driew Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2008
    Messages:
    2,824
    Likes Received:
    2,949
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I saw a hell of a lot more deflections this preseason than I can ever remember under Stotts. So that at least is encouraging.
     
  19. Fairly-Hard

    Fairly-Hard Former Member Gone New!

    Joined:
    May 2, 2021
    Messages:
    9,062
    Likes Received:
    7,410
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Currently the apartment in the Moda
    We also watched a bunch more turnovers.
     
  20. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2008
    Messages:
    23,214
    Likes Received:
    28,650
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Consultant
    Location:
    Oregon City, OR
    I don't think you can look at pre-season results as indicative of anything regarding the Blazers' defensive capabilities. The system is too new and way too many minutes were devoted to playing guys who either are no longer on the roster or will hardly sniff playing time in the regular season. There's little doubt that the Blazers' defense will be better. With the change in personnel in the second unit, a coach who is making D a point of emphasis, and the leaders of the team all buying in on improving, it would be impossible for the defense not to improve over last year's miserable showing. That said, I also think that there's little doubt that the offense will fall off from last year's top level. Billups wants more ball movement to create better shots. That inherently means a slower pace, likely higher turnover volumes, and perhaps too often the open guy being someone who isn't as likely to make the open shot as Dame or CJ are. So, the real question to me is will the net rating between a drop in offense and an improvement in defense result in an overall improvement for the team. Results to be determined.
     
    THE HCP likes this.

Share This Page