Which guard pairing will start the season-opener?

I'm a big fan of players earning spots rather than them being given. If Scoot and Shae are what we thought, eventually they'll start.

I think many of us are sleeping on how good Anfernee can be, however. His defense will be improved simply because he'll be sharing a backcourt with size (Shae) or players who actually care about defense (Scoot, Malcolm). Our post defense should also be much better.

I think the undersized Dame/CJ/Ant defensive sieve days are gone for good.

 

You’re preaching to the choir about Ant. But you’re going to have to buy Wizenheimer a new head, because his just exploded.

 

Time to showcase Ant without D's presence. He could become the best scoring 2 guard in the league with close to 30 shots per game, or he could blend in more with a team game.

 

I take Joe and Chauncey at their word and think they will start the guys who earn it. I fucking love Scoot and Shae but I don't think they'll beat out either Ant or Brogdon, especially since Brogdon almost definitely will be the best defender and most steady ball handler to set the table for Ant being the most effective he can be. How long will Malcolm be on the team? I don't know if he'll make it to opening night but if he does I can see us featuring him to increase his trade value. I still think that Scoot and Shae will get more than 20 minutes a night each and I don't think the season will end with that starting duo but I could definitely see them getting the nod.

 

If Brogdon is here then I think you give him the start, if for nothing else, to show him off to teams in hopes of moving him. And Ant is the other "vet" you start. I still imagine Scoot and Sharpe average 30+ minutes though.

 

Not only only will Scoot start, but he will be the face of the franchise moving forward. He certainly has the temperament for it.

 

I find it interesting that Ant struggles to play with another ball dominant guard… and we are most likely going to play with him with Scoot

Ant / Scoot

 

Our 2nd unit are defensive juggernauts

Brogdon
Thybulle
Knox / Rupert
Jabari
Timelord

 

careful now, you'll be called a hater

 

I think Scoot is more a CP3 type of PG than Dame is/was - so I would not mind looking it and seeing how it works. Dame called his number a lot more than I suspect Scoot will, but only time will tell.

 

He said, "we're open-minded" when it comes to Brogdon, meaning their initial plan was to flip him immediately but they were not satisfied with the offers so they'll wait it out.

 

It makes no sense at all to me to not start Scoot and instead put Simons in the lineup instead.

It's sucking up to Anfernee Simons just like we did with CJ McCollum.

Cronin made a choice between Scoot and Lillard. Scoot is ready to play immediately. Why wouldn't he be a very high priority?

As I said earlier, it's Simons who need to Earn a starting spot by showing an above-average skill besides scoring.

Brogdon has it. Scoot has it. Simons does not.

 

Are you saying when he drafted him? or a couple of weeks ago? Either way, I don't think it is true. Joe did what so many other Portland GMs did not.....he took the best player available regardless of position. Or at least who most people thought was the BPA. Dame was the one who elected to go.

 

They BETTER be....that lineup isn't scoring a single point. Thats why you start Matisse and Shae is the number 1 option with a green light with the bench mob.

 

Oh I agree completely.

Cronin made the right "choice." For many of us, there was no choice. Only by Dame.

 

That is also the reason why I go back and forth on not starting Simons. He is the best player on the team at creating his own shot.
But it also works if he starts and comes out early only to return to begin the 2nd and 4th quarters with the 2nd unit. Either way works for me. But if we are giving anyone the green light with the bench mob....it should be Ant.

 

I suspect Chauncey will want whoever starts to earn it in camp, not be handed the job by draft status.

As he should do, IMHO. If Scoot is the guy we think he is, he’ll earn the starting spot.

 

The problem with Chauncey's evaluation is that I think it'll come with "veteran experience" bonus points, which is exactly the wrong way to decide.

A "veteran" should be clearly better than a rookie, not the other way around.