After 10 games, what have we learned?

The no-stats all-star!

Actually, this doesn't surprise me. He had a way of getting minutes for every team he's been on, including NY. Wasn't he part of the rotation during Linsanity? It was on that basis that I made the prediction that he would be the role player that Stotts loved (because one of the puff pieces about Stotts when we hired him was that, because he himself was a role player when he played, he always looked for one when he coached).

The downside is that Jeffries has never shown he can stay healthy. Probably because he draws so many charges...

 

Iggy can still help em. Sixers are the team that got fucked.

 

You mean besides Orlando? Who did they get again. I honestly can't remember.

 

Another interesting stat I saw was that when Portland outscored their opponent they were 5-0 as well

 

So why isn't he?

And yet they're not looking too bad. Bynum only got a bone bruise bowling, didn't he?

Meanwhile Aaron Afflalo is being underwhelming even for him.

 

Vucevic has looked good for them. Harkless has shown little flashes.

 

That are bench sucks.

 

Yet when the Blazers allowed their opponents to put the big orange ball in the metal hoop more times than they did themselves - whether during live action or at those odd moments when play halts and players are allowed to take uncontested shots from a set distance away from the hoop - Portland's record fell to a pitiful 0-5! What clarity of insight!

 

It's about time you realize that. You're a big man to admit it. Next time maybe you'll listen to me.

 

Others:

-Nolan Smith is not (and unlikely ever to be) a good back up PG

-Freeland and Claver may never be "chips" that Olshey can use

-Jared is a good player to have on the bench and in the locker room

-LMA is peaking now (if not last year)

 

MM is stubborn. He was Nate's most passionate supporter

 

I like his game much more so far than our last two Vets. (Kurt Thomas and J. Howard) Those guys were OK as well, but Jeffries, if healthy, can cover 3 positions on D. That is a nice role player to have on the bench.

 

That Scotts is a better coach for us than Nate. Just watching our offense has so much more flow. We still need to work on the help D.

 

After 10 games, yes.

In a year or two, perhaps not. In the case of Soup Juggler, he just needs to develop some consistently, but I have to say, he's had some moments (and been better than I expected).

As for Leonard.... considering everyone said it'd take Leonard at least a year or two to figure it out, not surprised Leonard has done little to make you change your opinion on white centers after 10 games. I still say he's looked better than I would have expected out of a 20-year old white center.

 

I like Jared Jeffries. He's proven to be a good pickup.

Freeland and Claver....... well, to be fair, they haven't been given much of a chance. Is that because they haven't performed in practice? Or they have been okay and haven't been given the chance? Or are they being eased in slowly? Who knows. We'll have a better idea come midseason.

 

His coach Kim Hughes does:

I think he has All Star potential. Big, athletic, obviously has decent range, pretty good passing ability. The problem is he just doesn't think quickly enough at the NBA level. For him it's entirely mental--all the physical tools are already there. Who's to say he won't develop into an All Star at some point?

I think it's a pretty safe projection to say that he's at least got a career as a decent bench center (and occasional starter) ahead of him. 6 hard fouls and a dunk or two a night.

 

His defense will have to get significantly better. Remember, they took out the center position in the All-Star game. It's just "frontcourt" now. That doesn't help his cause. There are a lot of talented forwards in the west.

 

I think both of these could be true. I bet they have been "OK" in practice but Stotts sees no advantage in rotating 8-9 guys just in the front court alone.

 

Agreed. It's why I asked the questions.

I mean, these are two young guys coming from a somewhat different style of basketball and now being thrown into the NBA with a new coach, new management.... Nobody, from coaching to management, is real familiar with them with the turnover, so I'm expecting it's going to figure out how to use them, blend them in with starters to give guys rests without going through prolonged stretches where we're not performing and letting teams go on runs.

 

So far:
• Two OT games
• Games against Chicago, Spurs, Clips, Mavs, Thunder and Lakers
• Only one real patsy-type opponent so far (Kings)
• 5 road games
• New coach
• Rookie PG logging 37 mpg
• Not a single blowout loss. Sure, we lost by double digits in some of those games, but it was competitive going into the 4th quarter in all of the games.

And we're at .500? Count me as very, very pleased.

Early conclusions:
• Lillard is much, much better than anybody hoped when we drafted him
• Batum may be a star player and McMillan-ball was holding him back
• Batum, Matthews and Lillard are a terrifying trio of three point shooters. Seriously, have we ever had so many starters who hit threes that well?
• Matthews is playing the best defense of his career
• Wish somebody, anybody, else would defend
• Stotts is exactly the kind of coach we needed. At least for now. Still not sold on his long-term success here.
• Worthless bench (well, Jeffries and Price may have "intangibles" and Leonard has hope, but it ain't pretty)
• Leonard isn't just a big white stiff. But he's also a multi-year project.
• Freeland and Claver were not worth the wait

I predicted we'd win 41 games. So far, so good. I don't think the 8th seed in the playoffs is unattainable.