Lillard better without LMA, Lillard adjusted, or just weaker competition?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Strenuus, Feb 25, 2014.

  1. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    No but lanes do seem more open because the guy guarding Wright has to closeout on him. I'm surprised more teams aren't trapping Dame
     
  2. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    Weaker competition, more shots
     
  3. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

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    In four games he's 30/4/6 on 50/40/90 shooting.

    Sick numbers.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2014
  4. shamelessblazer

    shamelessblazer Member

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    I do think there's some truth to the Wright theory. However, that's also a huge liability on defense. This is why I would really like to have a stretch 4 (who can guard the post on D) like Frye. If he could give 14 mpg w/Dame & Robinson while Aldridge is on the bench I think that would be a great lineup of floor spacers for Dame to either iso or pick n roll w/Robinson (where Robinson is going to be most effective). Also, the stretch 4 could hit the D boards hard b/c he'll be inside while Robinson races down the court for fast breaks and, because he'll generally be out on the perimeter get back on D while Robinson plays to his strength hitting the O boards hard. Lastly, it would be nice to have at least 1 player on the team who can set a good perimeter screen that defenders need to stick with as a three point threat!

    Also, he could go 10-15 mpg next to Aldridge w/Dame on the bench (especially if we have a PG who can make an entry pass, which we don't right now!) for Aldridge to beast inside on other teams b/u or undersized defenders. Aldridge doesn't like playing C, but he could do it 15 mpg, against b/u's, next to a guy who will defend the post.

    F combos (mpg)
    Aldridge/Lopez (24, ideal)
    Frye/Robinson (10, Dame iso)
    Aldridge/Frye (10, LMA iso)
    Robinson/Lopez (4, defense/rebounding)

    Aldridge - 34, Lopez - 28, Frye - 20, Robinson - 14
     
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  5. Jayps15

    Jayps15 Active Member

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    Some of it's getting more shots, some of it's better spacing with Wright, some of it just seems like him taking another step forward in his development, and some of it is just teams being a little caught off guard having to play against a totally different offense without LMA in.

    Not many guys can take a big step up in scoring load like Lillard has with LMA out and be even more efficient, I would like to see him stay aggressive like this even when LMA comes back to see if he can keep it up, maybe not to the tune of 30 every night but keep getting 20 attempts and 7 or 8 FTs and we'll be in good shape. The team wouldn't be where it is without LMA, but swapping Lillard and LMA as options 1 and 2 on offense would be a an improvement moving forward IMO.
     
  6. Eastoff

    Eastoff But it was a beginning.

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    This is the best case for Frye I've seen.
     
  7. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    In addition to whatever other reasons, maybe he picked up a tip or two at the ASG re taking the ball to the basket and finishing better or drawing the foul. I know in the past he would drive in and not get the basket or the foul far too often. He's beasting at the rim and the free throw line since the ASG.
     
  8. PapaG

    PapaG Banned User BANNED

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    More shots + more aggressiveness = better numbers. The Blazers were extremely lucky to win last night, though. With Ty Lawson, I don't think the Blazers win that game. The rebounding was embarrassing, but a win is a win.
     
  9. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    His sudden ability to finish at the rim, like he stayed in 90's Jordan's Holiday Inn Express room over the ASG is definitely a big part of it; he's way way above 50% at the rim now, and that's translating into something like 6-8 more points and respect from the refs: if you normally make a shot and suddenly miss, you're more likely to get a call than if you normally don't make a shot from that spot.
     
  10. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    The sign of a star is a player that steps up his game when someone goes down. Lillard hasn't just put this team on his back, his increased volume hasn't experienced a tradeoff with efficiency.
     
  11. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    The Thuggets are a very good rebounding team. We were shooting so well from the perimeter, we weren't crashing the boards much.
     
  12. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    It's stretches like this that you start wondering just where his ceiling is...
     
  13. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    They also nullify TRob's leaping ability well; Rice had the right of it when he mentioned that TRob hasn't had to really box out before the NBA and that weakness shows sometimes.
     
  14. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    In the history of this franchise, we have had a number of really good point guards, but I'm not sure this franchise has ever had a great one. We've had great shooting guards, great power forwards and great centers, but never a great PG. A great PG can be an anchor and a talent magnet for a franchise. He makes everyone around him better.

    As long as he stays healthy, we could actually have a Stephon Marbury with a good head on his shoulders, which is quite something.
     
  15. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    It's interesting that, other than this thread, there hasn't been much OMFG LILLARD! talk around his last four games. Almost like he's just doin work and not making it look hard... he's making it look easy.
     
  16. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    Absolutely agree. I'd rather Dame take step back threes than LA shooting twisty, heavily contested 20' Js
     
  17. blue9

    blue9 Well-Known Member

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    All day, every day.
     
  18. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    It shows how high our expectations are of him. It's like the comment I made in a game thread where Aldridge put together a 30+/10+ game and people weren't blown away by it. Aldridge has been so good, our reaction is "just another day at the office". That's how Lillard has been his entire career. Right from the start. Incredible.

    Lillard has saved this franchise from the Frail Blazer era. Without him, we trade Aldridge and it's 2005 again, hoping that Telfair, Webster and Khryapa can lead us to the promised land and talking about the great game Ha Seung-Jin just had.
     
  19. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    Exactly. And man those were bleak times.
     
  20. rasheedfan2005

    rasheedfan2005 Well-Known Member

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    Not sure if I agree or not but well thought out quality post regardless
     

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