Thank fucking God. They've owned us for years. Chandler's owned us for years. Playing Phienix is demoralizing. But we don't play them all the time. The most frustrating is over.
They missed a ton of opportunities when they game was close late. This game they very well could have won.
I hate to say this but every team is going have the same game plan. Double team Dame and CJ. Get physical. Close down down the passing lanes. Lillard is a streaky player. It's not rocket science.
Yeah. I know. I can't wait till Henderson comes back. He's a decent defender as well. I wish Olshey had traded for a scorer. Davis and Aminu are good slashers and defenders. But it seems like this team is made up off a lot of spare parts and long shots. Also, Stotts is absolutely the wrong coach for this team.
Yes but our recent historical struggles with PHX were literally with a different team. These two games, as far as I'm concerned, do not correlate with the LMA teams/history so therefore I find no peace in knowing we only play PHX one more time.
I'm not sure I understand you. Lillard and Stotts have had their lunch sacks taken by Phoenix for the last three (now four) years. Who cares if everyone else is different? The leader and brains of the outfit has struggled, and so has Stotts.
I had a warm feeling for just a moment tonight. Leonard was having a hell of a time. Stotts had a play run for Leonard, and he hit it! Then he hit another, back to back buckets, dang guys, good show, way to get him going. Then Damian comes down on the next possession, chucks up a three with 21 on the shot clock. Clank! It went south from there.
Almost like the team was designed to suck this year instead of be mediocre and limp into the playoffs like every other rebuild we've attempted.
I'm gonna give Stotts about 20 more games with this group to see if he can do anything (Also known as changing on the fly), but I seriously have my doubts. I've thought he was the wrong coach for a couple years, though.
NBA is such a insanely hard job for rebuilds. The talent pool is smallest in American pro sports, attracting free agents in a market like Portland is impossible, qnd your one or two injuries away from irrelevancy. I give Olshey credit for getting this group of players together. He's had to get insanely creative to fill out the roster this year and get future draft picks. The Denver pick is one he can't afford to lose, so he's making sure the team keeps it. The NBA has to find a way to help teams develop and KEEP talent. Whether that's cap relief for guaranteed contacts, expanding the D league or midwifing difficult trades. International basketball is miles better than the NBA, technically, and soon the talent flow will reverse.