Here comes the telling part. Adjustments. Can Stotts adjust? There's tape on how to defend the blazers. Can they adjust? Can they come back from giving up an 18 point lead and give up 41 points while only making 11 in the decisive quarter? A lot of questions to be answered by the end of the month. This is why I did a wait-and-see approach. Way too many variables. I really am enjoying the effort of the team, and knew there would be growing pains. Now to see how they respond. This is exciting!
Mod close this thread, not enough negativity in the op. Just playing man. I agree it will be interesting. I still think a loss is acceptable tomorrow as long as they bring it. Losses will happen, we just have to deal with it.
It really isn't fun being negative. I still feel overall I was never a negative person moreso emotional. I would get upset at players when boneheaded mistakes happened or if they looked like they weren't trying *coughAldridgecough*. I'm trying to rectify this and really enjoy the ride no matter how gloom or bright it may be.
But back to your thread so we don't derail it totally, I think our players can respond from meltdowns. A guy like Lillard will never let something like this phase him and he'll have to show that to the guys both through speech and play. Stotts I am a little worried about, but so far he's done well with this group lets see what he has in store.
Yeah, now we will get to see what kind of leadership improvements Dame can bring to the table. Bouncing back from a loss this bad will require some talking and some walking.
I said it in the game thread... I think Dame is the right person for this. If this had happened last year with that group... I don't know. Hell, did we even have a clear cut leader on the group? Wes? And LA probably didn't listen to Wes. This team, they know Dame is the leader. So it adds that element to it as well. We have a defined leader, and one that wants it. That's exciting. This 4th quarter could be a blessing in disguise.
I'm not so sure about that. Neither Dame or Stotts did anything to staunch the bleeding tonight. They both just lost a fair chunk of credibility in my book.
I'm more worried about Stotts than Dame. Dame will get the ship righted... but I don't know if Stotts is the man to take over the wheel once he does.
It isn't about tonight, it is as the thread is about, how does Dame respond after this? Tonight was a bad loss with an epic meltdown, but it is all about what Dame, Stotts and the group can do to try and rebound.
We bounced back from that Clippers loss, we'll bounce back from this one. I expect us to win 4 of the next 6. Puts us at 8-5. Not terrible. First half of the season is tougher this year than in past years.
What are you wait and seeing to do? You aren't the GM. You can't make trades. What exactly are you waiting for? Just root for the team.
Did the first few sentences of my OP not register? Please read my post again. My "wait and see" is predicated by the entire post. The adjustments, when teams got tape, etc. Contrary to your belief, I'm not negative. I've actually been very positive, and I would appreciate it if you would read my posts with a bit more open-mindedness. Saying I'm waiting to see adjustments is not negative. I freaking said this is exciting. What else do I have to say? To me, the season started after the game tonight. The adjustments are going to have to be made. Are they? If they do, this could be amazing. If not, no sweat, it's a learning experience. In that sense, in my eyes, this is a win-win. I wasnt even mad at the 41-11 quarter. Shit happens. Growing pains, i'm all for it. I'm enjoying the ride.
I applaud your fandom and agree with you. Don't have to blindly assume(root) the(for) Blazers are a championship contender to be considered a fan of the team. Though I will say. I believe this won't be the last time they get up big on a team only to give it up and lose. Just like I believe they'll come back on more than their fair share of teams this year in a losing or winning effort.
For real now that I've slept on it, it's whatever. Sucks we blew that game, but we'll bounce back we'll get a win we probably weren't supposed to get later on. We're a young team, let them learn. I just wanna see some adjustments though going forward.
I'm not worried about Dame. The Pistons abandoned paying any attention to the Blazers Bigs and blitzed Dame on every PnR...not much he could do. They don't have the style of bigs to make them pay especially with Drummond dominating the paint. Much more issue with Stotts. Aminu is supposed to be able to guard anyone and yet wasn't put on Jackson one time in the 4th. Absolutely no adjustment the entire quarter. The other HUGE miss IMO is that they didn't double Drummond one time. He is a HORRIBLE passer and yet they were content to let him go one-on-one with poor Plums the majority of the quarter. Make him do something else. Neither was even attempted one time. Things like that is what makes me wonder about Stotts. He is an offensive coach but in-game adjustments misses like that compound the seeming lack of toughness at the top. I know they are young but toughness is an attitude many of us have seen instilled on players much younger.
