Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 1: BLAZERS @ CLIPPERS - 4/17/16, SUNDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), TNT & KGW

Sometimes it's hard to catch when it's true...Aminu was 2-8 from 3... Harkless going 0-3 from distance didn't help either.
There is a Swish3 thread that pretty much says these two should not be throwing up those kinds of shots. Pretty much ended up Brick3's.....

 

Okay, but definitely not obvious.

Aminu's impact was much worse than even 2-8 indicates. He didn't hit until late, and was extremely errant early. By that point, LAC had already established control of the game by ignoring him, and a couple makes did nothing to turn the tide.

 

Aminu has to shoot well. I'm sorry but the Clippers aren't going to change their defense until you punish them for it. You're not winning a series if Dame has to go against double teams every single game.

We are less talented than the Clippers. It is just the truth. So in that sense you need some guys to play above their abilities. Aminu can cut down on some of the ridiculous drives, but he has to keep shooting the wide open 3s.

 

Yea he really hung us out to dry. Exactly the type of piece we're missing.

 

I'm actually encouraged. We shot like shit in the first half and even had a lead. Second half got away from us when we lost focus as they increased their intensity. Final score doesn't mean anything and our guys get that. We win on Wed, and it puts massive pressure on them.

I think forcefeeding Mo against Redick was our strategy and it worked until he got into foul trouble.

Changes for game 2:
1. Aminu has to become a credible threat. Give him a look early to be the release on the trap. If he's missing, get Kaman in there and move every player down a position.
2. Defensive rotation has been garbage. There is no helping the helper. Gotta change that.
3. CJ needs to get some looks off the ball. He likes to dribble before shooting too much. Just come around curls and jack shots.
4. Throw at least a few traps on CP on the defensive end! Double him with Harkless. Doc should not get away with starting the 0 offensive talent in Mbah A Moute!

 

No, he needs to continue shooting wide open shots that he can make. Teams used to dare Kersey to shoot but he became reliable in the midrange game. You didn't see him jacking up deeper shots that were outside his comfort zone. Aminu is a victim of today's thinking that the 3 pointer is the best shot in basketball. Take a couple steps in if you can't hit it consistently!!!

 

Aminu has no midrange game. Didn't have one all season and airballed a wide open 2 yesterday.

 

Fwiw, I distinctly remember a play when he got the offensive rebound and threw up a 15' baseline J, and barely hit the net with his airball. He's a pretty crappy shooter period.

 

FWIW, I've seen more games with Aminu throwing up airballs than not. So last night was cringe-worthy from him.

* Dame (and coaches) needs to figure out the fucking trap/double team; I am not sure how our coaches can't get this resolved as its been employed against us so many times and is overly effective. Dame and CJ just lose their shit when they get doubled.

* Aminu (see above)

* Hark tough game for the foul trouble. But I liked his energy and hustle.

* Plums .....

* CJ needs to come off various screens; hey IDK, maybe like what Redick was doing to us all night?


I've never been a true 100% fan of Stotts, but I can safely say he was out coached tonight. We need to re-learn how to set and work with screens. The screens we set are completely bypassed by the defense, vs the ones the Clips set (regardless of the moving shit by DJ). The double team strategy, or lack thereof, and then the overall offense was just lackluster. Get some motion, get some cuts, do something instead of sitting around by the three line all night.

 

He airballed a wide-open '3' as well so I guess it's Pick your Poison. Aminu can hit shots at time but he is not the type of knock-down shooter that is going to ease the pressure off of Dame and CJ...he's just not that type of player. Portland just really doesn't have that type of player right now.

 

He's a proven 36% three point shooter through an entire season. That averages out to be a little above 1 PPP, which is good enough to keep a defense honest and enough to turn games if he shoots above his %, as we saw in his Godminu game against Boston. He has to shoot over 50% from midrange to even match that efficiency, which is highly unrealistic and especially so since he has displayed no midrange touch in his entire career.

This is not to mention that the Clippers are leaving him WIDE open. He is getting 2 or 3 seconds to set his shot before taking it. He shot 2/8 yesterday but if he hit one more that would put him at 37.5% and around his season average and Stotts would probably be okay with the offensive efficiency. I also thought he was clearly the Blazers best defender last night (which isn't saying much, considering everyone else). What he NEEDS to do is cut the shitty drives and 1v5 fast breaks. He blew 3 or 4 possessions on offense trying to be a creator and he's not.

Look, in the end, the Blazers are just a worse team than the Clippers. 1-10 they are less talented so they need guys to play above their abilities for us to win the series. There's no shame in admitting that, but there are not a lot of good answers except I think Stotts could manage his defensive adjustments better.

I still think they will win a few games and could win the series if someone steps up.

 

I just can't agree with this. As badly as Aminu was doing on offense, the fact is any semblance of defense Portland played last night started and ended with Aminu. I usually don't read Blazersedge write-ups but I thought this one was pretty spot on:

http://www.blazersedge.com/2016/4/1...recap-chris-paul-damian-lillard-blake-griffin

 

I'm sure this has been mentioned but for some reason Portand not prepared for the traps on our guards; seemed to have only one option, get it to the guy in the center so of course the guys trapping only needed to shut off that option. But whatever Portland does they need to have guys who can shoot 50-60% on wide open threes, and they don't.

 

IF you can't beat them, punch them in the testicles.

 

Nicolas Batum agrees.

 

I wonder if Kaman should get more playing time this series. He's someone you can't leave alone from mid-range, and would draw Jordan out.

 

We shot like crap all night. They shot lights out all night. Plumlee couldn't hit a layup...don't know why he didn't just dunk most of those shots at the rim. Crabbe, CJ, Mo added nothing on offense. Basically Dame was smothered and still got 20 pts...Gerald Henderson and Kaman seemed to be the best players of the game for us..now is when Stotts needs to coach the adjustment. Hopefully a better effort in game 2

 

Unless Aminu and Harkless are hitting their shots, there's no doubt about it. I think we'll see Stotts start his usual line on Wednesday, but will go to Kaman earlier if things aren't going well. I wouldn't mind seeing the Blazers experiment with a big lineup with Kaman, Plumlee and Aminu at the 5, 4 &3 spots. Plumlee is long and athletic enough to give Blake trouble.

 

Totally disagree. If Stotts' strategy to win hinges on Aminu hitting 3s this will be over in 4 (maaaaybe 5). And so far that seems to be Stotts' strategy. He's getting Aminu wide open 3s, but that's because that's EXACTLY what LAC wants to give us. Sure, Aminu has to take a few of those shots, but on the lion's share he needs to take the lane and then PASS THE MUTHERFUCKIN BALL! Stotts needs to throw one more piece of motion into his offense after Aminu catches the ball and not rely on that butt-ugly 3-point shot that only goes in on a prayer.

And I swear, if Aminu leads one more 1-on-3 fast break he should be taken out behind the stadium and shot.

 

Connaughton and Montero were on fire! The Clippers wouldn't know what hit them.