There's 3 different types of players that would drastically improve this team, starting with the most important: 1.) An interior defender and interior scorer (Horford, Whiteside, Gasol) 2.) A defensive stretch 4 (Marvin Williams, Millsap) 3.) A 3rd ball handler that can create for others (Vasquez, Lin, Batum) We don't have the cap space to address all those things but if we could address one or two it'd definitely help us.
I haven't been this excited for an offseason in a long time... if ever. This is literally a make or break offseason! LETS GO.
What is GREAT about Dame is that even though he didn't shoot well and you like to see him take better shots at times and play better D, you have no question about his leadership or his heart. Portland is so fortunate to have someone like that as their cornerstone.
Let's not underreact. Without any big additions to improve our defense and add consistent interior scoring, we have a better chance at becoming the next Denver Nuggets from the previous few years: A fun underdog 50-win team that will get to the second round occasionally, but thats the ceiling.
The irony is that in this series, the Blazers supporting cast played really well. But Damian had some aweful shooting nights. If he had just hit his average we'd have won the last 2 games.
Maybe due to the fact that the opposing defense from the Clippers and Warriors have been designed to stop Lillard which has led to many wide open jumpshots/lanes for Harkless, Crabbe, and Aminu?
Of course, Crabbe and Aminu are role players that get their shots off the offense rather than creating their own, but Lillard is now doing some of what made LaMarcus annoying, in that he's putting up a volume of bad contested shots. On Talking Ball, they mentioned how exhausted he was after the game. Maybe the Blazers need to find a way to help him save energy.
How about having guys that can create for Lillard, rather than the other way around? Lillard gets exhausted because he creates his own offense AND he creates everyone elses. Someone has to be able to take the pressure off him handling the ball all the time.
One BIG advantage the Warriors have is that they have bigger players that can create. Livingston and Green cause matchup problems because they are creating and aren't 6'3". If Aminu could develop into that, it would be a big step forward for the roster.
That's a big ask; I love Aminu's hustle and heart, but he makes The People's Champ look like John Stockton.
THANK YOU!! Back to back games now our role players all did really well!! Lillard killed us in the 4th quarter there
Erik telling people not to overreact is like Jack Ramsay telling people to wear something understated. Shaq said, and Kenny agreed. This team now has to show they can go out and add the pieces necessary to take the next step. Said we are probably 2 pieces away. Don't mistake players scoring because defenses don't want Dame or McCollum to beat them with having a legit 3rd option, and defenses having trouble scheming for you
As much as I think the current players will improve, We have the money to spend and we should spend. We move Aminu and or Plums to the bench by bring ing in a better starter and we are a better team. When I say let the cake bake, I mean I dont want to get rid of any of our top 8-9 guys, but I still think we need to add one or two impact players... one of which being a star.
I agree that Aminu and Crabbe will probably get better. But they'll never be "third scorers" - they rely on others to create for them. The reason they had 16 and 20 was because Lillard was being doubled. It's good that they scored, but they damn well better. They were like Iguodala in the finals last year - getting open shots because the Cavs loaded up on Curry. Basically we're in agreement: make an offer to Horford (and why not Durant? We signed Olshey because he managed to bring Chris Paul to the sorry-ass Clippers) but don't (FOR GOD'S SAKE) go after DeRozan. But a player like Pau Gasol (altho' he's too old now) who you can dump the ball to and he'll score or get fouled, and then actually HIT HIS FREE THROWS, but who also is pretty good on defense, would be good. We also need rim protection, so another "stumpy" like Plumlee should be avoided. Basically: get Anthony Davis or the offseason is a failure. Yes, that's the ticket.
