Our defense is just a cluster-fuck and so far the coaches/players are unable to show any signs of improvement, so lets set that tire-fire aside and look at offense: Except for CJ, all the guys who got paid this past off-season have lower PER's than last year (Harkless is pretty close though). We can all speculate as to why that might be, but it's a fact whatever the reason. But the three guys who stick out the most to me are Ed Davis, Aminu and Leonard, and of those three only Leonard got paid. So I'm not sold on the idea that the team has gotten lazy or something since they got contracts, but perhaps there are exceptions. Meyers has career lows in FG% and 3PT%, and it's not close. Similarly, Aminu is shooting a career worst from the field and his 3PT% is down a whopping 10.8% (to 25%) compared to last year. And then there's Davis, who's PER drop is far and way the largest on the team, going from 18.76 last year to 11.01 this year (also a career low by a wide margin). Stott's offense works best when we have bigs that can shoot from outside, so as long as Aminu and Leonard are shooting like this it hurts the entire offense. Davis and Plumlee obviously aren't threats and Noah can barely get off the bench. None of our wings (Mo, Turner, Aminu) are what I'd describe as deadly threats from outside either, so it's basically left to our guards (Dame, CJ, Crabbe). I don't buy for a minute that players are sucking because they think Dame/CJ are getting too many shots. Like any good players they call their number often, but from what I've seen they try to get others involved, but it too often results in a brick or turnover. When your team is struggling it's only natural for two of the best offensive guards in the NBA to try to shoot their team back in it.
We haven't been a good passing team in ages....maybe since Dre...Nico was good in a Plumlee way but our pt guard distribution is not dazzling anyone..CJ overdribbles and the ball really does stick with him.
It's not embellishing the amount of shots. It's percentage of shots versus percentage of defense. That is WAY out of whack.
Dame's FGA/game are down a fraction. CJ's is up a fraction. That's vs last year. Between the two, they get 37.4 of our 86.3 attempts per game. But you really should look at FTA, too. Many, if not all, are FGA that are not counted on the scorecard. Between the two, 10.9 FTA/game.
No one is playing defense! Harkless and Aminu are our best defenders and they looked horrible last night. Which I blame on the scheme.
It's in every players power to get more shots, if that's actually all they're worried about. Play better defense = more playing time = more shots Don't shoot career lows from the field = more shots
Crabbe seems like a mental midget much of the time. If he makes his first couple jumpers, then he's locked in and engaged. Can even help out a little defensively. Moves more off the ball, and helps the offense out greatly. But as soon as he bricks an open shot and especially if he misses his first couple looks in a game, he seems to completely disengage on both ends and just hide in the corner. I wouldn't call it coasting exactly, but it's frustrating to say the least, and is exactly why I don't feel that he can ever transcend the streaky overpaid role player label that has now.
At least we have Evan Turner to take the pressure off of Lillard and CJ. That has come in handy so many times this year just like Olshey and Stotts said.
I concur. For the Blazers to take the next step they need to become a mediocre defensive team. Unless Lillard starts putting in effort on that side of the court nobody else is going to follow suit.
I'm going to bring up the missing link this season....swish3 has abandoned the forum...now without the swish3 we just aren't the same team!
I disagree with this mindset. If you pay me millions of dollars and expect me to only have to play defense id be thrilled.
