Game Thread GAME# 53: BLAZERS @ CELTICS - FEBRUARY 4, 2018 - SUNDAY, 9:00 AM (PST), NBCSNW

These are the types of games why I believe Terry Stotts is every bit the culprit the majority of Blazers fans make Neil out to be.

• Shot Selection
  • Reckless is the only way to describe it. We built a 16-pt lead off of the pick and roll and drive and dishes for open looks. In the second-half, there was no movement and way too much isolation. But our players continued hoisting away. Why? Because Stotts lets them get away with it.
• Stubbornness on Defense
  • Why does he consistently go small against bigger power forwards? Aminu did the best he could, but Horford is too strong and too talented to let AFA disrupt his game (22 pos, 10 rebs, 5 assets, and a game-winner). I mean, Chief defended that game-winning jumper as good as he could but he's not big enough. Games against Boston, and tomorrow against Detroit, are where Stotts needed to utilize a strong defender like Noah Vonleh and move AFA over to the 3.
  • Had Portland practiced double-teaming more throughout Stotts' tenure, maybe one of the other four Blazers on the court would have went over to double Horford the moment he put his back to the basket. With only four seconds, he's cutting it extremely close on finding an open man, especially after putting the ball on the hardwood.
• Stubborn Rotations
  • Moe Harkless was an animal today! Why did he only play 31 minutes? Why did Ed only play 20? Both players led Portland in +/-. Against a bigger team like Boston, we don't need BOTH Turner and Aminu on the court together. We got crushed on the boards in the second half and I'm sorry, but a Davis/Nurkic/Harkless front court would have negated that. Unfortunately, Terry is in love with small ball, even when it serves as a disadvantage.

Arguably the most frustrating loss of the year. If Portland is serious about being a threat to win a playoff series, you can't lose to Boston without Kyrie Irving and you sure as shit shouldn't lose to them after going up 16 at the half. Just another reason why this team needs a trade or two.

Being a Blazers fan is great, huh?

 

I know what you meant but the Celtics would be one of the few teams that might want him. They can't make it work though because we paid WAY too much.

 

Blazers have a good chance to get back on the winning front tomorrow night. Yes the Pistons have a formidable front, but Dame will continue to feed the ball into Nurk, and Nurk should find some success to the hoop. He's quicker than Andre, and needs to use that quickness to the hilt. I look for Dame to shoot a lot better tomorrow night. This was as off a game shooting-wise as he's been in a long time. Go Blazers!!

 

Yep, add Brown's three to the list with the shot-clock running down in the corner as well ... even more salt to the wound as the play before should have resulted in Portland basketball, yet the officials, even with replay, couldn't see that it was off Tatum.

But you know what? Hearing the call was incorrect not he L2M report will sure make us all feel better though.

 

Id sign this very moment for a buzzer beater win next game and then ten losses

awful second half, we paid the price

 

Should of never had aminu on horford. Watching the replay. Horford gives aminu one bump, creates all the space he needs for this shot. Place a more physical big on him, he won’t get that. Look at this space and tell me his hand is right in his face

 

Good points made. It's as frustrating a loss as there's been. One thing I find frustrating time and time again, is Dame is the "Only" one to look for Nurk in the post. I mean, Chief passed it into him for a made shot, but other Blazers seem unwilling to pass it into him. Seems like Nurk was owning them early. Yes they made some adjustments, but still, feed the man. Now he missed a couple later off Dame dishes , but the play was there to make.

 

Unlike POR and Allen Crabbe, BOS didn't even consider, for one fucking second, matching that offer sheet.

BNM

 

Hey Tyk
yep...this team does have some fight in them...

 

This team really isn’t that far away. Aminu at PF just kills us consistently. I don’t understand how this is still a topic. Everyone can see it except the coach? Look at the game Harkless had today. He was playing SF. Why couldn’t Aminu do that? It’s not like Harkless handles the ball either. I hate it because I like Aminu and we’re wasting a good defender making him guard taller guys that also significantly outweigh him. Rebounding is affected too. He’s a good rebounder, for a small forward. At PF he gets boxed out too easily.

Vonleh and Collins can hit a jumper, so I don’t buy the spacing argument either. It’s just so frustrating

 

That was a piss poor loss. The start of the 3rd when they could of blown open the game they missed a bunch of gimmees.

Also I don't care what Dame or CJ are shooting for the game, tonight was a good example of why they need to shoot every time when the game is on the line in the last 3-4 minutes. Not sure why Nurk or Aminu shoot in those circumstances. The game was tied with 3:14 left when Aminue takes a 3 and then Nurk drives to the basket.....resulting in a quick 5 point deficit. You guys bitch about Dame and CJ and their "hero" ball ......until we have one more player on the team who is reliable shooting with the game on the line.... I want those two shooting every time.....even if they miss.

 

Because it wasn't an offer sheet, and he wasn't a RFA perhaps?

 

I saw Napier wasn't listed in the box score at all (even as a DNP-CD).
Does anyone know why?

 

Minor injury. I think they said thigh contusion....

 

Dear Terry,

Tomorrow your team will face a front court of Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. This might be a good time to dust off Noah Vonleh and play him meaningful minutes at the 4. THis will have the added benefit of sliding Chief to the 3, so we don't have to endure another ZERO point effort from Evan Turner. Let Noah and Zach slit the minutes at the 4 and Aminu and Harkless split the minutes at the 3.

I know you don't like to mess with your rotations, but frankly, your current rotations suck. They need to be messed with.

Sincerely,
This Guy

 

Look at the injury list in Post #1. Darkwebs got the info from this.

 

Not sure it is quite that obvious when ET missed 3 shots the whole game and was a +5...... while Aminu missed 9 shots and was a -6. At least ET knows enough to stop shooting.......

I agree with giving Noah some minutes at the 4 though.

 

I was about to say WTF? but you handled it for me.