How long for Stotts?

A nice start to begin the season (even with the last 2 losses) but I'm not really seeing anything different than in the past.

They still don't run or get easy baskets
They still don't get many assists
They don't force many turnovers
The 'ball movement' quickly breaks down to ISO possessions
No matter how many pieces are added, the same issues remain

Not to mention, in the Playoffs, his winning percentage is a paltry .300
Yes, that can be rationalized away as often happens with production that poor, but despite a supposedly top back court in the league (on offense), adding Nurkic, adding more outside shooters in Sauce and Curry, having Collins develop, I don't see much difference from years past when it comes to fundamentals or execution.

We're still tied for second in the West. Do you honestly think we have the "tied-for-second-in-the-West" best roster? If the answer is "no" then we're overachieving.

Only took the first 2 game losing streak to start the "Fire Stotts" thread.

Crazy talk.

Lol

These last 2 games, does the team look motivated to you?
Does it appear they are listening to Stotts, or just doing what they want?

I've been in the pro-Stotts camp - but these last couple of games, something is wrong. He is having no positive influence on the outcome of the game at all. If this continues for the rest of the roadtrip, a change is needed. Letting the situation fester accomplishes nothing.

It won't happen, of course. The safe bet is that nothing meaningful will happen about anything until the ownership question is sorted out.

oldmangrouch said:

These last 2 games, does the team look motivated to you?
Does it appear they are listening to Stotts, or just doing what they want?

I've been in the pro-Stotts camp - but these last couple of games, something is wrong. He is having no positive influence on the outcome of the game at all. If this continues for the rest of the roadtrip, a change is needed. Letting the situation fester accomplishes nothing.

It won't happen, of course. The safe bet is that nothing meaningful will happen about anything until the ownership question is sorted out.

Click to expand...

They played hard and fought till the very end against the Lakers. They had a terrible shooting night tonight. These are road games. They happen.

kjironman1 said:

They played hard and fought till the very end against the Lakers. They had a terrible shooting night tonight. These are road games. They happen.

Click to expand...

I have to respectfully disagree. Against the Lakers, it looked to me as if the only real effort was on offense. The defense looked downright indifferent. Tonight, there wasn't enough energy on either end.

kjironman1 said:

Only took the first 2 game losing streak to start the "Fire Stotts" thread.

Crazy talk.

Click to expand...

Give me some credit Ive been consistent in my feelings on Stotts for a very long time. I think he’s an ok head coach, they could do worse. I mainly just want to see if some other coach with a new system, new ideas could shake things up to take this team further. Sure it could blow up in their faces I know.

Now that PA’s gone (RIP), Im not sure we will see them do anything even remotely close to risky. No meaningful trades, Stotts will be there. Its going to be a lot of much of the same for a while I think.

oldmangrouch said:

I have to respectfully disagree. Against the Lakers, it looked to me as if the only real effort was on offense. The defense looked downright indifferent. Tonight, there wasn't enough energy on either end.

Click to expand...

The Blazers played about as well on defense as anyone could have that night against the best player on the planet making shots he doesn't usually make so yeah they were a bit overwhelmed. But they played tough that game. IMO.

I wish he was gone after the Pelican series.
However I'm not a fan of mid-season coaching changes.
Last time Portland did this they promoted kaleb canales. If that's your best option, then you're best playing out the season and making changes in the off-season.

I predicted 40 wins.....he's doing great!

oldmangrouch said:

These last 2 games, does the team look motivated to you?
Does it appear they are listening to Stotts, or just doing what they want?

I've been in the pro-Stotts camp - but these last couple of games, something is wrong. He is having no positive influence on the outcome of the game at all. If this continues for the rest of the roadtrip, a change is needed. Letting the situation fester accomplishes nothing.

It won't happen, of course. The safe bet is that nothing meaningful will happen about anything until the ownership question is sorted out.

Click to expand...

What about our last two wins against Milwaukee and Boston? Was something right? Or are all our wins flukes?

THE HCP said:

I predicted 40 wins.....he's doing great!

Click to expand...

Yep.... You picked a number..... Just like us.

And you're a NERD..... Just. Like. Us.

I'm hoping we go below .500 by Christmas or sooner so that we can show him the door. Olshey did his part this off-season.....Stotts didn't, and hasn't performed up to expectations. As usual.

I doubt Olshey is going to be nearly as patient with Stott's incompetence as Allen was. I think as soon as he sees an opportunity, he'll fire Stotts.

In 6 years with this team....or is it 7?.....he's barely above .500. That's pathetic.

Rastapopoulos said:

We're still tied for second in the West. Do you honestly think we have the "tied-for-second-in-the-West" best roster? If the answer is "no" then we're overachieving.

Click to expand...

It's not about record....record wasn't even talked about. I even mentioned that they have had a nice start. But even in that start, many of the same things that have been going on for years, applied. And it wasn't a "fire Stott's" thread as @kjironman1 mentioned....there is nothing in there that says, implies or insinuates firing Stotts other than to ask the question of how long he will be around.

Stotts' history is one of mediocrity to just above average and in the Playoffs, it's much worse. Some fans are fine with that and that is their right. Some people are okay with a very offensive minded back court that is poor on defense year after year. (Yeah, stats can say anything but both are average to poor defenders) Being a 'nice' team that just makes the Playoffs is just fine to some and again, there is nothing wrong with that.

But for the same reason, there is nothing wrong with wanting more, wanting better, and expecting that from this coach and this core seems wishful at best. AS a fan I wish with all of my Blazer red blood they could really contend but the reality in me says otherwise.

KingSpeed said:

What about our last two wins against Milwaukee and Boston? Was something right? Or are all our wins flukes?

Click to expand...

Remember Nate's last season as Blazer coach? The team got off to a great start. Something happened that caused Nate to lose the locker-room. Within weeks the season turned into a dumpster fire.

YMMV, but I always thought Nate was a decent coach and a very good human being. He didn't deserve to have the team turn on him like that, but it happened. I never again want to see the franchise waste an entire season letting something like that fester.

Does that clarify my POV?

My belief is that if we get swept again in the first round like last year Stotts will be gone, I actually thought he would be gone after last season. If we get a tough team in the first round this year and put up a good showing he will probably stay. Right now the Organization is looking to keep stability to sell the team and try to attract FA's and buyers. I really cant see them firing Stotts midway through the season especially if we keep above .500.

borim69 said:

My belief is that if we get swept again in the first round like last year Stotts will be gone, I actually thought he would be gone after last season. If we get a tough team in the first round this year and put up a good showing he will probably stay.

Click to expand...

Almost all the teams in the Playoffs are tough teams. The whole, "they were a bad match-up" stuff just kills me. PHX won't be in the Playoffs and neither will the Cavs. Even if the Blazers were to get the #1 or #2 seed, right now that would be against the Lakers or the Pelicans. If healthy, does anyone feel good about the outcome of those series?

At some point, we might have to admit that a team built around Dame/CJ with Stotts as coach just isn't getting very far and is just a nice little team with nice guys that doesn't do much damage when it really counts. If that is good enough for some, so be it. But to ask the question seems okay as well.

TBpup said:

A nice start to begin the season (even with the last 2 losses) but I'm not really seeing anything different than in the past.

They still don't run or get easy baskets
They still don't get many assists
They don't force many turnovers
The 'ball movement' quickly breaks down to ISO possessions
No matter how many pieces are added, the same issues remain

Not to mention, in the Playoffs, his winning percentage is a paltry .300
Yes, that can be rationalized away as often happens with production that poor, but despite a supposedly top back court in the league (on offense), adding Nurkic, adding more outside shooters in Sauce and Curry, having Collins develop, I don't see much difference from years past when it comes to fundamentals or execution.

Click to expand...

All of the reasons that you have highlighted are the reasons I have not watched more than half of a game this entire season. Every time I tune in, I find the play style unwatchable.

DaLincolnJones said:

All of the reasons that you have highlighted are the reasons I have not watched more than half of a game this entire season. Every time I tune in, I find the play style unwatchable.

Click to expand...

Sometimes it is tough to take. As an alternative, I don't remember which high school, but there is one locally that runs a really good weave from what I hear. It's like Blazers-lite.

Id re-sign him to a 10 year contract!

Stotts isn't going anywhere. There isn't anyone better avaliable to replace him. With the Blazers for sale, he isn't leaving. Maybe the new owner will fire him who knows. The Blazers are 10-5. That is hardly fire your coach territory.

Some of the losses hurt because they could have easily gone the other way. The Blazers came back against Miami and the Lakers. Lost by a basket to the Wizards. Fell victim to Lebron being ushered to #4 on the all time scoring records. Couldn't find the energy to keep up with the Timberwolves.

How much fault does Stotts have in these losses. I see a lot of bad decision making on the players end. Standing around allowing ball movement to halt to a stand still. Allowing the opponents defense to isolate Dame and CJ. Attacking the rim against a hoard of defenders. Depending on the refs and notbon the shot first. Not executing the extra pass. It leads to turnovers, turnovers, and more turnovers. Which lead to fast break points for the other team.

Stott's job is to call the players out for those bad choices. To guide them in fixing those mistakes. I don't know how much of that he does. He came into the season with a few new plays. The ball movement looked better. The Blazers were passing. We saw more of that in garbage time last night with the end of the bench in, than the whole rest of the game.

I wish Stotts wasn't so married to that index card in his inside pocket. Coaches that know how to win don't need that shit. They watch the game, they understand what is happening, they know exactly how to play against different offenses and defenses, when to call timeouts, when and who to play, how to adapt. Terry seems more spectator than participant. It is hard when the Blazers are losing, seeing him standing on the sideline looking lost, waiting till the team is down 20 to call timeouts.

I like Terry. He seems like a good dude. He is a decent coach on the offense end. I have said many times the Blazers should bring in an assisant coach on the defensive end. Stotts isn't going anywhere soon. He needs to be more proactive, tear up that index card, and pay attention to the game.

oldmangrouch said:

These last 2 games, does the team look motivated to you?

Click to expand...

Honestly? Sure. The main problem I see is that Damian doesn't look right. It's a problem in itself if we NEED Lillard to be as awesome as he was the first few games for us to succeed, but I also think we really miss Harkless. Our defense is the main problem and Layman is NOT the answer. Aminu and Nurk are great defenders, but you need at least three awesome defenders if you're going to play a backcourt of Lillard and McCollum.

I know people have suggested this but we really should have Otto Porter as our #1 target. Offer Harkless and Leonard and Layman and a pick (or two). I know that's not great but he's way overpaid and that would be a huge savings for them.

Well, let’s remember there is no owner. The likelihood of any change is extremely unrealistic for at least a year.

TBpup said:

It's not about record....record wasn't even talked about. I even mentioned that they have had a nice start. But even in that start, many of the same things that have been going on for years, applied. And it wasn't a "fire Stott's" thread as @kjironman1 mentioned....there is nothing in there that says, implies or insinuates firing Stotts other than to ask the question of how long he will be around.
.

Click to expand...

Actually, Stotts has won two playoff series without home court advantage. That's pretty impressive. He also has a championship ring from being an assistant. And yes, you were implying firing him if you're asking how much longer we should wait (til firing him).

Chris Craig said:

Stotts isn't going anywhere. There isn't anyone better avaliable to replace him. With the Blazers for sale, he isn't leaving. Maybe the new owner will fire him who knows. The Blazers are 10-5. That is hardly fire your coach territory.

Some of the losses hurt because they could have easily gone the other way. The Blazers came back against Miami and the Lakers. Lost by a basket to the Wizards. Fell victim to Lebron being ushered to #4 on the all time scoring records.

Click to expand...

I believe LeBron is now #5, not #4. Kareem, Malone, Kobe, and MJ are still ahead of him.

The Raptors fired their Coach of the Year AND traded their best player....because they were a nice team that wasn't achieving in the Playoffs. I applaud them for not being stagnant. I'm sure many of their fans felt there wasn't anyone better out there but they were willing to take a chance because they were pretty sure where they were going with whom they had wasn't where they wanted to go.

TBpup said:

The Raptors fired their Coach of the Year AND traded their best player....because they were a nice team that wasn't achieving in the Playoffs. I applaud them for not being stagnant. I'm sure many of their fans felt there wasn't anyone better out there but they were willing to take a chance because they were pretty sure where they were going with whom they had wasn't where they wanted to go.

Click to expand...

1) we don’t know how they’ll do in playoffs
2) if they lose Kawhi in 2019, they will be bad for many years to come

KingSpeed said:

1) we don’t know how they’ll do in playoffs
2) if they lose Kawhi in 2019, they will be bad for many years to come

Click to expand...

1. Exactly....no one knows, but they did know what they were doing before (which like the Blazers was nothing) wasn't good enough.
2. They will clear cap space and have a chance to start over with $48M in Player options. Purgatory is the worst. No guarantees, but at least in starting over, there is a chance....which there wasn't before the way they were built.

TBpup said:

Sometimes it is tough to take. As an alternative, I don't remember which high school, but there is one locally that runs a really good weave from what I hear. It's like Blazers-lite.

Click to expand...

I will wait til spring and take in some collage ball. I guess it is like when AI was the flavor of the month...all the hero ball, all the focus on Lillard being "The Guy", I really think he is a nice guy, just do not like watching him play