I think we should try subbing Nurkic out at the 6min mark in the 1st and 3rd quarters, then subbing him back in to play with the bench. Along with this, J think we should bench ET and start playing Layman and Collins at the forward spots.. 4 shooters around Nurk. Hes not getting enough touches with the starters and the bench needs a leader and an offensive presence... Nurk would excel in the low post against backup Centers, and we could use Nurk as more of a passing option with cutters and shooters around him, instead of talking ET with creating everything in isolation and stagnant situations. Would also allow Curry to play more PG which might help him get back into a rhythm. This would also mean Collins could play more with the starters, which would help his game IMO. 1st Half 12M-6M - PF Aminu / C Nurkic 6M-3M - PF Harkless / C Collins 3M-9M (2nd) - PF Collins / C Nurkic 9M-6M - PF Aminu / C Nurkic 6M-Halftime - PF Aminu / C Collins In the 4th quarter, decide at 3 minutes left to keep rolling with Collins or put Nurk back in. Minutes: Nurk - 30mpg Aminu - 30mpg Collins - 30mpg
I like this idea. Only change I'd make is leaving Aminu in until the 3 minute mark of the first. If Zach is at the 5, we need Aminu's defense and defensive rebounding (more importantly).
I like Aminu playing 30mpg so to counter that,you could play Layman at PF from the 9M to 6M left in the 2nd and run with Curry or Stauskas at SF.
I don’t think the rotations matter right now. We need increased effort on defense no matter who is in there. Lineups are fine. They need to work harder.
But why play a clearly sub-optimal lineup when you don't need to? Layman isn't even strong or a good rebounder for a SF...you're doubling down on defensive weaknesses for little offensive gain playing him as a PF next to Zach. There's easier, more sensible ways to get Jake on the floor more. For example, you sit Stauskas and run Curry/Turner (he's not getting benched) /Layman/Aminu/Collins.
Then structure it however. I'm just saying it doesnt really matter. Playing Aminu 36mpg isn't a good idea IMO. Maybe run that in the 2nd half so he gets 33mpg.
Look i understand trying different things but if you pull Nurk and Aminu at the same time you are asking for a layup line. Collins will foul out almost certainly every game and on the games you actually get Harkless to show up he will still get smoked. There are two things wrong with the Blazers right now. Lack of effort and lack of talent.
I don't think it lack of talent it more of lack of effort and the system that Stotts has implement on both ends of the court.
People always want to blame the coach. I can understand that. But in reality this team is made up of a seconds. Very few solid players on this team.
we need better players but that ain't gonna happen given our lux tax situation and in general poor trading chips, we are a treadmill team that plays mediocre boring basketball and has got at least 3 yrs now, time for some serious changes and/or dynamite to blow it up
What is it they say about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? Rotation changes won't do shit. Problems run deeper.
I HATE posts like this. "People always want to blame the coach"... You pass it off as if blaming the coach is the easy thing to do, and if someone does so, they're not actually paying enough attention. Meanwhile, theres people on here who blame the coach that could give you very detailed, logistical, basketball reasons for it, that would probably open your eyes a little bit. I dont want to blame the coach. I want a coach who isn't blame-worthy.
I hope you realize that, with the rotations I stated, pretty much one of them would be on the court at all times. We can rearrange lineups to try to maximize strengths of individual players and create more cohesive 5-man units. It's easy to say "We lack effort and talent".. but how can we make a more cohesive string of 5-man units, and how could we maximize the strengths of our players?
So I'm not saying that these guys aren't 'seconds', but look at their increases in production compared to when they were with the Blazers. Noah Vonleh FG% - up by 2% 3pt% - up by 35% Rebs - up by 59% Assts - up by 400% Stls - up by 300% Blks - up by 333% PPG - up by 233% Of course much of this is attributed to more minutes but those have only gone up by 76% in comparison. Then there is the, "he's putting up bigger numbers on a bad team" rationale which is true....but at the same time, the Knicks have won 4 of their last 10 while the Blazers have won 3 of their last 10. So how bad are they in comparison over 40% of the season so far? Pat Connaughton FG% - up by 3.5% 3pt% - down by 9% Rebs - up by 213% Assts - up by 73% Stls - up by 33% Blks - up by 233% PPG - up by 30% By comparison, Pat has had his increases on a much better team while playing only 7% more minutes. Not that either of these players would be a franchise changer but certainly Noah, who can switch out onto the perimeter as well as any 'big' the Blazers had and now not being "Vonleh'd" by Stotts' rotation, is putting up significantly better numbers. A defensive PF who can defend multiple positions and shoot .455 from '3'? Where do I sign up?
Nurk hasn't been getting the ball enough. When he does get it he is hesitant and more than not refers back to the guards. There is something off about him lately. He seems a bit slow, a bit sluggish. He is fouling more and not defending the basket as well. I don't remember the last time he blocked the shit out of somebody. We need that energy. We need Nurk to pound the ball inside. We need to see that authority again.
Agreed. 9 shots last night...less shots than Turner! I think part of that hesitancy is because he doesn't get the ball that often so when he does, doesn't have a rhythm. Meanwhile, CJ took 19 shots and had the lowest shooting % of anyone on the team outside of Curry. Yuck!
It is up to a coach to utilize his roster to bring out the best possible production. Each player brings something to the game, and the coach needs to find combinations that bring out the players and teams optimum, that hide deficiencies and flaws while drawing out and employing strengths. A good coach can fit players into his system. A great coach can build a system around the players he has. Stotts has failed to fit this team together and use it at its best capacity. The Players are running his system which is flawed and weak. It is easily countered by other teams. Stotts is at fault.
Nurk needs more shots but some of this is on him. Dame was throwing him some great passes last night and Nurk had brick hands and couldn't catch a damn thing on the pick and roll. Also, he needs to STOP BRINGING THE BALL DOWN. Annoys the hell out of me that we don't have a freaking big man coach who can tell him these fundamentals.