https://sports.yahoo.com/hassan-whitesides-strengths-trail-blazers-054635528.html Hassan Whiteside is Jusuf Nurkic's replacement to start the season, and there is hope that he will be on his best behavior during a contract year. The Blazers have an excellent team culture and player leadership, and it seems reasonable to expect that this organization could squeeze the best out of Whiteside's talented if not mercurial skill set. There's been a lot of talk - and a lot of doubt - about what Whiteside brings to the Blazers based off of his time with the Miami Heat over the past several seasons. It's true that there are some real questions about how Whiteside will respond as a team defender. Folks should also be wondering whether he can pass the ball well enough to play center in this offense. But there are a lot of things that Whiteside does well, and it's important to look at how those things actually show up on film vs. what appears on paper. This is a whole new place for him, both systemically and culturally. What he brings to the table could very well make him productive in a way he's never been before, simply because of the context in Portland. To get a good look at some of the things that Whiteside does well, and how he may contribute to Portland this season, watch the full video breakdown
Yes I get that, but many of the "Stotts Haters" point out that he does have good qualities along with the bad. He's certainly an above average regular season coach.
It does talk about players elevating their performance in his offense. Lets take it a bit further " “They have so much movement, they have so many different plays and reads" This is a quote from a player that has been in the league since 2010. He's played with some of the best players in the game. He has been coached by a coach that has a couple rings and for a GM that many consider one of the best in the game. Then there is this by the writer. "Having a center dramatically improve his assists is nothing new under Stotts." This is indeed fact. Then Hassan Whiteside follows with this. "The offense they got has so much movement… it’s just a way different thing than just the standard pick-and-roll, pick-and-roll, pick-and-roll. I’ve been looking at the offense a lot, and there’s a reason it was top three in the NBA.” This has been the biggest complaint about the offense made by those that have a problem with it. I'm not gonna spend the time to go dig up the multitude of comments saying the problems with it being the same Pick N Roll play over and over again. But if you have been reading this site there are many. I'm going to maintain that Players who have 7,8,9 and even 10 years in the NBA and coaches who have been coaching in this league for many years know what they are saying and have a little bit more credibility than some of us on here at S2. Coach Stotts is not perfect by any means. But he wins games and players like his system. That means something to me.
Sure, this is all correct unless you watch the playoff series against the Pelicans and the last 2 versus the Warriors.
This conversation has been had many times. Blazers had their best chance to get by the Warriors this last year. Even with Nurk out. Warriors were without Boogie and Durant. They fell short after having leads in every game. My feeling is that first game was pivotal. I didn't like the 30 hour turnaround game. Playoff basketball is tough no question. I guess if you look at losses then you can always find a problem for sure. Lets see how this season goes shall we?
