The 10 Reasons the Blazers are not good enough this year.

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by DroppinDimes, Nov 5, 2019.

  1. DroppinDimes

    DroppinDimes F'in Rookie

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    The Trailblazers just aren't good enough for these reasons:

    1. Zach got hurt. He was the defensive anchor and there are some major holes without him.
    2. Individual defense is AWFUL (nothing to be done there, except maybe effort at times). Team defense has been AWFUL (although I expect that to get a little better as time goes on).
    3. They miss David Vanderpool.
    4. The flow offense doesn't work with a group of bad passers. Dame is good in the pick and roll, and Mario seems ok at times, particularly in the open court but overall, this team is full of bad passers!
    5. WAY too much 1 on 1 in the half court.
    6. Terrible transition defense.
    7. Spotty effort from everyone.
    8. Dame time needs to stop! Is he trying to pad his 4th quarter stats for a MVP run? I hate all the individual awards discussions all season long. I get it, Dame is amazing, but find the open guy damnit. Team ball is the only way these guys have a shot this year.
    9. The second unit needs a primary ball handler. Ant is a GREAT 2guard, but a point guard he is not... (yet) It looks like they're confused out there to who is going to initiate and run the offense.
    10. Have I mentioned bad defense?

    I don't expect this team to do anything this year, HOWEVER I do see good things happening next season. Nurk and Collins will be back, We'll either trade Whiteside by the deadline to pickup a serviceable 4, or have cap space to maybe get an impact player. Fully healthy and a few tweaks in personnel (maybe bring in a defensive minded assistant coach!) this team will be a contender next season in my mind.
     
  2. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Seems fair. I especially agree with #9 - what does Olshey have against decent backup PGs?
    (Ntilikina would fix this, IMO.)
     
  3. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    I'd say many of those things are true of the Blazers' play so far this season, but I don't think that they are necessarily things that won't be fixed as the season goes along. First, the Blazers have had to deal with a significant number of injuries to players in their starting rotation. That messes up any team, especially one with as many new faces as the Blazers are currently trying to incorporate into their rotation. Second, let's get real. Other than last night's horrible loss, the Blazers are a couple of plays from being 6-1 instead of 3-4. Third, getting Gasol and, eventually, Nurk into the lineup will have major impacts upon the quality of play.
     
  4. Bruno_Sabino

    Bruno_Sabino From Brasil (Belem-PA)

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    Calm... lets see next cames, to early to call. But last night was terrible
     
  5. hoopsjock

    hoopsjock Well-Known Member

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    #8 is not the problem with this team, it's the reason this team isn't going to be competing for the top picks in the lottery.

    The rest of your list is good.
     
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  6. Strenuus

    Strenuus Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Were not 20 games in.

    Hell, were not even 10 games in.

    Then I'll evaluate.
     
  7. TorturedBlazerFan

    TorturedBlazerFan Well-Known Member

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    At the end of the Philly game he literally found Simons in the corner, for a 3.
     
  8. hoopsjock

    hoopsjock Well-Known Member

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    Dame's shooting 49.3% from the field and 40.3% from 3 while being the focus of other team's defenses. Dame Time is definitely not the problem.
     
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  9. BlazerWookee

    BlazerWookee UNTILT THE DAMN PINWHEEL!

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    CJ playing so damned much hero ball makes my head hurt. Pass it once, get it back, then go 1 on 1.
     
  10. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    1. We can make due without him. Skal's looked great.
    2. Only way to go is up.
    3. TBD
    4. Flow offense isnt that good, period.
    5. A product of flow offense.
    6. Only way to go is up.
    7. Again, fixable. Only way to go is up. 2 and 6 are pretty much the same as 7.
    8. Horrible take. He's getting over 7 assists per game and his scoring is the only thing keeping us afloat.
    9. Stotts needs to stagger the guards.
    10. The same as 2, 6, 7.
     
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  11. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    With 30 seconds left in the OKC game, he found Rodney Hood in the corner for a 3 as well. I've been very impressed and surprised by his willingness to share the ball with role-players in clutch scenarios in this early season.
     
  12. bobf

    bobf Well-Known Member

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    1. Injuries
    2. We gave up good players for crappy players, but that won’t become fully evident until we recover from #1 and are still worse than before when should be much better, given the addition of Simons, development of Zach & Nurk, and general improvement of the rest.
     
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  13. stampedehero

    stampedehero Make Your Day, a Doobies Day Staff Member Moderator

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    #2.....Especially Whiteside.
     
  14. calvin natt

    calvin natt Confeve

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    It would really nice to have a guy like Tim Frazier out there playing PG for the 2nd unit. Ideally, someone bigger, but just having a real PG backing up Damian. I also would like to see more ball pressure out on the perimeter. I am warming to the idea of a Kenneth Faried who can just get dirty in the paint cleaning up the boards, and with the team's track record of reclamation projects, who knows he might flourish.
     
  15. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    It appears that Simons may be the only guy he trusts in a crucial situation.
     
  16. TorturedBlazerFan

    TorturedBlazerFan Well-Known Member

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    As Platy pointed out Hood got a corner 3 in the OKC game.
     
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  17. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I'm leaning this way also. I realize it may be too early but Blazer brass should be thinking about it. Zach out, Nurk probably not full strength any time this year. Let Anf, Skal, Hezonja and Little play a lot. (and yes, the best way to let Anf play a lot is trade CJ; add a couple draft picks to him and maybe Chicago would trade Porter, they don't seem to really have a top shooting guard. ) Focus on teaching fundamentals for the rest of the year rather than game prep. Fundamentals of passing, defense and screen setting for starters. Try to develop a more varied offense that can involve more players. What would I estimate as the chance of any of this happening? Zero.
     
  18. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    Was that a last minute shot?
     
  19. TorturedBlazerFan

    TorturedBlazerFan Well-Known Member

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    30 seconds left on the clock.

    I actually commented in that game that Hood was putting together a few clutch 3's for the Blazers with that one and the one from the Denver 4ot game.
     
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  20. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Some upside? Either we learn to play defense without Collins and Nurkic (which would help the team be better defensively when they both get back), or we get a lottery pick.
     
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