Game Thread GAME# 9: NETS @ BLAZERS - NOVEMBER 8, 2019 - FRIDAY, 7:00 PM, NBCSNW

I never realized how soft whiteside is around the rim. So many times it seems he is trying to nimbly tip the ball in or do a little flip shot and misses....when it seems he should have the ability to throw it down and ensure the easy basket when he catches it so deep.

 

I'm talking about how kemba was a legit scorer in charlotte with no help from his teammates. If you think the way the blazers are playing now is indicative of making the conference finals....then I dont know what to say....i mean I am an optimist, but the way they are playing now will not get them back to the conference finals

 

I don't entirely disagree - but I don't believe Stotts is getting the most possible out of Hood and Bazemore. As I said earlier, I also think he is at least partially to blame for the way CJ is playing.

 

The qualifier is that Zach, Hood, Nurk,Skal and Pau are all injured now...that's more than just a dent in the roster...it's a gash

 

He wasn't out of shape or lazy or ineffective, but he at least looked like he was thinking through every movement he made. His free throw shooting was really slow.

 

Thats definitely true, but by the time that Zach and nurk come back I feel it may be too little to late.

 

Dale was made for the old half court days when scores were 82-73 and half the points were dunks

 

Fair point. I think Hood's career track record is a guy who is inconsistent and scores 12ppg game on below average percentages. This year he's averaging 11.9ppg on a career high FG%. It's not Stotts fault if people think Hood is better than he is.

Bazemore has been a disappointment to me. I don't know enough about his game to determine if Stotts is to blame for it, but you could be right.

I think Stotts is in a horrible position with CJ. His boss would fire him for benching him, but CJ's play requires some adjustment.

 

That was some funny shit right there....

 

CJ just in a slump. Nothing bigger than that. He’ll snap out of it. Skal needs to toughen up. Little needs time. I would like to move Dame to the 2 and give ball distribution responsibility to someone else. Simons I guess. Never want your point guard scoring 60.

 

You sound like a post last season. I was talking about winning 50 games and the person said we have to X-X the rest of the way and “if you think that’s possible, I don’t know what to say.” We went to WCF. Without Nurkic. The way they are playing now won’t last. The Rockets started last season 11-14 and still won 53 games. The 94 Pacers started 16-23 and reached the ECF. 3-6 is nothing in the long run. 2017-18 Rockets had a 5 game losing streak and still won 65. 2006-07 Mavs started 0-4 and won 67. We haven’t had an extended homestand yet or an extended streak of games against crappy teams. We’ve been in all 6 of our losses down the stretch and some of them could’ve swung either way. We’ve also had a SLEW of injuries and have managed to play competitively. I’m pissed at the Gasol signing since he isn’t able to play when we most need him.

 

I expected Bazemore to be an unreliable scorer, bad passer and good defender. That's what he is.

 

Pau has to be close to getting on the court...that'll be a huge help at this stage

 

Yeah, it would. Not gonna lie, lol.

 

So it's like keeping Evan Turner after all

 

If that was your expectation, you NAILED it. Throw in chronic fouler.

I'm an idiot thinking that any player we got in exchange for Evan Turner wouldn't have a lot of flaws in his game.

 

Thanks for the great historical statistics. I guess you are right, it is still very early and the schedule has not been very favorable.....although my initial point was just feeling sorry for lillard tonight as he had a career night with 60 points and still came away with the loss because of no help from his teammates....just reminded me a lot of kemba walker in Charlotte.

 

To me it is. I didn't think the trade would do much. Turner at least was #2 in assists last season. Maybe our defense is just too bad so far for Bazemore to make a difference there. Is he a better defender than Turner?
What people seemed to like was Bazemore's better 3 point shooting compared to Turner, but didn't notice his 2-point shooting was bad. And that's how he is so far for the Blazers, 32 percent on 3 pointers and only 41 percent on 2 pointers, so his adjusted field goal percentage is only 44 percent which is very bad, Evan-Turner-like. Evan Turner shot 47% effective field goal percentage for the Blazers last season. So any improvement Bazemore gives you with "spacing" he loses with his 2 point shooting.
So if Bazemore isn't a noticeably better defender than Turner, I think the trade is a loss for the overall season, though there will be some games where Bazemore can hit a few threes which Turner can't do.

 

Dame had 60 out of necessity. WTF. You want to take the ball out of the hands of our ONE unselfish player who doesn't just gun every time?

 

No reaction at all from Terry. Ya its good to be even keeled but at least give a damn.