Exclusive GAME# 19: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - NOVEMBER 27, 2019 - Quote Book

I didn't say anyone getting I said he should my opinion only.

 

Some of us were mentioning this exact same thing from the start. Dude slips every time and barely makes contact on screens he does set. Glad Dame is getting him to improve on that

 

That's an accurate interpretation. If it sounds like Lillard is somewhate inflexible, well, he is. He's a bad ass pick and roll point guard who wants his screens set to compliment his badassery.

So much of his pick and roll badassery comes from his unlimited range. To take full advantage of that he needs really solid picks.

Very little of his badassery comes from passing creativity. He basically never throws lobs or clever lookaway passes or pretty much anything but text book pocket passes and kickouts. Which is absolutely fine. Not every point guard has to be John Stockton to be elite.

The job of the role player is to maximize the superstar's talent. Whiteside needs to get on that plan. Set solid picks or you will get grief. If you keep slipping picks, don't expect Dame to find you or Dame to even be happy, because you are asking him to do something he doesn't excel at.

You can sprint to a place and stand there and be big, Hassan. If Meyers Leonard can figure out how to do it, so can you. That is part of your job description. This is not optional. Do not expect Dame to work with your style--you work with his.

People have been trying to get Whiteside to set decent screens his whole career, so it's no surprise he's struggled early on. But I like this quote because it really demonstrates the leadership of Dame. He seems really confident he can teach this old dog a new trick.

 

It's kind of funny seeing Dame mention Rolo, Mase, Nurk and Hickson. Hassan's agent needs to point out to him how much money those guys have made over their career thanks to playing next to Dame. The track record is pretty clear--do what Dame says and you will have a career year.

 

I agree Whiteside needs to set solid picks for Lillard, but couldn't Lillard return the favor and learn how to throw some nice lobs?

 

Oh christ, I've wondered this for years. He and CJ both have this problem. When they are driving and see the rim, the ONLY thing they think is "Shoot!"

But Dame is 29. After 8 years in the NBA and 4 years of college, is he really going to start adding the lob to his game now? Rolo, Plumdog and Hickson were all pretty incompetent at doing anything but dunking on the offensive end. It's not like Dame hasn't had the reason to learn to throw that lob.

It isn't gonna happen. You might as well be a Laker fan that hates how much of a diva Kobe was. Or a Spurs fan that hated Duncan's inability to show emotion. Or Shaq's inability to hit a free throw. Or Giannis' ability to hit a three. It is what it is.

Dame isn't perfect. But he's fucking fantastic.

 

Definitely the best player to ever to call my favorite. But he legitimately sucks at throwing lobs.