Game Thread GAME# 36: BLAZERS @ WIZARDS - JANUARY 3, 2020 - FRIDAY, 4:00 PM , NBCSNW

Sorry buddy but you are wrong. Nurk will never have a season like Hassan is having this year. Leads league in blocks, 4th in rebounds, 7th in PER... Blazers would be worst team in league without Whiteside. Nurk without Aminu and Harkless defense would not be able to cover for Dame and CJ the same way. Not to mention him fumbling the ball, and missed chip shots as he was wildly inconsistent. Also, it will probably be the season after next before he even gets back to the level of play he was at before the injury

 

Fulltime
Us - 122
Them - 103

3PM/A(%)
Us - 6/25 (24%)
Them - 11/33 (33.3%)

Points in the Paint
Us - 62
Them - 42

Point Starters/Bench
Us - 103 @ 54.4%/19 @40%
Them - 27 @ 37.9%/76 @ 44.3%

 

I know it really isn't popular around here but i just don't see Nurkic ever putting up consistent numbers as good as Whiteside. No Nurkic is not a better center than the one they have right now. Not even close.

 

Oh I'm with you, we still didn't roll out a good squad tonight.

 

if portland had a good record hassan would be getting votes

 

If by numbers you mean points, rebounds, and blocks, I agree Nurk won't put up those numbers. In terms of team defense and a facilitator, I think Nurk is significantly better. At least he was before the injury, we'll find out next year if he can full recover (mentally and physically).

 

How about Player Efficiency Rating?! Hassan is 7th in entire NBA... you talk like he is putting up empty stats. Also, Nurk will not be the same player without Aminu and Harkless playing perimeter defense. He will not be able to cover up Dame and CJs shortcoming like Hassan does. He didn’t have to do as much because of Aminu and Harkless. Also, there is no guarantee he will return to his old self, and if he does it won’t be til season after next most likely.

 

I just don't think you can even compare the two. Even more so you are talking about team defense when you have never seen Whiteside play more than a couple healthy games with another good defensive player on this team. Then if you want to talk about "Facilitator"? Nurkic being labeled "A better Passer" doesn't make much sense to me either. Whiteside has passed the ball effectively but he also is not being asked to play at the top of the key the same way? Might be because Nurkic was a little better at hitting the shot from the top of the key? Could also be because he played with a deeper roster that had more available scorers?
The two teams are much different. Not sure Nurkic will have even close to the same effect with this roster. On the other note. Pretty Sure having Whiteside last year would have been a better look.

 

Eye test and advanced on/off metrics lean heavily in Nurks favor.

Honestly surprised some think this is a real discussion.

 

I disagree... my eye test remembers Nurk fumbling the ball off his fingers constantly, throwing bad passes, and missing chip shot lay ups at the rim.

And for Whiteside, my eye test sees opposing players scared to take the ball in the lane with Hassan playing, him rarely missing shots, and grabbing every rebound.

 

Metrics don't work when you are playing with different players. As far as eye test goes? I just watched 20/20 and i see 23/21/5
If seeing isn't believing then i don't know what to tell you.

 

Seriously!! I don’t know what game he is watching... time to get an eye exam.

And Hassan does this almost every night! Nurk was wildly inconsistent.

 

You forgot not being able to throw one down unless he was completely alone around the rim. It was infuriating watching him seemingly never dunk the ball.

 

Did I say anything bad about Whiteside? Nurk probably won't have a PER quite as high as Whiteside either. I also said we won't know if he'll be the same after he returns.

I think Nurk is a better facilitaor than Whiteside, not sure that means Whitesides stats are empty; your words, not mind.

 

Each have their own set of strengths and weaknesses.

All I know is that Nurks strengths have contributed significantly more to winning basketball games than Hassan's.

 

I can agree with this. But again totally different roster. So?

 

Yes, because we had long wing defenders last year in 6’9 Aminu and 6’9” Harkless. This year our only defender is 6’4” Bazemore who is way overrated and undersized. Hassan is literally on his own... Nurk has a lot of help.

 

Hassan has played with a lot of different rosters and his on/off indicators (both raw and adjusted) have been remarkably consistent year over year.

He's a guy that despite the gaudy box score stats has failed to significantly elevate the teams he's played on.

 

That is kind of the point here. Can't compare the rosters. Also the offensive "Metrics" kind of hold true also for a team that played together for a couple years. Things start to get easier when you know each other well.

 

Congrats to the Blazers for the win.

Disappointed Beal did not play. I wanted to compare his game to CJ's. I'm sold on a trade built around the two. Sure there are areas each is better than other. But overall, Beal's game would be a better fit with this roster. The tie braker for me is Beal's desire to play in a ball movement system. He averaged about 2.5 more assists the last two seasons. Beal would be much more enjoyable to watch than CJ.