After watching last nights game it reminded me of what great defenses can do to guys like Dame. Didn’t help we kept trying to do high pick which just created an automatic double team. the key is to have another guy who can create his own shot and CJ is the only other player on the roster who’s capable of doing that against defenses like the Lakers showed tonight. Grant is great at hitting shots but still can’t consistently get his shot against a defense like that. Melo has never been a good passer so when teams double we still don’t get great looks. Stotts has to figure another offense that he can go to besides high pick it’s like his crutch. Lastly other guys have to hit shots but we need better shots for them. I think it’s really important to get a 2nd point guard one that creates shots for 2nd unit and in some cases for first unit. Guys like Rondo, CP, etc
I agree with you, but oh boy did you just kick a hornets’ nest. Getting Nurk back will be huge too. Those big screens and the pick and roll/pop action are sorely missed in the Blazers’ offense.
Yeah CJ would be better than any non Dame player we have playing now. The team needs defensive players at all other spots on the roster with those two. Not Kanter, Melo, Hood, or Simons.
Simmons would be the only one I’d trade CJ for — for two reasons: -Elite defender -Keeping GTJ a starter
I’m sorry but adding CJ does nothing. The problem is Stotts iso driven offense. Watch the Jazz and then watch us. It’s not like Utah is inherently more talented. They just play much better defense and have amazing ball movement.
This game showed that we don't have a single idea of playing offence if they trap Lillard. And who on earth would have thought they would do that?! We play one man basketball. CJ comeback will be a patch on rotten culture. We lost AST 15:25 again, not bc CJ wasn't there.
Yes, you can survive less than great offense if you have some defense. That combination is horrific defensively and not even good offensively.
Agree perfect trade scenario take tone of pressure off Dame and make game so much easier for players around him.
we're talking about the kind of defense that has limited Dame for 6 seasons....right? The kind of defense on Dame that has been responsible for Portland bowing out of 7 straight playoffs with a whimper, often getting swept? CJ has been there for all of that and it hasn't helped. CJ was having a supernatural season before his injury and Portland was only 7-5. If CJ was the answer, he would have answered the question consistently over the last 6 seasons, but that question remains unanswered.
I’ll bite. First 10 games Lillard didn’t play well and I believe his wife had twins. Nurkic showed up out of shape and was just beginning to get into real game shape. Not sure you can use the beginning of this season as a barometer?
why not?....CJ fans sure are saying the beginning of the season is the new gauge use for CJ..."he's an all-star!" and, concerning Dame, are you sure it was the twins or that he was not aggressive because he was deferring to a hot CJ? At one time CJ was averaging 4 more shots a game than Dame with a higher usage rate. The best Dame is an aggressive Dame, and he wasn't aggressive while CJ was dominating the ball
I’m pretty sure the twins had some effects. By the end of it and after the birth he was spending nights at the hospital. We all know Nurk showed up way out of shape. First two weeks of the season were brutal for the guy.
All of you are welcome to go back and read some game threads from the first two - three weeks. It’s also right there in the box scores that Lillard and Nurk both started the season slow.
Yes, they do play solid defense with Gobert protecting the rim., but it is their offense this year that has made the difference. They are #1 in 3 pointers made, #3 in 3 point %, #3 in PPG Their forwards all shoot over 40% from deep. (Bogdanovic, Ingles, O'Neal) to go along with their guards who also shoot well from 3.
so then, you're saying if every Blazer in the rotation is 100% healthy, and nobody in the rotation is going thru any personal adversity or distractions, and everybody is on top of their games, the Blazers are better than 7-5. In a perfect world, the Blazers are awesome
One problem that has persisted for years is that neither Dame or CJ is a point guard. I get that Stotts' flow offense is supposed to make that OK if you have a handful of playmakers out there but unless you can find a bunch of guys that are playmakers, shooters (for spacing), AND defenders that shit doesn't work. I think it's fine when Dame and CJ are both on because there's so much shooting and ball handling between them the defense has to stay honest and guys can get some easy looks. However, when one of them is off the court we are absolutely killed with traps and none of the other guys get good looks. It seems that many of our problems would be solved if we had a back up point guard to runt he show when one of only Dame or CJ is on the court and staggered their minutes. Our role players would benefit a ton from easier looks, we could break a damn trap, and dame/cj would be much fresher. Bonus if the PG was a good defender as well. This wouldn't leave any role for Gary or Ant, but at least Gary should a little trade value. At this point we're ride or die Dame/CJ down the stretch, but I think there's at least 24 mpg (12 with Dame out, 12 with CJ out) out there for a PG that can run the show and play some D. Rubio seems like the perfect guy for that type of role and I'm sure the Twolves would be thrilled to dump him but he's a little spendy.
This is why I rarely comment on issues like this. You want to go there that’s fine. All I said is they struggled the first 10-12 games and there were some pretty good reasons. That’s all bro. Not trying to make excuses for poor play or protect Stotts or Olshey or even Dame for that matter. Just pointing out obvious issues they dealt with. I’m giving them a pass for that couple weeks and I’m also looking forward to seeing what this team can accomplish when healthy for an extended period of time if that ever actually happens?
No offense intended, but this notion that Dame isn’t a point guard is about as dated as Bob Cousy. The role of the point guard has evolved to where all of the best ones are looking for their own shots way more often than back in the dark ages when the PG spot was limited to setting up plays and dishing the ball. Dame still does plenty of that. He’s averaging 7 assists. He got 7 last night and he probably should have had double that if his teammates could have hit the open shots he set them up for. Dame is a great PG who also happens to be a great scorer.
did you notice that I was explicitly talking about what has happened to Portland when teams go into the 'stop-Dame-at-all-cost' mode so many good teams have employed over the last half dozen years. They have continued to use that defense because it works and Portland seemingly has no counter. Somebody said, or at least implied, that would change when CJ got back. But CJ has been there thru all of those traps and doubles on Dame and it hasn't made a difference. The first 12 games of this season are just a footnote
