Game Thread GAME# 54: CELTICS @ BLAZERS - APRIL 13, 2021 - TUESDAY, 7:00, TNT & NBCSNW

im not cheering for the opponent, i want blazers to lose, so the pressure on terry stotts grows bigger and bigger, day by day, game by game

every win just extends the agony, thats just the way it is

 

Sorry but this logic is so fucking stupid. Losing does not help anything. Especially signing our own free agents. If you want to see Powell re-sign, you don't hope for a team meltdown. Terry will be gone regardless unless they make a deep run in the playoffs.

 

I don't know how many times you've seen cheerleaders but the number one cheer in sports is, "Lets go (insert team you're cheering for)!" So that's why I may have mistook what you were saying for cheering for the opponent. Like I said, I get the idea of a blowout creating urgency and why some in here would want that urgency generated. I don't think I have to hope for any of that stuff. If ownership does the right thing and that is a big if, there's no way this team is going to do what should be necessary for Olshey and Stotts to keep their jobs.

 

It will be interesting to see how players go out. It could tell, who they are cheerin for.

 

Blow out loss step closer to stotts getting fired

 

Win tonight and the Blazers are a step in the right direction. You will never hear me or read something i wrote hoping they lose.

This season is far from over!

Damian Lillard's career is far from over!

 

Kanter started fasting. Sunset at about 7:55. So he can at least drink water during the second half.

 

I will never root for the Blazers to lose. That said, I do occasionally put a bet down that eases the pain if I think they will lose. Now if they have to take a strategic retreat to make a bigger advance later on, that is all part of the game.

 

Betting is a different issue.
Also I have many times felt there are times to take a strategic retreat.
Rest certain players. Heck even shut them down until healthy over the years.
These are all reasonable.
But this season is far from over. Not at this point.

 

Don't matter what happens the rest of the year Stotts is here at least until then.

 

Some of you guys think he lost this team i don't think so. Against miami I thought they play hard but you can't have starting guards make so many bad decisions that lead to turnovers.

 

Stotts absolutely has not lost the team. I have seen that plenty of times. This ain't one of them at all.

 

Totally agree

 

I never thought he’s lost the team until the Miami game. Now that could’ve been exhaustion because of a back to back and a heavy schedule. Tonight and the games this weekend will be a good test. If they show the same body language as they did vs Miami, Stotts time here is done.

 

Stotts has been here an eternity by NBA coaching standards.
His time here is probably done. I agree.
Don’t go away mad. Just go away type thing in my book.

 

Man, just watching that Miami film back....I know we put Dame and CJ in some bad spots, but they need recognize and make the easy first pass instead of forcing THE pass or trying to beat the trap completely on their own.

The biggest schematic thing I hate about how we handle a team trapping our guards is the insistence on having a big be the screener and that big holding a screen rather than feigning it and slipping out quickly. Dame's decision making in particular is already highly questionable in these situations, so to watch the plays when his first pass does get out quickly but that big is just beginning his roll...ugh. You've literally done nothing to compromise the defense and just taken the ball out of your best players hands.

It ain't that hard. Slot ball screen (he doesn't even have to set it) with a quick slip to the free throw line area. Two guys in the deep corners with a weakside shooter lifting to the top of the key as the trap comes. You've got two release valves...if you hit the screener and help comes he's got an easy on the 1 vs 2 on the weakside. From there is all just reading the help, whether it's coming from the weakside low man or nail guy and making the appropriate pass. Same idea with different reads if you hit the top of the key...

I do like the we saw much more Dame coming off baseline staggers, in some loop action or setting backscreens into pin downs. We got a lot of good stuff of that, but many times didn't hit the shot or didn't screen well enough to create good separation.

Want to see even more Nurk as a playmaker at the elbows and out top. Has to get get back to being an interior threat as well. I know his post ups were shit in the bubble and we've seen very little of them this season, but I don't think we can give up on that completely. When your two best offensive players are like sized, your not going to be very productive involving them in actions together so you need to find more actions and areas on the floor to put pressure on the defense rather than in pnr. Maybe Nurk post ups aren't the answer, but we've seen it work in the past and think it's worth exploring. Especially against the bigs he'll see tonight vs Boston.

 

Dame needs to step up

 

Or are you projecting your own feelings as to whether you will come back as a fan, Mr. Ukrainefan?

 

BOS-125
PDX-110

 

Stats wise both teams are pretty close by stats. I think it will be close game but my concern is we don't defend good when the other team that has a lot of players can handle the ball.