Stotts gave up on learning defense after three weeks. You seem to gave up on on the team after four games. I might be stupid and all, but I think, that is not how learning works, unless you Neo in the Matrix. Those guys were in the basement for nine years. Dame, CJ and Melo were happy, that they don't have to learn defense. One cancer (Melo) is gone. CJ don't really give a sh about your playoffs thing, but I hope he will be traded soon. After nine years in the basement, you won't learn climbing in four hours. Only way we miss the playoffs is Dame wanting to stay in the basement of him chasing MVP shooting half court 3s. I don't think he's that stupid. You won't learn hiragana in four hours too. I don't believe what happened to this forum.
Neil Olshey is the 4th longest tenured GM in the NBA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Basketball_Association_general_managers He's in his 9th season, while only 4 other GM's have gone more than 4 years. Those 4 being Sam Presti (coasting on his early success), Memphis, Golden State and Miami. You could make a damned good argument that other than the Grizzlies GM, he's by far the luckiest guy in the NBA. It's amazing that he's survived this long without doing anything really amazing besides drafting CJ and picking up tons of castoffs and bargain bin role players in the draft. He was the GM who saw LaMarcus leave us uncompensated. I mean, if we'd fired him 4 years ago, would anyone have missed him? Dame is absolutely gone if we miss the playoffs. It's tragic that through most of his tenure the best teammate he's had has been a worse version of himself.
I think you need to google the definition of “BASEMENT”. I would like to hear why you chose to say this franchise has been in the “BASEMENT” for the past 9 years. Also, you considered Melo a “CANCER”? That dude was so great for us. Took young guys under his wing. Coachin, teachin, coming up big when we had some major injuries. Best part was he didn’t cost us a damn thing and the players he replaced were Hezonja and Tolliver. WOuld necessarily use the term “CANCER” with him. I think is you want to see the definition of a player that is a “CANCER”, check out the Sixers situation right now. I too don’t believe what has happened to this forum.
They didn't have to play defense for 9 years. Basement. Melo is probably great guy, I believe you. He was never interested in playing defense. He makes shots. So is CJ. Blazers not gonna play good defense in preseason. They were in the basement under Stotts and they liked it.
“They didn’t have to play defense for 9 years. Basement.” I still don’t know what this shit means. If making the playoffs every season is the basement, bro there’s about 14 teams that would LOVE to be in the basement. Why are the Blazers not going to play good defense in the preseason? In your opinion are they just going to start playing tomorrow night? And if basement means playoffs, then yes they did like it.
The 2017-2018 Blazers, with a healthy Nurkic (79 games), Ed Davis, PatC (an underrated defender), Zach Collins for 66 games, Aminu, Harkless, ET (all plus defensive players) were #8 in the league in defense. The 2014-2015 Blazers, with Robin Lopez, LMA, Kaman, Wes, Batum (all plus defensive players) were #10 in the league in defense. It's not like Terry Stotts forgot how to coach defense. It is all roster. Simple as that. Didn't play defense for 9 years is just nonsense that is easily proved wrong.
Thank you for posting this. I wanted to but was not in a position to do the proper research to have my numbers correct.
For me it looks like Stotts could not coach Aminu and Harkless to play accountable offense the Sam way he couldn't manage Lil, CJ and Melo to play any defense. He was basically a low factor on both ends. Now, I'll shot up and wait for my 54.
Yeah, Aminu and Harkless have been offensive dynamos on other teams. And Melo was a great defender in New York before Stotts got in his way.
Well, good point. But in this case there is no point to teach CJ and Lillard any defense. Really no point to have a coach.
Most coaches don't make a massive difference, IMO. There are the rare transcendent coaches that change the course of the franchise, but the vast majority don't. Stotts falls into that bucket. So I don't think it's a big deal that the Blazers moved on, but I think people are kidding themselves if they believe that this roster was much better than their performance and simply being held down by Stotts.
pretty much maybe.... different coach could have got Portland past Denver in the playoffs last year; that's at least debatable. But no coach would have got the Blazers past Phoenix
man job of the coach is to hold players a countable and provide positive motivation for them to plY at an optimal level. That is often undervalued. Talent wins out, but managing the talent is a skill most championship teams have a coach who can do so.
yeah, I do. Last night wasn't last May. Blazers beat Warriors by 25, on the road last season. Then lost to them by 15 two nights later games just get away from teams sometimes. Blazer fans know that well. Blazers just jumped on Phoenix last night and were hitting shots all over the floor, especially whenever the Suns looked like they were gaining momentum.
the mean says there will likely be a bit of a regression from last night not all shots will fall like they did. But if they maintain that effort and focus on D, they should be able to get more stops when it matters…allowing us to be in more games, i think.
