Game Thread Game #8 - BLAZERS @ CAVALIERS - NOVEMBER 3, 2021 - WEDNESDAY; 4:00 PM (PDT), ROOT SPORTS

Rebuild man. That’s all I want. I been telling ya for years now this shit doesn’t work

 

Trying to'shoot your way out' of a slump is one thing.
Continuing to blatantly jack up bricks when some teammates are shooting much better but can't get shots is another.

 

Biggest problem tonight, IMO, was on the offensive end, and it was three-fold.

The most damaging of those three things was kind of a return to Stotts ball. Too much dribbling without going anywhere. Not enough passing. Some bad and unnecessary shots early in the shot clock (Chauncey gave CJ an ear-full for one when he took one). We had a problem matching up with the Cavs' height at the defensive end, but, if we did more quick dribble drive, pitch and pass around the perimeter, we could have taken better advantage of making their bigs have to try to scramble and recover when we were on offense. By playing so much one on one, we played to their defensive strength.

Dame, of course, took too many ill-advised shots trying to shoot himself out of a slump. In reality, he was shooting us out of the game. I know it's tough to relearn, but he has to let the game come to him sometimes. It's going to be better for him and the team in the long run.

Finally, Nurk's focus was off again. He made a couple of good plays, but, as seems to happen, he wasn't really mentally engaged and got dominated inside as a result. This team goes nowhere if he's not trying to destroy guys with picks and diving strong to the basket for the 26 minutes per night he's going to play. It can't be a once every four game thing.

 

Larry Nance Jr only got one FG attempt in 21 minutes?

 

How many years?

 

Nance got 1 and Little got 1....ridiculously selfish ball from our mini-backcourt. (17-46...37%)
Meanwhile, the entire rest of the team was 23-44...53%.

So half the shots are taken by the worst shooting duo....again, and playing little defense. This movie is so familiar. Seems like I've seen it before.

 

Yet Neil always needs to see just a little bit more.

 

as long as we're wallowing in angst & loathing, and contemplating the possibility of a rebuild, how about doubling down on tonight and picking a scab. let's re-do the 2017 draft. What would have been the 'best' option in a most perfect Blazer world fantasy:

* 1) Donovan Mitchell & Kyle Kuzma (or Dillon Brooks)

* 2) Bam Adebayo & Dillon Brooks

* 3) John Collins, OG Anunoby, & Kyle Kuzma (or Dillon Brooks)

* 4) John Collins, Jarrett Allen, & Dillon Brooks

I like what I saw from Jarrett Allen tonight but Anunoby is a really nice wing. Averaging 20 & 6 this season

obviously, Mitchell and Adebayo are all-star talents and elite talent is a big step toward contention.

Simons-Little-Collins-Anunoby/Allen-Brooks/Kuzma is a nice young core but are any capable of star-power?

***************************************

or would the best option have been to trade the 3 picks and CJ for Paul George?

 

I'm weary of full rebuilds because we see how some teams get stuck in purgatory constantly missing on draft picks, but on the other hand constantly losing in the first round is almost as bad and I don't think we will get out of the first round with this team. Very few teams in nba history have won a championship with their point guard being their best player and Dame doesn't look himslef.

 

At least we’ll get that good old “incorrect no call” in the report.

 

i missed the most of this roadtrip. life getting in the way.

don't think i'll be re-watching them

 

I would say, that after you went on worst slump in your career - and probably for a reason - shooting the ball up in the air in last seconds of the game is not smartest thing you can do.

On the eye test it looks like Chuncey is losing the team to Lillard and CJ again. This is obviously their team, period.

Even in the primary school teacher know what to do with this duo, that keeps breaking your lessons.
We either make the trade or make Lillard playing coach and let him go for his MVP.

 

But I thought it was the coach.

 

Remember the, “ I’m so lookin forward to Billups actually holding players accountable for their play….. Stotts never did that!”
At what point will we see this kick in?

Still eating for 30 games to judge, but my 12-18 prediction looks pretty good at this point. Especially after these next 4 games.

 

0-4

 

We’ve already blown out two of those teams and the Pacers are awful.

 

Considering we’ve made the playoffs 6 straight years in the Dame/CJ era and we have decent depth this time, how is your prediction realistic?

 

it was and it is

what weve seen so far this season is nothing different to terry stotts offense and its nothing chauncey billups said it will be... theres no ball & player movement, we play 3 on 5 on offense, nurk & roco are complete non-factors on offense, thats not formula for success... go look at phoenix suns and utah jazz, thats how portland trail blazers should play, but for some reason we dont... dame and cj mccollum need to take a step back, powell needs to pass the ball more, its a team sport