Game Thread 2022-23 Game #1 - BLAZERS @ KINGS - OCTOBER 19, 2022 - WEDNESDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

Everything about his play last night bugged me. It looked like it bugged Chauncey too.

That telegraphed outlet pass that was stolen for a Kings bucket had me all worked up. Too many stupid sloppy plays and half assed attempts at taking it to the hoop from him.

Vlade Divac he is not.

 

Then there is the inevitable "Injury Report". Depth is never a bad thing.

 

I agree with your first part. Hart, Winslow, and Grant (and even Keon to some extent) are enjoyable to watch defend. I do not want to open the " we could have gotten more back" debate because I really could care less at this point about any extra draft picks we could have/should have acquired. I like those 3 we added. (Plus Sharpe)

I also like how Ant responded after his first couple of misses. He looked more aggressive...starting with the missed dunk.

 

This is the closing line-up I was anticipating for most games. Last night did not change my mind.

 

Offensively, pretty good although some plays the Kings were completely leaving Winslow to trap anyone else.
On defense, it's 3-on-5.

 

Seemed to me that Dame and Grant are now the worst ball-stoppers, something that is anathema to Chauncey-ball done right.

 

That seems easy to adjust to if that is true. Winslow has good handles for a PF and will attack the basket. Plus he tends to hang out around the basket. Let them leave him alone.

As for 3-on-5 defense...so you are agreeing that it is an improvement over the 1-on-5 defense from previous years?
Bottom line is that unit can outscore a lot of lineups down the stretch when most games are decided. You have 4 good ball handlers and 4 good free-throw shooters. Plus you can always substitute defense for offense in the last minute when needed.

 

not even at shooting three's:



Aldo does three things over and over:

1) shit on Dame
2) massively overreact to moments in games
3) troll the forum

 

I did not think it was too bad from Dame last night. He just missed a lot of open shots he normally makes.
Grant does run into trouble when he puts the ball on the floor, but for the most part, he did it when there was no other option. None-the-less he is much more valuable as a 3 and D guy on offense. He has a nice quick, high release with his 3-ball.

 

how do we know what "chauncey-ball done right" is? He has a .337 winning percentage

Portland had their smoothest offense in the 1st Q; that's when Dame was running the show. He had 5 assists and 2 FGA's. After the Kings started offering more resistance, the Blazer offense broke down to a lot of ISO by just about everybody. If chauncey-ball is going to disintegrate when facing resistance, it's not worth much

 

I don't know if this has been said earlier and if it has I apologize, but I was very impressed with the way Sharpe kept his player in front of him on D, even turning them back and forcing them to pass. He moves his feet so well and always seems under control. If he stays healthy, he's going to be amazing for us.

 

I don’t disagree. I guess we’ll find out pretty quickly if this was a one game aberration or the start of a downward trend in Lillard’s play. I certainly hope many of the pundits out there are wrong and he’s just a little rusty but he definitely looked to be struggling to get by his man yesterday (granted, the Kings do have quick guards) and didn’t have the same first step that we’re used to seeing. Happy for the win nonetheless.

 

Everyone? I thought Ant was fantastic last night. Showed real playmaking chops that is what will differentiate him from being called CJ 2.0.

Like... that drive and crosscourt kick to Shaedon for his first shot was a thing of beauty.

 

couldn't find that post so just a screenshot

I've been harping on this since Chauncy said it was going to be a thing. But the idea of playing Dame off the ball is really stupid, IMO. It's almost certainly not going to work. That's what other teams want: Dame without the ball. Why the fuck start out by simply conceding that to the defense?

NOBODY on the roster can initiate offense as well as Dame. Way too often when somebody else is initiating the offense, Dame doesn't get a touch or if he does it's as the shot clock is collapsing. Last night, Portland's smoothest offensive flow happened in the 1st Q when Dame was running the show. After the Kings had ratcheted up their defensive resistance, Portland's offensive devolved to tons of ISO, and it wasn't just Dame pounding the ball and going 0ne-on-one...it was everybody

it's one thing to run Curry off the ball when you have an advanced off-ball screen game and you have passers like Draymond, Durant, Livingston, and Iggy; and you've been working on the scheme for years since Curry was young. It's entirely another thing to run Dame off the ball when you don't have any good passers or guys evolved enough to consistently run an offense; and yo try and implement this bad idea when Dame has developed his game over a decade in the NBA

I just don't think this will work and it's Chauncey trying to force square pegs in round holes. Bad idea

 

I think the idea is to diversify the offense and not be predictable come playoff time. Now is the time to work out what can and can't work. I'm fine with Chauncey exploring things that Stotts never tried in the regular season.