Yeah. When he gets back they will use him as the clear number one option. We watched this a couple games ago with Sharpe 15-17 seconds left in the clock and they left him to ISO. When Simons gets back it will not be Sharpe doing that.
I know you have reams of stats to back up your dislike of Ant as a player. I’m not wired that way. Since that crazy end of season game against the Kings a few years ago where he went off for thirty-something points in a game the Blazers intended to lose, I’ve been hoping he would put the pieces together and make the step to the next level. I love his shot, his leaping ability and the way he moves. I think he’s a good person. I’m still rooting for him.
you "think he's a good person"? OK. I don't know where that came from because I sure didn't say he wasn't
Never meant to imply otherwise. Just listing my reasons for being a fan. I’ve seen enough of your posts to know that your reasoning for wanting him gone is based on his stats.
It's sort of incredible how Presti has managed to stave off any weight of expectations on this team. I don't blame him at all—it's the job of the GM to craft an upward narrative and a framework for the public to view the team in, and to protect the coach and the players from public pressure in the name of development , but I also think media should hold his team to account a tick—even if the team is young. Most teams who make the play-in get lambasted for being stuck in the middle. But with OKC it's a head pat and a smile at their bright future. If I'm an OKC fan how long am I okay with this? If I'm SGA how long am I down to have my biggest moments come in regular season games? The fact is that this team could put together a championship squad tomorrow if it wanted to. eventually you gotta pay people, and eventually player/owner/fan/media patience wears off. And as history has taught us—specifically OKC!—sometimes the bright future falls apart before it ever comes.
not really...it's based on a lot more that stats. It's based upon seeing him in 250 games; on seeing what he is as a player, and what he will never be as a player. On his strengths, on his flaws, and how those fit into the NBA. Yeah, I use stats to make my arguments but the foundation is observation. I'd imagine you'd say the foundation is bias which I confirm with stats; maybe you'd be right, but I don't just pick one or two stats, I look at a broad spectrum of stats and combine with observation. And we both have some bias here if Portland is as invested in Ant as they appear to be then they should have the balls to move him to PG, bench Scoot, start Sharpe at his natural position of SG, and go with a front court of Camara, Grant, Ayton. Trying to justify Ant as starting SG by rationalizing reasons for Sharpe at SF makes no sense to me. As I said, a lot of the awkwardness I see in lineups and rotations would be alleviated by Ant as 6th man I suppose it doesn't make a lot of difference...this season isn't about winning games. I'm just tired of under-sized lineups
Playing Ant with Brogdon isn’t undersized. Playing Scoot with Sharpe isn’t undersized. I’d try to stick with those pairings. Couldn’t care less who starts.
