Game Thread 2024-25 GAME #52 - BLAZERS VS KINGS - FEB 6, 2024 - 7:00 PM - CHARGE - KUNP - BLAZERVISION

Just curious, anyone know how to make a dish-washer safe version of this picture? Some sort of coating that can endure daily wiping down with tissue and windex? I am not sure laminated is up for this task. My reasons are my own.

 

I would not mind seeing that either. However, I thought you all valued defense? You can't expect a player to get into an offense rhythm in 5-7 minutes a game. When Kris played more he has played better.

 

Advanced scouting

 

I think I read somewhere he has a slight wrist injury.

 

He could never put the ball on the floor. Super mediocre.

 

Good D shutting down Sabonis. (2-6 with 4 turnovers) He had a monster game on the boards with 14, but so did Camara.

 

Some of the plays Sharpe was making last night.... ooof.

Just ridiculous.

Crossover stepback combo with elevation on his fadeaway, that hang time up and under, the deceleration play in the fast break.... only like 10 players in the league have this package. And he's 21. Why we don't just hand him the keys is beyond me. This guy is going to be an offensive juggernaut.

 

It's funny, many if not most of his 6 fouls were baiting by Camara, but Sabonis should have been called for fouls on numerous other plays. They really let him be physical around the basket. Little things like Ant's hard driving layup down the right side, where he blew by Sabonis on the high screen, and Sabonis was pushing him away from the basket with the hand on the hip. Replay was of no help, but I thought I also saw him pull Camara's arm down on one of the tip-dunk attempts.

 

If Billups can get his defense improved that will make him only more valuable in the long run.

Sharpe can make jaw dropping plays. I hope he works on making more fundamental efficient plays though, especially early in the shot clock, and not the Dame/Ant jacking up 35 footers style that doesn't lead to a team having a top ranked offense.

I do wonder if there is any component to wanting Sharpe on the bench to depress his eventual extension value.

 

? Dame led offenses were routinely in the top 5 during his tenure here.

 

The roster says Sharpe is up to 208 lbs. I find it hard to believe as he looks thinner to me. Regardless of what he weighs now, I hope he works out with Scoot this summer.
I would like to see him add some more muscle.

 

And if the pick doesn't convey to the Bulls until 2028 and the Blazers make the playoffs in 2028, the Blazers pick swap with the Bucks in 2028 is lost.

 

Correct. So we could potentially lose out on a top lottery pick that year.

Better to just make the playoffs this year, send our pick to Chicago, and finally write an end to the Olshey book.

 

He’s so good. I just wish he had some dog in him. Get mad more. If he had that he’s better than Paul George in his prime

 

By saying "more" you have identified that he has some dawg in him. Right now it comes out when something pisses him off. I think with maturity it will be there night in and night out. I don't think keeping Ant around really helped in brining his dawg out more often. For some reason last season Chauncey and the entire organization spent time trying to convince everyone including the players on the roster that Ant is the best player on the team even with his defensive ineptitude.

It seems to me that Shaedon bought into that and continues to. That's not great but should be correctable. Give him some time before you define who and what Shaedon is and how that will impact how effective his talents and skills will be for our team.

 

He also needs to workout with Scoot to figure out his shooting form from thrre. Hendersons jumper looks so consistent every time. No wasted motion. Sharpe gets very little elevation and arm motion is all over the place.

Who woulda thought that Scoot would be the better shooter....

 

2012-13 - 15th
2013-14 - 2nd
2014-15 - 9th
2015-16 - 6th
2016-17 - 11th
2017-18 - 8th
2018-19 - 3rd
2019-20 - 3rd
2020-21 - 2nd
2021-22 - 27th (dame injured - tank)
2022-23 - 18th (tank)

offense wasn't the problem, at least not in the regular season. In the playoffs, Dame's teammates could not make opponents pay for doubling and trapping Dame all over the floor. Portland's defense wasn't good but a lot of that was Oshey not prioritizing length and defensive talent. I was almost accidental, roster-wise, when the Blazers were good on defense

Blazers were 8th in the NBA in defense in 2017-18. But that team had Aminu, Harkless, and Turner defending the wings, Nurkic was at the height of his fever, and the Blazers had the tag-team of Ed Davis and Zach coming off the bench

 

Love to see stuff like this from non-Blazer crews -

 

Sacramento could have had Shaedon, just like they could have had Dame.

Being in the lottery is only step 1 of improving your team from the draft.

Where is Thomas Robinson these days?

 

That's a trait that bench players need to have.