Game Thread 2023-24 Game #23 - BLAZERS VS JAZZ - DECEMBER 14, 2023 - THURSDAY - 7:00 PM PST - ROOT

I don't think we lost because of some "box and 1" for Ant. The Jazz were shooting 66% while the Blazers were shooting 33% when they built a huge lead, mostly due to Sharpe's terrible game. Simons was 3-8, not like he was forcing a lot of terrible shots like Damian Lillard in the Memphis playoffs.

 

Not if anyone's been watching Blazers games.

 

that seems like mostly a context free factoid

I'm looking at the first 20 picks from the draft and I see two PG's: Scoot & Keyonte George (#16). Meaning that the odds of any rookie besides those two having double digit assists are pretty low. George has had three 11 assist games but weirdly only scored 7 points in each of those games; what's even weirder is that in those 3 games he shot 2-12, 2-12, 2-11. He did have a 30 & 7 game. And, he has a 2.18/assist turnover ratio vs Scoot at 1.21

* Wemby has had 7 double-doubles with 20 points including a 38 & 10, 22 & 15, 30 & 13, and a 21 & 20
* Brandon Miller hasn't hit double figures in any category but points yet; but he is shooting over 40% on three's
* Jaime Jaquez doesn't have a double double yet but he has scored double digit points in 17 of the last 18 games
* Chet Holmgren has been the best rookie so far and has 8 double-doubles

statistically, this rookie class has been pretty weak so far with all of the scouted pre-draft weaknesses of the players on display

 

Yeah, this happens all the time when we are on the road. Teams don't come out with the needed energy. (i.e Clippers, Toronto, and GS) The difference is those teams had the firepower to come back.

 

This.

And the '24 draft is shaping up to be significantly weaker.
I don't see anyone in this draft that I would take over the the top 5-6 from the '23 draft. Talent equivalent to the top 10 this summer ('24 draft), went in the 9-20 range last year.

 

I just miss you quoting me and it's the only way to get a response. Works every time!

 

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups takes veiled shot at Anfernee Simons: 'Not who we are'


The starting backcourt of Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe walked into Moda Center red hot. Center Deandre Ayton returned from knee soreness and got his first chance to run some pick-and-roll with Simons since opening night. Malcolm Brogdon was also back and coming off the bench.

On paper, head coach Chauncey Billups' squad should have played its best game of the year. Instead, Portland allowed a Jazz team down its four best scorers to shoot 53 percent from the floor and pour in 69 first-half points.

Billups didn't hold back in his postgame comments, laying into his team for its awful defensive performance. But it's not hard to decipher that his comments were directed at one player more than any other.


"We’re trying to establish ourselves as defensive-first team. And I think it’s been a couple of games where, we start getting some of our offensive players back and it looks so sweet and cute out there when we’re making shots. That’s not who we are. That’s not who we’re trying to be. We’re a defensive team. We gotta get stops for us to play well. And I thought our starting unit, they got us off to a very poor start."

https://ripcityproject.com/posts/po...cey-billups-takes-veiled-shot-anfernee-simons

 

the whole team played like shit on defense, not just Ant

but there's no doubt that Ant is the weak link on defense. I think the FO's hope is that Ant's good offense will offset his terrible defense, but last night, Ant's offense was shut down by a mediocre box-and-1 defense executed by career backups and average defenders

 

You've got GMs out there trying to get the best talent they can, and coaches trying to mold a team into their own ideal. But the problem is coaches are so transitory, unless you're an established/elite coach, no GM is going to cater to you, nor should they. And even when you are, the GM often will side with a player (See Jerry Sloan/Derron Williams).

 

You can have my ticket for free. Forgot my wife and I had a "date night." :/

 

haha appreciate it, @HailBlazers . Think there are others more deserving or in need. I might be going out elsewhere as well.
Thanks!

 

Off to a poor start? It was 19-18 when Ant went out of the game in the first quarter. Yes Sexton lit Ant up, but who the hell was covering Fontecchio and Horton Tucker?

 

Lol, I was at the game. Sexton was COOKING Toumani. Like, one dribble and into the lane. Toumani was on Sexton for most of the first half and got lit up. In the second half, once Thybulle came in they put Thybulle on Sexton. Sexton proceeded to cook Thybulle.

 

Grant, for starters.

 

And Ayton.

 

I stand corrected. Since you were there who was trying to cover Fontecchio and Horton Tucker?

 

Everyone was getting cooked