Defensive Assistant?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by TBpup, Jan 17, 2017.

  1. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    As a kid, teams would have 2-3 coaches and made it work just fine. Slowly teams kept adding more till now there just about a coach for every 2-3 players. Portland currently has 6 coaches and perhaps someone can help me with what the role for each one is specifically.

    Terry Stotts
    - 59 year old offensive minded coach with a career .482 winning percentage. Only twice in his career has he had a team with over a .537 winning percentage and currently in his time in Portland is right at that mark with a .539 mark. Player's coach whom everyone seems to like. Considered a very good offensive mind.

    David Vanderpool
    - 43 year old Assistant Coach. (Lead Asst?) Coached in Russia for 5 years before coming to Portland. Can anyone comment on his specific role or what his specialty is?

    Nate Tibbetts - 4th year with the Blazers after being an Asst with the Cavs and a head coach in the D-League.

    Dale Osbourne - 5th year with the Blazer in a variety of roles. Promoted to full Asst Coach last year. Coached in the D-League and was a long-time Asst for South Alabama in the Sun Belt conference.

    John McCullough
    - promoted to Asst Coach from the advance scouting team. Had been a small college women's basketball coach and originally played college ball with Stotts at Oklahoma.

    Jim Moran - promoted from Associate Video Coordinator to Asst Coach and reportedly took over the Big Man's coaching role from Kim Hughes.

    What I'm looking for is who is the Defensive oriented coach among this group? Does anyone know more about what their defined roles are or have an opinion about what they do well?
     
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  2. Nikolokolus

    Nikolokolus There's always next year

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    I don't know anything about their specialties or backgrounds, but you'd think with that many guys who (presumably) have played or coached for years, that they would have picked up a thing or two about defense.

    My guess is that with limited practice time during the regular season and frankly with the raw material they have to work with, the best we can hope for is probably what we've seen in the last few weeks -- modest improvements and little wrinkles here and there.

    So let's say all this team does is hire a defensive specialist this summer and brings back the same personnel, what kind of improvement would you expect? Thibodeau in Minny hasn't exactly been a miracle worker (yet).

    My gut feeling is that it's 85% personnel and 15% coaching at this level; there are baked-in physical deficiencies with the squad that have to be fixed before anything meaningful will flip on defense.
     
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  3. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    Looking at results, I don't think there is anyone who specializes in defense. And it's a real mystery why there isn't anyone. Wouldn't have to be even a defensive coordinator. Just one guy who was a really tough defender in his career and knows all the little moves and little tricks that are necessary to be a good defender. Or a head coach who held guys responsible for poor defense. (which I understand is difficult when the GM needs everyone playing to hold value as trade chips.)
     
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  4. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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  5. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    Get better defensive personnel--then a defensive-minded coach can scheme creatively with them. When your players lack the awareness to avoid dying on screens, make the wrong decisions on rotations, are a beat late in moving, there's not a lot you can do with schemes.

    To channel mixum: sorry but its teh truth!
     
  6. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    I would imagine the entire coaching staff is defensive over how the team has been playing.
     
  7. Trackjack

    Trackjack Well-Known Member

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    The problem with our guys is off ball defender loose tract where the ball is usually they got ther back turn where they are not aware where the ball is on the floor. I know numerous time where I see I guy drive down the middle and we got a guy standing there that could move over to help but he got his back turn and we finally realize the guy coming it to late. Dame especially play to far off his man that has the ball so he easily to screen and it easy for there guard to pass to anyone he wants. ML he get caught to much thinking what to do instead of reacting. Yes at times he does a decent job and then other times it looks clueless. I could look at film and properly could tell you what wrong the way they play D. But alot of of defense his how active the 5 guy in the group are and how they rotate where the ball on the floor is. But these days especially with young kids all they want to do is shoot the 3 ball and don't care about D side of the ball and coaches is the same way. That why these days it hard to find 2 way players most are offense player period.
     
  8. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    You can't teach instincts.....these guys have played against the best defenders in the league...watched film....etc.....from what I've seen, it's getting to Stotts...less and less nice guy as the season goes on. We need someone...vet, bench player or coach who will bark at max players who mail it in. I think bringing in Bill Laimbeer is the key. He's won championships as a player and a coach...(WNBA) I'd bring in Hakeem to work with bigs or Ewing or Sheed...as far as defensive coordinators it seems the best are now head coaches. The Clippers didn't hesistate to bring in Garnett to work with Jordan......we should have done that and still could...I think Jay Triano and Kim Hughes absence has shown a hole in development
     
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  9. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    Some of us have been begging the Blazers to hire Laimbeer for YEARS. Maybe there's no interest on either side, who knows?
     
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  10. blue9

    blue9 Well-Known Member

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    Whatfensive assistant?

    (Had to bring it back.)
     
  11. Nate

    Nate #itsokaytobewhite #wakandaforever BANNED

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  12. HomerLovesKoolAid

    HomerLovesKoolAid I have a well-known member.

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    Someone needs to tell Meyers so he can start his beach volleyball career.
     
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  13. HomerLovesKoolAid

    HomerLovesKoolAid I have a well-known member.

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    They should be defensive because the team's play has been quite offensive.
     
  14. riverman

    riverman Writing Team

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    you have to open your eyes to play volleyball too....wrong choice....he should go for the underwear model career....then maybe a shot at Soap Operas
     
  15. HomerLovesKoolAid

    HomerLovesKoolAid I have a well-known member.

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    Oh that's right. I forgot the volleyball people frown on swatting at air.
     
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  16. BlayZa

    BlayZa Misbehaving responsibly

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    Fly in people like

    Alonzo Mourning
    Dikembe (with translator from sesame st)
    Payton
    Oakley
    Even Rodman

    just to talk player to players about the heart and desire needed on D and all the other intangibles from a team and player commitment perspective would be great.

    shit, id love to listen to people like that.
     

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