I'm sorry but using the same lineup like last year is running it back. It has been presented as run it back by Powell, CJ and Nurkic. Actually this is 100% running it back. Those players that define our ceiling are all here.
not if you have 5 new rotation players it's not or a completely new coaching staff.....running it back you'd have Melo and Hood and Trent Collins and Kanter ...as it is Norm gets his first training camp with the starters, Roco gets to actually train next to Nurk, Nance takes Melo's minutes, Zeller takes Kanters spot...there's really nothing remotely similar to recent Blazer teams and Nurk hasn't played much in two years...he's a difference maker if you get him for a season.....we had 19 different starting lineups looking for chemistry under Stotts and this season we may actually have a staring core that plays a season together..I don't think we'll look anything like we did last year
Do you really feel that switching out bench players is enough to make them a contender? Maybe the term "running it back" isn't the best term and should be replaced with "moving deck chairs on the titantic"?
Of their playoff production, the Blazers are returning: 79% - Minutes 83% - Scoring 81% - Defensive Rebounds 94% - Assists 82% - Steals 86% - Blocks In a vacuum I have no major issues with any of the individual moves made this summer, but I'm struggling to think of the last time a healthy, vet team got bounced in the 1st round of the playoffs, returned all their starters, and became a contender the next year. Maybe it's happened once or twice?
I dont know if it's fair to base it off of playoff production when stotts basically went to a 7 man rotation
I just watched a few of his dunking highlights and he kind of reminds me of a young Steve Francis, what do you guys think? Small but very quick off the floor, catches some bigger players by surprise
Why bookmark or change the subject? Let's put a fun wager on it! @THE HCP is the #1 Stotts fan... I'm the #1 Billups fan now baby! I hope you bookmarked my preseason predictions for the team last season as well, I believe they were pretty close!
We keep throwing stats out noting our core is the same and so, by extension nothing has changed. I feel like we have a good core and am excited to see what Billups can do with them. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do a CJ for Simmons deal in a heartbeat but am more positive about the same core than I have been in a long time-especially if Billups follows through on the accountability statement.
I used playoff production because I thought we were past regular season wins as our margin of success. Short rotations in the playoffs are the norm. I suspect the top 5 minute earners in last years playoffs will be top 5 next year as well (assuming health).
I think our bench has changed a lot. I think our offseason moves have improved our defensive makeup. I think there's a chance Billups gives the team a shot in the arm. I don't think any of this is enough to get this team back to the WCF. So, I wouldn't say nothing has changed, but I'd say that my expectations are very similar. This is a 1st-2nd round team at it's core.
I'm pretty sure if it was some other team doing that we would say they changed almost nothing and ask why they would expect a different outcome. We probably raised our floor with those moves, but the ceiling is pretty much the same. i mean c;mon
I have never once claimed our roster was a serious contender this season...I won't say that until we've played at least 20 games..Even then I think most of the league is playing for the bronze this year...there are a couple really stacked franchises that if they stay healthy will be a tough out but if you think we're moving the same furniture on a sinking ship, we're not on the same page about this team...I'm not at all with you on any of that...I think we'll surprise a lot of people
netrtg: Lillard +7 Covington +1 CJ +2 Powell -4 (didn't have training camp) Nurk +4 Ant -2 (+19 in playoffs) Kanter +20 (-16 in playoffs) Melo -5 It is slightly odd to say "keeping the players who consistently outplayed the opponent and getting rid of players who were consistently outplayed" as "running it back". I'd probably call it "good GMing".
Our starters had a +14 net rating in regular season, top 5 in NBA. They had a +20 net rating in the playoffs. The bench cost us the Denver series. So yes. Absolutely.
I can think of one offhand. The Warriors were bounced in first round in 2014, replaced their coach and won it all in 2015 with same core.
