Finish this sentence: "If I were Stotts, for game 5 I would..."

I would continue to start Afflalo and Lopez, but their minutes would be reduced. I would also finish with Lillard, McCollum, Batum, Aldridge and Leonard. The only reason I'd hesitate in starting CJ and Meyers is that we'd lose a lot of fire power off of our bench and I wouldn't want to added pressure of starting to affect their game.

No. More. Blake. He has been abysmal this series on both ends of the floor. I think the only three ball handlers right now for Portland should be Lillard, Batum, and McCollum.

 

You can't start Leonard...he will get in foul trouble to quickly and we need him in the second half. I say we do what we did tonight. I do wonder why Kaman got zero minutes tonight? I still would like to see him get some minutes...maybe even him, La and Leonard on the floor for a few minutes a quarter to shut down the lanes. Meyers definitely stretches the floor and Lillard and CJ got layups. One can only hope LA gets his shot back in game 5. We won game 4 with a crappy 3rd quarter...I say let the game dictate the situation.

 

Remember guys CJ's first two games in these playoffs, in Memphis, were less than stellar. This isn't to tear him a part or anything I like him a lot, but something wasn't working. Maybe it was nerves of playoff type atmosphere because he's so young or it was because it was in Memphis and didn't have a crowd to feed off of, or he wasn't meshing with the starters in those two games or whatever it may be. Maybe these last two games gave him the confidence to do well in Memphis, but the fact remains he, along with pretty much ever other Blazer has sucked terribly in Memphis thus far.

 

Game 2 first quarter and Game 4 make it clear that Myers should be in there and authorized to take at least 12 shots during the game. Dame and CJ should be coached to look for Myers to be open, which he often is, and kick it out to him. LA to Myers also worked beautifully tonight. Let's see that again! To answer the question, who should pass to Myers, the answer is all 4 of his teammates when he is hitting his shots, which look effortless!

I agree with MarAzul. Look to your guys with the hot hand and authorize them to shoot. In particular, when you have a winning lineup as you did in the second quarter, do not take out the productive guys by inflexibly reverting to the starting lineup to begin the second half.

Continue to spread the Griz defense out and beat them again for offensive rebounds, as in Game 4 second quarter. Keep up the defensive intensity, making substitutions when you see a man getting behind. More victories against the Griz are possible if you keep the right players on the court.

 

Give Meyers more than 5 mins!

 

I'm coming around to "protecting" Meyers and CJ on the bench by not starting them... but they both should play 30-35 minutes like they did tonight.

 

I'd still start Rolo just for the initial higher D to guard against an initial run. although that game start jump ball today had me swearing at him right off the bat....

Myers definitely needs more run though, im happy for the minutes to run the same as today.

CJ - don't think id start him either tbh. But he's be in early off the bench if Afflalo isn't cranking and he can stay in if he is.

I really dont think a drastic rotation is necessary - i think stotts just needs to be a little more open to adjusting as needed and not 'riding it out' with some starters.

I'd like to see the new kid as well.

 

great comment!

 

I would not start Legend. I don't want him in foul trouble early

CJ could start; I would be okay with that. Bring in AAA or Crabbe-legs off the bench.

I would play Blake 0 minutes and let Batum roll with CJ, or Frazier for some rest to Lillard. Blake has been atrocious.

I wouldn't mind seeing Gee come in if were not getting thrashed.

 

I'd get ready for a future without Afflalo and Batum because I am sick of them (although not sure as how we would get rid of them due to contract status). I'm not optimistic we can win this series; Dame was talking just about avoiding the embarrassment of being swept and even without Conley we barely beat them. Maybe starting someone else over Afflalo would anger him and he would opt out at the end of the season.

 

...fire myself.

 

Do it yesterday.

 

Definitely start CJ again.

I'd still start Lopez, but Meyers would get more minutes.

And why hasn't the Bulldog seen the floor?

 

I saw three times in the second half Meyers was wide open, ignored, and we didn't score.

Were his teammates not watching the first half?

 

We have a reigning MVP sitting on our bench and we're not using him!

 

Frazier will definitely hit the open man, and he has no reason not to feed Meyers. Good call. RE Crabbe, he's only getting the ball when he's open, so he should probably shoot it himself unless there is a guy bearing down on him and there is a "one more" wide open look for Meyers.

 

Continue to give Leonard big minutes. He is the reason we won game 4. He shut down both Gasol and Randolph when he was on him, his 1-on-1 defense has really impressed me.

Also, do whatever it takes to make the team STICK WITH WHAT WORKS!!! Portland would claw back into the game by driving or making plays in the paint, and then immediately start jacking up long 3's. Even though Lillard made that loooooong 3 with 11 secs still on the shot clock, it was still a terrible decision and I wasn't even happy he made it! I was too pissed off that he took it in the first place!

 

Ha! I forgot Gee was on the team! LOL

 

This this and this. Laimbeibs Leonard's DEFENSE last night was GREAT! He was all over it, manning up, bodying up, and boxing out like a mad man.

I thought I read somewhere it was impossible for him to learn those things? Maybe I'm mistaken.