I honestly think one of the issues this team is having is internal discord. It's tough to be all in when Dame & CJ get all the attention for being 'great' players when they take several terrible shots a game & give up everything they score on the defensive side.
There are a few problems but our biggest need is another contributor in the backcourt. Dame plays 36 mpg, CJ plays 36 mpg (didn't check the exact numbers but it's something like that) but they only play together 24 mpg and for half the game we play just one of them in an ineffective 1-guard lineup. This is our biggest weakness. I thought we could somehow overcome this deficiency by playing either Meyers, Aminu or Harkless at the 4, thus giving us a more creative, talented lineup but it's either not happening or not working. I personally don't like Stotts as a basketball coach, I think he himself is not creative enough with his substitutions, is usually unable or unwilling to shuffle the rotations and doesn't react well to in-game situations. But if Neil makes adjustments like bringing another guard who would at least get minutes in a 3-guard rotation with Dame and CJ then I wouldn't mind him staying, mostly because he really is a nice guy and I like him on a personal level
Last night in extended blowout minutes, Shabazz Napier looked just as fancy as Lillard on offense. His weakness is supposed to be playmaking, but he made good decisions. I thought, this guy will last a full career as an NBA substitute once he escapes Portland.
In economics, when you have several eye-apparent issues that aren't easily dissectable, it is a much better strategy to take small samples from many different pools(ideas), rather than make one drastic, huge change. Furthermore, each sample must be taken individually and observed/studied in conjunction with the rest of the original "plan" in order to properly diagnose it's effects, both positive and negative. Given NO's love of numbers and studying analytics, I am starting to wonder if he will pull the trigger on something big. I think he will keep his moves small, calculated and precise, and they wont happen in a quick succession. They will be spread out over the remainder of this season and next season. This isn't to say he wont go for a trade for DMC, but If he does do something like that, it will be the only thing he does. I have been conflicted in that he should make moves now while values of other teams' players are low, but I think its one at a time. I think he views the end of next season as somewhat of a deadline to have this team formed for the last couple of years of CJ and Dame's contract to make the major push. The west will have a somewhat different look in two years as teams like the Clippers will probably blow it up, Dallas is in the middle of a spiral, etc. I am not saying it will work, or it is the right play, but so far, looking at NO's history, I think he has a winning percentage with regards to these types of moves, and if he pulls off a few more correct moves over the next year and a half, we might not be in near as bad of shape as it seems at the moment. We live in an instant world, I know, but this is a long season to a long sport and GM's are almost always looking long term. Patience is a virtue my friends. Let things play out. And if NO buries himself, so be it, but I think his long term plan far exceeds the vision of many of us forum members.
I've seen this idea bandied about and it's just not realistic in basketball. You can't give a guy you supposedly believed in a huge contract, then months into it, tell him half his job is going to be given to someone else. Who gets final say? Organizations don't work well with multiple voices leading them. Guys' egos get in the way, and it will just confuse the players more. Maybe it could work in a setting when different players are playing O and D, but certainly not in this setting
We need talent. We have two duplicitous players in the backcourt. That is it. The rest of the team is garbage. Olshey sucks.
What has changed in our coaching since last season? Just one change. Jay Triano left to become a Phoenix Suns assistant coach. He has 2.8 seasons of head coaching experience with the Toronto Raptors. This is what destroyed us.
Depends on who it is against. It it is against teams like Sacramento, Dallas, New Orleans, Phoenix, the Lakers and the Timberwolves, than no. If they can mix in a couple of wins against teams of their record or better as well as beating the teams they should beat, then perhaps. Right now we are getting blown out by the good teams and beaten badly by teams like the Nuggets while giving away multiple games against other teams we should beat.
Needs to be somewhat like what happened down at Uof). They hired Taggart, but then strongly suggested he go get a top tier defensive coordinator and he did just that. Blazers dont have to control, but they can steer. They need ot let Stotts know he needs to go find an elite defensive coordinator and Stotts will have full reign on whoever he brings in.
Wow, the tune of this board has really changed from the time earlier in the season when I was insulted by many for merely asking if Olshey's seat was starting to warm up.
They don't like your avatar. Get a bland one like mine. Stotts' offense is based upon taking shortcuts in defense. If he introduces more defense, it will destroy his offense. He will sink or swim with his present system, as he did in his previous NBA head coaching jobs. He can't change it.
His system is based on giving the players freedom and letting them play which is a good philosophy IMO. The problem is with his substitutions, rotations, he doesn't react well, doesn't make changes or tries different things. He also is too many times focusing on keeping the players happy and giving the supposedly key players their minutes. He many times does his so called regular rotations even if they obviously aren't working on a given game or in general
