Game Thread GAME# 13: BLAZERS @ SPURS - NOVEMBER 16, 2019 - SATURDAY, 5:30 PM, NBCSNW

Can I quote you on that one month from now?

 

I’m against playing any of them. I don’t think Melo is any good any more.

 

And that's where that came from.... Lol

 

What? That he is more talented than the guys getting minutes for us right now? Hell yes. Like I've said to you 20 times in the last 48 hours. He's better than what we've been rolling out since Collins went down. Can't argue that. He could average 8 points on 30% shooting and he helps us on the floor more than the other guys.

 

No doubt good teams can start 4 and 8. If last year’s Blazers did that I wouldn’t be worried. That’s not what we’re seeing here.

 

You’re setting the bar so low he can’t fail. Our G Leaguers could do that and play defense to boot.

 

Last year's team wasn't missing their starting center or power forward at this point in the season and hadn't acquired Hood or Kanter yet.

So...

 

Right, so starting 4 and 8 would be an aberration for last year’s team but not for this team. Which is why I believe we have virtually no chance to make the playoffs and why I’d stop worrying about our WL record this year and play young guys Trent, Simons, Little a lot and see what our G Leaguers can do instead of playing Hezonja at all or getting Melo.

 

I call bullshit. We got swept in the 1st round the season before by the Pelicans. If we then started off 4-8 then you along with everyone else wouldn't have thought that team was going anywhere.

 

Well IMO it is pretty much zero chance, but to have the best chance we’d need a breakout season by someone. Maybe that’s Little. Or Trent. It’s not cancel the season. It’s optimize for next two or three seasons. That’s not gonna come by playing Hezonja or Melo. That’s develop your young guns.

 

I didn't say it was on Mario. But i did say the reason was because they were daring him to shoot the ball. If he was comfortable with a wide open shot from the free throw line he would have took it. He wasn't and he didn't. They have scouted him.
Go ahead and say it was no cutters and no screens but he was WIDE open. He didn't need a cutter or a screen to get an open look. he can't shoot and neither could Aminu which is what this conversation is about. Now that teams have his number in the Blazers offense look for this over and over again. It also happened with Turner. They will let him have that top of the key look all day long.

5 on 4 Defense! Then corral the rebound.

 

As a guy that has made many cases for Stotts i kind of feel this is not needed. The same can be thrown right back. Every Coach has a bad game and his players have to perform.

On any given night or day in the NBA a team can win a game. Their talent levels are extremely close. Popovich will be fine.

 

Not sure i like what they did either but you are right here. They most certainly did do something.
Best thing is they can get a "Mulligan' if they want to say it was a bad move and waive him. I can hear it now. Olshey-" Well the fit just wasn't right but at the END OF THE DAY we felt it was best to try something different, We thank Carmelo for his professionalism and the opportunity he gave us to look at some options.... Blah Blah Blah...."

 

Almost Zero chance to make the playoffs? Wow. Bit premature for a statement like that. The West is tough this year, meaning other teams will undoubtedly fall on hard times as well.

 

You must really not think that highly of Dame if you think in his prime a team with at least 6 other legit NBA players have 0 chance of making the playoffs... over half the NBA makes the playoffs and yes the west is tough, but its not like he’s one of those stars that has basically no one to play with... CJ, Baze, Whiteside, Hood, Simons, at least are all legit NBA players that if they were released today would be picked up.

 

We're obviously talking about different plays but there was very little offense being run in the 4th quarter, mostly just iso ball with players standing around. That was also the time that Little should've been in there instead of Hezonja anyway.

Besides, if Hezonja isn't a good shooter why not have him cut or screen away in those situations instead of having him just stand at the 3 point line?

 

Blazers went to the playoffs 6 years in a row, 4 years with that core and this was by far the best incantation if that core due to Nurk. A 4 and 8 start would make me worried they wouldn’t make the playoffs because the west is tough and every win is critical. But no way would I think about that team like I think about this team - no chance to make playoffs. Analyticswise, that team is 15 to 18 wins better than this team sans Nurk & Collins. That’s what I’m going by, not their 4 and 8 start.

 

Complete bullshit.

You're allowing the results of last season to dictate your response when you are referring to a point in which they got swept by the Pelicans with Nurk and then started 4-8. No chance you wouldn't be panicking.

 

Oh my god