Game Thread GAME# 4: BLAZERS @ MAGIC - OCTOBER 25, 2018 - THURSDAY, 4:00 PM (PDT), NBCSNW

It's going to be a fun season...our bench can actually win us a game for a change. I knew Stauskas could shoot but he's got much more to his game. He's stronger than he looks too...not afraid to finish in traffic

 

What does his shooting percentage have to do with his role?

As for system making players looks better than they are? Everyone in the NBA is talented (minus the couple of 7 ft stiffs that are just in the league because of their size) but not everyone is on a team that maximizes those talents. That’s what makes Stevens a top coach. He tries to take advantage of each players strengths instead of having a specific system that players have to fit into. The way Boston plays now is different than the way they played with Turner. Stevens’ system is that he has no system.

Turners game has only been utilized properly in Boston, and finally after two seasons, in Portland. It’s not a coincidence or luck that he’s looked effective this season. Stauskas is another good example. The only difference with him is you’d have to go back to college for an example of his skillset being utilized properly, making the hesitation to buy in on his early success more understandable.

 

A member of the S2 FAMS @Shaboid is going to come visit The HCP in the TV Truck this afternoon. If you don’t hear from me after tonight, he probably kidnapped me and using me as gator bait. Updates to follow.........

 

CJ's Assist Prediction Over/Under: 2.5

 

Should be cool. My brother is currently studying show production so he's really stoked to see how things work behind the scenes, up-close. That's the main reason for the visit. I'll let everyone know if @HCP is in fact as cool in person as he's tells everyone on here and also which players name he's rocking on the back of his Laker jersey tonight.

 

CJ sometimes gets assists. It's just often combined with equal turnovers. Right now his Asst/TO ratio is 2.3/2.0. Not exactly finding teammates efficiently....especially for as many times as he draws 2-3 defenders.

 

CJ gotta score more than 8 f*cking points on 33 minutes. That was disgusting.

 

CJ is one worst passing player on this team. Something he said he was going work in the off season. Just don't see it so far.

 

That attention he gets is what makes it hard to justify taking 25 shots when they’re not falling. The worst part is when you watch him with the ball, you don’t even get the sense that he’s looking at creating for others. When he’s ISO’d, he’s shooting, period. If that’s his ceiling ok, but my frustration comes because I know he’s smarter than that. He could be so much better. He needs to be checked. Stotts cant keep allowing him to play like that. I don’t know why he’s above a benching. He’s useless when he’s not scoring anyway.

 

I don't mind 8 points if it is efficient. His brick-laying expose' took away shots from players who were having much better shooting nights. Not a team effort by him in the least.

 

What’s funny is Stauskas has it down while CJ doesn’t. When Stauskas drives and the defense collapses, he just kicks it out or dumps it to the center for an easy two. CJ still hasn’t figured this relatively simple concept out.

 

I think he's making an effort to do more of that this year. I do agree he dribbles to much and when that happens it slows things down and can break the continuity for Terry motion offense.
When the Blazers won their ship they also ran a motion offense and non of the guards dribbled to much as it would make players stand around to much.

 

It seems like some people don't understand how much more difficult it is to pass when you're surrounded by 3 defenders vs a single defender. Yes, I applaud Nik for making the right pass - but it's a pretty simple pass to make when your lone defender is trailing you. When CJ gets into (or near) the painted area he often has three defenders keyed on him covering 270* of the possible passing lanes. Sure, a gifted passer would find the cracks to slip the ball through. But there isn't a single player on the team (Dame included) who is particularly great at making those types of passes. It doesn't help that our playbook doesn't create passing lanes when guys get doubled/tripled.
Yes, yes, I fully agree that CJ should pass more - especially when he's shooting like shit. But we all know Terry isn't going to do anything about it. CJ's play is a symptom of a larger problem.

 

Looked up Evan Turner. He's been discredited with 7 bad pass turnovers in 3 games. Felt like more.

Also 14 assists. That's pretty good coming off the bench, but how do you stats junkies rank 14 Assists to 7 turnovers on bad passes.

That seems pretty bad to me

 

Some of Turner's passes are horrific....but so far his Asst/TO ratio is 2/1 which is MILES ahead of CJ.

 

If he don't get him in check it might cause him is job. But player should know if he on or not. If not you try find other ways to help the team to win. In Dame case he wasn't on either but he found other ways by going to the line for 15 times and he got 8 assist. But CJ is not that type of player.

 

One of these things is not like the others....

 

He's saying white men can't jump.

 

And on top of it, he got burned by Beal all night just like he always does. His defense has been abysmal since day one.