George Karl on what's wrong with basketball (and the Blazers)

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by UKRAINEFAN, Dec 28, 2016.

  1. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I’m sure you saw how people already picked up on your calling Carmelo Anthony a “user.” What’s an example of Carmelo’s being a “user”?
    I think what I have to say about that is in the book. But here’s what I’ll say now: Melo is a hell of a player, the best offensive player I’ve ever coached. I owe him as much as anyone for my having a great record. But there’s a new generation of players interested in personal branding and gaining money and power off the court, and that’s all new to me. There were too many times with Melo when what was going on off the court was more important than what was happening on the court. It bothered me then and it bothers me now. That kind of thing bothered me just the other night.

    What happened?
    I was watching the Portland Trailblazers play, and I was trying to figure out, What the hell is wrong with this team? My conclusion is that Damian Lillard is getting too much attention.

    What makes you think that?
    Who controls the team? The coach and the point guard. And that team is not working. I think their coach, Terry Stotts, is a great coach. So I’m going to say the problem is Lillard. They were a together, connected, committed team last year. This year they’re not. What changed?http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...ba-conspiracies-phil-jackson-and-carmelo.html
     
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  2. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

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    Ouch. But then, how much credibility does Karl really have? I'd like to know what Gary Payton thinks about him before I take him too seriously.
     
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  3. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    More credibility than any of our theories and speculation.
     
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  4. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I think it's just his gut reaction. Gut reactions are iffy, but sometimes there might be a little truth in them.
     
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  5. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    I don't know if it's Dame or a combination of Dame/CJ. They are bff's and since Dame is the team leader, that puts CJ in the 'Robin' position. Now you have your 2 team leaders taking sometimes nearly half the shots for the team while playing little to no defense. You can sometimes hide one poor defensively player but not two.

    Not exactly the way to inspire the rest of the team.
     
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  6. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Could be like how Pop held Duncan accountable just as he did the 12th man. Damian isn't being held accountable for his defensive lapses, and I'm sure that fact isn't lost on the other players.
     
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  7. Blazer Freak

    Blazer Freak Superstar in the Making

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    I honestly don't think it has anything to do with Dame. The more I watch the team and see our lack of chemistry and cohesiveness this year, the more I believe it has to do with increased salaries. I'm not complaining about the ET and Crabbe contracts, I completely understand the necessity to match and that the jump played a huge role in that. But imagine how bench players making what LeBron and other superstars were making just a few years ago can do to a roster and chemistry. The guys may still be great friends on and off the court, but things like that can dig at you and I think it's had a much larger effect on this team than anyone has really given credit to yet.
     
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  8. blue9

    blue9 Well-Known Member

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    Totts doesn't hold anyone accountable for their actions. Everyone has free reign to do whatever they like.
     
  9. Nikolokolus

    Nikolokolus There's always next year

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    I don't know if I'd go as far to say Damian is the problem, but his lack of defensive prowess and the amount of times he takes hero shots aren't helping.

    I think he tries to do too much on offense and not nearly enough on defense. Maybe he could start there?
     
  10. blazedanugz

    blazedanugz Well-Known Member

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    In dames defense the wild hero ball shots have been cut down a lot this year. Especially wild threes at the end of the clock
     
  11. blue9

    blue9 Well-Known Member

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    Wild threes at the end of the clock are the only acceptable wild threes. He still seems to take them early in the clock, and that's not acceptable.
     
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  12. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    That'll help his trade value.
     
  13. blazedanugz

    blazedanugz Well-Known Member

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    Not nearly as much as the previous years. Now you're just being negative
     
  14. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    Karl's logic for blaming Lillard is pretty weak--in fact, there's no logic or reasoning that can't be reversed to sound just as likely:

    "Who controls the team? The coach and the point guard. And that team is not working. I think their point guard, Damian Lillard, is a great point guard. So I’m going to say the problem is Stotts. They were a together, connected, committed team last year. This year they’re not. What changed?"

    There's nothing actually indicting to Lillard, except that Karl "knows" it has to be the coach or point guard, he thinks the coach is good, therefore, by elimination...

    Lillard has his flaws, of course--mostly his defense. But I don't think the problem is Lillard or, particularly, Stotts; it's having a largely untalented roster. You have two flawed stars in Lillard and McCollum, a good supporting player in Harkless, an average-ish player in Plumlee and the rest of the roster is below average players (and, as I've said before, Leonard's current level of play is probably not even NBA-caliber). That's the problem. You could have the greatest coach ever (Karl) and the greatest point guard ever and they're still not going to be big winners with the rest of that roster.
     
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  15. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I think if I was Stotts I would have a one-on-one with each player, including the third string (who might hear some stuff that others might not want to talk about). I think there is enough talent here to do better and so there is some kind of mental or emotional thing happening that needs to be ferreted out.
     
  16. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I agree we are not upper echelon in talent; but isn't there enough talent here to at least play .500 ball?
     
  17. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    Yeah, I think that is the bigger issue than my theory on what Karl was implying.
     
  18. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    Right. Olshey told Stotts to make Lillard a star in his rookie year, and we've been overreliant on him ever since. He shoots us out of more games than he shoots us into. I like the current efficient shooting with McCollum the PG while Lillard's injured.

    Lillard has 2 kinds of stupid shots: Long crazy Hail Marys, and well-guarded layups when he hopes to get the foul and never does. He appears selfish, but he's been bred that way by Stotts and Olshey.
     
  19. Sinobas

    Sinobas Banned User BANNED

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    Damian has been playing too much one on one ball this year. Late in games, or when he feels the team is struggling, he tries to carry the team on his shoulders. I don't think he's doing it to be a ball hog and get all the glory, but it hurts the team more often than it helps. But I sometimes when the rest of the team isn't doing shit, I think why not just let him jack up 3s? But he'd be better if he worked on taking efficienct shots and being a real PG like Steve Nash. Nash was a great shooter but he took good shots.
     
  20. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    If Lillard and McCollum were stars on both sides of the ball, perhaps. As it stands, we have an offense-only group. With no defense, two offensive stars and a bunch of average to below-average players isn't enough for .500 ball, in my opinion.
     

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