Interesting piece on Blazers and Lillard

A lot in here. Points out that Blazers have no one who can execute a shot on pick and pop. That no one is really very good as far as rolling to the basket (including Nurkic). That the cutters aren't really finishing. (Although I think Lillard and McCollum don't see the cutters a lot. Why should we be so bad at scoring on cuts with Harkless and Vonleh on the team--he thinks one reason is Vonleh's bad hands)

Thinks Lillard bad defense due to size (duh) and aversion to contact; although on his examples of aversion it seems to me that Lillard makes it past the screen ok but then kind of pulls up too soon to be in good position.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ertified-star-but-where-does-he-go-from-here/

 

Aversion to contact????

Lillard is NOT soft and that point is bullshit.

 

There's a reason that dame misses playing with a pick and pop player like LA. This just confirms that.

 

Dame avoids contact on screens. Either to avoid picking up cheap fouls or increase in injury rate. Either way it's been trained in him to avoid the screen.

 

Have you ever played Guard?

It's trained in everyone to avoid the screen.

 

Matt moore wrote this. One thing to know about him, he always shits on the blazers and his favorite team is memphis, says they will make playoffs this year. He is an idiot honestly

 

Well I don't mean bull rush the pick. They're trained to fight through the pick. Dame needs to watch this


(as much as I hate CP3 I'd love his defense on our team).

 

No @dviss1 when a screener comes to screen you. You're supposed to let it happen.
It's bad sportsmanship to avoid the screen as the screener worked hard to screen you.
Wish you understood this.

 

Just more chip on the shoulder fuel to start the season.....it's a Blazer tradition around the NBA....

 

The issue with pick and roll and pick and pop scorers can change dramatically with Caleb (p&r) and if Leonard returns to form (p&p).
About Lillard's defense I actually disagree with him that Lillard is weaker in guarding SGs, I think although small that he'd do a better job against SGs who, while taller, are also slower and that CJ should be guarding the opposing PG when both are on the court.
Another thing which is VERY important. Lillard needs to go under on screens, that's the key. If you look in the videos in the article, everytime he goes over he loses his man, when he goes under he at least stays in front him. Going under means passing the screener on the side further away from the attacking player, it's an angles thing.
I also don't think Lillard is ball dominant, he takes a lot on himself but he does it within team concept and is not selfish.
But I think it's a good, interesting article with some real insights and is 100 percent about basketball which is refreshing

 

You can't go under the screen if you defend someone like Curry.

 

Well if you're defending Curry there's not much you can do, anyway. But yes, even against Curry he should go under and get back to him facing him instead of looking at his back

 

I don't think he would have time to get back to him before the shot is up

 

Obviously when you have to get around a screen to guard Curry it's a challenge. I also said that Lillard could be better suited to guarding the SG in many situations with CJ whose quicker and smaller guarding the PG

 

lol

 

Lol, Can't go over either.

 

No you can't commit to one way of guarding the pick and roll with Curry. You have to give him different looks. I'd like to see him trapped more out of the pick and roll.