is Stotts finaly under pressure for the non existing Defense?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Labinot41, Mar 15, 2021.

  1. Labinot41

    Labinot41 Well-Known Member

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    Blazers are failing to meet Terry Stotts' defensive challenge so far

    When the Trail Blazers reconvened from the All-Star break on March 10, the first thing they did was have a film session. It was there that coach Terry Stotts stood before his players and issued a challenge.

    “From this point forward,” Stotts recalled telling his team, “we need to be in the top half” of the NBA’s defensive rating.

    It was a daunting directive. The Blazers at the time ranked 28th out of 30 teams in defensive rating, a ranking that was no doubt affected by the injuries to center Jusuf Nurkic, forward Zach Collins and guard CJ McCollum. (Nurkic had the best defensive rating on the team and McCollum was third at the time of their injuries. Collins, another noted defender, has not played this season).

    “I think it’s a realistic goal for us,” Stotts said.

    Robert Covington, who has emerged as the Blazers’ best defender, took the challenge one step further. Instead of a top 15 finish that Stotts proposed, Covington suggested the Blazers aim for a top 10 defense over the final 37 games.

    “Coach put us as top tier, top half, but me, I want to put expectations that we can be top 10 if we really commit to it,” Covington said. “That’s coming from a guy who has been there before. I want to put pressure on guys.”

    Today, a mere five days after that film session and goal-setting, the Blazers are worse than ever on defense.

    In its three games coming out of the break, Portland ranks last in defensive rating (122.7). Phoenix shot 59 percent from the field (a season-high for a Portland opponent) and last-place Minnesota made 51.2 percent and 49.3 percent of its shots while earning a split in a back-to-back meeting over the weekend.

    All told, the Blazers this season have slipped to 29th in defensive rating, and their 116.3 rating is the third-worst in the history of the NBA, trailing the 2018-19 Cleveland Cavaliers (117.6) and this season’s Sacramento Kings (118.8).

    Stotts after the loss on Sunday said three games “is a little bit early to say we are off to a bad start” — and that may be true. But after setting the defensive goals in the film session, which was followed by the strong talk from Covington and other players, the magnifying glass is once again hovering over Stotts and his defense.

    And the up-close view is not favorable.

    The Blazers continue to get torched in transition. They have trouble stopping penetration. They contest the fewest shots in the NBA. They come up with the fewest loose balls in the NBA. They are the fifth-easiest team to make baskets against, as opponents have made 47.8 percent of their shots this season.

    All this after an offseason and training camp where defense wasn’t just a topic, it was the story. There were new players with defensive backgrounds. There was a change in pick-and-roll strategy. And everyone — from top executive Neil Olshey, to Stotts, to team leaders Damian Lillard and McCollum — hailed defense as a priority. The consensus was defense would be the decider between this team being good or great.

    “It’s necessary that we do it,” Stotts said, referring back to his challenge last week to the team to finish top 15 for the final 37 games. “I’ve said this: I think for the whole first half of the season, we’ve been inconsistent, (yet) we’ve shown what we are capable of. We need to be more focused, more locked in, more committed. And if we are, it’s an attainable goal.”

    The question today rests somewhere between whether Stotts can teach defense, or whether the players can play it. As the playoff race intensifies, so too does the criticism about Stotts’ defense, which in his nine seasons in Portland has featured more average-to-poor seasons than good ones.

    It has created a tense backdrop to Stotts’ future in Portland. He is under contract through the 2021-22 season, and while he has made seven consecutive playoff appearances and is well-liked by his players, a source says the Blazers’ lack of defense throughout his tenure has become a topic with ownership in Seattle.

    Amid the crossfire between fans and ownership, Stotts may have only one bullet left. A 7-foot, 290-pound bullet.

    When Stotts stood in front of the team last week, his presentation was more than just talk. It was based on history … and hope.

    Covington, a former first-team NBA All-Defensive player, said Stotts played a series of clips for the team to watch. At the end, Stotts asked the players what the common denominator was in the video montage.

    “He told us all these games came down to us having to win the game with defense,” Covington said. “And he put that emphasis on the second half to keep building on that.”

    It was, in a sense, a history lesson.

    Stotts says he felt the challenge was realistic based on what happened in the 2016-17 season. The Blazers went into the All-Star break with a 23-32 record and the 26th rated defense. Similar to this season, Stotts said he challenged that team to finish the remaining games in the top half in defense.

    Led by newly acquired Nurkic, who was traded from Denver and played one game with Portland before the break, the Blazers after the All-Star break went 18-9. During that closing stretch, Portland had the 14th best defensive rating, nearly three points fewer per 100 possessions.

    “I probably mentioned that we did that a few years ago — that after the break we wanted to do that,” Stotts said. “And we did and were able to slide into the playoffs because of that. So obviously, we are capable of doing that.”

    But deep down, Stotts knew his challenge to the team was based largely on hope. Hope that Nurkic would soon heal from a broken wrist and return to the lineup.

    Stotts knew that the late-season charge in 2017 was led by the offense of Lillard and the defense of Nurkic. The 7-footer is strong enough to hold his ground and protect the rim, yet nimble enough to cut off drives and recover on pick-and-rolls. McCollum once called him a 7-foot ballerina.

    The problem is, Nurkic has been sidelined since Jan. 14 because of a broken wrist suffered when he tried to thwart a drive by Malcolm Brogdon by swiping down at the ball. The broken wrist, which required surgery, continues an agonizing trend of Nurkic being sidelined. In the past three seasons, Nurkic has missed 53 percent of the Blazers’ games because of injury, playing in 92 of the team’s 194 games.

    His absence has been even more dramatic the past two seasons, when Nurkic has played in only 20 of the last 112 regular-season games. But his effectiveness is undeniable. After leading Portland to a 14th defensive rating in the second half of the 2016-17 season, Nurkic played in 79 games in 2017-18 and helped Portland finish sixth in defensive rating, the best season under Stotts. The next season, Nurkic played 72 games before breaking his leg and the Blazers were 16th.

    Last season, when Nurkic was rehabilitating his broken leg and didn’t join the team until the Orlando bubble, the Blazers were 27th defensively.

    Going into the All-Star break, Stotts said the return of Nurkic and McCollum would be “soon.” McCollum on Sunday said he is targeting his return for next week. Nurkic’s status is murkier after he recently suffered a right calf injury, which Stotts said has hampered his workouts and prevented him from joining the team in practices.

    “You know, Nurk is a big part of our defense,” Stotts said on Feb. 1 after a blowout loss in Milwaukee. “I’m not using excuses or injuries as an excuse, but Nurk is a big part of our defensive game plan. He has a presence on defense. We miss his presence defensively.”

    If that final bullet doesn’t save Stotts and the Blazers, they will hope for some more late-game magic.

    Portland has remained in the thick of the West playoff race because its offense has been a wrecking ball. Lillard is averaging 30 points and 8 assists, Carmelo Anthony has flourished in the fourth quarter, Gary Trent Jr. has become an established 3-point threat, and the Blazers, as a team, attempt and make the second-most 3-pointers in the league. And if the Blazers miss, Enes Kanter is often there to rebound and put it back in.

    But seven times this season, the Blazers needed a defensive stop to win a game. All seven times they came through: Covington stole a pass from James Harden to seal a win against Houston. Covington draped himself around Pascal Siakam and forced a last-second miss to preserve a win over Toronto. Covington intercepted an inbounds pass to seal the home win over Philadelphia. And in New Orleans, the Blazers weathered two shots in the final seconds as Covington and Jones Jr. switched between guarding Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.

    There also were game-saving charges drawn by Lillard — one against Atlanta’s Trae Young and one against Golden State’s Draymond Green — and Luka Doncic missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer in Dallas, although Stotts wasn’t happy about the coverage on that shot.

    Still, they were the type of clips that Stotts wanted his team to see in that film session last week, and the type of play that gives hope that when it matters, the Blazers can buckle down and get a stop.

    Players say Stotts and his coaching staff are trying to teach them defense. Kanter estimated that 85 percent of their film session and practices are centered around defense. And Lillard said the film sessions can be pointed.

    “There is a high level of, and I don’t like to use this word too much, but accountability,” Lillard said. “Our coaches don’t mind coming in and pointing out what the problem is. Whether that is me, or CJ, or Nurk, or Melo or whoever it might be, I feel like they address things pretty straight up. I don’t think there’s any better route to go. I think our film sessions are pretty productive and we usually take it from film, and when we get on the practice court, we drill those things.”

    Still, too often this season the Blazers have been left tipping their cap to the opponent, like Stotts did last week in a loss to Phoenix, saying “we would have liked to have defended them better, but it’s a challenging team to defend.” Even after Sunday’s loss at Minnesota, Stotts said he felt the Blazers did a good job correcting the mistakes they identified from the previous night’s meeting but fell victim to a hot shooting night from rookie Anthony Edwards (34 points).

    But as winter turns to spring, those justifications mean less and hurt more. Eventually, there has to be marked improvement. The type of improvement envisioned in November has yet to be realized four months later.

    Maybe it will be the challenge from their coach. Maybe it will be the return of Nurkic. Or maybe, there is no defense for the lack of defense. All that is certain is that it will be the focus for the next two months.

    “We are a very good offensive team, but we know that we are not going to be able to outscore everybody,” Covington said. “We are going to have to be able at some time to get some stops. And that’s what we put an emphasis on. And a lot of guys have made a lot of strides … but at the same time, we are not at full health. Once we get everyone back and everyone continues to prosper, I think we will become one of the top 10 teams defensively, because we are putting a big emphasis and guys are taking the challenge.”

    Three games into the second half of the season, it’s a challenge that has yet to be met. But with 34 games left, there is still time to turn it around, at least if history and hope have anything to do with it.
     
  2. AldoTrapani

    AldoTrapani Well-Known Member

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    Guys he’s gone after this year. You can just tell. Unless some miracle run happens which we all know won’t, you can just feel it this time it’s Stotts last run here..

    At this point just start floating names around
     
  3. JoshuaHall

    JoshuaHall Well-Known Member

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    8 years too late.

    I’ll believe it when I see it though.
     
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  4. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    I don't think Olshey will fire him. IMO, the earliest he's replaced is when his contract runs out after next season.

    Now, if Olshey is fired, then Stotts is also gone, but I don't see that happening.
     
  5. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Olshey has drawn it out as long as he can. He will have to fire Stotts sooner or later to point the blame elsewhere. Neil knows as long as Stotts is here he can be the fall guy. As soon as Stotts is gone, Olshey is next in line.
     
  6. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    This time they mean it!!
     
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  7. julius

    julius Global Moderator Staff Member Global Moderator

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    I don't know how anyone can actually believe that they're going to improve their defense at all this year. That is the calling card of his coaching.

    But I know, they'll bring in a former coach (who also was mediocre as a defensive coach), and they'll make noise like they're changing things, but hey, they haven't had a full training camp...they're missing players...they haven't had a chance to incorporate it into their plays yet!

    Rinse and repeat for next year too.
     
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  8. calvin natt

    calvin natt Confeve

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    Been saying all season, Neil absolutely would fire Stotts end of season.
     
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  9. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    Jody Allen should fire both of them
     
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  10. calvin natt

    calvin natt Confeve

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    Maybe. But if Stotts is the issue doesn’t that mean another coach would get more out of this team? Or if Neils the issue then Stotts is doing well with a bad roster. Or is everyone just fucking up everything
     
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  11. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    The fact is that they've both had nine years and they haven't been able to get the job done. Fire Olshey! Then if the new GM has a good feeling about Stotts, so be it... I doubt that will be the case but fire Olshey and find out.

    Or ownership can go back and forth on this conundrum for another nine years of second round sweeps.
     
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  12. Tince

    Tince Well-Known Member

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    This is exactly how I feel. My opinion is that Olshey's #1 priority is his job security, not winning championships. The second he fires Stotts, the clock on him starts. Like you said, if he starts feeling heat, he'll need to fire Stotts to buy himself some time.

    Of course, this operates under the assumption that Jody is more concerned about winning a championship than making a profit. That, is not a given in my eyes like it was under Paul.
     
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  13. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    I think there are roster problems and coaching problems. Worse, you could make a case that many of the same issues have been in place for most of the 9 years of Olshey/Stotts era. I'm about 90% convinced that the high water mark of the Dame/CJ teams was 2018/19. IMO, Blazers need fresh eyes in the GM's office and fresh ideas in the coaches chairs.
     
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  14. calvin natt

    calvin natt Confeve

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    Only way they win a championship or go to the Finals is if they have another superstar. At LEAST another all star. Getting those in Portland is tough. But I guess he needed to hit the jackpot by selecting Giannis or Donovan Mitchell higher than people thought they should go and that would have done it.
     
  15. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    I really don't think, without getting extremely lucky, you can win a championship paying Dame 40M and CJ 30M. They are both defensive liabilities, they both want to dominate the ball when they touch it and they have been starting together for six years as our supposed duo and they haven't developed any kind of two man game. So I guess I'm agreeing with you if by ANOTHER star you mean one besides Dame because with Dame, CJ is not a star. I think without Dame he could be but not the way they play together on either end but since this thread is about defense... especially on D.
     
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  16. kjironman1

    kjironman1 Well-Known Member

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    Part of that is the picks they had as well. Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda drafted better or even lost a few more games and got a better pick? Ping Pong Balls? But i agree circumstances always come into play.
    You got to do what you feel is right at the time and move on. 20/20 hindsight is a pain in the rear.
     
  17. Zach Collins Enthusiast

    Zach Collins Enthusiast Bored

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    Stotts is the one who should be fired, not Olshey. We have one of the most talented rosters in the league and still, we are painful to watch on both offense and defense. Stotts should have been gone a long time ago.
     
  18. Cugel

    Cugel The epitome of mediocrity

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    I dont think stotts is under pressure. The injuries will be the excuse.
     
  19. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

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    I guess the positive from this is that the coaches realize it's a problem and are giving it a lot of attention. The negative is that there are not improving results. It seems that it is up to the coaches to identify specific areas that are failing. Is it individual fundamentals? Is it lack of communication? Is it the wrong players together? Since we are dead last, it seems this can't be just about personnel.
     
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  20. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    there's very little too be done at this point besides getting Nurkic back and that's still two weeks away, at minimum. To overhaul a defense takes time and practice and the 2nd half schedule doesn't allow it.

    Think about the rotation right now. Dame-Trent-Kanter-Melo-Hood-Ant. That's two thirds of the rotation that suck at defense. CJ replacing minutes from Ant and Hood won't make any significant difference, especially if he takes a few minutes from Jones as well. Also, Portland will be facing a lot more good teams and good offenses the rest of the way

    the only arrow that's left in the quiver is "work harder on defense". There's only so much that will accomplish. And one of the things it might very well accomplish is taking the legs from the Blazer shooters in the 4th Q, and 4th Q shooting has been the difference between a winning and losing record. The roster is like a bop-a-mole game. Solving one problem make another pop up
     
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