Meyers mandate to shoot swish3s

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by swish3, Nov 26, 2018.

  1. hoopsjock

    hoopsjock Well-Known Member

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    Whatever swish3, you can literally see Stotts throw his arms up in disgust when Meyers passes up an open 3. They are not coaching him to be passive. During the Philly game you could actually hear Stotts, some of his teammates, and the crowd yelling at him to shoot the ball.
     
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  2. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    The shouting during the game is not helpful, as we have so often observed, and that is the point of this thread. The mandate for the highest % Blazers to shoot at least 6 swish3 attempts per game needs to be the pregame plan, with rotation to sweet spots along the arc, including the corners, screens, and timing. All of that and the look of teammates for Meyers and Seth as 1st choice hot hands needs to be a team effort coordinated to allow effective assist passes and open shots. In both of these games, those elements were missing.

    But this situation can be changed, and will be changed when the coaches plan it. As discussed in earlier parts of this thread, I do not believe that Meyers is failing to follow Terry's instructions, rather that Terry should give the instructions to the team. If he does, I expect that the NBA leading swish3 % and more wins will result.
     
  3. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    False. I've been a closet (perhaps quiet) Meyers fan for some time and it is 100% fact his directive is to shoot threes with any bit of daylight.
     
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  4. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

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    The only time Meyers attempts threes is when there isn’t anyone within six feet of him. That’s not hyperbole either.

    Meyers’ attempts in regards to the closest defender:

    0-2 feet: 0%

    2-4 feet: 0.7%

    4-6 feet: 9.4%

    So, the closest defender on the majority of his three points attempts is at least six feet away, and even then he still hesitates. You can try to argue that he’s just being smart and not forcing anything, but he’s really not. He hesitates because confidence isn’t in his DNA. The flexing, showboating, even blocking people on Twitter...it’s all rooted in his insecurity.

    I’ll give him credit for not being a total zero this year, but his regression has been going on for awhile so I suggest trading him while you can, if you can. He’s the most obvious candidate to dump alongside our pick. Harkless is too important to what the team does, and Turners contract is problematic.
     
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  5. tlongII

    tlongII Legendary Poster

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    Meyers has been good this year. There is no reason to trade him. We have 3 7-footers on the team and we need all of them.
     
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  6. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    I think Leonard wants to show people that he more than 3 point shooter and I got to respect that a little bit. Last night he had open 3 but he decided to be aggressive and took it the the hoop it end up in a turnover. Yes in that case he should shoot the 3. But I don't blame him for not want to be one demenisional either.
     
  7. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    Do you really want Olshey to pick the next coach for this team. I rather both go at the same time and have a new GM pick the next coach.
     
  8. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    Today's numbers from BBall-Ref show that Meyers leads the Blazers in FG% at 50, ORtg at 124, eFG% at 60.1, and even though held down by shooting only 0 or 1 in the last 4 games is 2nd in swish3 %. Meyers scoring potential is not being used as it should be. That is why a game plan change with better off ball floor rotation is needed.

    Shouting at Meyers when he gets the ball only delays his response, as discussed earlier in this thread. To get the best, we should not shout or distract him, but instead enjoy the anticipation of his excellent swish3 scoring and cheer his successes. Basketball is a game of confident shooting, and to get the best of every Blazer, fan support is important.

    Scalma, I don't know where your statistics originate (your own metrics?), but there does seem to be a confidence issue. And assuming that is true, your not recognizing Meyers accomplishments aggravates the situation and works against Blazer success. Having a pre-game plan that includes looking for catch and shoot opportunities for Meyers at the arc, and setting screens for him, would provide the open shots and facilitate taking advantage of his demonstrated precision scoring talent.


    Let's try showing support for Meyers like we do for Zach. I predict that when Meyers shoots 6 swish3s per game, 50%+ swish3 scoring, 50%+ FG%, an additional 10 points, and more wins will result. The Blazers need to take advantage of the Nurk and Meyers as Centers who can complement each other, score a combined 30+ PPG, and lead the team to a Championship.
     
  9. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    Could the Blazers could have won the Jan 14 SAC Kings game? Yes, if our coaches had trusted our best swish3 shooters to score the winning points in the last 6 min, the win was within reach. In this game Nurk was 3 of 7 and CJ was 2 of 14 while Meyers was 4 of 5, and both Meyers and Seth posed swish3 scoring threats. Instead of Evan's missed 2 at 4:46, Meyers or Seth could have scored 3. Instead of Nurk's missed 2 at 2:22, Meyers could have scored 3. Instead of Dame's missed 3 at 1:27, Seth could have scored an open 3. This is enough to win.

    There may also have been fouls called as SAC was defending wildly. With SAC flocking to Dame to prevent his swish3 threat, there were open shots created that could have turned into 3 or even 4 point plays. There could have been another Meyers dunk. There should have been a 2nd T on Shumpert when he was ranting at and bumped Terry. I would have preferred to have the highest % swish3 Blazers on the floor in those last 6 min, and see how this game could thus have been a 118-115 win.

    Analyzing this game can bring progress towards the Championship if the Blazers will realize that the flocking to Dame in the last min of games can be overcome by relying on our best swish3 shooters, and continuing to feed the hot hand. This is the point to recognize that Meyers has achieved 75%+ scoring multiple times under pressure and can be the difference that brings wins.
     
  10. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    In the SAC Kings game I notice that Meyers had the best numbers of any player on the court with eFG% of 1.1 and ORtg of 173. After achieving these outstanding box score stats, Meyers had 0 swish3 attempts and only 2 FG attempts in 20 min in the CLE game that followed. That is a mistake. To win against the Pelicans and strong teams, we should be looking for 4 (or better 6+) swish3 attempts by Meyers to continue the success, increase scoring, and get the wins.
     
  11. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    To win the upcoming string of games against the Jazz, Heat, Spurs, Mavericks, Thunder, and Warriors, the Blazers need to run plays that get shots from the high % swish3 shooters. In particular, there needs to be a pregame team plan that features kick out and perimeter passing to an open Meyers at the arc, and at least 5 swish3 attempts. Meyers is the only Blazer in the 10 player rotation averaging less than 5 FG attempts per game, despite his TS% of 0.666 and eFG% of 0.636 (as of Jan 27) leading the Blazers and his swish3 % is now 44.8%. He has an ORtg of 126, also leading the Blazers.

    Despite making every shot (3 of 3 in just 9 min) in the win over ATL, and now averaging 1.455 points/FGA (again leading the Blazers, as Wizenheimer also noted), adding the dunk threat to his excellent swish3 shooting, excellent screens and assists, rebounds, defense (including blocks), off ball movement, and hustle, we are not using Meyers to bring the additional scoring that is needed for wins against the strongest opposition. This season we are ready to win in the playoffs and the possibility grows stronger for the NBA Championship. If the coaches can recognize and optimize a bench consisting of Meyers, Seth, and Jake to reach the 15+ swish3s needed to win against the top scoring teams, this can be the year!

    In many posts, I have been calling for at least 6 swish3 attempts from the highest % swish3 shooters that can combined provide 8 or 9 power scores, but the minutes and the plays have not existed to capitalize on the talent. When a Blazer is hot, especially if he has made every shot, that is not the time to have him back on the bench. When the Blazers have at least 5 players who score 14+ points in a game, winning probability is high, and that is what can make the difference this year. Let's get Meyers to an average of at least 5 FGA per game, and aim for 6 or more swish3 attempts. When Meyers is hot, the Blazers can pour in the points and win in these next 6 games and in the playoffs where he (with that NBA 76.9% record) has been the best!
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2019
  12. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    Exactly. What we have seen is that all players essentially have the green light to shoot when they are open. That's on the players. Stotts has never spoken like a coach that restricts players from shooting.
     
  13. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    This misunderstanding is that I referred to this plan as a mandate, meaning that there is a practiced off ball floor rotation that is a pregame plan, rather than a green light to shoot. There should be a team coordinated flow of screens and passing as kick outs and passes around the arc to find the open man, and Meyers (44.8%) and Seth (48.1%) are the Blazer leaders. At present, Meyers is the only Blazer of the 10 starters and bench who is averaging less than 5 (4.1) FGA per game despite having the highest FG% of 53.4%. With the Meyers mandate game plan, not only would Meyers be making the great assist passes that we have seen to Dame, Seth, CJ, Jake, and others, but also be receiving assist passes from them at planned sweet spots on the arc to allow featuring his swish3 shooting and for dunks.

    The misunderstanding is that the mandate necessarily includes the plan for rotations and passes that facilitate swish3 shots, as well as dunks when they are open, from the most efficient scoring threat on the Blazers, as Meyers is now at 1.455 points/FGA. What is counterproductive is anyone shouting or waving at Meyers to shoot, which simply distracts and slows him. Instead, we should be quietly visualizing him scoring that swish3 and cheering him on when he makes it, just as we do for Dame.

    And the notion that there is a green light for all players to attempt swish3s is not part of a winning plan. Swish3 attempts need to be limited to those who have achieved at least 33% success to avoid wasting shot opportunities. While Terry does encourage shooting when open, Blazers such as Nurk, Evan, and Simons need to avoid these attempts because of low season 3P%. Also, Blazer coaches need to observe who has the hot hand by watching for the number of consecutive swish3s made in warmups and in the game. This Meyers mandate can help carry us through the payoffs.
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2019
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  14. swish3

    swish3 Well-Known Member

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    Although some in this RipCity2 Forum predicted that the UTA Jazz game was a scheduled loss because the Jazz soundly beat us 120-90 on home court Dec 21, and were on a 9 of 10 win streak, the Blazers soundly beat the Jazz Jan 30 132-105 without Nurk providing undeniable support for the proposed mandate to game plan with plays for Meyers to shoot at least 6 swish3s per game. This was an excellent game for Meyers who now as of 3 Feb has a TS% of 68.2, and eFG of 65.4, 3P% of 46.7, FG% of 54.5, and points/FGA of 1.485. The first 2 and last 2 of those stats lead all Blazers.

    Meyers 16 points, screens, passing, spacing, dunking, and defense is especially noteworthy because he was matched against Rudy Gobert, the NBA 2018 Defensive Player of the Year, and yet Meyers outscored him. For the 1st time since December, Meyers shot 5 swish3 attempts, making 4 of them. And he embarrassed Rudy on the fake and drive for the highlight Hammer dunk! Meyers furthermore had 0 turnovers in 25 min.

    The proof is in the records. Meyers can substitute for Nurk at Center to provide superb offense and solid defense for wins against strong opponents and will play a major part in the success of this year's Blazers that will take us deep into the playoffs, and bring the NBA Championship to within reach. Onward Blazers to 54+ wins and the Playoffs!
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2019

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