My Zach Collins thoughts

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Mediocre Man, Jul 10, 2017.

  1. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    What does MM constantly bitch about? Defense.

    Let me share some stats from Collins' two games so far.

    3 blocks per game
    2.5 steals per game
    .32 DWS
    71.5 DRtg
    9.04 BLK%

    He's doing this while playing 30 minutes per game and only averaging 3.5 fouls per game.
     
  2. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    No, but would you mortgage our future to obtain those guys? Guys like that may help us win a couple more regular season games, but would they help us get deeper in the playoffs with the way the West is stacked right now?

    BNM
     
  3. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    So if our prospects ever pan out, we'll be set?
     
  4. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    You think you can slow down the MM-Bitch Train? You can't handle the MM-Bitch Train!

    Seriously, I wonder if it's a race thing. If they're white, they're suppose to shoot and score. If they're black they're suppose to be athletic and play defense. He's white, so it doesn't make sense (to some) to look at his defense and athleticism.

    Collins is completely out of whack. I'm not worried at all.
     
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  5. Nikolokolus

    Nikolokolus There's always next year

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    I can't say I'm too worried about Collin's inability to get anything going on offense. He certainly won't be expected to score much in real games and I never really considered his addition to the roster as a short-term payoff. Anybody who was hoping for him to be a big-time contributor after 1 year of college as a backup, probably let themselves get a little too excited during the draft because Olshey moved up to get him (trades and 'action' always carries a little bit of built-in drama).

    My guess is that he'll be lucky to sniff the court in the first 3 or 4 months of next season, probably getting garbage time minutes, unless the guys immediately in front of him are so god-awful, or injured that Stotts has no choice but to carve off a more substantial role for him.

    If he still looks bad next year in Summer League, then go ahead and panic a little bit, but for now, I'll just cross my fingers and hope that Nurkic stays totally healthy and that Vonleh, Meyers or whomever, have a decent enough season that Collins doesn't have to be relied upon.
     
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  6. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    I don't just like this post, I LOVE it. Especially that last sentence. The summer league is usually a hack fest.

    Little known historic fact: Greg Oden is the all time summer league leader in BLK/G at 4.0. He is also the all time summer league leader in PF/G at 9.0.

    So, Collins is averaging 1 fewer block, but 5.5 fewer fouls than pre-injury Greg Oden, and the very same people that are constantly bitching about our poor defense are ready to label Collins a bad pick because he's not lighting up the box score and averaging 20 ppg.

    BNM
     
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  7. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    If the goal is to become a contender, yes.

    I would have absolutely given up all 3 picks + anyone and everyone not named Lillard, McCollum and Nurkic to land Paul George (so, basically, what Neil offered IND), because that would have immediately made us a contender, with our core 2 - 3 years younger than GSW and about a decade younger than CLE.

    But, I would not give up a single 1st round pick in a deep draft to land a veteran role player that doesn't get us closer to contention now, and hurts us long term.

    BNM
     
  8. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    My Zach Collins thoughts are....
    Zach Collins can shoot the hell out of the ball.

    In the video below, he shoots 61 times, missing only 5 times. Almost half of the shots are from 3. That's a 92%rate. This is not cherry picked, he's shooting 5, 6, 7 shots in a row in the video. Check it out for yourself. BTW, he rang the bell to end the blazers last practice before summer league game 1.

     
  9. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Being able to shoot in practice doesn't mean anything. It really doesn't. Sebastian Telfair would be an All-Star if shooting well in practice meant shooting well in games. Same with Victor Claver and Martell Webster and a million other guys that lack the confidence to hit a shot in live play.
     
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  10. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    It's better than not being able to shoot in practice. It isn't the end, but it is a good start.
     
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  11. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    I wish you guys could see an NBA practice, because practically everyone can shoot well in practice. It would blow you away.
     
  12. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    It doesn't mean ANYTHING? ANYTHING? Surely, it must mean SOMETHING. Is this what "going full retard" means?

    How about this: let's have a challenge.
    I'll give you 24 hours to find pre-draft videos of Victor Claver and Sebastian Telfair shooting anywhere near 56/61 in practice, half of which are 3s, and I'll add "I am Natebishop3s Bitch" in my sig for a month. If you can't, I'll add "Natebishop3 went full retard on me" in my sig for a month.

    Agree?
     
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  13. BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94

    BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94 AWOL

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    My thoughts as well, still upsetting for a top 10 pick. Also a long way from "I don't see why I can't be rookie of the year" but oh well, he's potentially the future of our team so let's pray it pans out.
     
  14. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Go right ahead and add that classy sig, but I have personally watched Dale Davis stick jumper after jumper... Dale Davis.... in practice. If you're hoping that being able to shoot in practice means that he's going to be able to shoot in live games, you're gonna have a bad time. Not saying that Collins can't shoot, just saying you shouldn't use that as an indicator.

    But hey, keep it classy home skillet.
     
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  15. bodyman5000 and 1

    bodyman5000 and 1 Lions, Tigers, Me, Bears

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    I'm starting to think this is a huge problem for the Pat C and Jake Laymans of the NBA. It's mental because they know they can shoot lights out in practice but they have to make them in the games to stick in the league or get playing time.

    You know they have the form but they have the yips.
     
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  16. Chris Craig

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

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    Yeah, one would have thought the stats would have been better for Collins after the first two summer league games. But, then again not really. Connaughton is running the point and layman is the best other player next to Swanigan. When hes playing with dame and Cj and more talented guys around him hes going to play that much better. Im not worried about him, hes where he needs to be. 3 blocks a game. Ill take it.
     
  17. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

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    How about the fact that he shot 48% from 3 at Gonzaga? The video isn't some fluke - the dude can shoot.

    BTW, I haven't been to an NBA practice, but I've seen NBA players pregame shootarounds - nobody, not even Lillard and McCollum, are shooting 92% unguarded in those situations.

    Keepin' it classy for 53 years, frying pan.
     
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  18. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    I'm not worried. I said on draft night he might not even crack the rotation until near the end of his rookie season. This is not unusual at all for a 10th pick in the draft. Most lottery picks get significant playing time simply because they are drafted by crappy teams. When a lottery pick ends up on a playoff team via trade, he usually gets less PT as a rookie.

    Hell, LaMarcus Aldridge was picked 2nd in the draft, but didn't start seeing regular minutes until after the trade deadline his rookie year - when the team finally stopped showcasing former all star Jamal Magloire. Aldridge was buried behind Magloire and Przybilla at center and Zach Randolph and Travis Outlaw at power forward.

    C.J. was also a 1oth pick and a 4-year college player, but didn't become part of the regular rotation until the end of his second season when both Wes Matthews and Aron Afflallo were both injured.

    Here are the #10 picks since 2010:

    2010 - Paul George
    2011 - Jimmer Freddette
    2012 - Austin Rivers
    2013 - C.J. McCollum
    2014 - Elfrid Payton
    2015 - Justice Winslow
    2016 - Thon Maker

    Not one of those players averaged in double figures as a rookie. Payton averaged the most points (8.9) and the most minutes. George was second in scoring at 7.4 ppg. He is clearly the best recent #10 pick, but did not crack the starting line up until March 9 of his rookie season. Rivers and Winslow both played big minutes as rookies, but only averaged 6.4 ad 6.2 ppg.

    Expecting any #10 pick to have a significant impact as a rookie is unrealistic based on recent history. If you go back 20 years there have been some very good players selected at #10 (Joe Johnson, Jason Terry), but only a few have had a significant impact their rookie year (Paul Pierce, Brook Lopez).

    Collins is young and inexperienced compared to most other #10 picks. If you set your expectations inline with the historical performance of #10 picks, I think you'll be a lot less disappointed.

    BNM
     
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  19. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    My thoughts on summer league. Not a huge deal, but he hasn't been very good
     
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  20. Reep

    Reep Well-Known Member

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    Blazers and visiting teams used to practice in a gym by my house (old days). Watched Kiki do his shooting workout. What a machine.
     

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