REALLY tough 4-game stretch coming--how would you coach it?

Just go out and try to win the games. We'll probably get blown out in one or two of the games which will give the starters a ton of rest so I don't think he needs to do anything special.

 

I think we need to play it to win it, even if we are playing heavy minutes to the starters. If we can go 2-2 on that stretch, we would seriously gain some momentum. If we could go 3+ in those four games, then we could now be considered "for real". If we win one of those games, then it's business as usual.

 

Playing heavy minutes to the starters is dumb. The winning is great and all, but at what expense? We break down Aldridge for a shot at the 8th seed?

 

Just as he has been. He's been doing pretty well.

 

Take every game quarter by quarter. Try not to over play the starters.

 

Seems most around here are content to win the battle even at the expense of winning the war.

 

You really think that losing and getting the 11th or 12th pick in this draft is going to be a major step in winning the war?

 

Well it seems you are on board with not making the playoffs. If we come out with a decent winning percentage on this 4 game stint without injury, then we better our chances to go even higher in the standings. If Aldridge gets injured, then you get your wish and we have no shot at the playoffs. And most likely we would drop even further in the lotto chances.

I don't want injury like anyone else, but I think even Aldridge agrees that he wants to win. He is willing to give heavy minutes in process. There are others like him that have averaged the minutes he is averaging and stay injury free. I think Aldridge has the body and endurance to be in the same league as those type of players.

And BTW... The heavy minutes are not new to Aldridge. He's been a heavy minute PF for the last 4 years of his career.

 

LOL I was thinking the same thing. I think winning the war is boosting moral of the ball club. Winning cures all. You can see the swagger of the players increase as they are on a winning mode. I remembered watching the body language of the players during our losing streak. You could see they were frustrated and lackluster. Now they come out searching for blood. I like seeing that.

 

Our starters are young and want to win. They want to play big minutes, earn a name for themselves, and overachieve. Intentionally playing to lose is demoralizing and, ultimately, self-defeating. I'm not saying that you run these guys into the ground, but Stotts has developed a pretty good rotation that let the team play 4 games in 5 nights on the road and still have enough gas to win an overtime game last night. Stick with what's been working and let the wins and losses come as they will.

 

They have two days off before Miami, so they will be rested. Go all out for that one.
Play the bench more in GS the next night.
Go all out at home against OKC
Play the bench more in the high altitude in Denver.

My gut is we battle hard at home and barely lose both. (In part by the super stars getting the calls down the stretch)
And we lose by 10+ on the road. You play to win both, but the bench has to help out.

 

With injuries to the lower half of his body in each.

I would rather build through the draft, but if we make the playoffs, so be it. Just don't run down our best players to get killed in the first round.

I haven't looked at the NBA, but if you look at running backs who carry the ball a ton, they are pretty much worthless the following years, and sometimes are out of the league because of it

 

If we're going into this with the mindset that we WILL lose at some point during these next four games then I think it's most important to get the wins against WC/Div opponents. Just in case it comes into play for who makes/misses the POs. If we're looking for an honest 2/2 split I'd try to get the wins over GS and DEN. GS because, even though they aren't in our division, they're another team that appears to be greatly exceeding expectations - like us. I'd be nice to be the "up-and-comer" that wins in that battle. DEN because we're going to be closer to them in the standings than OKC - a tie-breaker here MAY come into play at the end of the season.
With that said, I always love when we win on TNT.

 

I understand your concern, but Aldridge is known for playing heavy minutes. There have been so many PFs that averaged more minutes than what Aldridge is averaging even now; yet they stayed healthy.

 

Maybe you pull a Popovich and draw a big circle around the Golden State game and tell Aldridge/Batum/Matthews/Lillard that they can stay home on that trip. Get some much needed rest, and get ready to work your asses off against OKC.

Besides, it'd be hilarious to see Price/Claver/Babbitt/Jeffries/Hickson start against that team. The utter debacle would only serve to highlight how impressive our starters have been this year.

 

But Aldridge hasn't stayed healthy

 

That's easy. Start Nolan Smith, Ronnie Price, Claver, Jeffries and Freeland vs. Miami, who allegedly plays down to the competition.

Once you lull them into a coma with various quaalude moves, put the starters in for a short game-winning stint in the 4th quarter.

The starters will be fresh the next night in GS. Utter genius, yes?

 

If you exclude the two heart murmor episodes; he's been very healthy.

 

^^Ha ha! I actually like it! And it could potentially work...