Below is their assessment and I think it is pretty accurate. My main concern is who is playing in crunch time, and to be honest Dame is the only sure thing. The rest of the lineup should be determined on on who is playing best that particular game. There is now enough depth at SG, SF, PF and Center to make them earn their minutes. I still like a Dame CJ Hood Jake and Nurk lineup for the most part at the end of games, but Aminu, Harkless, ET, Curry, and Kanter and even Collins can certainly finish as well if they are having a good game. I know some will say we need Hark or Aminu in there for defense and that might be true in some matchups, but I am not sold that they are that much better on D than Jake or Hood that would make up for the difference on the offensive side. Starters Damian Lillard CJ McCollum Maurice Harkless Al Farouq Aminu Jusuf Nurkic Bench Seth Curry Evan Turner Rodney Hood Jake Layman/Zach Collins Enes Kanter Odd Men Out Meyers Leonard – though based on foul trouble/match-ups we may see him here and there Skal Labissiere Anfernee Simons Gary Trent Jr
I think that's pretty accurate. The one wildcard I see is Moe Harkless's knee. If he can't go, or if his knee reduces his productivity, Stotts' job managing minutes gets a lot easier. Hood would probably slide into the starting 3 spot with Layman getting the backup minutes.
I think Meyers will play less than Collins, but depending on matchups/injuries we will see him. Layman and Collins will share the backup 4 mins. Olshey doesn't care as long the Blazers win. He obviously sees Hood and Kanter as upgrades and knows Enes Kanter will play over Meyers/Collins. I don't see it failing per say. Maybe it won't change much. I think the Blazers took a step up.
I agree it probably to some degree depend on who is hot and who is not. It will also depend on matchups. It will be the starters with Layman, Hood, Kanter, sometimes Curry sprinkled in.
True Moe's knee is persistant. Stotts usually goes with Turner or Layman in his absence. Hood would be interesting.
I can see Layman and Collins to share the 4 but also see Turner and Curry sharing to at the point. We can go small or big with that second unit. Curry Turner Kanter Hood Layman Or Turner/Curry Hood Kanter Collins Layman
Our bench got out score 48-28 last night that not good. But they was not all against the bench but our bench got tore up in that 1st half due to our defense was poor and the offensive was even poorer. Due to it was 1st game back from the all Star break I will give them break on the offensive but defense no break for that effort in the 1st half. Stotts need figure out with that unit if want's offense on that unit without no defense present or have at least some defense present in there like Collins along side Kanter and the others. Kanter was like the mantodor in bull fight saying o'lay in the middle.
