Seems like the team is going nowhere right now and if it continues a significant trade is needed. It would be nice to know if the defensive scheme is the problem or if it is the players effort. Given that, why not take a flyer on one or two experimental lineups just to see how they do. According to 82games, the best defensive lineups are: McCollum-Turner-Crabbe-Vonleh-Davis McCollum-Turner-Crabbe-Harkless-Davis Notice that both have CJ and Turner as the guards with Crabbe as SF. It looks like there is not enough data on if Crabbe or Harkless would be better here, but let's go with Crabbe. There is also little or no data with CJ, Turner, Crabbe, Aminu and ____. Internal politics and turmoil aside, how about: PG: Turner SG: CJ SF: Crabbe PF: Aminu/Vonleh C: Davis (or Leonard if he can ever find his shot) (would love to swap in Okafor or Noel here, each for different reasons) Bench: Dame; Harkless; Leonard; Plumlee (he's likely gone) If this group delivers good defensive results, then you know it isn't the team defense as much as Dame and CJ being in the back court together (which the data concludes already). If this group does not defend as well then you know it is a scheme issue. It would also be a better fit for Turner. If you want you can swap CJ with Dame, but the data shows that Dame/Turner back court is not nearly as good defensively. Of course if the suggested lineup does work then we may see Dame Dollar turn into Dame Holler.
Minor quibble: data never concludes. Data only suggests. Analysis of the data concludes. Other than that, carry on.
If we're throwing in the towel on the season, keep on doing what we're doing. It might be good to try to feature someone aside from Dame and CJ to internally develop a good 3rd option. Of the guys on our roster, that would be Leonard, Crabbe, Mo, and Vonleh. Turner, too.
You lost me at benching Dame. I mean, I'm all for trying out new rotations, but you've gotta be realistic. I doubt Terry would bench CJ, but I KNOW he won't bench Dame - and he shouldn't.
I see no reason to believe this season isn't lost already, in terms of getting deep into the playoffs. Given that, you might as well learn as much as you can before you are forced to make trades. What if last year they had not put Harkless into the lineup? Look how much they learned from that one move. I see your point, but this kind of thinking is what keeps a team riding around .500 and first round exits or late lottery picks for a decade. If Dame really cares about this team then he can suck his ego for a few games and lead by example. I don't disagree that it is unlikely to happen, but I think it should happen. FYI, of the five-man lineups, the three best defensive lineups are without Dame, the five worst all have Dame. At some point you have to address the real issue otherwise you never have progress.
It ain't over yet. According to all basketball movies now is exactly the time, at the low point of the season, that the team rallies, maybe after an inspirational speech or a rotational shuffle and simply start winning. It would start with a hard fought win in Philly. "Well that's nothing new", the fans would say, "a close win against a relatively weaker team" but then the snowball would start rolling down the mountain, we would get another win and another win. "Yeah that's nice" but the fans would still be skeptic "we would probably lose the next one..." but then we don't, and as they say, when it rains, it pours. We still wouldn't win every game but would start looking like a team. Winning would cure most of the frustration within the team, they start believing and suddenly we'd be in much better shape. The media that already wrote us out starts paying attention "are the Blazers for real after all?!" and from there on, the sky's the limit. We'd gain more and more momentum and become unstoppable. Teams that beat us easy would start getting anxious to face us and we'd be not looking back... Just wait and see
Well I don't think anyone can possibly argue with that. If there's one thing that I know about sports movies, it's that they are always a reliable predictor of what will happen in real life.
Ya we need something. It's high time Terry does something. Neil clearly isn't in a rush to make moves roster wise
It would probably actually be more politically feasible to trade Lillard than to bench him. I realize that making him a reserve is more experimental and can be undone, unlike a trade, but I think it would be even more controversial than simply trading him, would fracture the team and anyway isn't something Stotts or Olshey would consider. As long as Lillard is here, he will start. McCollum too, almost certainly. If you want to split them, trade one of them. Or both of them. Go crazy.
I honestly thought the win against Cleveland was the turnaround point, but then we just stunk again after that.
We need to start Turner and then bring Aminu off the bench as the 6th man. Trade Moe and Crabbe for bigs.
If Aminu's not hitting threes, we might as well start Turner. Turner's a better defender and passer. His weakness, inability to shoot, is also one of Aminu's. He may not be able to play power forward--he's as heavy as Aminu but two inches shorter--but it's still worth a try. Lots of things are worth a try now that they're no longer in contention.
Bringing Damian off the bench is pure fantasy. Think about how much face he'd lose in the sight of his teammates? If the goal is to alienate your best player then sure, go for it. Otherwise, if you don't want CJ and Damian together on the court at the same time then trade one of them.
I would not mind starting ET for a while to see what happens. Maybe start Vonleh at PF as well and bring Harkless and Aminu off the bench. I also would not be opposed to starting Layman at sF. He would go through some growing pains but he seems perfect for Terry's offense. Try ET first and then if that does not help...... try Layman.
Seems to me that would make our problems worse. ET would help the defense, but Layman and benching Harkless and Aminu basically rid us of two guys we have who will play defense.
I'd start Meyers Leonard at PF for midrange set shots to spread the floor a little better as ET will be controlling the offense with Dame and CJ running off screens and getting easier set shots.