Zach Collins - DNP - Coach’s Decision Evan Turner - DNP - Coach’s Decision These two have been dreadful for 3 games now. Seen enough to know they just aren’t going to be much help here. Collins killed us on defense tonight. He’s not tough enough to board and he’s not quick enough to contest perimeter shots. Turner is just a complete waste of minutes, period. And my goodness, if Terry plays that all-bench lineup to end the 1st/start the 2nd quarter in game 4 I might swan dive off my roof. OKC played 9 guys tonight and 3 of their guys off the bench played 15 min or less. Huge moment in the game was Donovan having WB George and Grant ALL back in the game EARLY in the 4th while Dame sat and watched, and Collins and Meyers got abused in the P&R and on tag help off the P&R. You don’t need to play so many guys Terry. It’s the playoffs. Just saying.
Collins played fine tonight. Got raped by the refs but what else is new. The adjustment on Turner has already been made. Stotts benched him in the entire 2nd half and he looks to be skating on thin ice for rotation minutes.
Collins was brutal during the most important stretch of the game. Not saying it’s his fault , necessarily. But he doesn’t need to be starting the 4th Q against 3 OKC starters and Dennis Schroder. Terry blew that, hugely.
I remember a couple of soft foul calls on him, otherwise not much about his 4th quarter minutes stood out negatively to me.
I would give Meyers a few more min and give the starters a few more min a piece at this point. Unless we’re in foul trouble there’s no reason to be playing two Centers 14 min a piece Kanter 29 min. That’s 43 min between 3 centers. Pick a back up and roll with him. There’s zero reason Collins and Leonard should be on the floor together to start the 4th Q in a two possession game. OKC wasn’t even killing us inside tonight. It was the 15 3’s.
Around 10 min mark he gave up an O-Board to Noel. Possession later got beat badly on P&R coverage (which I mostly blame Terry for how we covered Schroder, but still). He was WAY late contesting Grant on a 3. CJ got beat somewhere in between those few possessions. And then Zach picked up another foul before Kanter came back in. Went from a tie with 10 min left to OKC up 7 with 8 min left. All with Collins+ Leonard on the floor together.
So collins subs for aminu and meyers for Kanter. If collins doesn't sub for aminu, who does????? Thats why they were in together. Unless you think skal is ready?
Not sure layman at the four isn't a bigger liability than collins. At least collins brings interior d against drives.
Playoff Aminu is shooting 33%. Hood is shooting 31% Turner a unbelievable brick laying 14%. Some guy who is glued t0 the bench had a SEASON LONG .579 eFG%. That is on Stotts to not have even given him some run especially at home. One 2 minute in and out jerk session is ridiculous.
I think Curry needs to play with Dame/CJ. Curry needs to be the outlet valve when OKC is blitzing Dame/CJ. They are daring POR to swing the ball to Harkless/Aminu for 3s. Curry would make them pay for that strategy.