the more is see from Enes the more i tend to think that he should be our starting Center in the future. Nurk has more Talent, but Enes has also strengths as well My Pro Enes arguments: We know exactly what we will get from him night in night out: -Scoring, rebounds, double doubles, hustle and Heart, good chemistry with Dame, - his defense isn't as bad as we thought in Portland - we made the WCF with him - he's available and with Nurk you never know My arguments against Nurk: - bad finnishing at the rim - our defense isn't much better with him - lazy effort on many nights - massive injury prone - we have not won one single playoff series with him as the starting Center Who knows, maybe i will look stupid and Nurk makes me eat shit in the future (hopefully he does because that means the Blazers are in good shape!)
Nurk's strength is getting the ball outside and finding cutters with assists, wait for him to develop this chemistry with Derek Jones Junior we'll have a dunk fest. Also he has his signature statue-of-liberty move that he perfected where he takes the ball inside with the ball in his right hand above his head, a thing of beauty.
Nurk could improve his touch around the rim and learn to use head fakes. Enes does both reasonably well. Nurk is a much better rim protector and is a very good passing center. Kanter is willing to come off the bench and do whatever is asked, Im not sure Nurk would be happy being a non starter. I dont see him not starting when he returns.
We already watched a game this season where Nurk was not effective and Kanter was. Stotts played Kanter down the stretch. Nobody seemed to have a problem with that. Nurk will have his games where he goes for 20-20. Those will be his nights. Basketball is a team sport. Teams that can adjust win games in the playoffs.
He needs to prove he is healthy first IMO. I would not start him immediatley. The longer he is out the more chemistry Kanter is developing with the other starters. If they are playing poorly before Nurk gets back then sure there is nothing to lose by starting him. But if they are playing well I would not break that unit up. Hell, I would even bring CJ back off the bench if this unit is playing well. The difference though was CJ was playing well when he got hurt. Nurk was not. Nurk needs a full offseason IMO where he is completely healthy and can get back to excellent shape. Nurk did not impress me earlier in the season. If he is upset over being a non-starter too bad. But I don't think he would be considering the circumstances.
If Nurk just dunked the fucking ball instead of flipping up weird shots in the paint, he'd be a monster on offense. I don't know if anyone Nurk's size can be a great defender in the NBA today just due to the fact that so many teams have big men that can shoot the three. Kanter is a phenomenal rebounder, he hustles and is a better finisher than Nurk. Kanter is not much better than Nurk is on perimeter D and he's not in Nurk's league when it comes to protecting the paint. I would actually choose neither as our starter. I like Kanter as a backup. Like I was saying Nurk is a bit antiquated on defense unless you have a great perimeter defense around him and we don't, so I'd love to trade him in a deal that would get us a more mobile big. That being said, I'd like to see a lot of moves made to make the team more complementary for Dame.
In the West you better have a big center to match up against Rudy, Ayton & Joker. Id like a more mobile center but guys like Capella arent any better than Nurk or Kanter.
Yep I have always thought you need two types of centers. A wide-body C who can bang underneath and a mobile C who can cover other bigs on the perimeter. (Same with PFs as well)
At this point I think Kanter should remain the starter. He’s earned it and he’s part of the chemistry that is forming. Nurkic will only slow down the team (this season) and he’d be more of a help on the second unit with Carmelo, Hood and Ant.
I don't think Stotts would ever let a guy lose his starting spot to injury. Stotts doesn't talk about people having earned things in present tense, he only talks about it in past tense. I also don't buy into the term "second unit" because if you want Nurk playing with Melo, Hoodie and Ant, that doesn't mean that Nurk can't start. You just make sure they play together when the bench players are in the game. For the record, if I was the coach I would only start Nurk if he came back in fantastic shape but if I were the coach I would demand that he dunks down low... no more weak flip up shit.
Only thing is Trent might want to go somewhere and start. He will get paid regardless. Can he be a starting SF?
Nurk’s D, passing, and rolling is better than Kanter. He will start when he returns. Kanter will be best backup big in NBA. I think we’re the only team that had 3 players in double figures off the bench when we’re healthy.
I think they make a dominant center pair. I think you start Nurk because Enes will produce in either role. You play them both equal minutes and which ever one is producing finishes the game.
Seeing some photos with Nurk in a suit on the bench you can tell Enes and Jusuf are close...they talk alot and this is a good thing...we keep both our big guys
