Zombie Time to evaluate

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Schilly, May 4, 2016.

  1. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    Let's be real for a minute here. This team was not built with the intention of making the playoffs this season, Olshey and Stotts have both alluded as such. Making the playoffs was a surprise and very encouraging for the 2nd youngest team and the team with the lowest payroll in the league. This season was a huge success that saw players win awards, Stotts be in the running for COY etc..etc.. But let's be honest. We got through the Clippers in large part because of the injuries they suffered... I'm not saying we might not have won anyway, but having 2 all stars out certainly weighted things in the Blazers favor. On to round 2 and again we are relying on injuries to the other teams best player to keep our hopes alive. This playoffs has been evidence that sometimes it's best to just be lucky. This team though in reality is not built for a legit playoff run, it wasn't intended to be either. So it's hard to take anything away from this season as a collective negative.

    The beauty of the playoffs is it exposes everything about a team, character, mental toughness, strengths weakness' etc...etc... I think it's pretty clear that we are sorely in need of a reliable 3rd scorer on this team, either at the PF or SF position. To me our bench is fine, but if you look at GS (Curry, Thompson, Green) or a healthy LAC (Paul, Griffin, Reddick), or the Spurs (Leonard, Aldridge, Parker) they all have at least 3 reliable scorers, but more than that they have experienced players that can settle a game down and keep composure. What I have seen of the Blazers is a lack of that ability. Sure Dame can step up and make big shots but he also takes risky shots trying to get things going. Most of the rest of the team though kinda goes into "pressing" panic mode. You see a lot of out of control play and shots that are long or hit the rim hard because of adrenaline. So much of that is age and experience.

    All that said I feel really good about this team. I am very confident in the GM, coach and the core that is here, we need an addition to the mix though. Not sure where that comes from, but if we can keep the core (including Meyers) then I think we are in good shape for the coming years... Hopefully a FA sees that too.
     
  2. BrunoSOC

    BrunoSOC Ripcity from Brazil

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    Agree.

    Find a big man, thats what we need. Dame and CJ have only 25 and 24. Maurice is 24 and he improve so much for last year. He easy can be a startert for next season.
     
  3. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    Maurice will be 23 a week from today.
     
  4. KeepOnRollin

    KeepOnRollin Well-Known Member

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    I would absolutely try to get a really good big man in free agency or trade regardless but one thing I think we will see is a huge improvement from Vonleh next year. If that happens then we have two really good (kinda new) bigs and we will be a force to reckoned with.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2016
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  5. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    I know it's an unpopular stance in here, but I really believe Meyers Leonard would be making a significant impact in the playoffs. He can defend the post, and draw the defensive post out of the paint.
     
  6. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    Meyers' game is perfect against some teams and others not so much. The Ws are a team he could thrive against for sure.
     
  7. Minstrel

    Minstrel Top Of The Pops Global Moderator

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    Defending the post wouldn't be hugely helpful against the Warriors, they don't dump the ball down into a post-up big man. The Warriors would endlessly draw Leonard into pick-and-rolls and roast him. They made Kevin Love look like he'd never played basketball before earlier this year, and Leonard is even worse defending in space.
     
  8. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    He would have killed the Clipps too.... But OKC or SAS not so much.
     
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  9. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    Schill- this is why I thought we'd struggle this season. Glad they proved me wrong, but when I say we only had 2 legit NBA starters it was because as this series has proven, I believe we have like 7 solid bench guys. We have a bunch of fantastic 6-8 men on our squad. Still love 'em though.
     
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  10. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    We just can't survive with Harkless/Aminu/Plumlee.

    Other team's are licking their chops. They can just leave them and double Dame or CJ. It's so painful to watch. Dame has had barely a handful of open looks in this series.

    Something I could see happening is a trade for Monroe. Sign Whiteside. Bring back Harkless/Crabbe/Meyers.

    Dame/Roberts?
    CJ/Crabbe
    Harkless/Aminu
    Monroe/Davis
    Whiteside/Meyers

    That's a better team. Monroe adds scoring, Whiteside adds rim protecting, and we can move Aminu to the bench. That's a reasonable summer that I could see happening. Neil has always been interested in Monroe. I'm not sure if Whiteside would sign here, but it's worth a shot.
     
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  11. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    I predicted us to win 28, so I wasn't far off your guess. I think the thing that will be interesting is I see room for Vonleh, Harkless and Plumlee to grow. Vonleh is a very interesting one. I kinda equate him to the Tortoise and the hair. He showed slow but steady progress throughout the season. HE was fine on D, has a good nose for rebounding. His major flaw was like a lot of young guys gets the serious yips when he shoots.
     
  12. B-Roy

    B-Roy If it takes months

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    The spacing is off. Monroe is not a good shooter. Something like sub 40% on long twos, and he can't defend in space at all. He's a center that brings some skills offensively but someone has to work with him on defensive positioning.
     
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  13. illmatic99

    illmatic99 formerly yuyuza1

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    No way we sign two Cs who can't shoot in this current state of the league.
     
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  14. Sinobas

    Sinobas Banned User BANNED

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    I've been saying the exact same thing and everyone's like "sinobas wweewewewewew weeeeeh".
     
  15. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    I don't see us going away from Plumlee.
     
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  16. Schilly

    Schilly Well-Known Member

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    The difference is reading it from Happy Bob Ross or from Emo Marilyn Manson
     
  17. Sinobas

    Sinobas Banned User BANNED

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    It must be the hair!
     
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  18. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    I don't think any reasonable person would object to saying the current Blazers roster isn't complete in terms of being ready to compete for a title. As everybody in this thread has already stated, our front court players need some help, primarily in terms of scoring ability. The guys have played their hearts out and I have nothing but admiration for this team. I agree that Meyers would have been a big help in both series. It was painful seeing Mason trying to score inside last night. He had wide-open mid-range looks that he wasn't comfortable taking so he either tried to pass out, which often resulted in turnovers, or tried to get closer and ended up getting his shots stuffed. Kaman would have been more effective at the offensive end, but he's nowhere near mobile enough to keep up with the Warriors small-ball interior lineup. Meyers would have really been in his element in this series. I'm not sure who Olshey will be able to add this summer, but I'm really looking forward to next season having a better arsenal of big men.
     
  19. B-Roy

    B-Roy If it takes months

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    My problem with Plumlee is that he's got some inherent issues that is preventing him from reaching the next level. Guys like Harkless and Aminu have ideal size and skillsets for their positions, they just need to refine a couple areas of their game and maybe add one or two skills. With Plumlee, it's hard not to see his lack of size preventing him from being a starting center. He does some things well but on a lot of nights he just looks utterly outmatched and outside of developing a three point shot (completely unrealistic at this point), I don't see him as a starting center on a championship team.
     
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  20. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    I agree with this assessment; defenses are collapsing into the paint, and doubling off the center. Why? Because we don't have credible threats to score at the center position, from any distance. Meyers, for all his faults, would alleviate that. And he frustrates the hell out of guys like Bogut, Jordan, and Green.
     
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