Trail Blazers Shun the Pass, and It Costs Them in the Playoffs

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Rastapopoulos, Apr 18, 2018.

  1. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Yep, all we need is a guy at the 3 who is a stud defender, deadeye shooter, strong ball handler, and excellent distributor, and we'll be just fine... :rolleyes:
     
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  2. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    Or we could trade one of our two best players and still not have that. I think, like Toronto, we are close. And like Toronto, I favor tweaking what we have over blowing it up.

    BNM
     
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  3. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    So basically Batum when he got a bug up his ass and decided to play well in one game out of ten?
     
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  4. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Or we could have an offensive scheme that is not dependent on having a Lebron clone at SF. But I'm probably asking too much.
     
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  5. blue9

    blue9 Well-Known Member

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    Not at all surprising, but an awful way to coach. He's Slow D'Antoni. As much as I like the nickname Tater Totts, I think Slow D'Antoni might have to enter the rotation.
     
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  6. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    D'An-Slow-ni?
     
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  7. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    Please design an offense that maximizes our current roster, without adding a third ballhandler and submit your resume.

    I think we both agree we need more ball movement and fewer ISOs from Dame and C.J. I think the best/easiest way to get that is to add a third ball handler who doesn't play the same position and as the two we already have.

    Right now, our best line up is Chief at the 4 and Moe at the 3. Do you trust either of them to take the pressure off when other teams blitz Dame and C.J.? Do you want either of them bringing the ball up the floor and initiating the offense against playoff level defense? Isn't this the fundamental concept of every team that plays us in the playoffs - blitz Dame and C.J. and force the "others" to beat you? Seems to work pretty damn good, too.

    BNM
     
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  8. PtldPlatypus

    PtldPlatypus Let's go Baby Blazers! Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    I don't I have to claim I can do a better job personally in order to say that looking around the league, given the skillsets and limitations of other teams, that it's not unreasonable to believe that an offensive scheme exists that would have our current roster higher than last in the league in assists.

    But like I said, perhaps I'm asking too much.
     
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  9. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    Being 2nd or 3rd to last in assists isn't going to fix our current problem. I think to make enough difference to matter, we need a better system and a forward who can handle the ball.

    And by a forward who can handle the ball, I mean one (not Evan Turner) who isn't just a third ISO option.

    All of our ball handlers rely far too much on creating their own shot. All (especially Dame and C.J.) would shoot better playing of the ball more.

    Look at these %assisted 2FG numbers:

    Dame = -.180
    C.J. = .218
    Turner = .236
    Napier = .241

    Compare those numbers to a team like GSW:

    Curry = .417
    Klay = .743
    Livingston = .529
    Cook = .408

    BNM
     
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  10. Haakzilla

    Haakzilla Well-Known Member

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    ...with all of the assist trends posted above it's safe to say, "The Flow is Dead, The Flow is Dead, Long Live the Flow"

    **great article btw @Rastapopoulos
     
  11. handiman

    handiman Well-Known Member

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    Or, to Never Stop Never Stopping, "D'Antoni?"
     
  12. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    And this is on the coach. 100% on the coach. This is the most damning evidence against Stotts to date.
     
  13. Boob-No-More

    Boob-No-More Why you no hire big man coach?

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    I disagree (on the 100% part). GSW has a power forward who has led the team in assists for the last three seasons. That allows their guards, especially their PG to play off the ball and get a LOT more catch and shoot opportunities. They also have a back up PG that is 6'7" allowing them to play 3-guard lineups against other teams that refuse to play small ball, again allowing their starting PG to play off the ball.

    The only player we have on our roster over 6'3" capable of running an offense is Turner, and this is where Stotts is partially accountable (he's using Turner way to much on ISOs), but who is our Draymond? Do you honestly want to run our offense through Aminu or Harkless? Where is out 6'7" back up PG?

    You can't blame this 100% on Stotts. If you give him the equivalent roster to GSW and he failed sure, but he doesn't have a starting forward capable of dribbling the ball without sending the entire home crowd into panic. I had hoped Turner would be our Livingston, a 6'7" ball handler that would let Dame and C.J. play off the ball. He's not. Olshey oversold (and overpaid) Turner, and lacking a Draymond equivalent, we end up seeing a LOT of ISOs from our best players.

    So, if we're going to blame people, blame Olshey, Stotts and to a lesser extent Turner for not being better. No one gets 100% of the blame. But no one gets a free pass either.

    BNM
     
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  14. dviss1

    dviss1 Emcee Referee

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    People lose me when they start talking about what someone else it's thinking...
     
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  15. BonesJones

    BonesJones https://www.youtube.com/c/blazersuprise

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    Napier contributes mightily to this problem too. Even Turner, who was a 5+ assists per game guy at the end of his tenure in Boston has turned into a dribble+dribble+dribble+spin+dribble+bullshitmidrangefadaway type of guy.
     
  16. dviss1

    dviss1 Emcee Referee

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    @PtldPlatypus:

    I can't fly a helicopter, but if I walk down the street and see a helicopter in a tree, I can safely say, "dude fucked up!"

    :lol:
     

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