I hope it's unfounded but one concern I do have at this point (based more on what I've heard said than what I've seen) is that it sounds like this team wants to have an elite starting perimeter defense. I think selling out with our forwards to try and have what is unattainable with our two starting guards would hurt our interior defense and rebounding... leaving us as an even worse defense than we have been in the past. Maybe I'm way off and these adjustments will not take away from our interior presence on D and will make us much better on the perimeter. Here's to hoping.
Well obviously the team is struggling due to a multitude of issues this preseason. 1st off, they look rusty, especially on offense. After that 1st game everything has been off. Nurk looks to be in shape, but looks like he hasn't shot the basketball at all. He finally hit a hook last night that looked like himself. This won't be popular but, we're too small at PF when Covington is in that position. Millsap made him look bad. He's too small IMO. I suggest starting Melo at PF, and return Robert to his more natural SF spot. At least Melo has size, and he's a WAYYYYY better rebounder than either RoCo, or Jones Jr. The Nuggets are good, but they shot other worldly in the series. I mean, even their bench didn't miss open looks. I feel like the Blazers will hit their groove with shooting. CJ finally hit shots after playing what i feel was his worst half of basketball i've ever seen. Hoody needs minutes. I think a second unit of Hoody, Jones Jr., CJ, Gary, and Enes will have plenty of fire power. No need to jump off the cliff, but these last 3 games were awful. The defense will get better with time and chemistry with the additions, but we need to come out of the gate scoring, and right now, Melo in the starting lineup achieves that.
Funny that he was playing CENTER for the Rockets. But yes: he's no smaller than Aminu, but Aminu was a surprisingly awesome rebounder. But you haven't lost me yet. ...and you completely lost me.
In my view it's going to take a month and a half before we develop the chemistry to win consistently...my 2 cents...hopefully we turn it around quicker than that but this is essentially a new team and a new system. What is familiar with returning guys won't work....right now even our stars are on page one. The offense is going to slip until the defense is solid...defense is a priority and they'll lose a bit figuring it out.
What I learned from this 2018 thread is that the forum was pretty much right that Curry was going to be good and that Swanigan would always suck. They were mixed on their opinions of Staukas, so only half of them were right. That we are still debating two years later whether Nurk should shoot three point shots might tell us something. Maybe he should focus on getting really good finishing around the basket and making short midrange shots.
