whatchaknow wrote:d-train wrote:Wizenheimer wrote:
we shouldn't get bogged down in a traditional definition of PG's. We shouldn't be thinking players like Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo. At least not exclusively. When I say I think Portland needs another PG, it's not necessarily guys like those. I mean Portland needs at least one more player that has PG handles AND PG vision. It's the lack of that player that has allowed teams in the playoffs to trap and double Dame which in turn has crippled the Blazer offense. Dame has been the only player who can run the offense consistently against all kinds of defenses. He's not a great PG, but contrary to the assertions of a couple of posters here, Dame is a good PG. We've seen it. He's good because he has those two ingredients: handles and vision
Batum had the vision but he didn't have the handles. Turner had handles, but when he was using them, his eyes were down too much. He didn't have the vision. CJ has great handles but no PG vision. And I suspect at this stage of his career, Simons won't have the vision either. Napier and Curry were just small SG's. And please don't suggest Hezonja as a solution
We've seen it over and over: Portland has a weakness when Dame is limited or removed from the equation....none of his teammates have the ability to consistently run the offense and punish a Dame-focused defense enough to force adjustments. And the notion that a bunch of average role-playing wings will generate an offense so optimal it will run itself is laughable.
The difference between Lillard and CJ at PG isn't vision. It's the ability to move the defense into rotation. Lillard is a much stronger player going to the basket and that is the threat that the defense responds to. The rare times that CJ is at the point, he actually has done better at passing the ball than LIllard, IMO. LIllard's biggest challenge is decision making. And, it's not a problem that is easily remedied. The reason teams are able to trap him and get away with it is his decision making isn't as instinctual as it is for CP3 or Rondo. The way the Blazers are trying to combat the trapping defenses is by giving Lillard easier options.
I would say the reason teams can trap Lillard is because he has no outlet or pressure release to make the defense pay. We would see Steph have the same problems as dame if he didn’t have draymond to pass to off those traps and play 4 on 3 with essentially a pg caliber playmaker attacking downhill on a defense. With dame his outlets were aminu or Kanter or nurk or Collins and only 1-2 shooters to worry about. So there was never a real threatening 4 on 3 because at any given time defenses don’t even have to worry about hark or aminu. But I know what you’re saying dame does have bad habits with his decision making which I credit a lot due to size, he often gets stuck in traffic without a real game plan.
dames stagnant after he passes out of the trap whereas curry is potentially the greatest pg of all time at moving off the ball. hes relocating as soon as he passes out of the trap and getting himself open. thats the biggest difference between steph and dame.
