Game 8: Portland vs LA Clippers 7:30pm TNT

[Norm2953]

I haven't been enthused over the composition of this team ever since the pre-season game with
the Suns. It's going to take this coach some time before he establishes a playing rotation that he
is comfortable with for he has no PF and nobody on his front line who can be counted on to make
an open shot.

Things will get better for Dame/CJ will keep them in a lot of games and perhaps if they switch
their offense around so Whiteside's role in the offense is as a rim runner, perhaps they can keep
him engaged enough to win as many games as this team can.

[Roy The Natural]

I haven't been enthused over the composition of this team ever since the pre-season game with
the Suns. It's going to take this coach some time before he establishes a playing rotation that he
is comfortable with for he has no PF and nobody on his front line who can be counted on to make
an open shot.

Things will get better for Dame/CJ will keep them in a lot of games and perhaps if they switch
their offense around so Whiteside's role in the offense is as a rim runner, perhaps they can keep
him engaged enough to win as many games as this team can.

It's not even the rotations as much as players not knowing, or playing within expected roles.

Bazemore is trying to do waaaaaaaaayyyyy too much on offense.
Hezonja is as well. I've actually liked Hezonja's defense for the most part, but he needs to play within himself on offense.
Tolliver is still mostly useless.
Whiteside needs to bring energy more consistently, and he's lost a TON of athleticism since 5 years ago. He's pretty mediocre.

Need players to play their roles better. But anyways, this season is sinking right now, the rotation at the 4 spot is just untenable.

[GEE]

I'm not buying this lack of a PF argument. Collins/Skal/Mario works just fine IMO. The problem has been since Stotts got here, he loves to play small ball, using 3 guard lineups, and having his Big men 25 feet from the basket setting screens for his shooters. It's been live or die from the 3, since he got here.

Going small has the added effect of players out of their natural positions, making them look horrible on defense. For instance, in tonight's game, when he played Dame, CJ, and Ant for a majority of the 2nd half, whose playing SF and guarding a guy like a 6'9 Harkless.

The "Stotts just needs some time to figure out the rotations" argument is also bunk. That's what camp and the preseason is for. I'll admit that guys should look a little rusty the first few games, but we're 8 games in and it still looks like your typical AAU, or McDonalds' All-american game. Run and gun, Iso, low assists, low rebounding, Black hole, Hero-ball BS.

To me, the players look like they're putting forth effort, and often too much, as in trying TOO hard. Playing harder, because they don't know, under Stotts' system, how to play smarter. Everything looks forced, and guys don't appear to know their roles, likely because they don't know what position they're playing half the time.

I've seen better coaching at the High-school level Hiring Ants former coach would be a massive upgrade.

[PDXKnight]

The bright side is they’ve mostly been road games. 2 game home stand is gonna be critical momentum going forward

Well if we are giving the team double the FT's every night it won't be a game. So far out of 7 games to start the season we have given the other team in most cases 15 or more FT's more than us.

The fewer games where it's closer on the FT line were Blazer wins.

The more I see Stotts take this **** lying down the more I want a new coach.

Shouldn't have called his bluff, and let him walk. His power move to get that extension really pissed me off, regardless of how good or bad he is as a coach. And for the record, I've been saying he sucks for years now. It has been Dame's leadership and will, that has been the key to the Blazers success, despite Stotts.

Oh come on any coach would do the same after a good year. The good news is it’s only 3 years and with Dame re upped & gonna be old at the end of this next contract Stotts doesn’t have as many cards next time around

[zzaj]

Kind of a crazy game...it smelled like the Clips were going to run away with it at multiple times, and yet they never did. Despite being up by (I think) 11 at one point, it never felt like the Blazers were going to extend that lead.

This was a very winnable game, just like the Philly and Spurs game. IMO, this is where we are seeing the lack of continuity really show itself. In years past it seems like the Blazers were able to get more focused as a team for the end of game blow-by-blow.

On the national TNT feed, Chuck and Shaq especially were calling out Whiteside for not playing with "effort" in a contract year. I rarely call out a player's "effort" because who knows what's actually going on...but in this case, I tend to agree. He had a little dominant stretch at the beginning of the 3rd last night, but in general he's not playing like the biggest and strongest player on the court. He's slow to get back on defense and unless he's gift wrapped a block, he's simply not playing good man or help defense in or out of his area.

It was interesting to see Simons play in the closing minutes. I suppose that's a good sign. He's obviously a work in progress, but he seems to have the DNA and mental makeup to hit shots in important moments.

I've said it a few times now, but Bazemore is simply trying to do too much defensively. I don't know if that's a switch that he can turn off. I'm not that worried about his offense. It's about what I expected.

We're getting exactly what Mario can likely give. Great for a play or two, not so great the next two--inconsistency. He's playing the Layman role right now, with perhaps a little better off the dribble game.

I counted 4 times last night where CJ stopped the ball moving early in the shotclock because he was looking to feed a mismatch in the post that never really materialized. That stoppage allowed the already good Clips defense to regroup. And every single time it ended with CJ taking an ill-advised shot despite wide open players on the strongside perimeter.

In sum, the Blazers could very easily be a .500 team right now...which is about what they look like to me, and about where I guessed they'd end up at the end of the year. The road games aren't helping a team that is already in 'trying to figure it out' mode. I suspect they'll get hot for a small stretch of games, but in reality just making the POs might be tough. It's pretty obvious that every team in the NBA can now gameplan for the Lillard/CJ backcourt...and while they likely won't stop them both, they can make both of them have to work VERY hard.

[PDXKnight]

Kind of a crazy game...it smelled like the Clips were going to run away with it at multiple times, and yet they never did. Despite being up by (I think) 11 at one point, it never felt like the Blazers were going to extend that lead.

This was a very winnable game, just like the Philly and Spurs game. IMO, this is where we are seeing the lack of continuity really show itself. In years past it seems like the Blazers were able to get more focused as a team for the end of game blow-by-blow.

On the national TNT feed, Chuck and Shaq especially were calling out Whiteside for not playing with "effort" in a contract year. I rarely call out a player's "effort" because who knows what's actually going on...but in this case, I tend to agree. He had a little dominant stretch at the beginning of the 3rd last night, but in general he's not playing like the biggest and strongest player on the court. He's slow to get back on defense and unless he's gift wrapped a block, he's simply not playing good man or help defense in or out of his area.

It was interesting to see Simons play in the closing minutes. I suppose that's a good sign. He's obviously a work in progress, but he seems to have the DNA and mental makeup to hit shots in important moments.

I've said it a few times now, but Bazemore is simply trying to do too much defensively. I don't know if that's a switch that he can turn off. I'm not that worried about his offense. It's about what I expected.

We're getting exactly what Mario can likely give. Great for a play or two, not so great the next two--inconsistency. He's playing the Layman role right now, with perhaps a little better off the dribble game.

I counted 4 times last night where CJ stopped the ball moving early in the shotclock because he was looking to feed a mismatch in the post that never really materialized. That stoppage allowed the already good Clips defense to regroup. And every single time it ended with CJ taking an ill-advised shot despite wide open players on the strongside perimeter.

In sum, the Blazers could very easily be a .500 team right now...which is about what they look like to me, and about where I guessed they'd end up at the end of the year. The road games aren't helping a team that is already in 'trying to figure it out' mode. I suspect they'll get hot for a small stretch of games, but in reality just making the POs might be tough. It's pretty obvious that every team in the NBA can now gameplan for the Lillard/CJ backcourt...and while they likely won't stop them both, they can make both of them have to work VERY hard.

Lots of road games and depth is lacking currently. I don’t think we are a .500 team, I think we need to be about .500 on the road and 75 percent at home to make the playoffs and I still think that is in the realm of possibility if we can add 1-2 depth pieces (namely if pau comes back and can produce 15 mpg)

[BlazersBroncos]

It's pretty obvious that every team in the NBA can now gameplan for the Lillard/CJ backcourt...and while they likely won't stop them both, they can make both of them have to work VERY hard.

This is why I keep pounding the table for Gallo. We need another guy that can get buckets. I know the defense stinks, but most defense stinks in this itineration of the NBA. The real issue is starting caliber talent. I like the young guys as much as the next, but end of the day the only clear-cut above average NBA starters on this team are Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Adding Gallo gives us a third, and once Nurkic is back, a fourth. And finally, when Zach is back a guy that might move into that category.

As it stands, we are starting a 12th man and a 7-8th man. For all the pitchforks out about Tolliver, lets not let Rodney slide. He is the epitome of average and not a guy that would start on a truly good team. He disappears for long stretches, as he always has. On a talent level, he shouldn't even be relied upon as a 6th man, he isn't dynamic enough. He is a swing who should be 2-3rd off the bench and get 20-22mpg, who can keep the boat afloat while the real starters rest but isn't going to do much to win the game. He needs to be reverted to this role, and we need to find a true starting talent to take his place.

It wouldn't be fun to lose a defender like Kent, but this team isn't making the playoffs unless we do a move for another clear cut above-average starter. Its more than clear that Gallo should be that guy when looking at realistic options.

[zzaj]

It's pretty obvious that every team in the NBA can now gameplan for the Lillard/CJ backcourt...and while they likely won't stop them both, they can make both of them have to work VERY hard.

This is why I keep pounding the table for Gallo. We need another guy that can get buckets. I know the defense stinks, but most defense stinks in this itineration of the NBA. The real issue is starting caliber talent. I like the young guys as much as the next, but end of the day the only clear-cut above average NBA starters on this team are Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Adding Gallo gives us a third, and once Nurkic is back, a fourth. And finally, when Zach is back a guy that might move into that category.

As it stands, we are starting a 12th man and a 7-8th man. For all the pitchforks out about Tolliver, lets not let Rodney slide. He is the epitome of average and not a guy that would start on a truly good team. He disappears for long stretches, as he always has. On a talent level, he shouldn't even be relied upon as a 6th man, he isn't dynamic enough. He is a swing who should be 2-3rd off the bench and get 20-22mpg, who can keep the boat afloat while the real starters rest but isn't going to do much to win the game. He needs to be reverted to this role, and we need to find a true starting talent to take his place.

It wouldn't be fun to lose a defender like Kent, but this team isn't making the playoffs unless we do a move for another clear cut above-average starter. Its more than clear that Gallo should be that guy when looking at realistic options.

I’m on board with Gallo, although I’m a bit averse to investing in players with his type of injury history.

I partially disagree about Hood. He seems like a system player to me—given the right situation he could thrive. Outside of the past couple games he’s been very efficient at a low usage, which will be particularly important in a Lillard/CJ/Nurkic lineup. He absolutely does go through passive stretches, like you mentioned.

Last night I found myself pining for an energy player like Harrell, which is a little bit like what Faried may have brought had he not signed in China.

[d-train]

Whiteside is simply not fitting in as well as Kanter did. It's early, there is a lot of time to work it out, but Kanter fit like a glove immediately. I guess how fast it happens isn't as important as will it happen. It's beginning to look like we need to simplify Whiteside's role on offense.

[monopoman]

In sum, the Blazers could very easily be a .500 team right now...which is about what they look like to me, and about where I guessed they'd end up at the end of the year. The road games aren't helping a team that is already in 'trying to figure it out' mode. I suspect they'll get hot for a small stretch of games, but in reality just making the POs might be tough. It's pretty obvious that every team in the NBA can now gameplan for the Lillard/CJ backcourt...and while they likely won't stop them both, they can make both of them have to work VERY hard.

With how much more difficult the first 20 games of this season is if we are anywhere near .500 after it that is a good sign for the future. I also will say a lot of these losses have been VERY close, over the course of a season those 1-3 point losses usually even out and you start turning them into 1-3 point wins.

If this team truly looked bad they should be getting blown out by the good teams overall.