Game 10: Portland vs Atlanta 6:00pm SNW

[GEE]

I've said it before, but will say it again... In previous seasons I've been a huge supporter of CJ. I think his game is special in that, he can create his own shot better than most in the NBA. A bit of an assassin, especially in the mid-range game. With that said, something about him seems quite different about him this year, and I think he may be getting tired of playing second fiddle. A little jelly, which I can understand.

With that said, I think it could be in the best interests of both the Blazers and CJ, with the emergence of Simons, to look for a possible trade that could make him "The Man" on another team, and make him an All-Star in the process. Sending him to the Eastern conference would certainly do this. If we could accomplish this, while bringing in a player that plays at a position of greater need, it would help the Blazers chances of a championship run for the next few years. Dame is in his prime, and the window is open.

This is why I've suggested a deal in February could be a possibility. K Love, as an example, could play both PF or C, next to any other big we currently have. I've also suggested in the past, a return of LA12, but think that's less likely due to the Spurs still being competitive. Griffen too is an option, if you like him. Personally I'm not really, as I think most of his greatness comes from pure athletic ability, and that's surely in decline.

These are merely ideas, and won't even be an option until around February. And for the record, someone must like them because if you look back, I was the one that suggested that we package our #15 and #20 pick, try to to trade it to SAC, and draft Collins. Look it up.

Also, simply attacking other people's ideas does not make you smart, it just makes you a jerk... Jerk.

[Wizenheimer]

I've said it before, but will say it again... In previous seasons I've been a huge supporter of CJ. I think his game is special in that, he can create his own shot better than most in the NBA. A bit of an assassin, especially in the mid-range game. .

about that, last season,

* 11.3% of CJ's possessions were isolation. He scored 0.96 ppp which ranked in the 71st percentile. In other words, 29% of NBA player were better in isolation

* 28.7% of CJ's possessions were as the PnR ball handler. He scored .097 ppp which ranked in the 83rd percentile. In other words, 17% of NBA ball-handlers were better in the PnR (Dame was in the 95th percentile)

* 11.7% of CJ's possessions were on handoffs. He scored 1.04 ppp which is in the 74th percentile. 26% of the NBA was better

* 13.8% of CJ's possessions were transition. He scored 1.10 ppp which is in the 47th percentile. 53% of the NBA was better

overall, these aren't bad numbers, but they aren't close to elite either, and they don't really show high efficiency. CJ's biggest problem in terms of creating his own offense is that he doesn't get to the foul line. Last season, he shot better than Dame on both three's (.375 vs .369) and two's (.506 vs .499), but Dame crushed CJ in TS%, (.588 vs .553) and in points/shot, 1.35 vs 1.18; and Dame was always drawing more defensive attention. The FT line is important, and it's a reason why CJ doesn't crack the 85th percentile in any of those ball-handling possessions

(nothing really explains why CJ was so bad in transition except that all the Blazers sucked in transition, except for Harkless and Layman...it was a team weakness)