Fire Stotts thread

[Epicurus]

Where have I just stated without offering premises for that statement? You are correct proof is not from some ipse dixit declarations, but I think you don't see how much that solely has been offered in the pro-firing position.

[7-12-52]

We are discussing whether Duster calling people a wet blanket is ironic or not. Whether you're right or wrong has no impact on if you're a wet blanket. It is about whether you set out to spoil other people's fun or disapprove of their activities. That is the literal definition.

This is a pro fire Stotts thread. Please explain how he hasn't made his disapproval public? Please explain how declaring the thread stupid isn't an attempt to spoil the fun? Please refute and not just declare yourself right.

I'd rather not have a multi page discussion of whether Duster is a "Wet Blanket Betty" but it is the term he brought into the discussion.

[Epicurus]

Actually by definition much of what you and several others post exemplify wet blankets, as I suppose, haven't seen myself, the Duster meant. The thread is in a forum, meaning pro and con and everything between is legitimate. Why don't you stop characterizing and actually deal with the refutations of your position.

[Ripcity4life]

I have to be honest i am kind of surprised we have heard nothing out of the Blazers brass from this end of season cluster fire but i also like fact they SEEM to be making sure not to rush into any decision. Also it could be that PA is focused on the Seahawks draft and all the questions involving his other team too.

Now that the NFL draft is over maybe we will hear something about if Stotts is on the hot seat if Olshey is on the Hot seat or we go into the offseason praying Olshey can turn some sewer water ( Turner's contract and Myers ) into wine.

[wco81]

So Draymond Green said something like the Pelicans played "garbage" or "gimmick" defense against the Trailblazers, implying that the Blazers made the Pelicans' defense look much better than they really were.

Lot of smack to talk after just the first game of this second round series but the implication is that Blazers only could play one on one with their guards and when they took the ball out of their hands it was too easy to defend them.

Not shocking news but is it a limitation of Stott's coaching or a limitation of the roster?

Yet as long as both guards are on the team, the Blazers will need them to score their recent career averages, unless somehow, the team could trade some of that scoring for giving up fewer points on the other hand.

[Epicurus]

Neither as the problem for three games was the Blazer defense and in the first game missing makeable shot (as shown in SportsVu).

[Wizenheimer]

So Draymond Green said something like the Pelicans played "garbage" or "gimmick" defense against the Trailblazers, implying that the Blazers made the Pelicans' defense look much better than they really were.

Lot of smack to talk after just the first game of this second round series but the implication is that Blazers only could play one on one with their guards and when they took the ball out of their hands it was too easy to defend them.

so, Green is already chippy? I guess it's only a matter of time till AD is rolling around on the floor clutching his manhood

the Pelicans defense sold out to stop Lillard. That was practically the entire defensive focus. They did the same thing to CJ, a little, but that was mostly when Lillard was out of the game. During the regular season, 50% of Lillard's offense came on the PnR, which is easier for a defense to double off and jump the ball-handler. Even when Dame initially got by his man, there were no penetration lanes open as defenders converged on his dribble. CJ relies more on his iso dribble and less on PnR then Dame, and the rotating defense wasn't converging on his penetration lanes like they were on Lillard's. Lillard simply had no air

Blazers made 3rd seed principally because Lillard went into superstar mode for 3 months. He carried them to that seed. But when Lillard isn't Lillard, this Blazer team isn't that good. And to be honest, Lillard played into the defensive intentions by forcing some bad shots and penetrating too far, resulting in lots of turnovers. He could have reacted better

Not shocking news but is it a limitation of Stott's coaching or a limitation of the roster?

both, but I'd say it was more broken roster and lack of talent. Stotts has plenty of coaching flaws, IMO, but against the Pelicans he was armed with knives in a gunfight. IMO, Portland made the mistake of trying to build the team around a pair of undersized-too-redundant-iso-heavy-dribble-happy guards that play poor defense. The Pelicans weren't the first team to harass the Blazer back court with long quick defenders. They had the perfect match in Holiday and Rondo and took it to an extreme level and it worked magnificently for them. And I would imagine, till Portland can either adjust their offense or adjust the roster, what the Pel's did will be the template for how teams attack Portland defensively next season

[Downtown]

So we’ve beat around whether or not Stotts should be fired and everyone has had their say. I’d say we’re fairly split.

But I’d like to ask the question if he was fired which coach could change the way the team plays if Olshey doesn’t make any big moves and it’s basically the same returning roster?

I’m not against bringing in someone new to try and break out of the pack but as mentioned it’s probably both the coach and GM that would need to go if real change was to happen.

And I don’t see that happening. So can anybody say what this roster could do differently with a different coach?

My opinion is while I’m not the biggest Stotts fan and have criticized him he has brought stability to the team and seems to have the players buying in to his method without any drama. If this roster is what it is I don’t know if anyone new can change the culture without changing the personnel.

[DusterBuster]

So Draymond Green said something like the Pelicans played "garbage" or "gimmick" defense against the Trailblazers, implying that the Blazers made the Pelicans' defense look much better than they really were.

Lot of smack to talk after just the first game of this second round series but the implication is that Blazers only could play one on one with their guards and when they took the ball out of their hands it was too easy to defend them.

Not shocking news but is it a limitation of Stott's coaching or a limitation of the roster?

Yet as long as both guards are on the team, the Blazers will need them to score their recent career averages, unless somehow, the team could trade some of that scoring for giving up fewer points on the other hand.

This is a great question which I think gets at the hearty of why I don't think he should be fired. I think he's simply been given fairly flawed and limited rosters, but he's always gotten the most out of what he's had. In the NBA, thats all you can ask of your coach imo. What I look for in a coach is that they get the most out of their players and keep those players together and buying into the system / culture that has been built.

For me, Stotts has never let down in those areas, so I dont see a need to replace him.

[DusterBuster]

So we’ve beat around whether or not Stotts should be fired and everyone has had their say. I’d say we’re fairly split.

But I’d like to ask the question if he was fired which coach could change the way the team plays if Olshey doesn’t make any big moves and it’s basically the same returning roster?

I’m not against bringing in someone new to try and break out of the pack but as mentioned it’s probably both the coach and GM that would need to go if real change was to happen.

And I don’t see that happening. So can anybody say what this roster could do differently with a different coach?

My opinion is while I’m not the biggest Stotts fan and have criticized him he has brought stability to the team and seems to have the players buying in to his method without any drama. If this roster is what it is I don’t know if anyone new can change the culture without changing the personnel.

This is another great question and again why I don't see a need for a change at HC. Coaches can only do so much with what they're given to work with. What is Mike Budinholzer (sp?) or anyone else going to bring to this team to drastically change the trajectory?

Stotts has shown he can adjust his coaching style given a more balanced roster (balanced in the starting 5 that is), but he also has to coach to a team's strengths, and simply put, right now the teams strengths is its guards. If the team goes out and hires JVG to try and transform into a 80ppg defensive minded squad, theyll get run out of arena on a nightly basis.

[Wizenheimer]

I’m not against bringing in someone new to try and break out of the pack but as mentioned it’s probably both the coach and GM that would need to go if real change was to happen.

And I don’t see that happening. So can anybody say what this roster could do differently with a different coach?

My opinion is while I’m not the biggest Stotts fan and have criticized him he has brought stability to the team and seems to have the players buying in to his method without any drama. If this roster is what it is I don’t know if anyone new can change the culture without changing the personnel.

that's kind of my sense of things and the opinions in this thread

some general ambivalence about Stotts, but a recognition that he gets a lot out of the limited rosters he has had. I'll even credit him (without knowing the duties of the assistant coaches) for revamping the Blazer defense. in 2014-15 and this season, with an actual paint presence on defense, Lopez then Nurkic, Stotts has led the team to a top-10 defensive rating, and this season with a rather sieve-like back court

I would wonder if a big man coach would help Nurkic and Collins. I question if Stotts is a good coach for that. I don't know, but the way he used Aldridge is questionable.

the biggest knock on Stotts may be his lack of playoff success. He gets the team there, but they haven't done well afterward. And playoffs always define a team more then the regular season does. Maybe that's unfair...maybe it's not

[7-12-52]

2013-2014 ranked #9 22.5 assists/game
2014-2015 ranked #13 21.6 assists/game
2015-2016 ranked #20 21.3 assists/game
2016-2017 ranked #26 20.9 assists/game
2017-2018 ranked #30 19.5 assists/game

That is the Blazers "progress" as far as assists each of the last 5 years. It is understandable that our assists dropped after the Aldridge, Batum, Matthews exodus but what explains the continued drop? We have reached historically low levels of assists and people really don't think the coach should be blamed?

It should also be noted that the league average rose while the Blazers average fell. The Blazers high of the last 5 years of 22.5 would only be 20th in the current NBA.

[Epicurus]

Assists are among the most minor things to make judgments. efg% is more important, next turnover rate, then rebounding percent, and then getting to the foul line, all contributing to offensive rating. What has been amazing is that for two years after the Exodus the offensive rating stayed up. It dropped this season, probably related to the notable improvement in defensive rating. Now don't read this to say that assists are totally unimportant, but as their worth is only related to efg% and turnover rate.

[Epicurus]

A pass is better than a shot when the pass leads to a basket (i.e., an assist) which was more makeable than the shot without a pass would have been. I would love if we fans could get the data about makeable shots each game. Then maybe we could get a better hold regarding the efficacy of the offense and the players within the offense. We don't and thus hang our claims on things like assists (which are made shots from a pass).

[7-12-52]

2015-2016 ranked #21 11.1 fastbreak pts/game
2016-2017 ranked #22 11.3 fastbreak pts/game
2017-2018 ranked #30 8.4 fastbreak pts/game

That is the Blazers "progress" as far as fast break points per game the 3 years post exodus. We have reached historically low levels of fast break points per game and people really don't think the coach should be blamed?

[Epicurus]

efg%, turnover rate, offensive rebounding, and use of foul line. Fast breaks are instrumental goods, not indicators of anything per se.

Now why have fast breaks pts gone down by 3 from previous years? I suspect because the improvement on defense came at the expense of leaking out until the rebound was secure.

[Downtown]

Portland should look into hiring Jay Triano back as an assistant coach now that he’s officially been let go as head coach of the Suns. He was well liked in Portland and has lots of experience.

[PDXKnight]

As I step back from the heat of the moment I'm leaning towards the thought that we should give stotts 1 more year unless we get an obviously better replacement. Yeah he hasn't been great but as some have said this roster isn't built well for him either. If next season doesn't bring a marked improvement I think change becomes necessary but right now our primary focus should be around replacing the gm from my angle.

While I'd like to see a gm change realistically that might not happen this year. Ultimately I think the time where getting a different gm becomes essential is as Meyers and Et reach their expiring years. I think those expiring contracts should be maximized value wise or if we let them go via fa I'd rather not have a gm in olshey who's proven time and time again that he will waste significant cap space on bad offers/signings whenever he has the chance (Hibbert/Kanter/Monroe/ET/Meyers).

What irritates me the most about olshey is his repetitive inclination to assume spending money on dead weight deals is better than having cap space. While Portland isn't a big fa draw the cap space can be used to facilitate trades or to have the financial means available to keep your existing talent around without worrying about tax bills

[Epicurus]

Again, I must ask, given the variables, what is a marked improvement for next season? Getting into the playoffs with this mishmash of player talent is nothing short of miraculous, and doing this past season with other Western teams adding contributors might be beyond miraculous. Bu, if Nurk, assuming still a Blazer, commits to consistently finish down low and Collings gains some strength and consistent shooting, with all other things remaining nearly equal, I suspect marked improvement may well appear.

[Shem]

Watch on YouTube