Houston we have a *little* problem

[PDXKnight]

What’s up with nassir getting 13/17 mpg? Dude has more heart than anyone out there this season and has earned time as far as I’m concerned!

[d-train]

What’s up with nassir getting 13/17 mpg? Dude has more heart than anyone out there this season and has earned time as far as I’m concerned!

Send Blazers your resume. Personally, I differ to Stotts. He's the real expert. I'm a fan. I'm pulling for Little and I know he will get PT when he earns it. Nobody will benefit more than Stotts by our best players getting the most PT.

[Fitz303]

Agreed. And for a team that struggles so much to rebound, he's one of the best ones on the team, and only got 13 minutes last night.

[Fitz303]

What’s up with nassir getting 13/17 mpg? Dude has more heart than anyone out there this season and has earned time as far as I’m concerned!

Send Blazers your resume. Personally, I differ to Stotts. He's the real expert. I'm a fan. I'm pulling for Little and I know he will get PT when he earns it. Nobody will benefit more than Stotts by our best players getting the most PT.

What does this have to do with resumes? You can DEFER to Stotts all you want, but coaches can be wrong. Stotts is notorious for not using rookies unless in a pinch. He's been in a pinch almost all season, and so he's been forced to play Little some minutes, but a lot of us here feel that he's not getting enough on a team that so clearly lacks what he brings.

[d-train]

Little is playing. He's playing 17/game. That's a lot of time. Perhaps he's only playing because Stotts is in a "pinch." I don't know. I think he's playing well.

Stotts hasn't given up on the season and is playing to win. My first question is how should Stotts find more PT for Little and how does that help Blazers get into the playoffs. Many people here have a different objective than Stotts. They are counting lottery balls and want to lose as many games as possible.

[PDXKnight]

Little is playing. He's playing 17/game. That's a lot of time. Perhaps he's only playing because Stotts is in a "pinch." I don't know. I think he's playing well.

Stotts hasn't given up on the season and is playing to win. My first question is how should Stotts find more PT for Little and how does that help Blazers get into the playoffs. Many people here have a different objective than Stotts. They are counting lottery balls and want to lose as many games as possible.

I’d agree we have a different objective as the coach but I’d contend little’s agression and rebounding put us in a better position to win anyhow & I see zero reason to keep a player like him out when he’s done all the things on the court to earn time with his intensity and willingness to play hard regardless of the score. Guys like that make teams better & im curious why he isn’t earning time over tolliver as a small ball pf/center at least. I think he could be a lot better than his counterparts even factoring in size differential

[d-train]

Little is playing. He's playing 17/game. That's a lot of time. Perhaps he's only playing because Stotts is in a "pinch." I don't know. I think he's playing well.

Stotts hasn't given up on the season and is playing to win. My first question is how should Stotts find more PT for Little and how does that help Blazers get into the playoffs. Many people here have a different objective than Stotts. They are counting lottery balls and want to lose as many games as possible.

I’d agree we have a different objective as the coach but I’d contend little’s agression and rebounding put us in a better position to win anyhow & I see zero reason to keep a player like him out when he’s done all the things on the court to earn time with his intensity and willingness to play hard regardless of the score. Guys like that make teams better & im curious why he isn’t earning time over tolliver as a small ball pf/center at least. I think he could be a lot better than his counterparts even factoring in size differential

Tolliver is a better player if you want a player that knows how to help his teammates win a game. If you want a player that is capable of doing a lot of things for himself in a 1-on-1 contest, then perhaps Little is better.

[PDXKnight]

Little is playing. He's playing 17/game. That's a lot of time. Perhaps he's only playing because Stotts is in a "pinch." I don't know. I think he's playing well.

Stotts hasn't given up on the season and is playing to win. My first question is how should Stotts find more PT for Little and how does that help Blazers get into the playoffs. Many people here have a different objective than Stotts. They are counting lottery balls and want to lose as many games as possible.

I’d agree we have a different objective as the coach but I’d contend little’s agression and rebounding put us in a better position to win anyhow & I see zero reason to keep a player like him out when he’s done all the things on the court to earn time with his intensity and willingness to play hard regardless of the score. Guys like that make teams better & im curious why he isn’t earning time over tolliver as a small ball pf/center at least. I think he could be a lot better than his counterparts even factoring in size differential

Tolliver is a better player if you want a player that knows how to help his teammates win a game. If you want a player that is capable of doing a lot of things for himself in a 1-on-1 contest, then perhaps Little is better.

Perhaps if we discount defense yes tolliver is better. But I don’t think it’s even a contest when you compare tolliver’s defensive lapses to littles production on that side of the floor!

[Norm2953]

On a team now with Melo, Dame and CJ, Stotts knows he's going to need guys who will defer and
understand how the game is played. Personally I think at this point of his career, Melo needs to
come off the bench but until they can sell Melo into that role, guys like Tolliver are going to play.

[d-train]

I’d agree we have a different objective as the coach but I’d contend little’s agression and rebounding put us in a better position to win anyhow & I see zero reason to keep a player like him out when he’s done all the things on the court to earn time with his intensity and willingness to play hard regardless of the score. Guys like that make teams better & im curious why he isn’t earning time over tolliver as a small ball pf/center at least. I think he could be a lot better than his counterparts even factoring in size differential

Tolliver is a better player if you want a player that knows how to help his teammates win a game. If you want a player that is capable of doing a lot of things for himself in a 1-on-1 contest, then perhaps Little is better.

Perhaps if we discount defense yes tolliver is better. But I don’t think it’s even a contest when you compare tolliver’s defensive lapses to littles production on that side of the floor!

Defensive production is playing defense. If you believe there is a way to quantify that into stats, you are wrong.

Who is better on defense depends on what you want the defender to do. Tolliver is probably the best defender we have if you want a guy to play his role in a defensive game plan and communicate with his teammates and encourage other players to communicate.

[Epicurus]

A team has a serious personnel problem when a major argument is between those who favor Tolliver v. those who favor Little starting. The correct answer for a team hoping to be at least in the playoffs is NEITHER.

[d-train]

A team has a serious personnel problem when a major argument is between those who favor Tolliver v. those who favor Little starting. The correct answer for a team hoping to be at least in the playoffs is NEITHER.

I disagree. Tolliver represents the kind of player good team's have. There is nothing wrong with Little or having Little on a good team as well. The Bulls had the best recent dynasty in the NBA. Who are their great players beyond Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman/Grant? Players can be great role players on a championship team and not have great individual skills. And, players with great individual skills can be worse than Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman. Those players with great individual skills might not be capable of being a role player. Pippen and Rodman were great players and great role players, however their individual skills were not good enough to lead a team.

[Epicurus]

Umm, I could swear I said "starting." Role playes ( read those not principally on the court to put the ball in the basket, but to do one or more of the other important things) are indeed necessary. Yet, there are starting quality role players and role players who don't start. Thus my comment.

[Sinobas]

Little is playing. He's playing 17/game. That's a lot of time. Perhaps he's only playing because Stotts is in a "pinch." I don't know. I think he's playing well.

Stotts hasn't given up on the season and is playing to win. My first question is how should Stotts find more PT for Little and how does that help Blazers get into the playoffs. Many people here have a different objective than Stotts. They are counting lottery balls and want to lose as many games as possible.

I’d agree we have a different objective as the coach but I’d contend little’s agression and rebounding put us in a better position to win anyhow & I see zero reason to keep a player like him out when he’s done all the things on the court to earn time with his intensity and willingness to play hard regardless of the score. Guys like that make teams better & im curious why he isn’t earning time over tolliver as a small ball pf/center at least. I think he could be a lot better than his counterparts even factoring in size differential

Tolliver is a better player.... if you want a player that knows how to help his teammates win a game. If you want a player that is capable of doing a lot of things for himself in a 1-on-1 contest, then perhaps Little is better.

Once again...you leave me wondering if you are actually serious. You actually used the phrase "tolliver is a better player" in a sentence.

[PDXKnight]

A team has a serious personnel problem when a major argument is between those who favor Tolliver v. those who favor Little starting. The correct answer for a team hoping to be at least in the playoffs is NEITHER.

Correct at this stage that is the case. But when in the last 5 years have we had starting quality front court players other than Nurkic and plumper? Harkless and aminu May have been more capable starters than little at this stage but certainly we didn’t have an enviable front court situation. Our last truly great front court was batum/Aldridge/rolo who all were legit starters at least at the time

[monopoman]

On a team now with Melo, Dame and CJ, Stotts knows he's going to need guys who will defer and
understand how the game is played. Personally I think at this point of his career, Melo needs to
come off the bench but until they can sell Melo into that role, guys like Tolliver are going to play.

From what I hear Melo says he will do whatever it takes to earn his spot in the NBA. I mean he didn't have teams chasing him down and we got him, so It's not like Melo has the power here. **** if Melo had more power in the situation he would have gotten a 2 year guaranteed deal or something instead of a non-guaranteed deal.

I just think Stotts thinks Melo is better than Tolliver, Mario, and Little so Melo starts.

[Goldbum]

I really think this isn’t an either or situation:
Dame/Ant
CJ/Bazemore/Trent
Little/Hood
Melo/Mario
Whiteside(Turdiver)/Skal

Seems like a reasonable bandaid.
Hood+Mario+Bazemore+Ant+Skal feels like a second unit with better play makers.

[d-train]

On a team now with Melo, Dame and CJ, Stotts knows he's going to need guys who will defer and
understand how the game is played. Personally I think at this point of his career, Melo needs to
come off the bench but until they can sell Melo into that role, guys like Tolliver are going to play.

From what I hear Melo says he will do whatever it takes to earn his spot in the NBA. I mean he didn't have teams chasing him down and we got him, so It's not like Melo has the power here. **** if Melo had more power in the situation he would have gotten a 2 year guaranteed deal or something instead of a non-guaranteed deal.

I just think Stotts thinks Melo is better than Tolliver, Mario, and Little so Melo starts.

I think Melo has the skills to help us get our offense with Whiteside running smoothly. I don't know if Melo will accept this role or what his role will be when Nurkic and Collins are back. So far, it seems like Melo is having fun and wants to help the team succeed.

[Capn'O]

A lot of coaches around the league like to get rookies' feet wet with limited minutes and roles before expanding what they're allowed to do. The idea being that this is better for long term development. I don't know if it's actually true or not and it's hard to measure since there's no control... but it's hardly unique to this situation.

Nas has been playing very nicely, no doubt. For a guy whose "feel" was supposed to be his major weak point he's surpassed expectations.