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best from his players. The players may get upset but that’s what this team needs. Look at a player like Jimmy Butler who gets his Minny team to the playoffs for the first time in KAT’s era and then nearly gets Philly into the ECF. Dame lacks that killer attitude. Dame is almost too nice and doesn’t demand that type of accountability.

Blazers20 wrote:best from his players. The players may get upset but that’s what this team needs. Look at a player like Jimmy Butler who gets his Minny team to the playoffs for the first time in KAT’s era and then nearly gets Philly into the ECF. Dame lacks that killer attitude. Dame is almost too nice and doesn’t demand that type of accountability.

Usually I try to be a golden rule, diplomatic, take the high road poster but this one of the stupidest posts I've ever seen on this board.

Damian got this team into the WCF last year, not nearly like Butler. Dame got the Blazers into the playoffs this season after a heroic effort in the bubble. Damian got the Blazers into the playoffs the year after LaMarcus Aldridge skipped town without us getting anything in return.

Multiple people in the NBA have said Damian Lillard is among the best leaders, if not the very best, in the association.

In the last 2 days: “Fire Stotts and dame’s leadership sucks.” Blazers 20 is drinking some good beer I think

Those guys who will insist and demand the very best from their team mates don't grow on trees but
Portland already has that player in Dame. Dame's problem is that only Nurk is good enough to start
for a playoff team in the front court.

I look at what a player like Butler and what he has done and again he has carried teams into the postseason just like Dame but I see Dame allow his teammates to be lazy on defense and not go after loose balls and miss easy layups without saying a word to his teammates. I’d like to see more fire from Dame and really be a vocal leader and hold teammates accountable. This team plays with no urgency, it’s taken that laid back Stotts attitude.

Blazers20 wrote:I look at what a player like Butler and what he has done and again he has carried teams into the postseason just like Dame but I see Dame allow his teammates to be lazy on defense and not go after loose balls and miss easy layups without saying a word to his teammates. I’d like to see more fire from Dame and really be a vocal leader and hold teammates accountable. This team plays with no urgency, it’s taken that laid back Stotts attitude.

You know how you hold a team accountable? You hold yourself accountable.

And that's -exactly- what Damian does. He never throws people under the bus, he takes criticism. He is a fantastic leader.

Sometimes you're just overmatched. Sometimes you're just exhausted. Sometimes you're rail thin in depth.

We are all those things right now.

Questioning Damian's leadership is something that you'd expect from a 2020 that doesn't make any sense.

The Sebastian Express wrote:

Blazers20 wrote:I look at what a player like Butler and what he has done and again he has carried teams into the postseason just like Dame but I see Dame allow his teammates to be lazy on defense and not go after loose balls and miss easy layups without saying a word to his teammates. I’d like to see more fire from Dame and really be a vocal leader and hold teammates accountable. This team plays with no urgency, it’s taken that laid back Stotts attitude.

You know how you hold a team accountable? You hold yourself accountable.

And that's -exactly- what Damian does. He never throws people under the bus, he takes criticism. He is a fantastic leader.

Sometimes you're just overmatched. Sometimes you're just exhausted. Sometimes you're rail thin in depth.

We are all those things right now.

Questioning Damian's leadership is something that you'd expect from a 2020 that doesn't make any sense.

+1,000
This is what guys like Skip Bayless will never get. I listened to him rail on about Dame's post season record and I kept thinking "How often was he the favorite? How many of those teams did he will into the playoffs when the didn't belong?"
I'll throw something else into the hat... if Dame is on the Lakers last year and Bron is not...that team makes the playoffs...

They are professionals, these sound like excuses. Again I blame Stotts and Olshey.

They are professionals, these sound like excuses. Again I blame Stotts and Olshey.

Looking forward to an eventful offseason in Blazer land.

I’m hoping for something big but I’m sure I’ll be disappointed.

Silly thread is silly.

Dames leadership is one of the major reasons why this team is a successful as it has been. He is constantly exceeding league wide expectations and doing so while holding him and his teammates accountable.

Nurkic was said to have a bad attitude......look how that has turned out?

Whiteside was suppose to have a bad attitude, how has that turned out?

If they handed out awards for having the best and tightest locker room, Blazers would be the GOAT.

Why do you think players are truly sad to leave Portland since Dame has been here?

Acting like the only effective leadership style is the way Jimmy Butler acts is a **** joke. They say Abraham Lincoln was one of the nicest guys around and his leadership style was VERY effective. I also think the guys that are nice have the advantage of on rare occasion getting pissed and then that acts like a HUGE wake up call. Meanwhile if you act like Jimmy Butler the entire time you have no where to go.

Anyways with TC's hot button topics, it seems like being a Blazer fan is not up your alley why don't you go bandwagon onto some random team bud.

Blazers20 wrote:I look at what a player like Butler and what he has done and again he has carried teams into the postseason just like Dame but I see Dame allow his teammates to be lazy on defense and not go after loose balls and miss easy layups without saying a word to his teammates. I’d like to see more fire from Dame and really be a vocal leader and hold teammates accountable. This team plays with no urgency, it’s taken that laid back Stotts attitude.

Maybe this happens behind the scene. Why publicly shame one of your team members. That certainly is not effective leadership, which is what you say you are looking for. Passion is one thing, leadership is something else all together. I question what it is you are actually looking for.

We dont need a leader, we need better talent. This roster just isnt that good.

A GM change is fine, a coaching change is fine, but until we find a way to infuse the team with higher end talent in the end it wont matter.

I'm all for upgrading the talent, but an upgrade or two in the coaching department is also needed, to improve the leadership of this team. I've been thinking about Stotts, and think he needs to convince Olshey and the Vulcans to bring in top level assistant coaches, if he wants to keep his job.

I see Stotts like a great offensive coordinator in the NFL, but not great as a head coach. He's been successful in Portland and has taught Dame a ton, but at some point, Dame has learned about as much as he can from any given coach.

Solution, get Terry some help and hire Jason Kidd to take Dames' game and on-court leadership to the next level. All other current assistant coaches, at the very least, need to be evaluated.

Also, go get the best defensive coordinator you can find. Ultimately this will all lye on Terry's willingness, or not, to give up some of his control for the betterment of the team's success. IMO.

Stotts' contribution to Lillard (and thus to the team) has been to give Dame the latitude to excel in accord to Dame's talents and propensities. Given the egomania of some NBA head coaches, that would not have happened. Indeed a coach like Kidd would have tried to suppress that in Dame which didn't fit the Kidd mode (the trouble that Kidd had with some Bucks' players). I am old enough to remember when Coach Bob Cousy tried that with the Big O. There is a big difference between being a great player and being able to assist present players to be good contributors.

I agree the coaching staff could use a little help on the defensive end, but the players have a leader. The Blazers could also use some players that are defensive minded, as well, but the players have a leader.

Just in case I wasn't clear... the players have a leader!!!

I don’t think Lillard should had left his team in Orlando.

Blazers20 wrote:I don’t think Lillard should had left his team in Orlando.

Thanks, doctor. We all appreciate your thoughts.