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More great content from Jason Quick at The Athletic. Probably the best news I've read in a while regarding taking this team's depth and personell and finally making a change to our defensive schemes.

some tidbits

The biggest change is the Blazers will no longer exclusively drop the big man on the pick-and-roll, instead instructing him to meet the screener. It is a more aggressive approach to defense and in theory should put more pressure on the ball handlers to give up the ball.

Stotts also said the Blazers should have more defensive looks than in the past. Stotts was reluctant in previous seasons to trap or double-team, but he said this year’s team will do a little bit of everything.

“The idea is that we will still have multiple coverages: we’ll switch, show, blitz, drop, be up … but our primary coverage will be more aggressive than it has in the past,” Stotts said.

After watching teams feast on us in the mid range for 7 years I'll believe it when I see it, but this is great news if we actually do it.

This isn't a change in philosophy at all. If Hassan is your only big man and rim protector, what are you going to do? You are going to drop your big man into the paint because that is by far your best option. When you replace your 1 big man with limited mobility with Collins, RoCo, DJJ, and Giles you have more better options.

Case2012 wrote:After watching teams feast on us in the mid range for 7 years I'll believe it when I see it, but this is great news if we actually do it.

Unfortunately, last season opponents deliberately eschewed more often the available midrange shot for three point fgas. Although they did make any more of their three attempts than the previous season, they took many more (and less midranges). In sum, you want opponents to take midrange shot with its not much greater conversion rates, but less value. I don't understand your criticism, in other words.

Epicurus wrote:

Case2012 wrote:After watching teams feast on us in the mid range for 7 years I'll believe it when I see it, but this is great news if we actually do it.

Unfortunately, last season opponents deliberately eschewed more often the available midrange shot for three point fgas. Although they did make any more of their three attempts than the previous season, they took many more (and less midranges). In sum, you want opponents to take midrange shot with its not much greater conversion rates, but less value. I don't understand your criticism, in other words.

Go back and watch the memphis series. Beno udrih, the greatest pg of all time, demolished us the whole series.

Case2012 wrote:

Epicurus wrote:

Case2012 wrote:After watching teams feast on us in the mid range for 7 years I'll believe it when I see it, but this is great news if we actually do it.

Unfortunately, last season opponents deliberately eschewed more often the available midrange shot for three point fgas. Although they did make any more of their three attempts than the previous season, they took many more (and less midranges). In sum, you want opponents to take midrange shot with its not much greater conversion rates, but less value. I don't understand your criticism, in other words.

Go back and watch the memphis series. Beno udrih, the greatest pg of all time, demolished us the whole series.

Imight if you can indicate how your response is relevant to my comment.

It will be interesting to see if they eventually make changes to their starting lineup for neither DJJ or Roco
is a SF in the Stotts system.

Norm2953 wrote:It will be interesting to see if they eventually make changes to their starting lineup for neither DJJ or Roco
is a SF in the Stotts system.

This Blazers team isn't really the "Stotts system." It's Stotts attempt to get the most out of Lillard. So, it's Lillard's system, if anyone's. RoCo and DJJ are both SF's regardless who's system they are playing. Blazers are currently playing lineups with all SF's and wings, combo scoring guards, and centers. Giles is the only healthy PF on the team, but it remains to be seen if he will get any meaningful minutes. Shame on him if he can't win a PF job against players playing out of position.

it will require time for the blazers to gel and get used to a new defensive scheme and throughout that process, were gonna look bad on the defensive end more often than we would like to see it happen and shortened preseason didnt help at all

even if we fail, it was worth trying, cause the old defensive scheme wasnt working anyway

I suspect the Blazers will go back to ICE and other passive defense tactics for the season. I think the shots given nearly uncontested underneath are more troublesome to Stotts than threes. The hope will be that the longer and quicker forwards can make that defense better. There just wasn't the time to install something more aggressive, particularly wit Nurk missing the first week, being in poor condition, and not having his focus sufficiently on basketball.

The big change is obviously guarding better on the perimeter. Great. But what's also quickly becoming obvious is what Marang pointed out after the last loss... Kanter + Melo = FAIL. That duo on the court looks horrible DEFENSIVELY, and is leaving the basket wide open.

In short, Olshey should have listened to me and should have, with Stotts, spoke to Whiteside at the end of the bubble, explained his upcoming role while stressing it's importance, and resigned him instead of Kanter. I said all last year how sweet Melo and Whiteside compliment each other, but Melo and Kanter sucks. Furhtermore, What will the pairing of Collins / Kanter look like, vs what would have been Collins / Whiteside? Changing Osheys grade to a B-.

I know it was in the preseason, but Hassan has been ballin' in SAC-town. Good enough that Frank the Tank got waived after signing a one year just weeks ago. Whiteside was great as a Blazer IMO, but was dissed by the coach once Nurkic became healthy. I bet he starts next to Bagley III, by the time we face them. Overall, I'm happy for him, and think we screwed up royally on this decision to replace him with Kanter.