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It's hard for me to even suggest this because of how poor Melo has looked recently, but I'm just looking for a quick solution to still finish this season well.

Something definitely needs to change, and I think it starts with replacing either CJ or Powell moving out of the starting line up, which from the sounds of Stotts, AIN'T HAPPENIN', so this suggestion is pretty DOA, and I understand that. Regardless, if it were up to me to solve the defensive woes we face in being both undersized 2 through 3, and know with our own eyes a Kanter/Melo pairing is at least part of the problem... this would be my effort to fix it. Change #2, Start Melo.

Dame (Simons)
CJ / Powell
ROCO / Jones Jr.
Melo / Little / (Giles)
Nurkic / Kanter

Just pull Melo early if he sucks. If Change #1 & #2 were possible, the upside could be an overall improved defense, and Melo might also respond in a hugely positive way. I always felt he should start come playoff time anyway. The way things are looking right now, we may be scratching just to make it through a play-in tourney. Not good.

btw... I also thought Dames orange coat deserved it's own thread, but it's almost time for tip-off.

A team totally disinterested in playing defense?

Looks for a solution to end the season well, suggests to start Melo. And for these reasons, I’m out.

yes...start Melo

start him on a train out of Portland and don't let him off till til the train is east of the Rockies

Blazers should be load managing Anthony - not starting him. 2 days off between games. Keep him as fresh as something past its expiration date can be kept.

I don't like either of your changes, mostly because I don't see the problems you are trying to solve.

I do like the change Stotts made moving Little ahead of Simons in the guard rotation. I like it because Little's ability to cover more positions tightens the rotation to 9. Nine is better than 10, no matter how good your 10th man is. 10 is too many.

No official announcement made, but it looks like Collins is going to be entering the discussion soon.

I am not sure why anyone wishes to change a lineup with an +18.4 per 100 posssesions, the three guards with Covington and Nurcic, or for that matter the same but with Kanter at + 13.6. If the problem suggests being where to play anthony, surely the answer can't be to make what is working decently worse.

ALthough Anthony has had some good stints and even full games, the variance is quit great. You don't know from stint to stint which Anthony you will get on the court. Even defensively, where on the whole is in indifferent and maybe lacks skills, he can occasionally at a critical time make a solid vet play. I'd like to see him on the deep bench, but that would cause a player revolt lead by Lillard and McCollum. ANthony too often appears to be an albatross around the Blazer neck.

i’d like to see little start even if it’s a fringe starter 24 mpg kinda role. I leaning towards thinking i kinda want powell gone in the off season unless playoff powell is as good as raps fans say. We lost the trade imo but i wanna cut our losses and not pay powell 20-30 mil per unless he wants to be a 6th man but then that’s clearly an overpay for a bench guy and i want no part of that on a 4 year deal

Epicurus wrote:I am not sure why anyone wishes to change a lineup with an +18.4 per 100 posssesions, the three guards with Covington and Nurcic, or for that matter the same but with Kanter at + 13.6. If the problem suggests being where to play anthony, surely the answer can't be to make what is working decently worse.

ALthough Anthony has had some good stints and even full games, the variance is quit great. You don't know from stint to stint which Anthony you will get on the court. Even defensively, where on the whole is in indifferent and maybe lacks skills, he can occasionally at a critical time make a solid vet play. I'd like to see him on the deep bench, but that would cause a player revolt lead by Lillard and McCollum. ANthony too often appears to be an albatross around the Blazer neck.

If a lineup change would cause a player revolt, it would be because it's a bad change. I believe the players on a winning team generally know what the right choices are, and they want the right choices made. Lillard and CJ care just as much for Little and Simons as they do for Melo. Lillard and CJ care most about building a team that can win, and they are the first to recognize what helps accomplish this.

d-train wrote:

Epicurus wrote:I am not sure why anyone wishes to change a lineup with an +18.4 per 100 posssesions, the three guards with Covington and Nurcic, or for that matter the same but with Kanter at + 13.6. If the problem suggests being where to play anthony, surely the answer can't be to make what is working decently worse.

ALthough Anthony has had some good stints and even full games, the variance is quit great. You don't know from stint to stint which Anthony you will get on the court. Even defensively, where on the whole is in indifferent and maybe lacks skills, he can occasionally at a critical time make a solid vet play. I'd like to see him on the deep bench, but that would cause a player revolt lead by Lillard and McCollum. ANthony too often appears to be an albatross around the Blazer neck.

If a lineup change would cause a player revolt, it would be because it's a bad change. I believe the players on a winning team generally know what the right choices are, and they want the right choices made. Lillard and CJ care just as much for Little and Simons as they do for Melo. Lillard and CJ care most about building a team that can win, and they are the first to recognize what helps accomplish this.

Idolatry often trumps solid reasoning.

Epicurus wrote:Idolatry often trumps solid reasoning.

Respecting a player for his experience and past accomplishment is not idolatry. It's just a reasonable way to treat people. It doesn't trump or cost anything.

The team simply has to get to a point with a starting lineup that gives them the best chance at competing
against a first round opponent that likely will have a 6'9" SF. Don't worry about W-L but make a decision on
how to best matchup and what is their best chance at winning in a best of 7. They will not win if Powell has
to matchup with either Lebron, Kwahi, MPJ

Norm2953 wrote:The team simply has to get to a point with a starting lineup that gives them the best chance at competing
against a first round opponent that likely will have a 6'9" SF. Don't worry about W-L but make a decision on
how to best matchup and what is their best chance at winning in a best of 7. They will not win if Powell has
to matchup with either Lebron, Kwahi, MPJ

Stotts might have nightmares of Joker before a Nuggets game, but he ain't going to lose any sleep over MPJ. No team will win their matchup against LeBron or Kwahi. However, none of LeBron, Kwahi, or MPJ can defend Powell. They also can't guard Lillard or CJ. Most players that can defend our top 3 scorers are themselves not as good on offense. LeBron and Kwahi are great defenders, but not against the quickness/shooting of Lillard, CJ, and Powell.

d-train wrote:

Norm2953 wrote:The team simply has to get to a point with a starting lineup that gives them the best chance at competing
against a first round opponent that likely will have a 6'9" SF. Don't worry about W-L but make a decision on
how to best matchup and what is their best chance at winning in a best of 7. They will not win if Powell has
to matchup with either Lebron, Kwahi, MPJ

Stotts might have nightmares of Joker before a Nuggets game, but he ain't going to lose any sleep over MPJ. No team will win their matchup against LeBron or Kwahi. However, none of LeBron, Kwahi, or MPJ can defend Powell. They also can't guard Lillard or CJ. Most players that can defend our top 3 scorers are themselves not as good on offense. LeBron and Kwahi are great defenders, but not against the quickness/shooting of Lillard, CJ, and Powell.

om

C'mon now put aside your homer glasses for Powell will be giving up at least six inches for the Nuggets could simply isolate
one side of the court and let MPJ shoot over Powell. The Nuggets could decide to isolate AG on Powell if that's what Stotts
wanted Powell to match up with. Their first round opponent will simply do what teams have done in recent years and double
Dame and challenge CJ or Powell to beat them. Whoever they get will have a big physical matchup advantage they can
exploit for all its worth in a 7 game series when teams can focus one particular opponent.

Norm2953 wrote:

d-train wrote:

Norm2953 wrote:The team simply has to get to a point with a starting lineup that gives them the best chance at competing
against a first round opponent that likely will have a 6'9" SF. Don't worry about W-L but make a decision on
how to best matchup and what is their best chance at winning in a best of 7. They will not win if Powell has
to matchup with either Lebron, Kwahi, MPJ

Stotts might have nightmares of Joker before a Nuggets game, but he ain't going to lose any sleep over MPJ. No team will win their matchup against LeBron or Kwahi. However, none of LeBron, Kwahi, or MPJ can defend Powell. They also can't guard Lillard or CJ. Most players that can defend our top 3 scorers are themselves not as good on offense. LeBron and Kwahi are great defenders, but not against the quickness/shooting of Lillard, CJ, and Powell.

om

C'mon now put aside your homer glasses for Powell will be giving up at least six inches for the Nuggets could simply isolate
one side of the court and let MPJ shoot over Powell. The Nuggets could decide to isolate AG on Powell if that's what Stotts
wanted Powell to match up with. Their first round opponent will simply do what teams have done in recent years and double
Dame and challenge CJ or Powell to beat them. Whoever they get will have a big physical matchup advantage they can
exploit for all its worth in a 7 game series when teams can focus one particular opponent.

You need to face the fact that size doesn't always beat quickness. There are very few big players that use their size well. LeBron, Kwahi, PG, and Doncic are rare players. And, the rare big player that uses his size well usually beats any opponent regardless of size.

Nuggets would be the favored team in a 7 game series against Blazers because of Joker. It would be great for Blazers if Nuggets forgot why they are good, but that isn't going to happen.

Melo has been atrocious this month. Every time he steps foot on the court we are worse off. Little may be taking Simons minutes, but he also should be quietly taking Melo's as well. If Melo isnt hitting his 3's, he is pretty much worthless. He is making more selfish plays as well I have noticed. Just a gross regression.