The NBENFANT Thread (NBA): 2023-2024 Edition!

GreenRiddler · Post #101 » by **GreenRiddler** » Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:58 am

Goes back to the pic I posted above, but CJ is now the best at the mid-range area for players that took at least 250 attempts. His in-between game reminds me of Roy. He has to get better at finishing at the rim though. He was noticeably better last year as was Dame, which makes me think having so many other guys on the team that like that at the rim shot is effecting there room to finish there.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2016/01/trail_blazers_cj_mccollum_has_become_the_master_of.html

Wizenheimer · Post #102 » by **Wizenheimer** » Mon Feb 1, 2016 5:34 pm

so, about 20 months ago Jeff Hornacek finished 2nd to Popovich in NBA coach of the year voting.

now, he's been fired. Lots of "what have you done for me lately"

it might not be quite as dramatic as the Blazers and Mike Schuler though. In his 1st season, he led the Blazers to a 49-33 record and was named coach of the year. In his 2nd season, he was 53-29. Halfway thru his 3rd season he was fired....ouch! (IIRC, reports were that Clyde Drexler led a subtle player revolt that torpedoed Schuler)

Rick Adelman took over for Schuler mid-season. Portland won 39 games that year and then drafted Cliff Robinson. Over the next 3 seasons, Adelman led the Blazers to 60 wins a year, while winning 8 playoff series and made it to the finals twice

Shem · Post #103 » by **Shem** » Tue Feb 2, 2016 4:07 am

Wizenheimer wrote:so, about 20 months ago Jeff Hornacek finished 2nd to Popovich in NBA coach of the year voting.

now, he's been fired. Lots of "what have you done for me lately"

The part that gets me cracking up is that Aldridge wanted to go to that big mess over staying in Portland.

Shem · Post #104 » by **Shem** » Mon Feb 8, 2016 5:52 am

Throwback game:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wapzt-D8lg[/youtube]

GreenRiddler · Post #105 » by **GreenRiddler** » Mon Feb 8, 2016 5:32 pm

Matt Barnes' first post since Fisher got fired.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBiIMChLzdA/
:lol:

GreenRiddler · Post #106 » by **GreenRiddler** » Wed Feb 10, 2016 10:26 pm

Stotts has gotta get some Coach of the Year noise behind the obvious favourite Dwayne Casey. For this team to be this good on offense all year is nothing short of a miracle. Really knows how to put players in the best position to succeed. Plumlee, Aminu, Crabbe, CJ, and Dame all having better years than they ever have and doing things nobody thought they could do.

Shem · Post #107 » by **Shem** » Sat Feb 13, 2016 9:33 pm

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiBE-OcvfJM[/youtube]

GreenRiddler · Post #108 » by **GreenRiddler** » Mon Feb 15, 2016 6:48 am

We are averaging as many assists as we were last year. Since Jan we are 12th in Asts. We are also as good as literally any team in the league at rebounding. That is with 3 Avg/poor rebounders in our back court in Dame, CJ, and Crabbe.

Post #109 » by **DeBlazerRiddem** » Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:07 am

I ain’t make the all-stars but I’m flu game sick … Last time they count me out, what I do Game 6?

Now I wanna see the Blazers make the postseason.

JasonStern · Post #110 » by **JasonStern** » Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:45 am

Sean Marks is now the Nets GM. good for him.

Shem · Post #111 » by **Shem** » Mon Feb 22, 2016 6:00 am

Wow, great game by AD:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRatKdF-8mk[/youtube]

zzaj · Post #112 » by **zzaj** » Mon Feb 22, 2016 9:04 pm

GreenRiddler wrote:We are averaging as many assists as we were last year. Since Jan we are 12th in Asts. We are also as good as literally any team in the league at rebounding. That is with 3 Avg/poor rebounders in our back court in Dame, CJ, and Crabbe.

It's interesting that the team is in this position after losing 4 starters. Obviously a testament to Olshey, Stotts and the players for buying in.

Honestly, are there any fans out there that would rather watch:

Lillard
Mathews
Batum
Aldridge
Lopez

+ no bench production, winning 51-31 on iso-heavy Aldridge ball

vs.

Lillard
Mccollum

+ a whole lot of other developing, underdog spare parts, overachieving as a team?

I sure wouldn't...

GreenRiddler · Post #113 » by **GreenRiddler** » Mon Feb 22, 2016 9:42 pm

Watching his DX scouting report I thought he was gonna blow up his rookie year a shame he got hurt. Could've got more mins last year too. It is what it is though.

"Damian and C.J. are our two best players," said Olshey. "They are our two best passers, our two best shooters and our two best scorers. The irony is, if C.J. doesn't get hurt in camp as a rookie, then we were having this conversation two years ago. He was that good."

"He is one of the better ballhandlers in the league -- he gets anywhere he wants to go -- and he's got more scoring areas than a lot of guys in his position," Olshey said."For a lot of 2s it's either the 3 or at the rim. But he's got runners, a floater, step-backs, midrange, fallaways. He can score in a lot of different ways, and with all of these pick-and-rolls he's just so patient."

"Most of the better defensive teams are the experienced teams or the teams that have been together longer," Olshey said. "That's going to come with time, and it's my job to find where are the holes in what we are doing and try and replace them."

Lillard said. "You look at the league and there are not a lot of guys who post up. It's not like there's a lot of guys that are going to take us to the block. It's not like we're guarding Michael Jordan down there at the 2. You're not guarding those guys anymore.

"We will continue to get better at pick-and-roll defense, and isolation defense. But I think it's weird that people mention us as a small backcourt, because nobody takes us to the block and just scores on us. That doesn't even make sense to me."

http://www.nba.com/2016/news/features/ian_thomsen/02/22/c-j-mccollum-damian-lillard-leading-portland-trail-blazers-playoff-push/index.html?cid=nbacomsocial_fb_sf21339499

The funny thing about LMA leaving is that we are better off with Dame and CJ as our number 1 and 2 guys. Dame would've never had the chance to shine like this, as LMA would have never let Dame be the lead guy here. With CJ in tow Dame can be that alpha and honestly in today's NBA you want your number 1 to be able to run a PnR, take threes, get asts and have a good TS% and EFG% things LMA didn't have.

If Dame and McCollum had the supporting cast LMA and Dame had in 2014 I think we would be looking at a 50 win team.

Shem · Post #114 » by **Shem** » Tue Mar 1, 2016 4:00 am

The Blazers have caused a butterfly affect that cost Anthony Bennett his job.

-The Blazers trade for Anderson Varejao and cut him.
-With Anderson Varajao available, the Warriors waived Jason Thompson to make room to sign him.
-With Jason Thompson now available, the Raptors want to sign him and waive Anthony Bennett to make room for him.

Masterfully · Post #115 » by **Masterfully** » Tue Mar 1, 2016 4:02 am

Shem wrote:The Blazers have caused a butterfly affect that cost Anthony Bennett his job.

-The Blazers trade for Anderson Varejao and cut him.
-With Anderson Varajao available, the Warriors waived Jason Thompson to make room to sign him.
-With Jason Thompson now available, the Raptors want to sign him and waive Anthony Bennett to make room for him.

And then Anthony Bennett sneezes and causes a tsunami in Japan?

Utah and Houston already lost tonight. Just need Memphis to finish the trifecta.

Shem · Post #116 » by **Shem** » Tue Mar 1, 2016 4:48 am

Masterfully wrote:
Shem wrote:The Blazers have caused a butterfly affect that cost Anthony Bennett his job.

-The Blazers trade for Anderson Varejao and cut him.
-With Anderson Varajao available, the Warriors waived Jason Thompson to make room to sign him.
-With Jason Thompson now available, the Raptors want to sign him and waive Anthony Bennett to make room for him.

And then Anthony Bennett sneezes and causes a tsunami in Japan?

Utah and Houston already lost tonight. Just need Memphis to finish the trifecta.

Nice!

Post #117 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Fri Mar 4, 2016 3:55 am

That's a big loss by Dallas tonight.

Wizenheimer · Post #118 » by **Wizenheimer** » Fri Mar 4, 2016 4:28 pm

The Sebastian Express wrote:That's a big loss by Dallas tonight.

saw that, at home to the Kings. I wonder if Cuban is regretting that huge deal to Matthews yet

if Portland was serious about making the playoffs, they should have signed David Lee like Dallas did. In 5 games for the Mavs, per36 he's averaging 19 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, & 2 steals while shooting 65% from the field

JasonStern · Post #119 » by **JasonStern** » Sat Mar 5, 2016 8:32 pm

chase budinger got waved by the pacers. shame. I would have traded bo outlaw for him.

GreenRiddler · Post #120 » by **GreenRiddler** » Thu Mar 10, 2016 4:06 am

McCollum made Lowe's list of "Marc Gasols" fun to watch players who are appreciated by NBA fans as a whole.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14924135/a-guide-most-watchable-players-nba

C.J. McCollum, G, Trail Blazers: The NBA's Dean Malenko: a man of 1,000 moves. Some guys have a magic crossover, in-and-out dribble, hesitation move or up-and-under around the rim. McCollum has all those at expert level, and he uses them to unleash hell from everywhere. He has shot better on off-the-bounce 3s than Damian Lillard. He's a floater master. And he's one of those lucky guys who can drive at full speed, hit the brakes and set his feet for a perfect straight up-and-down pull-up jumper.

McCollum has only hit about half his shots around the hoop this season, but he scores major style points for the way he contorts his body for a ridiculous array of scoop shots.

He's an intuitive mover within Terry Stotts' motion offense. He knows what the defense expects on this pitch play with Lillard, veers against that grain, and sprints at full speed even after he gets rid of the ball. Pause to catch your breath, and McCollum's gone.

He has a lot of counter moves on the dribble for the defense's positioning. He has also increased the crafty-ness factor at the rim with that no look reverse shot. When he has it going IMO is one of the most fun players to watch behind Durant Curry Dame and CP3. I have never really found LBJ to be that stylistically entertaining..unless you are rooting against him!