Time to fire Olshey and Stotts?

[Blazers20]

Time to fire this duo as they have taken this team as far as they can take them. Who could replace NeO and Stotts?

[PDXKnight]

I wouldn’t fire Stotts but olshey has worn out his welcome for awhile I’d say. I don’t think terry is the best coach but I doubt we would add a better coach in the market

[Blazers20]

Stotts is a horrible coach

[Blazers20]

Stotts always looks lost especially when the team is down

[The Sebastian Express]

I'm not a big Stotts fan.

But I think a lot of the blame here lands on Olshey for the collection of roleplayers he's put around Dame, CJ and Nurk.

Ed Davis was good a few years ago. Seth Curry was good. But this year, going into Dame's eighth season, he signed Anthony Tolliver and Mario.

Anthony Tolliver.

And Mario.

[DaVoiceMaster]

I'm ready for something, whether that is a new GM, a new coaching staff, a new roster around Lillard & Nurkic, etc. Surprise me!

[Blazers20]

I blame both Stotts and NeO. Stotts doesn’t get the most out of his players.

[Blazers20]

Nurkic just plays very nonchalant and he doesn’t play with a sense of urgency.

[Blazers20]

I think this team needs to be blown up. Lillard, CJ and Nurkic will never win a championship together.

[Pattycakes]

Stotts is trash, that doesn’t require a hot take. Okay, he’s a good assistant, among several others. But a HEAD coach needs to put the fear of God in his crew, and Stotts is not that man.

[Blazers20]

Pattycakes is right

[KeepOnRollin]

What about Stan van gundy?

I wouldn’t fire Stotts but olshey has worn out his welcome for awhile I’d say. I don’t think terry is the best coach but I doubt we would add a better coach in the market

[wco81]

I think this team needs to be blown up. Lillard, CJ and Nurkic will never win a championship together.

This is what many have suspected, haven't they?

For the Blazers to have a chance, Lillard and CJ have to be lights out, probably needed to average at least a combined 55 in this series.

But they're trapping both of them whenever they're dribbling with a center or a forward. They have a lot of bodies to burn fouls with but they just make sure they have no space to operate, either creating a pull up or penetrating.

I think Dame is taking these long 3s, which he's made a fair number of, because if he gets closer to the line, then he's going to be trapped so the only way to launch is further out.

They don't have enough guys who can hit those open 3s consistently.

LA is also playing a lot more physically and Nurkic and Whiteside have not matched that intensity.

How long has this team been looking for forwards who can defend and hit open 3s consistently?

It's hard enough for Dame and CJ since they often face the best wing defenders and now getting trapped in this series.

[DaVoiceMaster]

If Nurkic & Whiteside match LA's intensity, they will foul out in 10 minutes. I dont think the ref's will let them. Just watch how much Deight Howard gets away with. He just blatantly shoves people out of the way and does t get called for it, but if Nurkic, Whiteside or any of the other bugs look at a Laker wrong, the ref's blow their whistle.

[Epicurus]

I blame both Stotts and NeO. Stotts doesn’t get the most out of his players.

Yet nearly each year, the Blazers exceed expectations and get in the playoffs. I'm guessing you didn't watch the seeding games with Blazers, old and young, diving for everything, playing through broken backs and the like. I guess you didn't notice that in this season he's needed to start Gabriel and play others who would not be played by any team in any year's NBA playoffs. But coaches are paid to be scapegoats, especially for the irrational.

[Epicurus]

Pattycakes is right

A statement never used when one is influence free.

[wco81]

If Nurkic & Whiteside match LA's intensity, they will foul out in 10 minutes. I dont think the ref's will let them. Just watch how much Deight Howard gets away with. He just blatantly shoves people out of the way and does t get called for it, but if Nurkic, Whiteside or any of the other bugs look at a Laker wrong, the ref's blow their whistle.

That's true but they have to try, don't they? A couple of times Nurk put up these little flips instead of trying to at least get fouled. Other players will see that as playing scared or being soft and double down on physical play. But that may not be Nurk's game, which seems to be more about being quicker than opponents of a similar size rather than trying to bang or play bully ball.

Either that or they have to go small and try to force the big men off the court. I don't know if they have the personnel though. Looks like Houston will get to try that, hunt for centers on the switch or if the Lakers trap Harden, they will play 4 on 3.

[Norm2953]

It's a bit much to go after Stotts for Portland without most of the front court is playing
a Lakers team with 2 of the leagues top 5 players on their front line. The team is
suffering from that shopping spree from 2016 that crippled cap flexibility for four
years and just when they perhaps had a bit of flexibility, the virus came and likely will
keep the team from adding a critically needed front court piece for next season.

I'd hold off on firing either man for this will be a difficult free agent period with real
financial questions staring most of the teams in the face.

[zzaj]

I’m no real fan of Stotts, but he’s coached teams that have overachieved for quite a few years of his tenure. Whether that’s him or his best player(s) we could argue forever...but you’ll be hard pressed to find a more proven NBA head coach that’s available currently.

As for Olshey? He’s been protected by the injury excuse for years. He should have been gone a long time ago. That said, it could be sooooo much worse.

[red_power]

Don't overreact just yet.

But yeah Olshey and Stotts have been on thin ice for a long time. And could have even been fired a long time ago if there wasn't Dame on this team.