Game Day: Blazers (0-0) @ Suns (0-0), Wed 10/18/17

[Mori Chu]

I'm glad we are all coming around to the obvious, that Earl Watson has no place being an NBA head coach and has got to go.

I will also point out that there are major problems with our roster construction, even if our goal is to be young and inexperienced. Our starting PG doesn't pass or make other players better. We have a complete and total lack of 3-point shooting on the roster, in an era where it has been proven that you need to load up your team with dead-eye shooters who spread the floor. We have very few plus defenders, neither on the perimeter nor inside. We don't really have a single above-average rebounder on the roster.

Why would it be surprising that we are terrible? We aren't good at any of the following crucial basketball skills:

- shooting
- passing
- rebounding
- defense

I don't understand why we have not done more to go after players who are elite at one or more of those things. Daniels (elite shooter) is a savvy signing and an example of the kind of player we need more of. Ulis (good passing PG) is another good example. There's room for players like Booker, Jackson, and Warren who attack the basket and score. But most of the rest of the roster just isn't good at anything.

[Indy]

And yea I'm being emotional right now, but D McDonaugh and his Timeline bullshit too. He put this roster together, he and Watson should be shown the door at the same time.

I don't disagree, but who do you hire for either one? We only hire brand new people with nearly no experience (because they are cheap). Would that give you better results?

We are going to be wasting any talent we have on this roster by letting these guys learn how to lose over and over and over again.

I actually think McD is probably a decent GM, and that he does draft pretty well and bring in undrafted talent pretty well. Back in the day, I thought he got back pretty good return for the players he traded away. I don't want to drop him before this very important draft, becasue I think he is better than whoever else we will get.

It's easy to say that it's his job to build the roster, etc, and it certainly is. But he does not do that in isolation. He has to keep Sarver happy, and Sarver is very involved in the high profile decision on the roster. The coach also has a say, and Sarver has hired a bad coach. That's why I evaluate McD more by how the 2nd rounders turn out than moves like the Chriss pick.

I just don't see it. I realize he has to make his owner happy, but building a team is his key job (and having a winning team does make your owner happy). For every good move you can find, you can find two bad ones.

[Indy]

I'm glad we are all coming around to the obvious, that Earl Watson has no place being an NBA head coach and has got to go.

I will also point out that there are major problems with our roster construction, even if our goal is to be young and inexperienced. Our starting PG doesn't pass or make other players better. We have a complete and total lack of 3-point shooting on the roster, in an era where it has been proven that you need to load up your team with dead-eye shooters who spread the floor. We have very few plus defenders, neither on the perimeter nor inside. We don't really have a single above-average rebounder on the roster.

Why would it be surprising that we are terrible? We aren't good at any of the following crucial basketball skills:

- shooting
- passing
- rebounding
- defense

I don't understand why we have not done more to go after players who are elite at one or more of those things. Daniels (elite shooter) is a savvy signing and an example of the kind of player we need more of. Ulis (good passing PG) is another good example. There's room for players like Booker, Jackson, and Warren who attack the basket and score. But most of the rest of the roster just isn't good at anything.

We don't have a single; we have 3. Tyson, Alan, and Alex are all way above average rebounders. They are actually in the top 10% of the league in rebounding rate (so you aren't skewed by minutes).

[Cap]

And yea I'm being emotional right now, but D McDonaugh and his Timeline bullshit too. He put this roster together, he and Watson should be shown the door at the same time.

I don't disagree, but who do you hire for either one? We only hire brand new people with nearly no experience (because they are cheap). Would that give you better results?

We are going to be wasting any talent we have on this roster by letting these guys learn how to lose over and over and over again.

I actually think McD is probably a decent GM, and that he does draft pretty well and bring in undrafted talent pretty well. Back in the day, I thought he got back pretty good return for the players he traded away. I don't want to drop him before this very important draft, becasue I think he is better than whoever else we will get.

It's easy to say that it's his job to build the roster, etc, and it certainly is. But he does not do that in isolation. He has to keep Sarver happy, and Sarver is very involved in the high profile decision on the roster. The coach also has a say, and Sarver has hired a bad coach. That's why I evaluate McD more by how the 2nd rounders turn out than moves like the Chriss pick.

I just don't see it. I realize he has to make his owner happy, but building a team is his key job (and having a winning team does make your owner happy). For every good move you can find, you can find two bad ones.

What has he done that actually paid off? Booker was a good pick, and maybe Jackson, but in both cases he was going with the conventional wisdom. Any schlub off of phx-suns.net could have made those same picks for a lot less money.

[O_Gardino]

I'm glad we are all coming around to the obvious, that Earl Watson has no place being an NBA head coach and has got to go.

I will also point out that there are major problems with our roster construction, even if our goal is to be young and inexperienced. Our starting PG doesn't pass or make other players better. We have a complete and total lack of 3-point shooting on the roster, in an era where it has been proven that you need to load up your team with dead-eye shooters who spread the floor. We have very few plus defenders, neither on the perimeter nor inside. We don't really have a single above-average rebounder on the roster.

Why would it be surprising that we are terrible? We aren't good at any of the following crucial basketball skills:

- shooting
- passing
- rebounding
- defense

I don't understand why we have not done more to go after players who are elite at one or more of those things. Daniels (elite shooter) is a savvy signing and an example of the kind of player we need more of. Ulis (good passing PG) is another good example. There's room for players like Booker, Jackson, and Warren who attack the basket and score. But most of the rest of the roster just isn't good at anything.

We were a good rebounding team last season, and will be again this year once we get Len / Williams back. It sure looks like Chandler is retired already, but I suppose he might play himself back into rebounding shape.

Alec Peter and Mike James are good shooters, as they showed last night. Peters and Bender both rebounded well. Bender and Ulis defended well. Everyone on the roster is good at 1 or 2 things. It just that 1 and 2 aren't adding up to anything greater.

[Superbone]

22 assists to 10...says it all.

Trade Bledsoe...it's time!

It has been time for a long time but it never happens.

[ShelC]

As good as McD has been at bringing in talent, he's shown time and time again that he can't put a team together. The pieces almost never fit. The 48 win team was the lone exception and it happened by accident.

[Superbone]

And it would have been 51 points if not for a tough, late three by James.

Looking forward to seeing more of James once Bledsoe is traded.

Agreed. They are actually very similar players, but James attacks and plays like his career is on the line. Which it is.

And he can make threes pretty consistantly. Bledoe was killing us since he couldn't make a shot last night that wasn't at the rim.

[In2ition]

That game made me think we should have traded for LaMarcus Aldridge this offseason. At least with him and Len/Chandler/Williams, we have somewhat of a decent front court that could take the pressure off the backcourt, stop the bleeding from the rebounding standpoint and get some high % shots to make the defense have to collapse to open up shots on the perimeter, and provide some leadership on the floor.

Marquese and his antics were horrible. The last foul when he was finally taken out was a punk move where he blatantly lowered his shoulder to charge Meyers Leonard who was setting a pick. If you are frustrated, go buckle down on defense, get some stops, box out, rebound misses, make the most of your time on the floor. Don't be a punk and take cheap shots at people. Adversity reveals your character, and it didn't look good.

[O_Gardino]

And it would have been 51 points if not for a tough, late three by James.

Looking forward to seeing more of James once Bledsoe is traded.

Agreed. They are actually very similar players, but James attacks and plays like his career is on the line. Which it is.

And he can make threes pretty consistantly. Bledoe was killing us since he couldn't make a shot last night that wasn't at the rim.

Bled scares me this season. He looks like his feet don't even leave the floor when he jumps.

[In2ition]

And Booker was a bit of a dumpster fire last night. He started off well, with some rebounds and assists, but as soon as he started to force his game it snowballed and the rest of the team went to hero ball mode and stopped moving without the ball, stopped passing, and stopped playing defense or rebounding.

[Superbone]

Marquese and his antics were horrible. The last foul when he was finally taken out was a punk move where he blatantly lowered his shoulder to charge Meyers Leonard who was setting a pick. If you are frustrated, go buckle down on defense, get some stops, box out, rebound misses, make the most of your time on the floor. Don't be a punk and take cheap shots at people. Adversity reveals your character, and it didn't look good.

Maybe he should have stuck to football.

[Superbone]

https://twitter.com/NoahCoslov/status/920865144049160193

[Wormwood]

Shooting, passing, and defense are areas where we've got nothing.

In particular, our 3 pt shooting is crap. Booker and Warren are horrible defenders. Bender and Chriss are dreadful at both ends.

Knight is dead contract weight. Chandler and Bled need a change of scenery. Warren's contract is likely to be an albatross.

Just tank, stockpile picks, and only pony up for stars.

[virtual9mm]

Shooting, passing, and defense are areas where we've got nothing.

In particular, our 3 pt shooting is crap. Booker and Warren are horrible defenders. Bender and Chriss are dreadful at both ends.

Knight is dead contract weight. Chandler and Bled need a change of scenery. Warren's contract is likely to be an albatross.

Just tank, stockpile picks, and only pony up for stars.

Let's not get carried away. There is some real talent on the team. Booker'so efficiency would go up with a real coach. Bender will be an asset as soon as his shots start falling. And nobody has a right to realistically complain about Jackson.

Bring in a disciplinarian teacher and let him do his thing until the players revolt. Then they will appreciate a looser hand next time.

[iLLmatic]

As good as McD has been at bringing in talent, he's shown time and time again that he can't put a team together. The pieces almost never fit. The 48 win team was the lone exception and it happened by accident.

True, but like you said earlier, we have enough talent on our team to not get blown out by 40+ points.

[iLLmatic]

Shooting, passing, and defense are areas where we've got nothing.

In particular, our 3 pt shooting is crap. Booker and Warren are horrible defenders. Bender and Chriss are dreadful at both ends.

Knight is dead contract weight. Chandler and Bled need a change of scenery. Warren's contract is likely to be an albatross.

Just tank, stockpile picks, and only pony up for stars.

I disagree with you regarding Bender being dreadful on the defensive side of the ball.

[iLLmatic]

And it would have been 51 points if not for a tough, late three by James.

Looking forward to seeing more of James once Bledsoe is traded.

Agreed. They are actually very similar players, but James attacks and plays like his career is on the line. Which it is.

And he can make threes pretty consistantly. Bledoe was killing us since he couldn't make a shot last night that wasn't at the rim.

Bled scares me this season. He looks like his feet don't even leave the floor when he jumps.

Are you kidding? What about that tip-in he had? It doesn't look like he's lost athleticism, I think Bledsoe looked pretty decent last night.

[Cap]

Looking forward to seeing more of James once Bledsoe is traded.

Agreed. They are actually very similar players, but James attacks and plays like his career is on the line. Which it is.

And he can make threes pretty consistantly. Bledoe was killing us since he couldn't make a shot last night that wasn't at the rim.

Bled scares me this season. He looks like his feet don't even leave the floor when he jumps.

Are you kidding? What about that tip-in he had? It doesn't look like he's lost athleticism, I think Bledsoe looked pretty decent last night.

When he got that hoop and foul, flexed and patted his bicep... :facepalm:

I don't want to see any more gloating from this team until they prove they can be competitive in the NBA. It's embarrassing.

[iLLmatic]

Agreed. They are actually very similar players, but James attacks and plays like his career is on the line. Which it is.

And he can make threes pretty consistantly. Bledoe was killing us since he couldn't make a shot last night that wasn't at the rim.

Bled scares me this season. He looks like his feet don't even leave the floor when he jumps.

Are you kidding? What about that tip-in he had? It doesn't look like he's lost athleticism, I think Bledsoe looked pretty decent last night.

When he got that hoop and foul, flexed and patted his bicep... :facepalm:

I don't want to see any more gloating from this team until they prove they can be competitive in the NBA. It's embarrassing.

To be fair I don't think the team was getting steam-rolled yet.