This is written after Denver game and before the game against the Lakers.

Why play Aminu at the 4 rather than the 3?
They play Aminu at the 4 because analytics show they are much better with Aminu at the 4 than the 3 (NO quote in the summer of 2016 that they are a 50+ win team with Aminu at 4, and slide 10 games with Aminu at the 3). I also don’t believe he would get his shot off so well against 3s, and despite the Denver game, he is shooting fantastically from 3 — something the Blazers really need. Without Crabbe (who is rightfully gone), the Blazers desperately need more 3 point scoring. CJ gets run off the line just like PTB runs shooters off the line. And with Harkless not hitting 3s and playing poorly, Aminu offers something quite valuable.

Why play Turner so much?
With the starters he does not need to look for his shot so much. He can defend the best of the smallest 3 opponents so that Dame can play someone simpler to defend. The alternatives have flaws.

What about more minutes for Pat C and Napier?

纳皮尔是一个score-firs看起来越来越像t PG and is a mixed bag on defense at best. He is fast enough to get steals and deflect passes, but he is tiny. Only under special circumstances can you play Napier with CJ and Dame. I think that Pat’s inability to be a ball handler and sometimes shaky defense outweighs what he brings on the offensive end. He is shooting 38.9% from 3 through the Denver debacle, so maybe a little more run?

Where have Meyers, Vonleh, and Harkless gone?

Stotts felt that once everyone was healthy, he had to start playing more consistent rotations, and shorten the rotation. Aminu has played better than Vonleh. Everyone has played better than Harkless this year. Collins and Davis beat out Meyers and Vonleh. Since they started playing Collins on a regular basis:7 point losses to GS and Houston, wins against Orl, Miami, Charlotte, 2 point losses to Minn and SAS, and the Denver debacle. Small sample but feels right so far.

Three Point Shooting is a Borderline Crisis

CJ is 8 for his last 31. The Blazers have gone 3-8 in that stretch. In that stretch he is averaging less than 3 3-pointers per game. For the season as a whole, CJ has been averaging 5.7 attempts. CJ is getting run off the line just like PTB runs shooters off the line. This is a big problem because CJ also does not get free throws.

Aminu拍摄47%是很多比Aminu嘘ting 12% from 3, as he did in the Denver game. You have to wonder if Aminu can keep up his now 44% shooting. If he can, then the Blazers will stay above .500. But there is a huge need to package bigs and/or Turner and picks for a shooting forward on a bad contract. Why on a bad contract? Because the Blazers don’t have the trade assets to get one on a good contract. If they trade CJ for a scoring forward, the same problem arises. I like Turner and a 1st for DeMarre Carroll but that is just me.

Where has the passing gone?

The trade off for playing Nurk in the post is that he no longer a high post passer. Now passing to Portland’s small forward almost never results in an assist, because they are not good scorers. So Nurkic in the high post is less beneficial because he can no longer pass to Crabbe and Harkless regressed so much. CJ creates his own. So Lillard is the designated assist guy at this point. He does great finding Aminu in the corner, and on the pick and roll. I believe Dame is better than we imagine him to be.