The Theen Machine made some excellent points regarding the Blazers’ most recent roadtrip, but Ol’ Mike has a couple of things to add before the Rose Garden is one again populated by thousands of hoop-ites on Tuesday:
The Blazers absolutely must find some source of low-post scoring.
Obviously, the most logical source of inside buckets could and should be scored by LaMarcus Aldridge. It’s a mystery to me why LA doesn’t use his jump hook more often. Everything is either fading away or an attempt to draw contact. Actually, this might work better if I just address him directly:
Dear LaMarcus:
Dude, you’re 6’11”. There aren’t a whole ton of guys who could block that jump hook if you just go straight up and use your left forearm to protect your space. Use the glass. Two hard dribbles to the paint and then kiss it, dig? If they double down on you, kick it out to Martell or Brandon or Blakey for an easy three. You can be a force with your back to the basket, big man. I know you can. You’re frail, but you’re not made of porcelain. Get in there and shoot some six-footers. They push? You push back. Last night in Milwaukee was beautiful. I want to see more of that.
Sincerely,
Some Dork At His Laptop
One thing is for certain: the Blazers cannot continue to live by the jump shot, or they will surely die. Whether it be Aldridge, Cunningham or Howard (or Miller?), Portland must generate an inside threat worthy of the defense’s respect to free up Blazer guards and facilitate ball movement.
Run, Run, Run like the Velvet Underground.
This is meant to be a supplemental strategy to my first point, but it might be able to serve as a contingency plan if option one fails to materialize. The Blazers’ half court sets right now are…how shall I say this?
Stinky. They’re stinky.
Portland’s easiest buckets are coming in transition. Simple, smart basketball plays have kept Portland in ballgames, and opportunities to make plays are most prevalent either on the break or in the few seconds immediately after the defense gets set and Portland’s trailer is approaching the three-point line. If nothing is there, the team will reverse the ball and start the offense (one guy dribbling and four guys standing and watching). Want good shots with an undersized and undermanned lineup? Move the ball out of the break and don’t hesitate to pull the trigger. Time spent waiting is time wasted at this point.
Agree? Disagree? Let people know how much smarter you are than them in the comments.