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Game Thread Oct 08, 2023 07:00PM MT: Jazz at Clippers (Preseason)

Added to Calendar: 10-08-23

I know the thought with Hardy is we don’t need a pg… but after a year of THT, Sexton, JC being heavily involved in the playmaking I think he may change his mind lol.

Clips defense is going to be great when healthy. They are a tough measuring stick early but a great team to play preseason.

Everything was super sloppy so all the timing stuff coming off DHO and offball screens was bad.

THT is like my oldest daughter… there’s a lot of good there but there is just so much extra… like he can’t help himself… if he’s in the game there will be so much THT. Just dial back the extra by 25%. THT/Sexton might be the worst backcourt pairing to put with the starters. Not sure what the thought is there.
 
We just have too many things going on. John Collins was completely unnecessary… we have 3 guards who are good as sixth men but that’s their ideal role. We have lots of projects, rookies, etc and will have to prioritize well or we in trouble.
 
Handlogten's Heros said:
I know the thought with Hardy is we don’t need a pg… but after a year of THT, Sexton, JC being heavily involved in the playmaking I think he may change his mind lol.

Clips defense is going to be great when healthy. They are a tough measuring stick early but a great team to play preseason.

Everything was super sloppy so all the timing stuff coming off DHO and offball screens was bad.

THT is like my oldest daughter… there’s a lot of good there but there is just so much extra… like he can’t help himself… if he’s in the game there will be so much THT. Just dial back the extra by 25%. THT/Sexton might be the worst backcourt pairing to put with the starters. Not sure what the thought is there.
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I didn't think he had much extra
He missed two bunnies he should haveade, but he didn't do anything wild out there.

I thought he played under control for the most part. The issue was just incorporating Collins and the Clips defense. It was a good early test.

Sextons defense is the biggest issue. Then again, the Clippers are a great team at exploiting his defensive weakness,so it might not be as bad against most teams
 
Fontecchio could probably be removed from the 10 man rotation to make room for Dunn. You'd be going smaller, but it might be better. I just dont think Fontecchio adds much, even if he is shooting it well.
 
Tremendous Upside said:
Finally it's time to overreact. Let's go.

- Everyone looked exactly the same as last season (except Clarkson, who looked like my dad when he tried going up for a dunk). That's somewhat disappointing since this is such a young team. You'd like to see at least a hint of some new/improved skills, particularly in preseason when it's still time to experiment.

- The people who are saying Kessler could average 13ppg are dreaming. His FT shooting is still atrocious and he didn't even look at the basket unless he was right next to it. In preseason he's playing against all kinds of tryhards who guard him like he's Steph Curry, but once the reg season starts, he's going to kill the offense when he floats to the corner and the other team happily ignores him. His fit with Collins is terrible. Defensively though, it was business as usual. It's the preseason effect again - people were going at Kessler under the hoop like they'd never heard about him. That won't last.

- It's hilarious how well Keyonte fits into our current guard rotation. Quick, dribble-happy dude whose first instinct is to look for his own shot... and who can't/wont defend. It makes absolutely no sense that we have like 7 of these guys on the roster right now. Someone has to go.

- Collins is such a tough fit. He's essentially an extremely undersized rim-running center who can't guard his own position. He has zero ballhandling, so unless he shows us he's able to make spot up 3's at a respectable clip, integrating him into the offense will be a real head-scratcher. He never looked like he knew what was expected of him or what he should be doing. Forcing the ball to him on a wing post-up is such a bad idea. He has no advantage there.

- All in all we looked like a team that has zero idea of what kind of basketball it should be playing.
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Your observations certainly have merit but don’t take into account the extenuating circumstances and let’s not forget the fact that our rag tag team actually managed to win the game. An Hawaiian vacation to train and start the Season was the last thing this green and discombobulated team needed - it certainly wasn’t Hardy’s idea. PR opportunity and certainly not the end of the world but as far as actually getting anything accomplished fawgetaboutit! Both teams looked ragged and disorganized and for good reason.

Collins looked a bit tentative but it’s not like he **** the bed out there - he looked good on a spot up three which is a contention point. The jury’s out at this point on his fit with Kessler, keeping my fingers crossed.

As you say though, it’s the guard corps that’s the biggest concern. Just thinking last night how seamless Brogdon would fit with this team as the starting QB. I don’t think it would take much besides a little draft capital. I floated the Sexton Fontechio, and lowest 25 first idea and I believe that would be enough to get the job done. If not, THT, Olynyk + prolly gets it done. Either way it’s an absolute no-brainer if we hope to compete this year. Opportunities like this don’t come along that often and this early. Wake up call, c’mon Trader Danny it’s that time; time to buy.
 
The biggest bummer about Collins is that at one point he had an opportunity on a fast break that most athletic wings could have taken advantage of, but I dont think Collins has that level of ball-handling in the open court, so he had to back it out.
 
Collectively as a team, if you can't pass then you must shoot. If you can't shoot then dominate rebounding. And if you can't do any of that then outrun everyone.

This team is going not to pass well, and not shoot well. It's only hope is to rebound and run and hope that the other areas will catch up. We may have a disappointing year in terms of wins - close to a bottom feeder.
 
They obviously want Collins to expand out of his Atlanta role and the dude has never really put the ball on the ground much. He didnt look great doing it.

However preseason is a good time to test and practice stuff like that, and we dont even know yet if Hardy wants him to do that when the games count.
 
whatthe said:
Collectively as a team, if you can't pass then you must shoot. If you can't shoot then dominate rebounding. And if you can't do any of that then outrun everyone.

This team is going not to pass well, and not shoot well. It's only hope is to rebound and run and hope that the other areas will catch up. We may have a disappointing year in terms of wins - close to a bottom feeder.
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The team will pass and shoot fine.
 
Release the Kraken said:
Your observations certainly have merit but don’t take into account the extenuating circumstances and let’s not forget the fact that our rag tag team actually managed to win the game. An Hawaiian vacation to train and start the Season was the last thing this green and discombobulated team needed - it certainly wasn’t Hardy’s idea. PR opportunity and certainly not the end of the world but as far as actually getting anything accomplished fawgetaboutit! Both teams looked ragged and disorganized and for good reason.

Collins looked a bit tentative but it’s not like he **** the bed out there - he looked good on a spot up three which is a contention point. The jury’s out at this point on his fit with Kessler, keeping my fingers crossed.

As you say though, it’s the guard corps that’s the biggest concern. Just thinking last night how seamless Brogdon would fit with this team as the starting QB. I don’t think it would take much besides a little draft capital. I floated the Sexton Fontechio, and lowest 25 first idea and I believe that would be enough to get the job done. If not, THT, Olynyk + prolly gets it done. Either way it’s an absolute no-brainer if we hope to compete this year. Opportunities like this don’t come along that often and this early. Wake up call, c’mon Trader Danny it’s that time; time to buy.
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Why would THT and Olynyk get it done? Pdx is looking for picks.
 
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