[Playmaker0017]

Originally posted by <b>MAS RipCity</b>!
Is it now a matter of time before we pull off a Rahim for Rashard Lewis deal?

I just don't see it happening.

Why would Portland want Rashard Lewis?

Play.

[Tince]

I think our talents would be fine if we had a coach like Sloan.

Solan wouldn't coach a team assembled with the type of players we have. Of our currently roster Solan would probably want to keep Theo, DA (but he would be frequently benched), Ruben, Telfair, and Frahm. Everyone else wouldn't fit his coaching style.

I'd love if Phil Jackson came to Portland. I think we would win about 5 more games, still lose in the first round at best, and it would open most peoples eyes to the fact that it's more important to have players that can play, than coaches who can coach.

[Blazerfan024]

Originally posted by <b>Tince</b>!
BlazerFan024-

I'll tell you what. Let's both watch tomorrows game and we'll each keep track of how many times Portland runs plays. I would be surprised if it's much less than Boston.

ok, and hopefully the players actually move in tommorrows game..

Cheeks would take out Damon and put in NVE. Then when neither of them could cut it, he put in Telfair. Who else is he supposed to put in to run the point?

I didn't see anyone calling plays, but I saw Portland run plays over half the time.

What plays are you seeing ? THEY STOOD AROUND and waited then shot the ball, how is that running plays?

We did nothing but stand and wait the whole game we were killed in almost every aspect of the game..That is lack of prep for the game period.

Do you want Cheeks out there on the court pushing the players? Everyone Portland player has two legs and a brain, they're professional basketball players and have been playing this game their entire life. They've had many other coaches than Cheeks, so even if Cheek weren't telling them what to do, as competitors they should know to move themselves.

Man when your team is lacking motivation a coach that actually gives you fire helps, have you watched Frank? The guy yells at his players from start to finish, he actually gives them fire and thats with a WELL below average team. When your coach acts like he dont care then your players feed off that and lose motivation, they may be grown men but this team needs motivation and with cheeks playing with his fingers dont show his team he actually cares.

Ball movement certainly beats a zone. What proof do you have that Mo wasn't telling them to move the ball? Do you really think he sits there during the timeouts and says, "Hey Damon, just hold the ball for 20 seconds, then shoot it."?

Well its been happening for what the last 2-3 years so um dont you think things would change by now? If Cheeks was such a great coach Damon would be SAT period for his one on one play. This isnt something that is new so theres your proof. Now wheres yours?

Your other suggestion is player movement. That works well when a team is playing an honest zone. New Jersey wasn't, so that made ball movement even more crutical. However, despite that, I can think of over a dozen times that Portlang brought SAR or ZBo to the high post to get the ball and sent a wing running along the baseline to try and create movement.

What game were you watching our players did not move period..They would dribble up, then dribble for awhile then try to force feed zach or SAR, zach Or SAR would get doubled then no one would slash or try to help out they would stand at the 3 line and wait for an outlet. Hence why so many 3's were taken.

Who do you want to run this team? We don't have Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, or John Stockton on this team. Cheeks doesn't pick who is on his team. Most captains in the NBA and picked based on tender with the team, minutes played, and the frequency they touch the ball. Damon and Anderson would be the msot two qualified captains. It's not Mo's fault they aren't good, he can only pick the best qualfied..

You have a point but the fact of the matter is is these so called Leaders should be benched and held responsible for there play? Are they? NO Because cheeks plays with no balls period. Damon knows right now he has Cheeks wrapped around his finger so any way he plays he knows he will start, same thing with DA. Changes need to be made.

Again, New Jesery was playing a zone that prevented the ball to go in the middle. However, Zach/SAR still got a combined 30 shots! How many more do you want them to take? They shot a horrible percentage because everything inside was forced...

More than 75% of those shots were outisde or forced shots because the guards held the ball to long, why else were they forced? This team CAN NOT be ran through Damon and that is Cheeks game plan.

The worst part of all this is that I thought Mo should have been fired two years ago, but that's not the point tonight. My entire point tonight is that most people on this board blindly blame Cheeks everytime, even when it's not his fault.

When will it ever be cheeks fault? There is always an excuse for him, that last 3 season we have done nothing but go downhill since pippen left , and it always someone else fault but cheeks.

Newsflash, this team is going to lose to bad teams no matter who the coach is. And when that happens, you guys will blame the next coach. At some point you have to realize it's not only the coach.

News flash this team shouldnt lose to bad teams and why are teams like the Jazz last season good but yet had such a mediocre team? Its called a GREAT COACH..WIth a great coach comes a well put together team which means they over achieve we will never have that in cheeks period.

[Todd]

Cheeks should only be an assistant. He is not head coach material and I really hope he is prepared to sit in the unemployment line after this season.

Damn that girl and her national anthem

[Tince]

When will it ever be cheeks fault? There is always an excuse for him, that last 3 season we have done nothing but go downhill since pippen left , and it always someone else fault but cheeks.

That just proves my point. Players are leaders, not coaches. Since you won't answer my question, I'll do my best to answer yours. When will it be Cheeks' fault? Well it has been plenty of times already (which is why I said I wanted him fired two years ago). It's his fault when his mismanages timeouts. It was his fault when Portland failed to adjust to matchup problems during the 2nd quarter of the Tronto game. It's his fault plenty of times. Sadly, most people would rather just say it's Mo's fault everytime instead of looking at other possible problems.

News flash this team shouldnt lose to bad teams and why are teams like the Jazz last season so good but yet had such a mediocre team? Its called a GREAT COACH..WIth a great coach comes a well put together team which means they over achieve we will never have that in cheeks period.

Would I take Solan over Cheeks? In a heart beat. Solan is one of the best coaches in NBA history. However, in case you didn't notice, he aleady has a job and I doubt he'll leave to come to Portland. The few good coaches that don't have jobs probably don't want to come to a small market town to coach a team with a bad reputation and a payroll that is out of control. I remember standing up for Dunleavy when everyone ripped on him for being out of touch with the players and having no control of the team. But people seem to have this knee-jerk reaction to fire the coach when everything doesn't go to plan. MD Jr. was the last coach we fired without a good replacment in mind. I'm not sure firing Mo when we don't have a good coach to come in a replace him will have a better result.

[baler]

Originally posted by <b>Playmaker0017</b>!
Telfair should have gotten some time.

I'm not a huge fan of the kid yet ... but there is no excuse when we were playing like we were.

Play.

I like Reef and ZBo on the post. I really think that Telfair would do a much better job of getting them the ball at the right time. Remember, Telfair does not want to shoot and score first he wants the assist. That is the difference between him and Damon. Telfair can get by anyone in the NBA and dish to any number of players. I would like to see Telfair driving and dishing to Reef for that 10-12 footer he has been making. No chance of that with Damon.

Ugggh.