NBA Preseason Discussion
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nbafan88
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When asked whether the entire team will make the trip, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said only “No.” He would not elaborate.
It’s likely the Hawks will leave behind members of its starting unit. The group played significant minutes in Wednesday’s exhibition against the Grizzlies. The team does not want to risk injury to one of its stars in a final preseason game. In addition, a smaller roster will give young players one more opportunity for playing time.
It’s likely the Hawks will leave behind members of its starting unit. The group played significant minutes in Wednesday’s exhibition against the Grizzlies. The team does not want to risk injury to one of its stars in a final preseason game. In addition, a smaller roster will give young players one more opportunity for playing time.
nbafan88
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@DailyNBALineups: #Pacers Monta Ellis (upper respiratory infection) will miss preseason Thursday's game against the Hornets. https://t.co/ojOABVyels
nbafan88
Pretty much a regular
Terry Stotts says he intends to coach the Trail Blazers’ preseason finale Thursday at the Los Angeles Clippers “close” to how he would when the regular season opens Oct. 28, with one notable exception:
Projected starting small forward Al-Farouq Aminu will miss the game – his third straight – to nurse a strained left hamstring.
“That changes some things,’’ Stotts said. “But it will be close to a regular season game.’’
Stotts said he only has two unknowns as the preseason ends: How he will approach the return of guard Gerald Henderson whenever he heals from offseason hip surgery; and how to use his crowded front court of four bigs – Meyers Leonard, Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis and Noah Vonleh.
Henderson, the six-year pro who has averaged 30 minutes over his last four seasons, has recently started taking part in non-contact drills, but he has yet to take part in a full practice. No timeline has been set, other than Stotts saying it was “unlikely” Henderson would be ready for the Oct. 28 season opener against New Orleans at the Moda Center.
It appears certain CJ McCollum will start at shooting guard, but whenever Henderson returns, there is the possibility Stotts could shift McCollum to the second unit to enhance his play-making ability and give the unit a high-volume scorer. Henderson has started 292 of his 391 career games, and carries a 12.0 scoring average.
“When Gerald comes back, that’s going to be a decision I will have to make in how to approach that,’’ Stotts said. “But I don’t know how far off that is.’’
In the frontcourt, Stotts has plenty of options, but he admitted Wednesday that over his coaching career he has found it difficult to have a 10-player rotation.
“Nine is a comfortable number,’’ Stotts said. “But it’s hard to say what the exact rotation will be. I don’t think we will see a standard rotation every night. I might play the hot hand longer. I might ride a lineup that is doing well longer. And when we do that, that effects the rotation.’’
Leonard (power forward) and Plumlee (center) are expected to start, and Ed Davis has been impressive enough to seemingly assure himself of a rotation spot. That leaves second-year forward Noah Vonleh potentially on the outside looking in, yet Stotts made it a point to say nothing is set in stone and Vonleh will be a nightly option.
Stotts spent much of preseason mixing and matching his big men, trying to find the right mix and combination. He laments that one option he didn’t see enough of was Aminu at power forward, a look he only saw at Utah. That move was made to counteract being forced to play Davis and Plumlee together, because neither big man is a threat from the outside, potentially hamstringing the Blazers’ offensive spacing.
Still, Stotts said a six-minute experimentation with Davis and Plumlee together was passable.
“I don’t think (playing Davis and Plumlee together) is as big of an issue as some might think it is, as far as spacing the court,’’ Stotts said. “Both are smart players, both know how to play. And Mason can handle the ball. It’s not conventional, but that look is doable and something to look at.’’
Tonight against the Clippers, it will be his final look before the games count. His opening night lineup figures to be Lillard at point guard, McCollum at shooting guard, either Aminu or Moe Harkless at small forward, Leonard at power forward and Plumlee at center.
He says he hasn’t mapped out his substitution pattern for Thursday, other than a plan to use Lillard and McCollum extensively.
“I want us to just keep building on the things we are working on,’’ Stotts said.
Projected starting small forward Al-Farouq Aminu will miss the game – his third straight – to nurse a strained left hamstring.
“That changes some things,’’ Stotts said. “But it will be close to a regular season game.’’
Stotts said he only has two unknowns as the preseason ends: How he will approach the return of guard Gerald Henderson whenever he heals from offseason hip surgery; and how to use his crowded front court of four bigs – Meyers Leonard, Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis and Noah Vonleh.
Henderson, the six-year pro who has averaged 30 minutes over his last four seasons, has recently started taking part in non-contact drills, but he has yet to take part in a full practice. No timeline has been set, other than Stotts saying it was “unlikely” Henderson would be ready for the Oct. 28 season opener against New Orleans at the Moda Center.
It appears certain CJ McCollum will start at shooting guard, but whenever Henderson returns, there is the possibility Stotts could shift McCollum to the second unit to enhance his play-making ability and give the unit a high-volume scorer. Henderson has started 292 of his 391 career games, and carries a 12.0 scoring average.
“When Gerald comes back, that’s going to be a decision I will have to make in how to approach that,’’ Stotts said. “But I don’t know how far off that is.’’
In the frontcourt, Stotts has plenty of options, but he admitted Wednesday that over his coaching career he has found it difficult to have a 10-player rotation.
“Nine is a comfortable number,’’ Stotts said. “But it’s hard to say what the exact rotation will be. I don’t think we will see a standard rotation every night. I might play the hot hand longer. I might ride a lineup that is doing well longer. And when we do that, that effects the rotation.’’
Leonard (power forward) and Plumlee (center) are expected to start, and Ed Davis has been impressive enough to seemingly assure himself of a rotation spot. That leaves second-year forward Noah Vonleh potentially on the outside looking in, yet Stotts made it a point to say nothing is set in stone and Vonleh will be a nightly option.
Stotts spent much of preseason mixing and matching his big men, trying to find the right mix and combination. He laments that one option he didn’t see enough of was Aminu at power forward, a look he only saw at Utah. That move was made to counteract being forced to play Davis and Plumlee together, because neither big man is a threat from the outside, potentially hamstringing the Blazers’ offensive spacing.
Still, Stotts said a six-minute experimentation with Davis and Plumlee together was passable.
“I don’t think (playing Davis and Plumlee together) is as big of an issue as some might think it is, as far as spacing the court,’’ Stotts said. “Both are smart players, both know how to play. And Mason can handle the ball. It’s not conventional, but that look is doable and something to look at.’’
Tonight against the Clippers, it will be his final look before the games count. His opening night lineup figures to be Lillard at point guard, McCollum at shooting guard, either Aminu or Moe Harkless at small forward, Leonard at power forward and Plumlee at center.
He says he hasn’t mapped out his substitution pattern for Thursday, other than a plan to use Lillard and McCollum extensively.
“I want us to just keep building on the things we are working on,’’ Stotts said.
nbafan88
Pretty much a regular
A look into Kenneth Faried...
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nba/eye-o...can-become-the-impact-player-the-nuggets-need
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nba/eye-o...can-become-the-impact-player-the-nuggets-need
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