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Is Steve Blake helping or hindering us?

Many of us argue that Steve Blake helps us by not hurting us.  When he is shooting 30% on wide open threes that is the difference between winning & losing these close games.

I'm afraid he is always wide open because the defense just isn't that worried about him.  Because they aren't worried about him they are shutting down the lane.  

I expect that Blake will start shooting a little better.  My big concern is that he will never draw the defense and therefore he hinders our offense.  Am I underrating his great ability to run our offense?  I'd love to hear some other options because our offense is somewhat pathetic over the last 7 games.

Right now Blake is hindering us.  I hope he can recover and play well enough to not hurt us.  I don't think he has the potential to be a difference maker for the future.  

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Blake has been good...
but his shooting is killing us, he takes smart, open shots and they just wont fall.  Hopefully he turns it around because he could really help us win games if he can get his jumper right...
RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Nov 29, 2007 11:06 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

His shots are killin Roy
Roy's not getting assists, and the lane is clogged due to his abysmal shooting.

by robrun2 on Nov 29, 2007 11:32 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Blake is at his best

when paired with guys who can take it to the hole with authority.

Such as Iverson and Carmelo.

or...remembering his last Blazer stint...guys like Maryland buddy Juan Dixon, and Ruben Patterson.  Even Bassy, for all his faults, was good at driving the ball (though he often would miss the layup at the end of the drive...).  Neither of these are in the same league as AI and 'Melo, but both will draw the defense to them.

He doesn't have those teammates on the current Blazer squad.  Webster is still not good at creating his own shot.  Brandon can, but his game is more multi-faceted than the straightforward I'm-gonna-drive-it-see-if-you-can-stop-me play of an Iverson.

Blake helps the team by not making mistakes, but he hurts the team by not being what the Blazers probably want most in their other starting guard (point or shooting).  The best counterpart to a Brandon Roy is probably someone who can drive and dish quickly, and who can play good perimter D.  Sergio shows promise of the first, but is woefully deficient in the second.  Jarrett can drive and dish, but also has trouble defending opposing guards, and seems better suited to coming off the bench.  Green and Koponen--we don't know enough about them.

I would expect Blake to be in the Blazers plans through the season.  However, he would be better off being paired in the backcourt with a guy like a Dwayne Wade, or a Kobe, or a LeBron--or back with the Nuggets in Denver.  Long term, I don't see him as the starting PG in Portland.

by EngineerScotty on Nov 29, 2007 12:03 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Blake
was a big part of that 4-0 homestand with his solid play.

He's been an equally big part of this nightmare 1-7 stretch.  His inability to hit wide open shots has badly hurt the team.  

Martell Webster's poor shooting has also hurt the Blazers.  After that torrid start, he's below his career 3 pt %.  Kudos to him for improving the rest of his game, but we still really need him to hit 40% or more of his threes.

by jksnake99 on Nov 29, 2007 12:23 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

I agree
I should call out Martell for shooting poorly also.  I just have more hope for Martell to be a difference maker in the future.  Defenses do seem to be aware of Martell though.

by tweener on Nov 29, 2007 12:50 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

More Shots
Blake needs to shoot more. He's certainly a better shooter than what he's shown this year (comparing him with his first go-around with the Blazers).  

Now, it's as though he's afraid to miss, or perhaps he believes too much in his role of being a 'pass first' guy. They are leaving you open Steve ... take those shots, over and over if need be until they start dropping.  It's not like anyone else is shooting the lights out from distance so if they're not dropping at first, put it out of your mind.      

by TwoDeep on Nov 29, 2007 2:29 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Blake is not in the Blazers
future as a starter, I don't think he ever has been, a back-up perhaps.  The critiques of his play this year are spot on.  He doesn't make many mistakes, and consequently is the best option for now, was very helpful in our win streak, and has been a serious contributor to our losing streak due predominantly to his shooting slump, and secondarily to throwing some really deflating bad alley-oop passes.  He's still producing assists though, so it could be worse!

by drawingjeremy on Nov 29, 2007 4:17 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Blake doesn't have starter talent
He just doesn't. The first thing that went wrong this year was that Jack couldn't step up and claim the starting PG job. Now, every game, we "lose" at the PG position. If we lose at C and SF, too, which we often do, that makes it very tough to come by wins.

Back to the question. Blake isn't hindering us. He's the best we have, unless Nate decides to try to slide Roy over. Maybe by midseason we'll be trying: Roy, Martell, Jones, LMA, Joel. At least we won't get slaughtered on the boards!

by barryj on Nov 29, 2007 8:33 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

It's confidence
To somewhat echo TwoDeep, he just seems like he doesn't want to shoot.  When he gets the ball wide open, he seems like he hesitates for a second as he thinks about it.  If he doesn't already know when the ball is in mid air on its way to him, he's toast.

by Gargen on Nov 29, 2007 9:33 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

IS THIS NOT OUR PROBLEM?
We have 4 point guards who have 4 different strengths.  

Steve Blake has solid basketball I.Q.
Jarrett Jack has size, strength, and can finish.
Sergio Rodriguez can penetrate and break a defense down.
Taurean Green is a solid defender.

If only we could put these guys in a blender.  Then we would have a sizable point guard, who can run an offense, able to break down a defense for easy assists, who could play defense.

As it is, our point guard play is usually one dimensional.  It usually isn't all that dynamic, that's for sure.

I'm hip, I'm slick, and all the women want my phone number!

by silkybrown on Nov 30, 2007 12:10 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Career 40% FG
This season:  37%

Also:  6'2", 172 lbs

'nuff said.

He's a second unit guy for most teams.

by leeroyjenkins on Nov 30, 2007 6:41 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

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