Fate of the white unit

by Philthyanimal on Mar 2, 2008 9:18 PM PST

I can't really pinpoint the exact date, but to me the "white unit" hasn't been said in an interview or article in quite a while. It's pretty obvious that it had a pretty short albeit successful stint when it was in effect. We were running 10 man rotations and even Sergio who was getting the least amount of minutes was getting double digit minutes at that point.

While bench play has still been fairy good it seems as if the white unit is no more. We have not seen all 5 players on the court at the same time (in over 3 weeks?). We also have seen Nate tighten up the rotation at times. Tonight he rotated 9 but Channing hardly played despite playing an efficient game.

Has Nate ever addressed demoting Sergio and Channing? To me it seems weird that Raef came off the bench before Channing for a few games, yet Raef has disappeared again lately and Frye has not benefited from that absence. We also saw how effective the Nilla Wafer was in his first stint where he got 30+ mins...but did not play tonight. That is a huge drop off yet we have no explanation.

Any other questions or thoughts?

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The team is under

both the weak and strong chaos regime, since The Red Baron come. I´m unable to predict the players that might play in a game.

"You, my friend, are an enigma" (einman77)

by amlmart1 on Mar 2, 2008 9:31 PM PST 0 recs

agreed

During Dec and Jan...everything was predictable. We were a well oiled machine and when something went wrong it was easily diagnosed. Everyone had pretty clear and defined roles and minutes. Gameplans were pretty similar as well. Now...I don't even know who is gonna play or who is going to get significant minutes.

by Philthyanimal on Mar 2, 2008 9:36 PM PST up 0 recs

I would like to see more Channing

although with James back, I'm not quite sure whose minutes he gets.

by Section323 on Mar 2, 2008 9:34 PM PST 0 recs

The white team:

Injuries took James Jones out of the white team, then the injury to Roy brought Travis off the white team.

Sergio was severely outplayed by Farmer in the first LA game and with the Blazers wanting to make a run for the play-offs he has lost his spot in the rotation. IMHO he's trade bait this Summer.

Nilla Wafer was brought in because Roy was injured. Roy is not injured anymore. You want to continue Wafer at 30 minutes per game and only leave Roy 18?

I thought Channing was playing well too. At least well in terms of a back up PF. The problem is that Channing was playing the Center position for the white team and the white team needs more defense and rebounding. This is why Nate tried Raef. But apparently Nate wasn't happy with this either. Currently he's going with taking Joel out of the first unit early in the game, bringing in Channing to play PF with LaMarcus at the Center. Before the "white team" is out there too long Joel is brought back off the bench to be their center.

I really like Channing at the PF position and his PER rank of 39 bears out that he is a better than average as a back up PF.

Next year Oden can be the starting units center and Joel can be the "white units" center. With Travis playing so well and Channing also playing decent, I think the Blazers would be best off to play Channing as the back up Power Forward, while Travis get's all his minutes at the SF at the expense of Martel. I think Martel will do better at the SG position, competing for back up minutes with Rudy. Also moving Jack to the back up point position. Through trade or draft the Blazers have to find a much better pg. Maybe they can trade up in the draft high enough to get Mayo or perhaps they can work a trade for Conley.

by mrwonderfull on Mar 3, 2008 2:25 AM PST 0 recs

What I was saying is

How can a guy get a significant role for one game and did well in that game (more mins than Jack and Blake), and then all of a sudden disappear? You would think he would at least be deserving even a small spot in the rotation.

Farmar outplayed all of our guards not just Sergio. I also don't think playoffs are that big of a priority for us this year. If it happens great...if not I don't think they will be disappointed. If we really wanted to make the playoffs that bad this year than KP would have traded for help. As far as Sergio being traded this offseason...I'm willing to bet you (Blazer tickets, jersey?) that he will not be traded this off season. Even if he rides the pine, his role is to ease Rudy's transition.

by Philthyanimal on Mar 3, 2008 2:38 AM PST up 0 recs

Ditto on Sergio

KP pretty much said in the last Quick Chat that Sergio's role next year, is to help transition Rudy.

"This reminds me of my father's last words: 'Don't son, that gun is loaded!'" - Chains from the greatest movie ever, Stone Cold (1991)

by tominhawaii on Mar 3, 2008 3:09 PM PST up 0 recs

About the Euros...

Sergio transitioning Rudy...is this a good thing? Seems to me Surge can't be happy with his minutes and I could see him planting seeds of discontent with his fellow countryman. And I do think Rudy will go through the same trials as Sergio did too. (Only because Nate seems to have reservations about rookies in general).

by Stryder9 on Mar 3, 2008 5:44 PM PST up 0 recs

Yeah

He need to know where to get his filterless Euro-smokes. Rudy can tell if Sergio should be playing or not. They're both professional so Rudy will know if Sergio deserves the playing time or not. I think he'll most help with the language barrier though.

"This reminds me of my father's last words: 'Don't son, that gun is loaded!'" - Chains from the greatest movie ever, Stone Cold (1991)

by tominhawaii on Mar 3, 2008 5:56 PM PST up 0 recs

Maybe

they'll both sport the faux-hawk? That would bring in some good chuckles.

by Stryder9 on Mar 3, 2008 6:01 PM PST up 0 recs

is that even possible?

to have a faux hawk with curly hair?

by Philthyanimal on Mar 3, 2008 11:03 PM PST up 0 recs

James Jones is going to continue to get fewer

looks and tougher ones at that, if we don't put him in with Sergio. Jack is terrible at penetrating and passing because h just puts his head down and barrels into people. Sergio + James Jones = wide-open 3 pointers.

Free Sergio! http://www.freesergio.com

by sergioFTW on Mar 3, 2008 6:59 AM PST 0 recs

The problem is...

.................. the ROSTER should have been tightened up 5 or 6 weeks ago and Channing and Sergio should be playing ELSEWHERE and there should be another Power Forward sitting on the bench.

THEN the Blazers would be ready to make a playoff run this year.

All this was obvious. KP was unable or unwilling (or some combination of these things) to get it done.

I will give him credit for stealing from Denver though -- Red Baron for Taurean seems a smooth deal. Problem being his contract only has 22 or whatever more games on it, and the Blazers are in a Use It or Lose It situation with him just now... Time to see if the guy can play. There are still last delusions of making the playoffs that need to die off though. Soon enough, I reckon...

"You don't live by the jumpshot, you die by the jumpshot." ---Charles Barkley, 2/7/08

by timbo on Mar 3, 2008 8:36 AM PST 0 recs

channing

is a bit of a mystery. i haven't heard nate address it directly but it feels like the shortened playing time is some kind of punishment or psychological motivater.

frye has made some mental lapses, has trouble on the boards sometimes and settles very quickly for the outside jumper... definitely pet peeves for coach nate in certain situations.

that said, frye is a good kid, works hard and there isn't a full-time alternative. i think it's a fair expectation that he will see his minutes go back up, particularly if we fall any further out of the playoff race.

"I want Portland to be the model franchise." ~ Bobby Medina

by Ben. on Mar 3, 2008 3:25 PM PST 0 recs