"We don't need a Chris Paul or Deron Williams or an All-Star point guard..."
by SpyderRyder on Jul 28, 2008 12:56 AM PDT
85 comments
"We just need a solid point guard, a veteran guy who makes great decisions and hits big shots,"
From the man himself, Brandon Roy:
NICE read on Brandon Roy and his thoughts on the upcoming season. How did we luck out to get this guy? IMO hw will be the reason that this team will stay together, players will gravitate towards him and want to be on his team.
The Blazers first priority has to be getting this guy locked up for the full 6 years when his time comes up. Once he is a long term Blazer, LMA, Oden and the rest of the crew will follow suit, as the more you read of him the more you gain respect for the guy, that quiet confidence and underlying greatness, not just scoring or stats, but doing the little things that are necessary to win and make this team better.
So far we have come from the days of having Zach as our leader, Reuben our energy, and Darius our core.
People seem to question the validity of our team, but much as we were left for dead at the beginning of last season, we will be again underestimated IMO, even with our already lofty predictions.
I would now like to pose the question of: What if?
In looking at our seasons to come, some here think that due to our youth and inexperience, we will take a while to grow into a team that is dominant in the postseason, saying that our time will not be until 2-3 seasons from now.
Yet I would like to offer another version of that story, one that will hopefully be more truth than exaggeration.
Kevin Pritchard has done a masterful job in bringing in team oriented players whose only goal is to win. Paired with the fact they are tireless workers with their natural talent and you have a recipe for success, possibly much sooner than we imagine.
Looking back our team last year we went 41-41 in the ultra competitive western conference, as a poor rebounding, jump-shooting team, all of this coming in as the 3rd youngest team in the history of the league. Nobody in their wildest dreams even imagined that a .500 season would be possible after the loss of Oden and our leading scorer and rebounder, but we proved that working as a team will far and away outshine individual accomplishment.
With this new infusion of 3 top ten draft pick talent, we will now have Bayless to fill in for Jack, Rudy to fill in for Von Wafer, and Oden step ahead of Joel. With this massive upgrade in talent, and a good coach at the helm guiding them the possibilities are limitless. More importantly, Pritchard has added players that will relish and thrive being pushed and react to challenges rather than back away from them.
I think of Utah in 2006-07 and look to see that their 2 main players had no experience in the playoffs at all and Williams was in his second year in the league. What did they do they made it all the way to the WCF. A precedent has been set with younger teams pushing deep into the postseason.
I am also reminded of the Hornets of this year and their run to the WC semis and am struck by their makeup, namely how experienced they are at each position. If you take a close look at their roster, the most experienced guy is Stojakovic, both playoff and regular season. West is the second leg of the NO triumvirate but has had little playoff experience, only 19 games in 2 years. However the main engine that runs NO is Paul who has had no playoff experience at all. How did they manage to take the SAS to 7 games and come that close to beating them with their engine wetting his feet for the first time in the playoffs?
Now granted we do not have Chris Paul but our main creator is entering his 3rd year in the league and if you compare the rest of the roster we are far superior to them.
Their starting lineup of
Paul
Peterson
Peja
West
Chandler
would be far outstripped with that of ours
Blake
Roy
Webster
LMA
Oden
Not to even mention our 2nd unit.
And as I said our main playmaker will be entering his 3rd year as well.
With that 3rd year player as our leader, we can only think what our new pieces will bring to us, mainly Oden who will be able to rebound and provide us with a scoring presence in the low post for the first time in a long time. We had little to no inside presence that could score until after the all star break when LMA finally figured out how to bang down low, which isn't his strength anyways. We now have a base foundation to work off of so that if we need an easy bucket we can dump it into the post and let him go to work. Add to this the upgrade in shooting that Bayless should bring over Jack and Rudy over Wafer, we should more than make up for the loss of Jones. With Travis turning into Super Trout this year and Webster hopefully taking another step forward we should be able to create a situation where we always have a dynamic SF on the court at all times.
Which brings me to the question of what if.
What if Brandon Roy has learned how to truly run the team and is ready to carry it on his back
What if Greg really is the second coming of Shaq, Robinson, Ewing, or Russell and puts up comprable #s?
What is LaMarcus gets tough and can pound the ball down low as well as being able to hit the 15ft J?
What if Rudy comes in and can play like Ginobili off the bench providing us a kickstart?
What if Bayless' weaknesses as a PG are completely masked playing alongside Roy allowing him to do what he does best, score the ball?
What if Travis has learned how to be a professional and to work all year round to make that next step in his development?
What if Webster learns to defend and can raise his 3pt % that much more?
What if all those last year who scoffed at the notion of us being anywhere other than the bottom of the league once again tell us that there is no way that we can get to the WCF let alone the finals?
Now naysayers will come and pick apart every what if to the highest degree, "That's a LOT of 'What ifs' they all can possibly come true." But with Nate, Dean, Monty and MoLuc at the helm, Brandon providing leadership on the court and the surprising success of last year, I can't help but be optimistic and think that we have something so precious here that everything else will fade away under its intense glow, perhaps not everything this year, but much more and quicker than expected.
And at the heart of it all we have the next great Blazer player, Brandon Roy, whose leadership and play will guide us to that next level, perhaps one only reached by a select few teams.
So ask yourself: What if?
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"It's the time I can get away from everything . . . and just think about basketball." Not the other way around
I love Brandon Roy. yes….i would marry him right now…don’t even have to ask.
Bayless4Ever
by Sabonis4Ever on Jul 28, 2008 1:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
"The reason why I see it with Bayless is because he can guard points."
Now that we’ve heard it from B-Roy I for one will be relaxing just a bit more about bayless and his role on the team.
by shteveo on Jul 28, 2008 1:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That was the key statement in the article...
.............................. his first comment about “all we need is a veteran guy who can hit big shots” is a clear allusion to Blake. And then he comments about pairing up VERY NICELY with Rex, with the quicker Rex guarding opposing points and, it is implied, the duo sharing duties carrying the ball.
Brandon’s message: THE FUTURE IS NOW.
No excuses this year—PLAYOFFS.
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
by timbo on Jul 28, 2008 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's how I read it also
plus it also leans toward T-rex as the starter also ….which I like. Not because he is better than Blake…but because it allows Roy to be teamed with Rex and Blake to team with Rudy allowing for a vet to be in the back court at all times
Homer: "Oh no!! A Bear is eating my father!." (On seeing Selma kissing Grampa)
by 92wastheyear on Jul 28, 2008 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rex will not start...
Not even this year. He will primarily play in the fourth quarter with Roy. A huge upgrade over JJack in crunch time. The ability of both these players to create will be important.
by Odynasty on Jul 28, 2008 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This read
made me love Roy even more than I already do, and I didn’t think that could happen. Oden may become the face of the franchise but there is no doubt in my mind Roy will remain the #1 leader on the court.
by Bskey on Jul 28, 2008 4:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You'd better look out Mr. the Glide
This Brandon kid is getting close to being my favorite Blazer ever.
by coolguyrob on Jul 28, 2008 5:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Not to sure...
about your analysis of the Hornets starting lineup vs. the Blazers. Chandler will probably be better than Oden this season and if you figure Paul and Roy cancel out (probably a bit of a homer call) , Blake and Peterson cancel out, and LMA and West cancel out (potential homer call, tough to say until we see how LMA is with Oden in the lineup) and Peja is a little better than Webster and it looks like NOH has the advantage. Of course, that will change as our guys get more experience. The real advantage the Blazers have is with the depth against New Orleans, not the starting five.
And a big kudos to Roy for hopefully calming everyone down about the point guard thing. Blake is a veteran who makes big shots and great decisions. Add to him Roy and Bayless as combo guards and I think the back court is all set. Really, the same could be said of the SF slot – all the team needs is someone who’s a solid defender, can hit a spot up jumper and rebound if necessary. It’s looking like Webster and Outlaw will fill that role just fine. As KP says, the Blazers top 10 is solid.
by erastus25 on Jul 28, 2008 5:29 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Depth makes us better.
I think we’ll be 50/50 with this team. they have some experience now, but we have bayless, travis, and rudy.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
by ratbastird on Jul 28, 2008 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
we would lose to the hornets
roy is not better than chris paul. paul was a mvp candidate. paul would run circles around roy right now. and theres no way lamarcus is even in david west’s league. west was also an all-star. west would murder aldridge in the post and he is so much more consistent with an outside then aldridge is. maybe this will change but it wasnt the case last season. and who says the hornets bench is weak. our bench, the blazers’ bench is unproven. pargo is better than rudy and bayless combined cause they haven’t logged a single minute. wait and see how they play out till you start biasing teams better than other teams. some hornets fans would bash us blazers talking all this nonsense. they made it to the conference finals! they deserve some respect, especially cp. lets wait till our boys get to prove themselves before we start declaring we are better than every other team in the league. the hornets are now, we are the future. remember that.
by cp3 on Jul 28, 2008 6:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not a big deal but...
...the Hornets bowed out in the 2nd round, not the WCF.
They got some good players, so they’ll be a tough team to beat in the coming years. I hope they continue their habit of melting down in the Rose Garden.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on Jul 28, 2008 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
They really did didn't they?
They crushed us both times in NO and looked like world beaters, but we handled them both times at home and they lost their composure.
Boomshakalaka
by jksnake99 on Jul 28, 2008 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I actually believe that Oden can outplay
Chandler! Tyson is long but skinny as Tony Parker’s Wife. Greg will be able to get good low-post posistions and power his way through to dunk after dunk. Well maybe not that easily but you get my point. LaMarcus and David West is trickier, Both really have similar games. Both are excellent shooter from 15-18ft. and both are still learning to play with their back to the basket. West looks a more capable ball-handler but LMA has the advantage in height and length. You’re right, it could go either way. Paul is better than Roy! I love Roy and I wouldn’t trade him for Paul but Chris is currently the better player. He’s already at MVP level so all this ‘homer call’ is nonsense.
by VinnyB on Jul 28, 2008 5:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Mostly agreed
I give West a slight edge over Aldridge this season because of his extra year of experience. Maybe the gap has closed this season though? I certainly wouldn’t be surprised. Same deal with Oden/Chandler. I think Chandler gets the advantage this season because he already knows how to play the NBA game at a high level. The dude was almost an all-star last year, which probably won’t happen with Oden this year. Long term though Oden ought to easily win that battle.
by erastus25 on Jul 28, 2008 6:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So much of the AllStar game is hype and recognizability of name
Meaning Oden will be getting the nod if his numbers are within range of Chandler. Yao of course will always be the starter, no matter how injured he is (Internet voting + roughly a kajillion homer votes= sure thing).
It’s strange to think of a Blazer being OVERRATED in the national press (although Roy getting the nod over Williams last year says he may have some traction as well), but I’ll take it.
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -Gandhi
"Throw Thag, throw. Throw throw throw throw throw throw"- Far Side
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jul 28, 2008 12:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Roy over Ginobili was worse
Manu freaking carried the Spurs on his back last year.
And my point about Chandler almost being an all-star was that he is good at this point in his career. The fact that he was even considered for a spot based on “hype and recognizability of name” despite the fact his game does not lend itself to either says something. Oden will surpass him, but probably not in his first NBA season after 18 months away from competitive ball.
by erastus25 on Jul 28, 2008 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I get what you're saying
But I would not be surprised if Oden is in the top 5 voting for centers in the NBA, no matter how he plays. The guy just has that national presence and likeability.
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -Gandhi
"Throw Thag, throw. Throw throw throw throw throw throw"- Far Side
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jul 28, 2008 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
very good interview
Roy would probably be my favorite NBA player even if I wasn’t a blazer fan.
More stuff on Roy from the oregonlive.com
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/07/part_i_roys_marriage_proposal.html
by Falcao on Jul 28, 2008 6:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Oh god that makes me so happy
Thanks for the links! I can’t get enough of Brandon Roy!
I’m really excited to see Brandon and Jerryd working together, I think they will complement each other perfectly, as neither of them is quite a pure 1 or a pure 2, but together they add up to three.
by ostateblazer on Jul 28, 2008 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
EVERYONE HAS GOT TO CLICK THAT 'BETTER LINK'!!!
That is really first rate… It’ll take you a good half hour to get through it, but it’s the best Brandon Roy interview to date (blog + video + sound).
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
by timbo on Jul 28, 2008 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Over-All - I'll take the Blazers
As KP said, they’re looking for playmakers. And, as Roy said, he likes Bayless as someone who can bring the ball up, pass to Roy to run the play or create his own shot, slide over to the #2 slot, guard the points, and, at times, make the play himself. My bet is that Bayless will be the starter in another year or less, and that he will be a better player than Peterson. Further, Oden will be better than Chandler. West and Aldridge will be a wash. Paul and Roy will ultimately be a wash. And, I say this, because Paul had the advantage of playing with the West/Chandler frontcourt. Roy hasn’t yet had the opportunity to play with the Oden/Aldridge front court. Once he has that opportunity, he’ll be even better than he was. I’d also give our bench the edge over the Hornets Bench. And the bench is generally good for 25% or more of the points. Pryz, Frye, Fernandez/Blake/Bayless and Outlaw are simply a better second team. As far as SF, we have plenty of time to decide whether Webster/Outlaw give us what we want, or to use the cap space and one of these players to make a change downstream.
The first team’s will be close, but we appear to have a few more weapons downstream. But the 2nd team isn’t close.
by Eben Calder on Jul 28, 2008 7:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Far superior...
is a bit strong given that Oden has yet to play one minute of NBA ball. He has the potential to be a solid player, but until we see him in a real game, it’s just talk. Don’t forget that Chandler was on our national team last year and is a pretty solid player himself. He boards, plays tough defense and can pick up some cheap ones around the basket.
I guess I’m not as firmly on the Oden bandwagon as everyone else. I don’t think he’ll ever be as dominant as Shaq was, but if he can average 10 ppg, 15 rpg and 3 bpg I’ll be satisfied. Chandler averaged 12/12/1 in 79 games in 2007-08.
by torsoheap on Jul 28, 2008 7:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
15 rpg?
Yeah, I guess that would be satisfactory, as long as you were satisfied with Bill Russell or Moses Malone. That would be on the high side of expectations, needless to say.
GO could play left-handed his whole career and (seriously) be better than Tyson Chandler starting in year one. Chandler has no offensive game other than catching alley-oops from CP3. GO at least has a lefty hook that’s fairly reliable, and the ability to drop step and dunk. Plus, GO is much stronger AND more athletic.
Will he be as dominant as Shaq? Now you’re asking a very different (and legitimate) question. Shaq was one of the most dominant offensive players of all time. That’s impossible to say. Probably not. But he could be by far the best center in the league without being as dominant as Shaq was (and with all their talent, the Blazers don’t need him to be). But one thing’s for sure: he’ll never have Shaq’s Achilles Heel – free throw shooting. That’s a very big difference. And he’ll be a more versatile player than Shaq was.
Bayless isn't the second coming of Jordan.
Jordan was the first coming of Bayless.
by KP Corleone on Jul 28, 2008 8:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you're right-
Oden will never have the pure power game that Shaq had. I think that comes from dominating college competition, to the point where you simple believe that you can score over or through anyone.
But Greg has so much more polish, even with less experience, than Shaq had until he went to LA. He has touch, can shoot free throws, and looks to WANT to play D, not just go for the flashy block.
Hopefully the knee hasn’t changed those things.
The better comparison for Greg’s career will be how he measures up to David Robinson. I think they have a lot more similarities, potentially (Obviously the Admiral was a finished, polished product before he ever set foot on an NBA court, so we’ll have to wait a while to see how it works out).
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -Gandhi
"Throw Thag, throw. Throw throw throw throw throw throw"- Far Side
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jul 28, 2008 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
15 rpg? HA!!!
Oden is going to be a 25-30 minute guy due to foul trouble. A more likely line for him:
10/8/2.
t
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
by timbo on Jul 28, 2008 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Until December, I think you are right.
But when this guy adapts, look out.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Greg Doden really brought the extra D tonight!
by MGNNoah on Jul 28, 2008 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The great thing is he doesn't need to be...
much better than 10/8/2. He could do 15/11/2.5 for his career and the Blazers would still have an absolutely excellent shot at winning the whole thing.
by erastus25 on Jul 28, 2008 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was talking about
during his peak years. Obviously he’s going to ride the pine a lot this year due to foul trouble.
by torsoheap on Jul 28, 2008 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
In his peak years he will score way more than 10ppg
Mutumbo scored around 15ppg during his best years. Not exactly an offensive juggernaught but well above what you have pprojected for Greg. I would say that Deke is the very lowest limit of Oden’s range.
Homer: "Oh no!! A Bear is eating my father!." (On seeing Selma kissing Grampa)
by 92wastheyear on Jul 28, 2008 8:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
With Roy...
LMA, Rudy and Bayless are there going to be enough shots for Oden? He’ll be the garbage man, not a first, second or third offensive option.
by torsoheap on Jul 28, 2008 9:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
oden will not be having the foul trouble that some people seam to fear
hes had a chance to watch the big boys play, and learn what he can and can not get away with. hes had a chance to watch the different refs and learn there foul calling tendicies. hes had coaches and markee players in his ear the hole time and ill bet it wasnt just knock-knock jokes he was hearing. he spent time with the team, went on the road with them, all the while attacking rehab like an allstar. his surgery 15 years ago would not have happened and he would have played 4 or 5 years with out majore dificulties. in the history of micro fracture, his was one of the least sevear, yet he still was given more then a consideral amount of recovery time, and has by all reports been held back, chomping at the bit. this guy will get ten just off of putbacks alone. THATS ONLY 5 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS AT THE BASKET, let alone when the offence actually has him in mind, and not including and-ones. the buffet sais that he is THE strongest player in the league right NOW. im sure that he wont be afraid to take advantage of that. this guy even has an 18 and 8 guy in lamonster right next to him, almost stealing pressure. if he can pass, he will not see too much in the line of double teams cause lma and roy will keep a defence honest. martell sould be able to help a little couse open 3s piss coaches off. imagine this guy playing one on one with….well pick somebody. add to that his age and more then respectable maturity. I wonder if a team as well put together as this has ever awaited any other marqee first pick before. any way that feals much better to get that out. I think greg will be just fine.
"Doing research= good
Making up things=bad."
---jksnake99
by ptwnblzr on Jul 31, 2008 10:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
lemme guess
you tell thin girls they look fat, huh?
"Doing research= good
Making up things=bad."
---jksnake99
by ptwnblzr on Jul 31, 2008 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brandon
Quite a gold mine of Brandon info between the original link and the extra blog stuff (Rip City Revival)....wow, I can’t believe this kid at 24 is the kind of personality and leader that he is. Everything from discussing his weaknesses as the focal point of his summer conditioning, a new effort towards taking care of his health and taking the role of leader of the team without hesitation. I also don’t mind hearing that he’ll be fitted for a ring next year (that’s the wedding kind). He says he even plans to decorate his locker with family photos, saying that isn’t something most guys are comfortable with but he thinks some will follow suit after him.
Really, this is the type of guy that fans will cling to when he is the 13th option at the end of the bench. That guy that never gets any burn on the court except to wild ovations for the last 30 seconds of a blowout. And yet, this time he is the leader of the team and quite possibly the most talented in the long term of our big 3. A “nice guy”, yet driven to succeed, determined to drag his teammates to victory and oozing talent at the same time.
What did we do, Portland, to stumble into this kid named Brandon?
by lukeyhere on Jul 28, 2008 8:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Disagree with your comparison
This year, at least:
Paul > Blake
Peterson < Roy
Peja > Martell
West > LMA
Chandler > Oden
Hornets bench < Blazers bench
Hornets experience > Blazers experience
Hornets accomplishments > Blazers accomplishments
No way the Blazers are better than the Hornets this season. Our advantage is that, even if we add no more players, we will continue to improve for several years, while the Hornets are already near their ceiling. When we pass them, which could happen as early as the 2009-2010 season, we will leave them and everyone else in our wake.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 28, 2008 10:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree, except I think we should hold off on comparing Oden and Chandler.
It’s like comparing Derrick Rose and Raymond Felton.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Greg Doden really brought the extra D tonight!
by MGNNoah on Jul 28, 2008 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
you forgot coach
but I think Byron Scott and Nate are about equal, although I’d give Scott the edge because he got NJ to the finals with Kidd.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
by ratbastird on Jul 28, 2008 3:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What I thought was interesting
was that never did he mention Rudy. Now maybe he did and that wasn’t published, but…
Roy said Blake and Bayless … and Roy. How does Rudy fit in?
I was really glad to read what he wrote about playing alongside Chris Paul. It only cemented my feelings of “we don’t need no all-star point guard”. I don’t know if Brandon and KP and Nate are all on the same page, but I trust Brandon on this. (I didn’t like his comments about Nate though … is Nate really that unclear… is he clear in his mind what he wants but hasn’t communicated that to Brandon … is Brandon not understanding? A little too much uncertainty for me.)
"We, as Blazer fans, are perhaps the luckiest fans in the league."-Idog1976, July 19.
by jorga on Jul 28, 2008 10:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't worry much
I couldn’t even tell if he was talking past tense or currently or what. I am sure that Nate can and does communicate what the teams needs are with all the players especially Roy
Homer: "Oh no!! A Bear is eating my father!." (On seeing Selma kissing Grampa)
by 92wastheyear on Jul 28, 2008 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My impression
was that he was referring to communication for specific situations or for differing matchups. Details where Brandon needed to make sure he was doing what the coach wanted for a given set of circumstances.
by bbfred on Jul 28, 2008 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe he was saying at the 1???
Rudy is said to be able to play 1-3, so he could fit in a lot of different ways.
I want to be tucked in by Greg Oden and have him tell us stories about the old days.
Greg Doden really brought the extra D tonight!
by MGNNoah on Jul 28, 2008 10:27 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The streak
During our winning streak last year there were two primary things that made the difference: successful zone defense and rock star 3-point shooting.
This year we replace the need for lucking out with our zone with a more reliable Fortress Oden. Our 3-pointers should be more open because our opponents will be in trouble whenever they double.
However long Greg can stay in the game (I’m talking foul trouble, not health), we should cause everyone fits. How is the guy doing with his recovery, anyway?
Allow me to echo “Jorga”’s concern about Rudy: not only did Brandon leave him out of the conversation, so has Nate, KP and any local writer.
I think Bayless is going to bring a completely different dynamic to the team. DON’T TRADE HIM. We will be tempted because he’s valuable, but I like the chemistry of quality driven talents. Pippen became great playing with Jordan, like stones rubbing against each other our guards will make each other sharper.
I love Blake, but I hope Bayless will progress to the start spot sooner rather than later.
by dvcastle on Jul 28, 2008 11:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't worry about Bayless getting traded.
It’s clear that KP wanted him bad so it’s going to take a lot to pry him away.
by erastus25 on Jul 28, 2008 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He didn't talk about Rudy because he probably knows nothing about him.
You want a link? I'll give you a link. www.google.com
by tominhawaii on Jul 28, 2008 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who has left Rudy out of the conversation?
They always talk about Rudy, every time they are interviewed.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/07/part_iii_roy_and_bayless_a_mat.html
Roy mentions Rudy. Really wouldn’t have meant anything if he hadn’t, though.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on Jul 28, 2008 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
that aint the streak
"Meow" --- My cat Bonzi wondering how long we must wait until the season finally starts so we can see just how good the PTB really are.
by bow4meow on Jul 28, 2008 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brandon for King!
I remember telling him how impressed I was with a player during summer league. In Avery's unique voice, he replied, "Marc, it's summer league." I
by TwoDeep on Jul 28, 2008 12:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
And Brandon Watched Bayless Play 3 Summer League Games
GO can go to the ESPYs, B-Roy is the heart, sole, and leader of this team.
by DucRider on Jul 28, 2008 12:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It's amazing how far we've come...
1 year ago there was a giant Oden jersey on the Rose Garden and he was the franchise savior. Now Roy has not only assumed that role, but relished it and Oden is one of three talented rookies. I don’t think anyone has everyone taken that much pressure off a teammate. GO owes Brandon big time. haha
by erastus25 on Jul 28, 2008 2:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have kinda thought
for a while now that the team will be Roy’s, but the city will be Oden’s, sure when Drexler was here the team and the city were hi, but Oden is no Duckworth, they are far seperate beasts in that respect.
Without even setting foot in an NBA game, Oden is already the starchild of the team, and that popularity will extend to the city as well, pulling in “common” folk as well as they type of people who spend their entire day writing and talking about the Blazers in a blog as we do, AKA the “hardcore” basketball fans.
All of us will relish in Roy’s contributions to the team and our winning, but Oden will be the star and the our outlet to the national spotlight. Sad as it may be, people will tune in to see Oden and will be pleasantly surprised to see this guy who was born in the NW, went to school in the NW, wasn’t one of the most highly hyped players in the country, yet still controls the game in a way few can.
by SpyderRyder on Jul 28, 2008 2:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oden is a ham.............. and Portland is hungry for pork!
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
by timbo on Jul 28, 2008 7:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You do have a certain
way with words, and yes that is another way to put it.
by SpyderRyder on Jul 28, 2008 11:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Too early
I think that it could be a duality thing. I can see Roy being the team’s heart on offense and Greg being the defensive stalwart that we want him to be.
Roy’s one of those guys that everyone who knows the team will value as much as Greg. The best thing? That’s all Roy wants. Oden will do the ESPY’s, while Roy sits at home and enjoys it with BJ and his wife.
That is until he has to go to collect the ESPY for best team when the Blazers 8-peat as NBA Champs…
by Powder on Jul 29, 2008 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Woo
I read one sentence wrong and it was really naughty.
by tominhawaii on Jul 30, 2008 3:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sergio is the sole of this team
In that he’s on the bottom of this team’s shoe.
Bayless isn't the second coming of Jordan.
Jordan was the first coming of Bayless.
by KP Corleone on Jul 28, 2008 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL
Yeah, I think his shot is as flat as his sole too! Zing! Let the Sergio bashing begin…watch out Jarrett Jack, your single season record of Blazer bashing might be broken soon.
"Switzerland is a place where they don't like to fight, so they get people to do their fighting for them while they ski and eat chocolate." - LD
by RoyDrexler on Jul 28, 2008 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does that mean that Nate's man-crush
will transfer from Jarrett to Sergio?
Nate had a man-crush on Ime. Ime left the team.
Nate had a man-crush on Jarrett. Jarrett left the team.
Nate had a man-crush on James. James left the team.
Fear the man-crush!
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 28, 2008 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OMG, what if Nate has a man-crush on BRoy! Oh the horror!
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!
by LaMarvelous on Jul 30, 2008 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am very very disappointed in Brandon
He didn’t watch ALL 4 games Bayless played in. Doesn’t he care about our team? Doesn’t he feel the need to stay up watching wretched production values so he can get a feel for Bayless’ game?
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -Gandhi
"Throw Thag, throw. Throw throw throw throw throw throw"- Far Side
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jul 28, 2008 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And the games he did watch were on TV, not in Vegas
I also heard that Brandon hasn’t presented J-Bay with a Welcome to Portland fruit basket and offered to help move his furniture. That guy wants to be a leader?!
I’m not sure he has what it takes to win at this level.
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 28, 2008 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No FRUIT BASKET?? LINK??
Man our chemistry sucks. We need DMiles back.
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -Gandhi
"Throw Thag, throw. Throw throw throw throw throw throw"- Far Side
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jul 28, 2008 3:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He doesn't even care that much about money
Apart from having security for himself and his extended family. Awesome, just awesome. Right now the hardest working guy is the 9th best paid player on the team. That will change of course once his rookie contract is up, and rightly so. But he definitely doesn’t seem to be more about the money than about winning a championship with this team.
Odenied: Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
by Norsktroll on Jul 28, 2008 3:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I really respect Brandon
He is wise beyond his years and that is something that is very rare for someone of his demographic. I am very proud to have him play for the Portland Trail Blazers.
I usually dont recommend my son to look up to any man as a roll model if he does not know him, however I dont mind that Q looks up to Brandon. He is a great roll model and I get the impression he would be even if he didnt play a professional. He isn’t perfect, but a perfectly respectable human being.
Sophia
Leaders build cultures that create self-esteem, generate and sustain trust, elevate the dignity of work , create community and foster open communication, and finally encourage growth and learning.
-Warren Bennis USC Professor
by BlazerFan1 on Jul 28, 2008 4:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
a professional sport obviously is what i meant to type
Leaders build cultures that create self-esteem, generate and sustain trust, elevate the dignity of work , create community and foster open communication, and finally encourage growth and learning.
-Warren Bennis USC Professor
by BlazerFan1 on Jul 28, 2008 4:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The pillsbury doughboy is a good roll model too
It is nice for those of us who have kids or young brothers and sisters, or grandkids, that you can show them someone they can emulate without worrying too much about the consequences. Since Clyde left, there has been a whole generation of kids without anyone to look up to (in a good way) who finally get that chance. Even though many of them are probably the same age as Brandon these days…
otherwise you get travesties like this:
Sigh
I remember the good old days. The Rasta Monsta days.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 28, 2008 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's a roll model we can all get behind
Asked his specialty in the kitchen, Oden paused and said, "Hamburger Helper and tuna fish."
by MiledAnimal on Jul 28, 2008 4:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
for hemorroids?
Then it should be Darius-Roll… pain in my ace
I remember the good old days. The Rasta Monsta days.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Jul 28, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I will
Personally donate a case of hemo-roll to Stern and Cuban in their time of need,
by southern oregon on Jul 28, 2008 8:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Not me - I would donate a corn cob to those guys :)
LMA's reign as "LaMonster of the Low Post" has just begun!
by LaMarvelous on Jul 30, 2008 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
i disagree
the hornets starting five will be far superior to ours this year. And they just signed James Posey.
Dont underestimate the hornets. David West creams the blazers each time we play.
chicka chicka yeah
by burritoman on Jul 28, 2008 10:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hornets -- Lakers -- Blazers...
Those are gonna be the three powers in the West…
"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"
by timbo on Jul 28, 2008 11:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
next year??
We’re not there yet, dude.
In 2 years it will be the three you mentioned + the Jazz.
Boomshakalaka
by jksnake99 on Jul 28, 2008 11:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hornets jumped from the lottery to the 2 seed last year
It’s not like they’ve been an established Western Conference powerhouse for five years. The Blazers are deeper all around, but don’t have anybody as dominant as CP3 or as steady as West. But it’s definitely in play for the Blazers to overtake the Hornets this year. Not necessarily likely, but within reach. The only team that’s really out of reach (if they stay healthy) is the Lakers. Bynum-Gasol-Bryant? Watch out.
I think the most likely scenario for next year is that the Lakers, Hornets, Jazz, and Spurs put some distance between the Blazers early in the year while the new guys get acclimated. But starting about 15-25 games in, watch out. The Jazz turned the corner two years ago with less experience (and talent) than the Blazers have this year, and ditto for the Hornets last year. Both of those teams were coming off seasons worse than the Blazers in 07-08, and neither adding anything close to the talent the Blazers are bringing in. Both teams had great seasons, reached the second round, and almost went further. The Blazers have a strong chance to at least replicate their success, and a legitimate chance to exceed it.
Bayless isn't the second coming of Jordan.
Jordan was the first coming of Bayless.
by KP Corleone on Jul 29, 2008 7:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I rethought and I'm not sure that Brandon is right...
He may have complained that playing with Chris Paul in the ASG threw off his game but somehow 18/9/5 on 80% shooting in 29 minutes does not seem that bad to me. He pretty much matched his regular season production, but in fewer minutes. Yes, those stats are inflated by the high score, but they are also necessarily deflated by the higher level of competition. In short, he clearly found a way to make himself productive despite the fact that there was a world-class PG on the court.
Also, consider that in the recent game against Canada Chris Paul and Derron Williams played extended minutes together and they were extremely effective. It would seem those guys are also capable of adapting their games to the teammates around them at the time, much like Brandon seems to be.
So, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that if the planets had aligned and RLEC had turned into an all-star point guard for ‘09-’10, things would have eventually been better than Roy was letting on in that interview. Not a serious possibility, of course, but it’s fun to ponder.
by erastus25 on Jul 29, 2008 6:40 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Good point
Even though you can’t take much from the All-Star game pro or con. But there’s a difference between “don’t need” and “wouldn’t take or benefit from”. If the Blazers would get a Deron Williams type player I suspect Roy would find a way to get excited about it and enjoy it. Especially since the first thing any great point guard would say upon joining this team is, “My job is to get the ball to Roy, Oden, and Aldridge and make them all 20-point scorers.”
—Dave
by Dave on Jul 29, 2008 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Minimal D during Allstar game
As Dave said you can’t take too muc fromthe ASG pro or con. Roys 80% shooting tells you all we need to know abou the quality of the defense during the ASG.
CP and DW playing together during Olympic games doe snot contradict what Roy said in two stars playing together. It works in the short term, but it would wear on the players over an 82 game schedule. We’ve seen the olymipc teams fall apart due to too many stars, and they hardly played 82 games.
If I could only take one player in the nba to build a team around it would be either Roy or Paul. Right now CP has a better game, but I think they are nearly equal in terms of leadership.
by NWfan on Jul 29, 2008 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great stats for Roy
at the All-Star game. I had forgotten how well he played. He definitely belonged on the floor with those guys. Too bad he was unable to play on the U.S. Select Team with LMA and Bayless.
Stu Inman: a soft-spoken, witty and brilliant basketball guy -- who had so much to do with Portland's only championship. He believed that you won with not just great players, but with great people. (D Jaynes 2-2-07 Portland Tribune)
by OrygunRod on Jul 29, 2008 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great point Dave, as always
I think Roy is trying to build confidence in his new backcourt mate. Realize that Bayless is hearing the things that are being said as well. That he might not mesh well with the team’s flow.
Roy is just being a great leader as always. Saying that he’d prefer to have Jerryd over a traditional PG is going to do nothing but help their chemistry. Regardless of if he means it or not.
Let’s be honest, it’s not like Roy is going to come out and say he wants a traditional PG if he doesn’t have one in the wings.
by Powder on Jul 29, 2008 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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