The Rookie Game (updated)

by parkinglotj on Aug 17, 2008 1:27 PM PDT

Now that we've had a chance to look at Rudy, I thought I'd ask a question that will be on our collective minds early in the season. Can the Blazers get 3 first year players to the All-Star extravaganza to play in the Rookie game?

When Roy and LMA were rookies, LMA was locked out. Will Portland be the media darling and get everyone in?

I'm betting on 2 Blazers on the team, but what do you think?

What will each player have to average in order to make the rookie game?

Here are the stats from some of last years players (nba.com):

Durant 20.3 pts. 4.4 rebs. 2.4 ast.

Horford 10.1, 9.7, 1.5

Moon 8.5, 6.2, 1.2

Navarro 10.9, 2.6, 2.2

Conley 9.4, 2.6, 4.2

Jianlian 8.6, 5.2, .8

Scola 10.3, 6.4, 1.3

Poll

Which Blazers will make the Rookie game?

Oden and Rudy

34 votes

Oden and T-Rex

34 votes

Rudy and T-Rex

2 votes

Oden, Rudy and T-Rex

100 votes

Batum too!

6 votes

176 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I voted Oden and TRex

as i think Oden is a given and I have doubts about how many minutes can be found for Rudy unless he really is a pg, which he does not appear to be, and can play adequate defense against one of the toughest positions to guard.

Bayless should be able to bring the ball up after November and should see something close to JJack minutes so his stats will probably be good enough to get into a meaningless game.

Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.

by jonestr on Aug 17, 2008 1:40 PM PDT reply actions

agreed

my thoughts exactly

by danevan on Aug 17, 2008 7:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow, It's a landslide

This is not how I thought this would go. I figured that the polarization of the Rudy and T-Rex topics would spill over here.

by parkinglotj on Aug 17, 2008 4:15 PM PDT reply actions

I never saw that as polarization

They both bring wonderful skills to the team. The same as Martell and Travis. They are different players and will be needed for different situations. I think of it as arrows in Coach Nate’s quiver. (No Tom – no snide innuendos here).

Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."

by lee3022 on Aug 17, 2008 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions

All three

I really think the Blazers are going to start fast (despite the tough schhedule).

The PTB will be the media darlings. And our 3 newbies will ALL be contributors of the early season success.

Then Oden will join Roy the next day for the big show.

The Oden Era, Day 417

by Heymoe on Aug 17, 2008 4:18 PM PDT reply actions

and Lamarcus?

I think Travis said it was his goal also…

The pictures kinda small, but Im giving the C's a big thumbs down

by Blazermaniac77 on Aug 17, 2008 7:37 PM PDT up reply actions

When was the last time a team had three rookies on the "All-Star Rookie Game" or "All-Rookie" Team?

My guess is: never happened.

Google google wiki wiki, oh I was wrong: The 1964-65 New York Knicks.

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Aug 17, 2008 4:27 PM PDT reply actions

Funny historical "All-Rookie Team" misplacement facts

In 1996-97 they had to put Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen on the “Second Team” cause they needed the spots on the “First Team” for Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Shareef-Abdur Rahim, Stephon Marbury and Antoine Walker. Revisionist talent evaluation ftw!

Others:
Sorry Carlos Boozer, Nene has your spot. KG, you are good, but not as talented as Antonio McDyess and Joe Smith. Wally Szerbiak > Shawn Marion. Apparently they also found five guys who were better rookies than Gary Payton. And especially the “Second Teams” are full of players who should have never been selected.

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Aug 17, 2008 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Perhaps selected for their play at the time?

Should never have been selected seems harsh.

by lee3022 on Aug 17, 2008 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Oden will make it if he's healthy

Rudy needs maybe Navarro’s numbers. 10 pts. 3 rebs. 3 ast.
T-Rex needs maybe more pts than Rudy? 13 pts 3 rebs. 1.5 ast.

by parkinglotj on Aug 17, 2008 4:50 PM PDT reply actions

those numbers are actually pretty much where i expect those guys to be

I’m not very good with people. Even when I was little, my imaginary friend would play with the kid across the street. And I’d be like, "I guess we’ll meet up later." And he’d be like, "Whatever, queer." - Daniel Tosh

by McLovinVs.TheDude on Aug 17, 2008 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

If they both get these kinds of numbers..

before the All-star break, I think we’d be an impossible team to play.

by parkinglotj on Aug 17, 2008 7:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Do you think Rudy has an advantage as David Stern wants to promote NBA in Europe?

I have never been sure of the “vote” veracity of these selections.

by lee3022 on Aug 17, 2008 7:14 PM PDT reply actions

do you suspect a little diebold action?

maybe a little electronic vote rigging like the kind that stole the 2004 election for bush?

by Love on Aug 17, 2008 9:37 PM PDT up reply actions

It was only a matter of time.

When only 25% of the poeple eligible to vote actually do so, it is only a matter of time until some sharp thinkers realize that by going to electronic voting they can save everybody the hassle of listening to campaign ads and sorting through 15,000 junk mail political flyers in their mail box and having to worry about getting your ballot filled out and submitted in time.

They can just program the machines to pick the winner.

"Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Your Buddies

by timg56 on Aug 18, 2008 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought that the league selected who was in the Rookie/Soph game

am I mistaken on this?

by tingeyga on Aug 18, 2008 12:25 AM PDT up reply actions

Rudy and Oden

I think that Rudy has the better chance to get into the rookie game because of his position. Bayless will be competing with a number of other point gaurds who should be getting major minutes for their teams.

by Gelvalst on Aug 17, 2008 8:08 PM PDT reply actions

buuuutttt....

also due to his position, bayless has a chance to see a lot more minutes than rudy, and possibly even start this season, unlike rude, who has brandon roy in front of him and will be confined to the pine

by danevan on Aug 17, 2008 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions

All three

I can see all three averaging 10 pts per game which would get them there. And that would be the story of Allstar Saturday.

Dose anyone remember the song 123 go Rip City?

by 123_G.O._RipCity on Aug 18, 2008 12:28 AM PDT reply actions

If rookies are selected by votes Rudy will have advantage in identical situation.

Spain is not China but…

The Midnight Rambler

by amlmart1 on Aug 18, 2008 10:28 AM PDT reply actions

Sorry, no fans directly involved here

The All-Rookie team selection at the end of the season is conducted by the 30 NBA head coaches (not allowed to vote for own players). They are asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of player position. For each first team vote a player gets two points, and one for each second team vote. Then the five guys with the most votes get on the first team, and the next five on the second. Don’t know what the exact rules are in case of a tie, maybe look at the number of first team votes or extend teams like with LaMarcus and Gabajosa.

As for the Rookie Challenge during the All-Star Weekend, this is done by the NBA assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot (rookies and sophomores). Again, I think you can’t vote for your own guys.
One exception, though that usually shouldn’t change something: If a rookie or sophomore is voted into the All-Star game as a starter, he is also automatically eligible to participate in the Rookie Challenge. Brandon competed in both games last year, nominated for the sophomores and the All-Star Game by the coaching staff (not by the voters as a starter). There is an outside chance this might happen with Oden, but if nothing unusual happens Yao and Duncan (if listen on center) will get more votes. With Rudy – not so much unless he really gets a lot of votes from Spain ;-)
He will have to earn it on the floor anyway.

Odenied: Asked whether he noticed Oden favoring his right knee, Frye dismissed it entirely. "He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors."

by Norsktroll on Aug 18, 2008 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

Fence Riding

I think I’ll argue both sides of the guard issue and finish firmly on the fence. Initially, if a guy – as Rudy did – can give you 8 pts, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 50% FG shooting against the US AllStar Olympic team in 19 minutes of play, then it seems to me that he’s a lock to improve those stats against everday competition, none of which start 5 all stars. Let alone have another 5 in reserve. He’s also 23, and played in a league that some think is equivalent to a solid NCAA league like the ACC or Pac10, which means he’s a senior +1 year. So, I expect him to make a faster transition. Than":

Bayless, who, with only 1 year of college, and having been used at two positions, has a little higher learning curve. In fact, Arizona did the same thing to Bayless that Summer League did. He was far and away the best scorer, and since they needed points, they kept plugging him back into that role. Meaning: we don’t know how good a PG he’ll be because everyone needed his scoring more than his assists. And, after watching him in Summer League, who can argue with that. But:

he is definitely a scorer, is strong, determined, and has a real motor. Meaning:

he’s going to kill for minutes – and Mac just might give them to him – because he loves his aggression and his determination.

And, if he gets 20 minutes or so a game – he’ll almost certainly get his 10+ points.

So:

If Roy plays 34 minutes, Blake 22, and Fernandez and Bayless each get 20, then, in addition to Oden, a virtual lock, we’ll get three nominated. If: that is.

Except, other rookies like Gordon, Rose, Westbrook and Augustin play on poorer teams and may get more minutes, and therefore more points. Some will be played almost no matter how well they perform (Westbrook and Gordon) because the teams don’t really have any one better on the bench.

by Eben Calder on Aug 18, 2008 11:13 AM PDT reply actions