The 4th Quarter Line Up

by BroyTheTruth on Aug 9, 2008 7:21 PM PDT

This is the way I see it

Brandon-1

Rudy-2

Travis-3

Lamarcus-4

Oden-5

I trust Brandon, Rudy, and Travis all to make the big shot.....and with both Oden and Aldridge on the court, I expect one to be able to exploit their matchup.

I also trust that Nate will also make decisions based on matchups, and if Bayless has been killing it the whole game, he'll ride the hot hand...but yea, thats a lineup i feel comfortable with.....

Any other takes....pretty much 4 positions are set in stone..rudy being the only question mark....but i gotta say, thats probably our most talented line up

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or bayless instead of rudy ,depensd on whos having a better game.
earlier in the season im pretty sure blake is gonna be in there ,but later on its either gonna be rudy or bayless

by blazerholic5 on Aug 9, 2008 7:40 PM PDT reply actions

Close.

I view the “other” guard position as neither a 1 or a 2,
not a shooting guard nor point guard nor off guard nor even a “combo guard”,
but rather “Brandon Roy’s Co-Guard” (or BRCG).

It’s a unique position, and Blake has so far performed the BRCG role admirably.

Nonetheless, here’s my by-season’s-end five (a lot like yours):

Brandon Roy: Brandon Roy
BRCG: The winner of a Rudy-Bayless bench battle
3: Trout
4: LaMardridge
5: Oden

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Aug 9, 2008 7:54 PM PDT reply actions

The Rudy-Bayless debate has troubled me.

I like both players a lot. Before the draft a lot of the talk about the upcoming season was centered around Rudy, and some of the front office talked about a “Rudy-Roy backcourt tandem” in the fourth quarter.

But now… I am not so sure. I think that Rudy is going to provide a good scoring punch off the bench throughout the first three quarters, but Bayless has shown at the summer league that he is clutch and doesn’t lose his nerves. I think he’s probably going to end up winning the minutes.

by CaptainSexyJacob on Aug 9, 2008 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I would say

that Bayless’ ability to handle the ball, drive, take contact, draw fouls, defend, and remain consistently aggressive is going to give him the inside edge on fourth quarter minutes. Rudy has more big-game experience, which may translate into critical possession opportunities. But right now Rudy has to prove himself. Bayless hasn’t totally proven himself either, of course, but he has taken the first step. The ball is in Rudy’s court.

—Dave

by Dave on Aug 9, 2008 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Defending NBA point guards will be the deciderator.

And I think neither Rudy nor Bayless has any previous experience that applies here.
College, spanish league, Euroleague, summer league, and international play experience are of no help.
It’s a clean slate for both, and the ability to defend the point (offensive role is moot with Roy)
will decide who has the upper hand between Rudy and Bayless.
What Bayless has done against NCAA and summer league competition means nothing towards that,
especia;;y since he was sharing the court with The Petter for most of that Vegas time.

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Aug 9, 2008 11:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I think Rudy will surprise a few people on defense

Offense is his forte, but I think he won’t be a bad defender in the NBA. I have no idea yet where I would rank Bayless’ defense in the NBA, but Rudy shouldn’t be far behind. One thing Bayless is probably better at is drawing fouls on offense, so that might be valuable in the fourth when the game slows down and something that gives him more playing time.

But Rudy has all the physical tools: He is very quick laterally, has good size plus a high vert (= not easy to shoot over), long arms and quick hands (= quite a few steals). The only thing I observed when watching him play internationally (haven’t watched him in the ACB except for highlight reels) is that he doesn’t really like to work around screens all day, so they might have to put some effort into his stamina during training camp. But if he is willing to really work on shutting his opponent down, he can. We will see more about his potential there in the Olympics of course.

Odenied: Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...

by Norsktroll on Aug 9, 2008 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions

he plays kind of like a rover on defense....

thats part of what i like about him….he plays the passing lanes….then recovers quickly to his man…..

thats part of how you play good team defense..take the passing lanes away and make guys operate on an island….he does that. and he gets steals that lead to transition dunks…...

i can already tell rudy is the truth…..and he is a playmaker

by BroyTheTruth on Aug 10, 2008 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions

truthfully

his defense was my only skepticism…but after seeing a full few games…..

I feel he could be as tenacious as Manu…....and i dont like Manu a whole lot..but he plays great on the defensive end. offensive end as well

by BroyTheTruth on Aug 10, 2008 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Depends...

I think it should come down to how we match up and what kind of defense is being played. Rudy appears to be the better from beyond the 3, but Bayless can draw the defense in the lane and kick out or create his own shot. But like I said, it depends on how we match up and I think regardless of payroll, it should always be that way. You have to exploit your opponents weaknesses and utliize the guys that are playing in the zone.

by javajams on Aug 9, 2008 9:41 PM PDT reply actions

Hmmm...

I didn’t consider the three point issue…
The only other person out of those six who can shoot the three-ball is Roy.

by CaptainSexyJacob on Aug 9, 2008 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Nate didn't seem to rely

on the distance shooters as much in the critical fourth quarter stretches last year. Blake, Webster, and Jones sat in favor of Jack and Outlaw. We’ll see if that continues with Oden on the floor.

Truth be told, Oden could possibly sit out some of those fourth-quarter minutes in favor of a smaller, more offensive-minded unit. It would depend on the game situation.

—Dave

by Dave on Aug 9, 2008 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

For the 4th quarter, Bigs = LMA + Trout?

Trout’s “power forward” experience could come in huge in that fourth quarter “smaller, more offensive-minded unit” scenario.

And you know Roy will be there.
If Roy’s backcourt compliments were to be Rudy AND Bayless . . . well, heck. That would be:

Roy, Bayless, Rudy, Trout and LaMardridge in Odenless fourth-quarter situations.
I like those odds. Hit me.

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Aug 9, 2008 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Extra twist:

Unlike Snaq, Oden can make his free throws . . . LEFT-HANDED.
The ability to hit from the charity stripe is a huge asset in fourth quarter play.

You’ve gotta make your free throws!

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Aug 9, 2008 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions

And that

may be why we do see Oden in the fourth. We would love to have his defense down low during crunch time.

by lethaldose on Aug 10, 2008 1:46 AM PDT up reply actions

Oh, count on it!

No matter what his minutes are, I expect him to be in at the end of close games.
I think we’re gonna get used to games ending with him at the line with less than 24 seconds in the game,
the recipient of an intentional foul, turning a 1-2 point Blazer lead into a 3-4 point advantage,
opponent with the ball and down by 2 buckets but only enough time for one bucket: Game Over.

It’s not a monster dunk, but it’s Oden sealing the win in a close game.
I bet it happens a LOT in the next decade.

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Aug 10, 2008 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions

I like your avatar...

and I also Oden’s defense and rebounding would be nice to have down the stretch of a tight game. I also wouldn’t sleep on Steve Blake, he fits alongside Roy very nicely, and he is an experienced veteran that you can count on to take control of the ball and get it to the right people. I agree with Dave above that it will depend on the game situations, but I think it will be more of a choice between Blake and Rudy rather than Bayless and Rudy…..

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Aug 10, 2008 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions

*take care of the ball....

take control of the ball just sounds kinda weird….

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Aug 10, 2008 5:26 PM PDT up reply actions

More like Blake vs Rudy vs Bayless.

All three would get pretty solid consideration, I guess.

And let’s not forget who emerged as Mr. 4th Quarter last season: Trout.
He even won a game (or two?) at the line; his free throw shooting in clutch situations
actually became a flat-out STRENGTH of his last season.

Another thing about the endings of close games is the way timeouts keep coming,
to the point that, usually, teams get to put different squads out for defense than on offense.
When we can do that, I could see the offensive unit being Rudy/Bayless/Roy/Trout/Oden;
Rudy and Trout’s defensive shortcomings wouldn’t matter if they can sub out after a Blazer possession.
And I guess the defensive unit would be, what . . . Roy and Oden, certainly, probably Martell
(a better defender at the 3 than either Trout or Rudy): Who’s the other guard? Who’s the other big?

Who’s our best power forward DEFENDER? Frye, LaMardridge, and Trout all have matador tendencies.
Or would the defense-only end-of-game squad be THE time to go with Oden AND Przy?!?

Ooooooh . . . I think yes. Just so long as you can sub Przy back out before an offensive possession.

Blazers have a five-on-three...and they pull it back and wait for help.

by QualityPie on Aug 10, 2008 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions

that would just be rude

other teams wouldnt like us any more

"I love Sheed. I wish he’d write a children’s book. Maybe he’d call it - How to $&%# Cuss Like a Big Boy."
--- tominhawaii on May 29, 2008 6:29 PM PDT

Email Dave,
--- Mortimer --- for Blazers Edge Ambassador to the SBNations

by ptwnblzr on Aug 10, 2008 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions

other teams like us?

"Well, Travis just showed us that we can go to Travis Outlaw." - Nate McMillan

by 12sharks on Aug 11, 2008 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions

oh yah, thats right :*(

"I love Sheed. I wish he’d write a children’s book. Maybe he’d call it - How to $&%# Cuss Like a Big Boy."
--- tominhawaii on May 29, 2008 6:29 PM PDT

Email Dave,
--- Mortimer --- for Blazers Edge Ambassador to the SBNations

by ptwnblzr on Aug 11, 2008 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Rudy will definately be in the 4th quarter line up

Especially if we are ahead. We lost our 2 best free throw shooters from last year (JJ1 and JJ33), which means that Rudy will be our best free throw shooter by a pretty big margin. We need to get the ball into Rudy’s hands if it looks like the other team will try to foul to stop the clock.

by trk on Aug 10, 2008 3:04 PM PDT reply actions