Nate Knows What He's Doing

who besides the Spurs and Mavs do this?

I guess last years Blazers could be thrown in there with Travis coming off the bench, although we all know why he did. The lakers had Odom come off the bench for a bit as well. Even if we use them all that is 4 of all the teams in the league, which is hardly “almost never”.

but i have said for months now that we need to trim the “fat” so to speak. I do not see how all of these talented players will be happy. If it isnt Blake, or Outlaw, or webster, someone will be unhappy with there PT. We just have to much, and to make things worse we dont need anything.

It would be better if we had a glaring need but we dont. PG? check: ’Dre Miller, Blakey, SG? check: Roy, Rudy, SF? check: Web, Batum, PF? check: LMA, Howard, etc. C? check: Oden and Prizy. Note who was left off, Outlaw, Bayless, My intention is to point out that with a combo of Trout, Blake/Bayless, one of our impressive rooks, and our first round pick(should be a late rounder) we could possably leverage a “players + 1st rounder for an early lottery pick” type trade.

There would be a ton of different factors at play in this scenario but even if we did say trade Outlaw, Blake, Pendergraph(for example) and our 1st rounder for a lottery pick one could see Bayless upset, or Rudy upset he has to spilt his bench minutes with Webster, or Rudy upset he isnt the main guy off the bench. I guess what i mean to say is i am concerned with the start and direction this year.

Last year things just seemed to fall into place, this year is seems to be a struggle to put things together. My thought is that with this young, talented team, they need as much time as they can to gel. Get them into a groove rotation-wise and coach them through the chemistry issues. This just seems that Nate is trying to find “what works.” Coaches are paid to take what they have and to mold it into a machine, to me it seems as though Nate wants to go with what has worked instead of coaching into shape what could work BETTER. I hope its just growing pains but its concerning from my angle.

P.S.: I could not be a bigger Nate Mac fan, but at some point one has to question those they revere.

I’m glad you’re not coaching. Coaching calls, after all, are made in real time in a game in response to the conditions at the time. If Blake is ice cold as he sometimes is – you play Miller – like last night. If Oden has to be conserved due to fouls, you play Pryz. Until you need Oden – like last night.

I for one don’t necessarily agree with your pespective – so, given I’m not blind, I guess I fall into the stupid category.

For example, what makes you think Blake can’t be a very effective second team point guard? Or, for that matter, why do you assume that once Miller learns the playbook, that both he and Roy won’t adjust their game to each other? Both players, after all, are very effective at moving with or without the ball, and both can create their own shot and score. So who cares which one delivers the assist? And Miller’s interior passing makes both Oden and Aldridge better and more dangerous players.

You tend to view players as being static. They can’t or won’t change. Miller is a classic point guard – therefore he can’t adjust to playing with Roy, a suberb player who can also deliver the ball.

Blake has chemistry. Except, I guess, when trying to thread the needle inside.

We’ll see. But my bet is that you’ll eventually be a little disappointed in the fact that professionals like Roy and Miller want the same thing – a champtionship – and they’re smart enough and skilled enough to make each other better – not worse. And you’re implication is the exact opposite.