I know it's not time to panic, I also know the Blazers have players in different roles then last years team. It takes a while to adjust and it should. I'm just stumped at how the Blazers consistently use 11 players. Granted, they have the talent to put the depth on the floor, but does it really benefit having all this POTENTIAL? With that thought, what championship caliber team is or even ever has played with as many players and the amount of minutes as the Blazers are? Granted, a lot of championship teams will give minutes to their bench but it's BECAUSE THEY ARE WINNING BIG like by 15 points and have a 6-0 or 4-1 record. Then and only then do they give the minutes the Blazers do.

Below I have taken both the Lakers and the Celtics to compare to the Blazers minutes.

Blazers 2-3

Roy 38 minutes,

La 31 minutes,

Webster 27 minutes,

Blake 26 minutes,

Miller 25 minutes,

Outlaw 24 minutes,

Oden 23 minutes,

Fernandez 22 minutes,

Pryzbilla 17 minutes,

Howard 12 minutes,

Batum if he wasn't injured it would be 11 players and who's minutes would he get?

Starters average minutes = 145

Plus top three off the bench =71

Boston 6-0

Allen 34 minutes,

Pierce 33 minutes,

Rondo 32 minutes,

Garnett 29 minutes and probably going to go up while getting healthy,

Perkins 26 minutes,

Rasheed 21 minutes,

Daniels 21 minutes,

Williams 17 minutes,

House 15 minutes,

They have Davis out who would most likely take up most of Williams minutes.

Starters minutes = 154

top three off the bench = 59 minutes

Lakers 4-1

Kobe 41 minutes,

Bynum 40 minutes,

Odem 40 minutes,

Artest 38 minutes,

Farmer 14 minutes,

Brown 12 minutes,

Powell 10 minutes,

Gasol is out and will help reduce minutes from the front line and from Powell.

Starters minutes = 191 minutes

Top three off the bench = 36

Orlando seems to be the only team that has played their depth the way the Blazers have. But, they have also went 4-1 and won their games by almost 15 per. This is not a matter of talent, it's a matter of cohesiveness. This is about keeping your best players on the court to match up with the other teams best players. It's letting them play together and trusting what the other players can do and letting them do it. Sure, Boston proved last year that if you loose one of your stars you won't make it. The Blazers only have one star because they have let him become that. He's playing 38 minutes (Roy).  How are our POTENTIAL stars going to become stars without getting the minutes stars get? But that has been the same with every championship team. There are lots of would've and could've in the NBA. That doesn't mean that the Celtics added more depth they improved their 6 and 7th players with Wallace and Daniels. The lakers didn't add more depth, they added Artest to a championship rotation.  The Blazers added a proven player in Miller and he becomes part of the 2nd team. The second 5 guys that play extended minutes while our POTENTIAL stars rest on the bench. If this means we need to trade someone then so be it.

The Blazers have done an outstanding job of gathering talent, now they need to use it to upgrade the team so that they have the strongest 8 man rotation possible. Even with the group they have the Blazers should have three players complaining about not playing because they are going 8 deep. Use the depth when they need it. Thats only when they have an injury or they have proven to be a better player. I know it's not going to make players happy.  Maybe this issue will take care of it's self.  Maybe we will see both Blake and Outlaw heading out of town.  I would hate to see them go, and it doesn't help the rotation now.  Especially with a contract coming up for Greg Oden. One last note. This team needs to improve its perimeter defense. Yet they continue to leave their (except Batum) best guard defender with "DNP coaches decision". Obviously I'm referring to Bayless. That is what makes him so good.  He has TALENT!  Yes he is going to make mistakes, no he is not going to have the most assists. But he doesn't need to. He would be Playing with Roy or Miller who can handle the assists. One last note to Nate about Miller,  Hey Nate, Miller is better then Blake. Roy will adapt, He is a star, He will do what he has done his whole Basketball career, evolve.