Hollinger says Blake should be benched.
"Brandon Roy loves playing with Blake and McMillan has given Roy a lot of rope, but they need to look really hard at this. Blake is a backup. Period. If Blazers are going anywhere this year, and I'm not necessarily sure they are, it will be with either Miller or Bayless running point"-Hollinger
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who DOESN'T say Blake should be benched (other than Nate of course)
Starting or off the bench is (now) of less importance to me, but what is criminal is that Blake once again led the team in minutes last night with 39. This is on a night when his shot was off too. I just don’t get it.
Blake – 39 minutes
Miller – 25 minutes
Bayless- 14 minutes
That’s a total of 78 minutes, meaning they combined to play 30 minutes at the “2” spot (pushing Roy to the ‘3’ of course). Given this allotment of time for the trio, Miller should be playing about 32 minutes per game, Blake about 24, and Bayless about 22.
How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009
by douglast on Dec 10, 2009 11:05 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
well
everyone but nate and dean say he should be benched. roy just doesnt want to say it or he will hurt his BFF’s feelings
bayless leaves over my dead body
Start Andre (in a 2 guard lineup)
"Good defense always beats bad offense."-Al Iannazzone, Yes Network
if you should strike Oden down he will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine
#52
Right now with all of the injuries we’re dealing with, I’d rather cave to Roy’s comfort level than shake things up. We’re already struggling enough as it is. We rely on Roy/Aldridge to carry us. If Roy likes starting with Blake, you start Blake. No reason to screw with Brandon’s focus right now. He’s just starting to wake up and realize he’s a max contract guy.
"Sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel is a train."
-- Charles Barkley
I disagree
I say right now when our team just lost their third scorer it is the perfect time to start miller or Bayless, option 1 Roy, option 2 LA, Option 3 Miller or Bayless, Nate should know Brandon may be the star of this team, but if fit hits the shan, Nates getting fired not Roy so screw what Roy wants do whats best for the team, I buy tickets to see the Trailblazers not Brandon Roy
Draft Cole Aldrich 2010
I am fine with Blake starting
I am not fine with him playing 40 mins a night.
I am not fine with Bayless getting under 15 mins a night off the bench, which this team badly needs bench scoring.
I am not fine with Miller continuing to be misused by the Blazers coaching staff.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
If they've already decided to trade Miller, then it doesn't matter
But if they haven’t, the Blazers should at least make a trial of starting Miller-Roy-Webster
I think that decision was made and would’ve been implemented if Nate hadn’t ruptured his achilles, last week
“RAWMO”
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Hollinger should stick to numbers
Really, the guy doesn’t seem to know much about basketball. I would take his advice with a pinch of salt. Now, that doesn’t mean Blake shouldn’t be benched, but not because he said so. His numbers give no indication of how well other players play when Blake is on the floor, and isn’t that kind of important?
Besides, if Blake plays at all, he’s a lot more use playing alongside better players so he can just do his minimal thing and play off them, than playing with bad players where he might be forced to try things he can’t do.
...and just as evidence that he doesn't know what he's talking about
…he includes “Bayless” and “point” in the same sentence.
Bayless should be running point
for this team.. at least see what he can bring to the table. Brandon wants to handle the ball more.. well he gets his wish with Rex
Just a minor setback for a major comeback.
#52
Now it's YOUR time.
#7
by GreatOden'sRaven on Dec 12, 2009 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
Hollinger is great.
Not sure what you are talking about exactly.
by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 10, 2009 12:09 PM PST up reply actions
Hollinger is great.
and more often than not his numbers tell an accurate story. Just because he mentions Bayless and Point in the same sentence does not evidence anything. Bayless is a point, a scoring point. Anyone who knows anything about basketball knows there are many different types of “Point” players in basketball. Scoring, True, Point-Forward….it’s a label that has no bearing anymore. Just because he is not and may never be the true distribute-first point guard some would like for him to be doesn’t mean he is any less of a talent who can help the team in another way. I’d take Bayless over Blake any day! Bayless, IMO, should be the second scoring option in that second unit, and first if Travis and Rudy are out in which they are. Some will disagree, but I believe with his attacking ability he can wreak havoc and will eventually learn to kick out to the shooters. Development only happens with playing time though. He needs more minutes.
I honestly think
That his subjective visual analysis is at least as good as most of the other ESPN columnists. It just sometimes gets lost in the numbers
Numbers are his strength
His sense of proportion tends to fall out of whack without leaning on his numbers. Though with the Blake comment, he’s shown improvement.
I just got word from the front office that during the blazers first time out mike barrett asked for steve blakes hand in marriage. Persionally i think mike barrett needs to can it about how great he thinks steve blake is, whitch i dont understand because he SUCK!!!! Steve blake is the worst blazer ever, he has no defensive ability and even though he has a good shot he cant pass for crap. not to mention how ugly he is, i mean holy crap he has viens popping out of his head. Him and mike barrett are two horible people. I am officially starting the I Hate Steve Blake fanclub
Show your support for Greg Oden: Join the get well soon Facebook fan page.
by Starvin' Marvin on Dec 10, 2009 12:32 PM PST reply actions
I remember this one.
Good ’ole times.
*Unless KP has a secret plan that makes this statement incorrect.
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Good for Hollinger...
I love it that national media is starting to see what smart Portland fans have been saying for months!
He's not the first outside of Portland either.
Other national sports media, including Simmons, has laughed at the fact we start Blake too. It’s not only become a joke around the league, but also one of the biggest puzzles of the year.
Wait, the stats say that Steve Blake shouldn’t play 39 minutes?
I’m dumbfounded.
get well soon, big guy.
#52
That sounded scary
We are all staring at YOU, Steve Blake.
I heard on Talkin’ Ball one of the guys say that from what he was picking up from Steve’s body language, he didn’t want to start.
I think Steve is too good a character guy to think they should start him over a better alternative for the team, and he think he is too smart not to know that Miller should start.
We know that ever since he missed 4 FTs down the stretch in a tight loss at the Clippers, Steve has had a confidence problem. I think his subconscious is dogging it to get to the bench. But even when it drags him down to an 0-X with 4+ TO performance, and Bayless is hot, and Miller is dishing dimes from all over, somehow Steve sees 39 minutes of PT.
:/
Can Hollinger be the coach?
Blake is a great guy, good backup, but not a starter, not a 39 mins player!
I just wonder when bayless will get 30+ mins.
Any chance...
… Blake is getting so many minutes in the hopes that he gets hot for a few games. Nails tons of 3s. Looks like a legit starter…. and (dot dot dot) ups his trade value?
Blake gets traded. Miller starts (still can’t believe he won’t be feeding Oden). Bayless gets extended minutes at the back up. And if either of them go down Mr. Mills will be back before long.
Just a thought. Hard to rationalize that Blake led the team in minutes.
I certainly hope this scenario materializes soon.
"She turned me into a newt!
A newt?
...I got better."
No chance
The whole league knows what you get with Steve Blake by now. Playing him a few more minutes isn’t going to change anything.
Blazer fans are just going to have to deal with this one hard fact — the coaching staff believes that playing Blake long minutes gives us a better chance to win.
#52
by jscot on Dec 11, 2009 12:29 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Demo may have even more man-love for Blake than Nate
Miller had been running with the starters last week in practice, Quick (and the other beat writers) thought a change to the lineup at PG was imminent, last Thurs-Friday. Then Nate blew out his achilles and the team took off on their current roadie. Dean likes low turnovers so he’s “over-played” Blake. Maybe that’s all it is, a “Demo decision” that will be countermanded by Nate when the team gets back home. But, maybe it will depend on the team’s performances this weekend whether or not Blake remains in the starting lineup?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Maybe
Dean is simply doing what Nate’s been doing, though. He’s not free to change things significantly.
Some have speculated Nate wants the change to be on his watch. There may be wisdom in that, if that is what is going on.
#52
Dean is simply doing what Nate’s been doing, though
Blake’s mpg have gone up on this tip, at Bayless’ expense
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
How many times has Nate ever publicly admitted he was wrong?
I think it is a man thing. If he switches to Miller now, it’s like he was wrong all along.
It is fun to watch Miller and LMA now that Oden went down and Aldridge is option 1 at the hoop. Miller even has Joel cutting to the rim for the And-1.
Miller is not God’s gift, but he is that veteran presence Nate claimed he wanted. He is teaching ever minute he is out there on the court.
it’s like he was wrong all along.
There’s plenty of ways Nate can “spin” this if he wants to save face. (The injuries have changed his original plans for the lineups, etc.) At some point he has to do what’s best for the team. Quick said that Miller had been practicing with the starters last week, and Andre probably would’ve already replaced Blake if Nate had been on the road trip. Demo told Quick that he didn’t have the ability to make “major changes” while McMillian was out (but that didn’t stop Dean from extending Blake’s minutes at the expense of Bayless…)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I know Blake's minutes went up
but ultimately, it’s the same basic rotational approach.
#52
The funny thing is that unlike the rest of our recent point guards...
like Sergio, Bayless, and Miller, Blake is the one pg whose numbers wouldn’t get better on another team. We actually make him look better than he is with the minutes we give him and how we fit him into our team and he still sucks.
Another thing, how is it possible that I see as many Blake jerseys as I do out in Portland. He has to be the worst player in the league that actually is able to sell a few jerseys.
He is my 5 year old's favorite player
I couldn’t tell you why. I’m not sure he could explain it either.
Two points scored by GO’ = "thunderdunk"
scrappy sells
I’m also a fan of the Cincy Reds, and the players who hustle and get their uniforms dirty tend to be more popular than the “lazy” guys who produce the most runs
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Timothy McVeigh
it’s not fair to Steve, but you have to admit there’s a certain resemblance…
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I have noticed that kids seem to be his biggest fan base.
They do like him. Maybe they can relate to him easier.
Well, he is smaller than many of the other Blazers and looks less threatening
Probably scares the kids less than Oden.
52 + 88 = 140% better team.
Well I just hope Miller is reading some of this. It will make him feel better about
the assanine decisions that are being made by the Blazer coaching staff. I like Blake as a PERSON. I wonder if some of the way he has been stinking up the place has to do with his KNOWING he has no business starting. I also wonder if any of the coaching staff ever reads what Hollinger et al write!!!
A tiny word of advice
If you are going to call people asinine, stupid, daft, or anything related, spell check the word. Never spell the word wrong when you are belittling someone else’s intelligence, that’s a serious tactical error. :)
#52
by jscot on Dec 12, 2009 7:41 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
0 points, 0 assists 4 turnovers in 35 minutes
Who deserves/earned this much play time?
when will this Blakefest end?
actually 8 assists ...
but still a donut in the scoring department on a paltry 4 shots and no free throw attempts is just not acceptable from a starting NBA guard.
by nikolokolus on Dec 12, 2009 12:50 PM PST up reply actions
I'm a fan of Blake's but its true.
After-all Blake was always a gate holder. Jack is playing better than Blake but Jack needed more time. Bayless is already playing better than Blake and yes Bayless will struggle but he is just as scrappy as Blake and a more instinctive scorer who can create passing opportunities with his offense. That makes up for his pedestrian PG skills. Blake’s stat line in the Cavs game was embarrasing. Bayless had 8 minns Blake had 35 and Bayless still had more points.
Bayless
Put him in the game. Good god. The Cavs game was so brutal to watch. Blake doing nothing but running to the corner on offense and “ole’ing” anyone he was guarding on D. Meanwhile our offense would go through long periods of stagnation.
Put Bayless in the game already. Have you ever seen a player look more despondent on the bench? Every time they cut to a shot of Bayless it was as if he had just lost a close personal friend. Get him some run. Are we really going to go with a 7 man rotation? I understood going with Blake and Miller when we had a deep team with lots of offensive options (not really, but at least it was more arguable). However after losing all those options we need to figure out more ways to score and need to worry less about who will distribute to all our scorers.
If it's any consolation to Bayless
Seeing him on the sideline makes me despondent too.
by nikolokolus on Dec 12, 2009 12:51 PM PST up reply actions
How anyone can justify continuing to start Blake over Miller is astounding to me!
Miller is better. Far better. What do you need to see to understand that? Blake is a backup PG. That’s all he should ever be. He started the last couple of seasons because we had nobody better! We do now. Get a clue Nate!
I hope Bayless can get on team that will play him
I doubt that we will trade him. However his agent should push for one. He could be a great pickup for another team that would play him. I like Bayless but its clear as glass that the Portland is not gonna play the kid. We are as thin as a rail right now for people and get still gets no playing time. Bayless try for a trade and try and get to a team that will play you the minutes you deserve. Get your agent out there and see who wants a active player who can drive to the hoop hit the outside jumper and who has a lot of potential. I like the Blazers but the play time for Bayless is just ridiculous. Do I think his play is better the Blake’s? Right now I do. Blakes confidence is shot, and Blake provides little to no scoring potential.
Miller's problem is turnovers
I was really excited when I heard that ’Dre was going to be a Blazer and I pretty much assumed he would be the starter at PG this year, but personally I have been disappointed in his play in one really big area: turnovers. As of today, he has a total of 54 turnovers in 684 minutes played. Blake has 40 in 762 minutes.
Miller has the second highest turnover ratio on the team behind Roy, at 2.16 per game. Roy has 2.40, which is also troubling, but he’s playing 10 minutes more per game. If we adjust Miller’s turnovers to match Roy’s playing time, he would be at just shy of three turnovers per game.
The only area where Miller is beating Blake at this point in the season is points per game, and I think we all have to admit that Blake’s offense is below where it was last year. If he can get his shooting touch back, even a little bit, he’ll be matching or exceeding Miller in every category. If you factor in points given up on turn overs, they are pretty darn close right now.
Just something to remember when you say to yourself “What is Coach Nate thinking?!?”
Well...
Maybe we should try playing Miller in the kind of system that actually utilizes his talents. It’s like the 49ers putting Alex Smith under center and wondering why he sucks. Then they put him in a spread-like offense and he plays well. Ya think? He only ran that system in college. To me it’s the same thing with Miller. He thrives in an uptempo system, so when we slow it down so much and make him dribble around he probably gets frustrated and tries to force things. That’s just how I see it I guess.
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