Poor Substituition Patterns (at times)

by mjm6783 on Dec 2, 2009 2:47 PM PST

Second guessing coaches is bound to happen, especially after a 3 game losing streak. So I was a little reluctant to post this and add to the cliche. But it needs to be said. Miller needed to come out of the game at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Using the 3 guard lineup was the WRONG thing to do at that point in the game. We needed more than solid defense, we needed STOPS, STEALS, and REBOUNDING.

You can tell me that hindsight is 20/20. Except that I was calling for the substitution when we went down by our largest margin at the end of the 3rd quarter. Rudy or Cunningham would have given us size on defense, jump shooting on offense, and rebounding on both ends of the floor.

Cunningham has proven himself to be a talented, smart, and worthy of the opportunity to play. Rudy is now a veteran of late game heroics, and clutch three pointers. Why not give those players a chance to gain experience and potentially overcome a large defecit. Even if we still lose the game, we're investing in our future performance. What did we gain in terms of development by sending Miller 1 on 1 for either a turnover or free throws, over and over and over? Nothing.

Nate has shown himself to be very wise in many respects. When it comes to developing young talent, managing egos, and commanding player's respect, he's one of the best. But he has also shown a pattern of stubborn substitution patterns, questionable matchup decisions, and player favoritism, even going back to many games last year.

Did the Blazer's deserve to lose? Yes. They played terrible perimeter defense for 75% of the game, and terrible interior defense whenever Oden was on the bench. Did the Heat deserve to win? Yes. They built a lead, played hard to maintain it, and let their best players seal the game with clutch scoring. But does that excuse Nate from any blame for leaving a bad lineup in the game well past the point of reason? No.

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eh

Cunningham is a rook, and was getting abused by Beasley all game. I’m not putting the blame on him for that, cuz beasley is a good player. Our perimeter defense was garbage, plain and simple, and none of the guys seem to be putting ANY effort into changing this. I am tired of watching freaking Q-Rich blow by Roy. Did you see that ghastly bite by Roy on his crossover, where Roy just started running the other way? Man he just pulled up with ample space and drilled the three. Epic defense fail there.

"B-Roy is the best shooting guard I have played against"

-Ron Artest

by premthegrem on Dec 2, 2009 2:56 PM PST reply actions

I have to admit

Roy cheats WAY too far from his man on defense. And not just last night, it’s been a theme this year. Cunningham might be a rook, but he’s also a four year college rook, and he plays like it. Always cutting at the appropriate time, or rebounding over taller players, he even scoops up any lose ball that comes his way. Sure I’d rather have Aldridge or Travis in, but that wasn’t an option. If you don’t like Dante, then at least put in Rudy, but get Miller OUT. The 3 guard lineup is a failed experiment. Period.

Don't over think it.
Give Roy the ball.

by mjm6783 on Dec 2, 2009 3:06 PM PST up reply actions

subs

there were definitely times when i found myself asking the television why last night. why is martell getting pulled first instead of blake when he is playing hard? he’s young, he at least stands a chance against wade….. why are you pulling pryzbilla? i know he has three fouls and it’s the second quarter, but the points count just the same at the end. miami will (and did) pull ahead to 10 by the half if we don’t have a center on the floor.

that said, there are 30 coaches in the nba (and hundred more in the portland area ;), and each would use a different substitution and rotation strategy.

also, each coach has strengths and weaknesses. to expect nate to do everything well is unreasonable; the man has been a legit candidate for coach of the year 3 of the last 5 years. i would ask only that he face up to the fact that for the first time in his coaching career, he is coaching a legitimately skilled team. more than motivation, now he must also provide strategy- and get the players to understand what that is at any time. and no, playing hard and scrapping doesn’t count as a strategy.

by fudge_d on Dec 2, 2009 3:49 PM PST reply actions

oddly enough

I agree with you, but it was far earlier when we lost this game do to substitution patterns, I think 2 things in the first half did us in:

1. Webster being the first guy on the bench (other than Oden because of foul trouble). At that point in the game only two of our guys had scored AT ALL from the floor Roy with 8 or 10 points and Webster with 5 points. Cunningham has made free throw and that is it. First guy to the bench was the only other guy scoring aside from Roy. When you come out that soft, you don’t sit one of your only profcutive players. Webster was iced the rest of the game, couldn’t get anything going after he came off the pine again.

2. When Joeal picked up his 3rd at the end of the 2nd qtr we had pulled to within 2 points. We did that largely because Oden was brought back in in the 2nd qtr got some defensive stops for us and was directing some of the other players on the defensive end a little (something he needs to do more of, he’s gettting there). I get puting Pryz back in for the last 4 minutes of the half, I agreed with that substitution at the time and Pryz stepped up and kept the defensive itensity up and we pulled within those 2 points. then Joel picks up his 3rd foul. Oden popped up off the bench and got to the scorers table quickly, but Nate pulled him back. We had no center to close the half and ended up down by 10 instead of possibly being 2 down, tied or maybe even ahead. Nate seemed happy that we went into half ‘only down 10’ but the psychological boost of tying the score or even taking a lead would have been huge given that we have not led in a basketball game since the 1st qtr of the Grizzly game (15-13).

"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man

by PDXBuckeye on Dec 3, 2009 7:53 AM PST reply actions