Game 31 Recap: Blazers 98, Spurs 94--Not a Misprint
by Dave on Dec 23, 2009 10:42 PM PST
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PrintIf there was a marquee outside AT&T Center tonight it probably read:
San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers*
*Contains less than 2% actual Blazers
Joel Przybilla is out for the year. Brandon Roy was out for the night with shoulder problems. Combined with all of the other injuries that left Portland starting a lineup of LaMarcus Aldridge plus guys who would have been penciled in as the 5th, 9th, 10th, and 11th men on the roster at the start of the year. On paper a disclaimer was necessary. Spurs fans were likely groaning as the starters were introduced that what was supposed to be an entertaining game was going to be a cakewalk. Then the ball went up and...the Blazers won. Yes, that's right. The Blazers won.
The keys to the game were pretty simple. Portland packed the paint on defense, first denying the ball to Tim Duncan then daring him to score over multiple defenders and the rest of the Spurs to hit outside shots instead of driving. It was the only conceivable way to make up for the utter lack of interior power on that end. Once the shot went up the Blazers rebounded hard down to the last man. You saw four, five guys swarming the glass. On offense the plan was clear: take advantage of any mismatches (Bayless, Aldridge), use screens to get them free, and when the main guys got shot down pass the ball out quickly and hope the jumpers fall. They did. San Antonio's did somewhat but it wasn't enough. Combine that with 8 turnovers and more energy than the Spurs and you walk away with a win....as big of a win as you can get at this stage of the season...a win that didn't depend on lucky threes...a win Blazers got on a night when San Antonio shot 6 percentage points better than they. Priceless.
Victory was built on the back of heroic individual efforts tonight. The first and most obvious was that of Jerryd Bayless. The Spurs weren't able to contain him and he hit shot after shot from the perimeter, sprinkling in drives for layups or free throws. He scored 31 off of 10-24 shooting which isn't as impressive as the 9-10 free throw clip and the 2-2 performance from the arc. He also had 7 assists as the Spurs had to commit so much of their attention to him that open teammates were plentiful. His defensive effort was solid. He moved his feet, took charges, and committed only 1 foul. Jerryd has had good games before but this was the first game that the team won specifically (and obviously) because of him. That's a whole different feeling and you could tell he felt it in his post-game interview. This was the game in which he arrived as a real, live, significant NBA player instead of just a player who has some decent individual outings and potential to his credit.
LaMarcus Aldridge rained down jumpers himself to the tune of 9-13 shooting and 22 points. He sat out much of the first half with foul trouble but every time he touched the ball he was a thorn in the Spurs' side. He made their defense look ground-bound and slow. 8 rebounds too.
Earlier in the season people were speculating whether Juwan Howard was worth a plug nickel. Tonight he showed why it's not all bad to have aging veterans who also used to be stars. He can't do everything he used to do but at least he knows what to do and has the potential to step up to the plate and help. Tonight he hit a home run. He shot 6-9 for 12 points and the Spirit of Przybilla flowed through him as he nabbed a dozen boards. That's 12. 12 rebounds. Nod of respect.
Steve Blake was as active tonight as he's been all season and he also hit enough shots to keep the Spurs honest. I don't recall him ever shooting when he was covered. He shot 3-6 overall for 7 points. Continuing the theme of everyone chipping in something extra he had 5 assists.
Martell Webster played 39 minutes and had another good effort game. They didn't get as much scoring out of him as they'd probably like but he did go 3-8 for 11 points so he's not far off.
Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunnigham each had 4 rebounds, Pendy in 17 minutes, Cunningham in 9.
Andre Miller provided the only real party fouls tonight, shooting 2-13 on jumpers that never seemed to arc above the rim. He had 9 points and 4 assists and hit the game-icing free throws with .8 left but it wasn't a good outing for him. Again we saw a situation where either Miller or Bayless was active in the offense, seldom if ever both, let alone both playing off each other. And at this point the reasons to favor Miller are becoming fewer.
There's not much more analysis than that because frankly for me this was an emotional game as much as a rational one. It was hard not to get caught up in it. I will say this: the team looked like the Blazers we know for one of the first times this season, which is ironic because almost none of the Blazers we know played. You could see it in the screens, in the shots, in the boards, in the lines of their bodies. Maybe it was them recapturing that "nothing to lose" attitude that's carried them through the last couple of seasons, letting it wash over that "we're entitled to win" malaise that seems to have typified their approach this year. Whatever it was, the smiles and yells and stride when they walked off the court was everything you could hope to see. Who knows how long it will last? But for tonight that doesn't matter. All that does is this: Blazers 98, Spurs 94, 3-1 on the toughest road trip of the year after the most devastating couple weeks of the season. You couldn't script a movie like this and keep it believable. But this isn't a movie. It's your Blazers.
Check out the impressions at PoundingtheRock.
See your Jersey Contest scores for the game here and enter an all-Jerryd-Bayless form (questions decided days ago, mind you) for the Christmas game over here.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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I am as proud of this team
And as stunned (happily) with this win as I have ever been and although I’ve not been a fan as long as Dave, I’ve probably listened or watched well over 1.5k Blazer games in my lifetime. This one sticks out.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
I mentioned of this last night in the Przybilla injury thread...
I was as proud as I ever have been of this team last night and tonite surpassed that. Considering the repeat punches to our gut, this team keeps taking their blows, keeping their head up, and punching right back. I give Nate credit for keeping these guys up and ready. He continually tells them never quit, never give up, keep fighting, keep scrapping, you are never out of a game. No one can ever say this team doesn’t have heart.
Thank you Blazers. When we think all hope is lost, you keep rising from the ashes. Rise with us is the motto. We (fans) will rise with you. I still believe and I will never stop believing.
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
Rocky Balboa
has got nothing on this squad
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I'm imagining Jerryd hoisting the trophy
“This is the greatest night, in the history of my life…yo Oden!”
Rex can stare down a tiger
and make the kitty blink first
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
absolutely nothing!
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
Go Blazers!
That was incredible! Amazing! Unbelievable!
If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.
by TimG on Dec 23, 2009 10:47 PM PST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
The guys deserve to watch Christmas Vacation
Instead of game film after this road trip!
by Dobbler on Dec 23, 2009 10:51 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I think it's a very happy flight home tonight
Wonder if JB will even be able to sleep on the flight back?
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
This
All that does is this: Blazers 98, Spurs 94, 3-1 on the toughest road trip of the year after the most devastating couple weeks of the season. You couldn’t script a movie like this and keep it believable. But this isn’t a movie. It’s your Blazers.
really puts things into perspective.
like I said in the post-game thread
What we have just witnessed is one of the best Portland road trips of all time. Even if they had been at full strength it would’ve been remarkable…but to win back-to-back games “without” Joel and the second one without Przy and Brandon? In Texas? Welcome to bizarro world
I don’t care what you say about Nate and his High School offense or wacky lineups/rotations, dude can motivate players to not give up. There’s no stat that measures heart and desire
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I still can't believe Blake got a block
But the photo don’t lie:
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
by skywaker9 on Dec 23, 2009 10:49 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
I thought bayless got that block
didnt the ball travel away from bayless when it got blocked? But people at the game seemed to think blake got it.
me too, but our blind announcers kept saying Blake blocked it
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
No. Freaking. Way.
Thats hysterical!
Even that high in the air, they’re all still shorter than Greg Oden. Awesome.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
FKA BLAZER_FAN_199. Now an author for the Jackets Cannon!
by Andrew Tolliver on Dec 24, 2009 6:58 AM PST up reply actions
Juwan Howard was +22 agains the Spurs
Are we in an alternate universe? Amazing game. Go Blazers!!
Juwan stood tall and said "enough"
looking the basketball gods in the eyes, he dared them to try and strike down another Blazer center. And lo, their curse could not work on him, as he was not actually a center!
by jigglyai on Dec 23, 2009 10:56 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
Juwan Howard knows what's up.
He’s been an absolute blessing to this team. Maybe most under-appreciated Blazer (add that to the 1/3 season awards, Dave!) but I think opinion will change regarding this. Finally, another lunch pail and hard hat guy to replace Przybilla with almost twice and many years in the NBA. I believe he understands what Nate is trying to instill in these young guys and backs it up with his effort and leadership. Big props to Juwan. I wasn’t very high on him when we acquired him but boy was I wrong!
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
I most certainly want to second this...
Both the needing the “most under appreciated Blazer” and Juwan Howard for the current nomination.
I absolutely agree.
I cannot say enough about what Juwan Howard brings to this team. It isn’t just what he does on the court, it is the way he carries himself, the way he answers questions— amazing thing, an athlete that actually answers the question that is asked! — the polish and effort he gives on the court. I think he was a great pick-up, and at exactly the right time. Now is when all these young players who have so much potential, and generally seem to be of very good character, can really learn from a true professional like Juwan Howard.
I’ll also give some props to Nate for keeping his team’s head in the game. A lesser team, with a lesser coach, might have raised the white flag on this game. They had already won 3 games in a tough 6 game stretch (Suns, Heat, Mavs). Everyone would have understood had the Blazers lost by 20 points. But they didn’t. And maybe Nate will become a better coach by being forced to try different combinations of players.
Did you see Howard greet Bayless after the game?
That’s a veteran leader with a rookie’s enthusiasm. Very cool.
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
Juwan is having fun
And it shows in his smiles, his energy and in the encouragement he gives his fellow team members. It’s obviously having a positive effect. Now if only we can maintain this resiliency and confidence through the back 2/3 of the season (and post)…
"Easy for you to say coach, you don't have Big Greg rolling up on your blind side about to lay the wood to you." - Batum
by No you di'nt on Dec 24, 2009 8:40 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Howard's been a great chemistry guy
Not to mention he’s playing well. His double double in the Dallas game was his first in 3 years. Now he’s had two, back to back. Obviously playing time has something to do with it, but the fact that he’s still playing at a high level is awesome.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Number of road games won last year against full strength WC playoff teams: 0
Since NOla lost Paul and SA was without Duncan and Manu.
Number of road games won this year against full strength likely playoff WC teams: 2.
Me like.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
stat of the night: combined steve blake, andre miller & jerryd bayless had just 2 turnovers in 104+ minutes.
Amazing what a team can do
when we don’t turn it over. Also, compare that to the turnovers committed by the Spurs tonight…
Rex' A/TO was 7-0
that was the killer stat for me, tonight
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
9-10 from the line for him was also sweet. so much to like about this game.
by Ben Golliver on Dec 23, 2009 11:13 PM PST up reply actions
Best quote from pounding the rock
Post game ..
Duncan " It was a tough loss but they deserved to win. They really stuck it out and kept battling "
Manu " They really kicked our ass. We suck. The only thing im capable of triumphing over is a baby bat "
Parker " Man , that eenternational ball really took a toll on me , but hey eye eez still playing under guaranteed money. Sweet ! Wee?? "
Pop " We look like explitive
, but well have it together by the end of the rodeo trip. ( Right …? )…Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is forty five.
by alamobro on Dec 23, 2009 8:08 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Did manu really say that??
Shoutout to my Section,
We start chants,
We have the wave man,
We have the sky boxes,
We have the crazy row of people in the back spendin like 50$ on beer each game,
We have dan the usher,
We have EVERYTHING!
314, we are amazing,
..... oh, and Free Bayless!
by Lil0drummer0boy on Dec 23, 2009 11:03 PM PST up reply actions
if anyone has the game dvr'd
can you please upload the post game interview?
i was stuck watching the spurs broadcast.
thx,
found one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GblrQCPokC4
The “Bayless Face” table needs a new addition:
“OMG. I just dropped 31 yo’ ass.”
by CleBlazer on Dec 24, 2009 2:12 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
awesome interview.
“life getting a little bit better”
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
I never thought that Bayless looked like a guy who was into art.
But from the way he draws fouls, and has so much success in the paint, you can tell that he is really an aficionado.
LA Lakers are the only team in the league with a longer win streak currently than the Blazers. Granted it’s only 3 games and there’s a bunch of teams tied with Portland… but still.
If they beat Denver
They could get a good streak going.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
the next team that could give them real trouble would be cleveland… we already know how lakers at portland is going to go down
by Ben Golliver on Dec 23, 2009 11:10 PM PST up reply actions
Don't sleep on the Clips
Or any other team but I trust them not to lose focus.
Oh yeah on the Laker game. That’ll be awesome as always.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
indeed — don’t sleep on anyone… dare to dream for one night, eh? :)
no griffin either time though. so that’s something.
by Ben Golliver on Dec 23, 2009 11:14 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah, latest is
He’s not even going to try to do any basketball-related activities for 3 more weeks?
I was worried about his tendency to let his exuberance lead to stupid injuries, and I was right.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
I've said for a while
If we can play even decently until Rudy comes back, we’re good.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Just remember
Portland broke the Dallas winning streak over them.
Winning streaks are to be broken
Let’s hope this one will continue.
bbk
portland also has the second best
inter-conference record in the west behind LA.
we’re 13-5, LA is 13-4.
Blake’s tip out to Andre at the end of the game was so big. And Jeff has a short jump shot! I like his game.
by seanovan mcnoob on Dec 23, 2009 11:04 PM PST reply actions
Yeah I just watched the highlights, dre shouldve passed the ball again to the open guy to avoid getting fouled at the end though.
by tevisthe4th on Dec 23, 2009 11:06 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah that’s I was thinking too. But I swear the guy does not feel pressure in end-of-game situations. He’s like a closer.
by seanovan mcnoob on Dec 23, 2009 11:09 PM PST up reply actions
He shoots foul shots at an 80% plus clip.
Who else do you want the ball to be with? Rushing a pass so the clock runs out is not a better option than just holding on to it and taking the foul. That’s a good way to create a turnover.
hakkaa päälle !
It was wide open
If Andre had been aware of exactly how little time there was on the clock, I’m sure he’d have passed. But if there had been one second more on the clock, it would have been a mistake, because of the chance of the pass going astray.
It was a case of choosing a very, very good option (hold and get fouled) over an even better option. No big deal.
The great thing was the tip out by Blake. He wasn’t trying to get that ball to Andre. He was just trying to get it a very long way from any Spurs player. He didn’t try to direct it, he just whacked it. The fact that it went to Andre was a bonus. That was so heady, he knew time was going to run out if they couldn’t grab it instantly.
#52
you know, when a short-handed team wins a game like this
it actually proves Poppovich’s point that you can rest a few starters and not “concede” the ballgame
So, perhaps Nate will rest Brandon and LMA on back-to-backs more often?
Nahhhh
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
character building
Dave has it right, this team is back to its scrappy refs don’t respect us on the road, efficient on offense team. I love the 10 runs we go on after teams close in on us. 3 straight games teams have come back from 8 or 9 down, and we go on a quick 10 run.
Whats great we had some players underperforming, like blakey and LMA, and they are finding there game and confidence.
COCKY!!!!
the refs did not help us in any way tonite...
we earned every bit of that one when you look at the 2 Jefferson travels, the missed offensive foul when Parker ran over Bayless, the umpteen million no calls in the 2nd quarter, the 3 pointer by Jefferson that was a 2, the double technical on Pendy and McDyess when it was all McDyess, among others. Persistence…
Also, did anyone notice that after every call against the Spurs, at least one player (and Popovich) was working the refs? I’d like to see a little more of that out of our veterans cuz it sure seems to work.
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
coach Pop is an A-1 worker of the refs
I think his sideline manner has made a huge difference in the Spurs winning 4 titles. Think about it, a small market team that has won 4 rings in 10 years? Not all of that is on-court talent…Pop knows how get his team an "advantage’ without alienating the officials that he’ll see again, down the road. It’s a rare gift
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Well, Maybe Having Tim Duncan helped
but only a little . . .
oh, no doubt you need talent
If Pop didn’t have Duncan he’d be an average NBA coach. (Take a look at Jack Ramsay’s W-L record “without Walton” if you need a comparison)
not everybody gets to coach superstars for 15+ years like PJack
it drives me crazy how Pop leaves the huddle and works the refs during timeouts (and it often results in calls going the Spur’s way, shortly afterwards) It’s OK to admit that he’s a worthy adversary, because that makes beating him all the more satisfying
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
effort
the team played so damn hard tonight, and bayless brings that. miller doesn’t bring it at PG, blake doesn’t have the physical skills on either end, but bayless—the kid is a star and needs to play next to roy in the starting lineup.
12-3 with miller starting
we’re getting off to great starts, because he’s getting everyone involved. no more lulls in the first quarter.
eventually, though. I agree with Bayless starting.
1-0
With Bayless starting, we are currently undefeated…now there’s a stat for you stat people
that's 100% win percentage!
I am going to be watching this game later today. Can’t wait to see Bayless. :)
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
We could call them Mutt and Jeff !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Telling my age.
Would the two play well together? I know Andre and BRoy can make it work, but I think JBay and BRoy could actually be a great tandum without the on going friction. BRoy was said to pull JBay aside to say as much.
hg
calls on the road
also, the blazers got NO love from the refs on the road. that blocking foul on bayless at the end of the game? are you kidding me? insane.
That was as bad a call as I've seen
It wasn’t’ even close.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
I don't think it's unreasonable
to expect stars to be the beneficiaries of questionable calls on their home court. Well, unless they play for the Blazers.
against JJ Barea the night before, Jerryd was called for the charge
That’s life on the road in the NBA, but when you beat the odds and send the home crowd home sad/angry, it’s sweet
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It was close
Close enough of a call to be blown.
Bayless’s only foul of the game – and a call that replay showed should have gone the other way.
But close enough of a call that it was easily blown by the refs. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
Yeah, in real time it wasn't THAT blatant
Just typical home cooking. The Blazers get the same treatment at the Rose Garden. David Stern wants to give the fans every chance to walk out of the arena happy. That way they’re more likely to come back again. So nearly every borderline call goes to the home team during crunch time or when the home team is making a run.
I don’t like it, but I realize it ain’t ever going to change. It’s NBA Economics 101.
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
crazy thing is is that the commenters for the spurs were complaining about the refs.
This was the worst called game against us despite the lack of bs technicals.
by tevisthe4th on Dec 23, 2009 11:25 PM PST up reply actions
Great win, congrats...and who hires some of these announcers?
I don’t get the logic with some of these guys.
1st example: Portland has a two-point lead, and takes possession with 27 seconds left. They run the 24-second clock down to three (six on the game clock) and Bayless misses a 15-foot jumper, but the rebound gets knocked around to Andre Miller, who gets fouled with 0.8 second remaining on the game clock. He makes the first FT to put POR up by three. The brilliant Sean Elliott says that Miller should "take one for the team" and miss the next FT on purpose, because "you never know what might happen." OK Sean, what if he misses the FT, a Spur gets the rebound, and whips a baseball throw 80 feet and the ball goes in the basket for a tying three? Unbelievable. Instead, Miller made the FT to put POR ahead by four, and nobody guarded the inbounds passer or receiver, who missed a 30-foot shot at the buzzer. I know, Sean, the NBA could pass a new four-point shot rule while Miller is at the FT line. After all, you never know what might happen.
2nd example: back in the NBA TV studio, Eric Snow criticized Bayless for not running the clock down more. But Bayless released his jumper with between two and three seconds left on the shot clock, meaning that there was between five and six seconds remaining in the game. He ran the clock down pretty far, and he was in danger of being trapped. He got free of the double team and shot his jumper an instant before Tim Duncan would have blocked it. Would it have been better to take the huge risk of waiting right before the shot clock expired before taking his shot? If it doesn’t draw iron, the Spurs get the ball back with three seconds left in the game and only down two points. They can set up a reasonable play to tie or win the game. Bayless made the right play, he got a decent look, the Blazers had three players in position for the offensive rebound, and the ball caromed out to a fourth Blazer. But according to Eric Snow, the young Jerryd Bayless made an "inexperienced" mistake. Who hires these guys?
Speaking of which, how did a player with as little basketball talent as Eric Snow stay in the NBA for so long? TV announcers used to slobber all over this guy because he had all these “intangibles.” Meanwhile, opposing teams would back off him when he had the ball, daring him to shoot any shot 12 feet from the hoop or longer. Oh, and NBA TV seems to have cornered the market on intangible glue guys. I’m watching the dirtiest player of the past 15 years on the current highlight show talking about all the games. And he’s wearing a stupid-looking paisley bow tie.
by The Dude Abides on Dec 23, 2009 11:16 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Sean Elliott started out the pregame
show by saying " these guys came in to the year looking like a fifth or sixth seed, but now, they’re surely out of the playoffs."
I thought Barrett and Rice were bad, but Elliott was worse.
snow:
snow was talented before he lost a step, good defensive player. but yeah, i saw his call on that shot, and when the ball was in the air for bayless, there was 1 second on the clock. he shot it when he needed to.
furthermore, why weren’t more people talking about the ridiculous blocking foul on bayless when he was run down by parker? clearly a charge. great defensive play, and the blown call could have really changed the game.
Snow
Excellent defender, good ball handler, had his best years playing alongside Iverson and was perfectly suited for that. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
He was tough, too
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
Bowen's bow tie scared me.
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
what Roy should learn from watching this game on the bench...
How Bayless plays Pick and Roll.
IMO the stagnancy of our offense is primarily due to Roy’s inability to make anything out of the PnR plays and still we run this play a LOT for him.
During the whole game Bayless was able to get whatever he wants off of PnR – when the defender shows he blows past him and drive into the lane, when the defender gives him space he calmly sinks the mid-range jumpers, when the defender switches he pulls him out and exploit the mismatch.
He set teammates up off of PnR, too – toward the end of the 1st quarter he & Pendergraph ran a vintage pick and roll that resulted in 2 FT from the rolling Pendergraph (a 50/50 call though) Roy and Aldridge should be ashamed of that. Bayless also ran several pick and pop variation that set up open jumpers by our big guys.
Of course Bayless got trapped a few times but at least 80% of time this play is effective, while in Roy’s case it works only ~30% of time.
hate to say this, but i agree
to an extent. roy seems to hesitate off the pick and roll. he’s got to be aggressive at times on the pick and roll in order to make it effective over the course of the game.
but hey, roy’s still young, too, and we forget that at times. he’ll get better at it.
oh, lamarcus isn’t very good in the pick and roll, either. you know what he’s doing 90% of the time: popping and shooting.
yup I expect them to improve
I can imagine Roy or Aldridge or coaches would see this problem and try to figure out ways to avoid Roy being trapped so often. I can only hope.
Jerryd's come a long way since summer league
when folks were saying that he couldn’t make good decisions with the ball (he “made up his mind to shoot or pass too early” etc) and Pooh Jeter had to take over at the PG to run PnR with Cunningham. To be sure, the quality of Bayless’ teammates have improved since Vegas, but I think we’re seeing all of his hard work paying off and the proberbial “light bulb” clicking on for #4.
Maybe he can be another Billups, after all
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
proverbial
hoo boy
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Did I actually see that comment come out of your keyboard?
Priceless. Welcome aboard.
by upper left corner on Dec 23, 2009 11:38 PM PST up reply actions
I've been pro-Bayless in the past
but I’ve also repeated what Nate has said at Vegas a few times, like those “decision-making” comments above. Last February I thought Jerryd should’ve been starting ahead of Sergio, when Blake was out. But we have to be realistic, as well as optimistic. While we can “believe” that Bayless has it “in him” to be a starting guard alongside Roy, if he never gets the opportunity to “show it” then we can either blame the myopic coaching staff or come to the same conclusions that AK1984 has about Bayless…and be wrong on both extremes
What Nate and Monty told Rex was right…keep working hard, and be ready to take advantage of the opportunity when it comes. Now it’s here, and Bayless has seized the moment. If he keeps this up, KP and Nate are going to have to make some hard decisions about Miller/Blake…but that’s what you want…after all, they didn’t draft Jerryd #11 hoping he’d he’d always be a backup to Steve
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Dec 23, 2009 11:48 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Role players unite!
I really like Pendy and Cunningham. I don’t know what they’ll end up being, but right now, they feel like the only real role players we’ve drafted in some time. I’m sure they have higher expectations than that, but they just have that feel of funamentally sound players that may not have the all star bodies or skills, but will very effeciently take care of the business they need to. Here’s to them getting the right amount of run over time without demanding trades because they’re not getting enough run. I honestly feel they could both be championship pieces off the bench. Every contender needs players like them that aren’t going to get all bent out of shape that plays aren’t being called for them. Meaningful contribution without drama, I hope.
Batum is another example
of a recently-drafted role player…and Mills might become one as well (pace-changing waterbug)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
At the risk of pushing my luck, I think Batum has a chance to be more.
by upper left corner on Dec 23, 2009 11:39 PM PST up reply actions
agree
But I see what your saying two4. I think Batum’s got a chance to be a little more dynamic than that. It just feels like Pendy and Cunningham can be just stable and sound, without necessarily needing more than that. The floor spacing jumper and right place on the floor of C. and the bangin’, scrap (gotta use Natespeak there), and again, right place on the floor of Pendy.
well, yeah
I do to, but he was drafted to defend the perimeter and hit the corner 3. He’ll become much more than that, eventually
I also have high hopes for Dante
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Nic
has a chance to be a “star” as a role player.
he is capable of that one play you remember that turns a game, saves a game, or is the pivotal play in a series.
he may or may not make it, but I really think there is something special about him.
"Better, not good, but better." - Herb Brooks
I like Pendy and Cunning, too.
I am glad we finally drafted some guys who had significant college experience. They understand the fundamentals so much better than Outlaw, Webster, Telfair, and pretty much every other young gun we’ve drafted. I really loved the quote from Pendy saying he wants to model his game after Przybilla! Bring your hard hat and lunchbox Jeff! Dante’s got the toolbox and welding torch!
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
I love 'em
Good dudes to surround Roy and Aldridge with.
I can’t wait until next year. I think everyone learned something from this past off season – next off season will be quite different. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
I had thought Pendy was too stiff & robotic to be effective
But he’s quicker on his feet than I thought. The guy played some very nice defense last night, covering a lot of ground in a short amount of time. And—glory of glories—I thought he actually outplayed DeJuan Blair. You could tell Pendy had played vs Blair in college: he was all over the task of blocking Blair off the offensive boards.
Maybe KP didn’t make the blunder of the decade after all.
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
bayless's night:
bayless is the 4th guy in the last 15 years to score 30+ in his first career start.
Anthony Morrow?
I remember him having some huge games for GS last year, one against Portland
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
yep
morrow was one of the guys espn listed. actually, he’s the only one i remember. missed the other two guys.
Wow, Lamar, no kiddin
Wouldn’t have called that, but I could see it, I suppose.
This is the most proud I've been of the Blazers
since I started following them in 1998. We’ll done!
by Sound_Automatic on Dec 23, 2009 11:28 PM PST reply actions
As proud of last night's Blazers as any Blazers I've seen
since I started following them in 1970 (and following them closely in 1978). – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
A funny thing happened on the way to the blow-out
The guys actually remembered how to play real team basketball. Ball movement, player movement. Scrapping constantly for rebounds and charges and tips. All for one, and one for all. It was a whole lot of fun to watch.
Complete the following sentence, “Jerryd Bayless will never be a __________.” Bonus points if you are willing to admit that you were one of the people who used to say it so often.
by upper left corner on Dec 23, 2009 11:46 PM PST reply actions
Rex is a shooting guard in a PG's body
it’s still true, and there’s nothing wrong with that…as long as the “other” guard can handle the rock and defend SGs
with the hand-checking rules being what they are…guys like Rex are golden
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I look forward to seeing Jerryd serve you those words on a silver platter.
Seven assists and zero turnovers.
Sounds like a scoring PG to me. The point is that the kid, who had no floor vision, who was a selfish ball hog, does a pretty good job of setting up his teammates. He may score like crazy when the team needs him to, but he is learning to distribute the ball. I see the possibility of Chauncey Billups in his future. Still a ways off, but definitely a possibility.
I would just love to see some of you all just man up and admit that your player evaluation was um…. er….. um, just a little off. I can remember the days when I used to go one on ten with a bunch of the regulars around here.
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 12:11 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
his lob to Aldridge late in the 4th is very impressive
that shows off his passing instinct
He gets his assists
by doing what SGs do— attack, attack, attack, and react to what the defense gives you.
7 assists and 0 turnovers isn’t evidence that someone is a PG. Roy— as natural a ‘2’ as there ever was— was top 20 last year in assist-to-turnover ratio, and Joe Johnson wasn’t far out of the top 20, either. For that matter, Roy averaged less than 2 TO for the entire season last year, while leading the team in assists.
What Bayless is showing right now is the value of letting him play HIS game. He generates more offense for the team by playing with his natural aggression than he does by trying to be a true PG (manage clock, run the offense, pass-first, etc).
I would be willing to bet that at least 5 of his 7 assists tonight came from breaking the defense down and reacting to the help rotation with a pass. In fact, I’m guessing it’s 6 of the 7.
How do PG's get their assists?
If it’s not attack, read and react, then what is it?
Give me a break, Bayless ran the team well last night, pay him his dues.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
by iDea on Dec 24, 2009 7:41 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
The progression of complaints:
I am not so much aiming this comment at you personally, but it has been rather interesting to watch the progression of the criticism the “Bayless will never be a PG” crowd has dished:
First it was “he is a ball hog.”
Then came “he doesn’t look to pass”
Then came “he has too many turnovers”
Then came “he lacks court vision”
Then came “his assist rate isn’t high enough”
Now you are telling me he isn’t a PG because of the style of his assists? Give me a break. Are you telling me that CP3 doesn’t attack? Tony Parker doesn’t attack? Lou Williams doesn’t attack?
Bayless is not ever going to be a classic pure point. He is a scorer, a big time scorer. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t be a PG. He is learning to use his penetration and the threat of his penetration to get open opportunities for his teammates. He is a combo type guy in that he can play either off the ball or with the ball in his hands. That is precisely what we need in a backcourt partner for Roy.
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 8:01 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I think You answered my question.
I was thinking after the Sun’s game that BRoy and JBay could play great together; I have read all the too much or not enough’s that you listed, therefore didn’t know if they could be great together.
Be right or wrong at least I have someone that feels as I do.
I have been a naysayer of JBays because I didn’t think he was ready and I hadn’t seen him play that much. Therefore, I am not jumping off and on his band wagon; I just see him as gelling to the NBA and now is the time to give him his chance. He wouldn’t get in BRoy’s way because as you said he can play off the ball as well.
hg
Posting again to add...
If you split his 10 FTA in half, since he drew 5 shooting fouls, you’ll see that he looked to score 29 times, and had 7 assists.
That’s not a ‘scoring pg’. That’s Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Brandon Roy, LeBron James, Joe Johnson, etc. IE, scorer/handler.
I didn't get to watch the game
but you seem to be making a valid point.
After Bayless’ breakout game against the Suns, I pointed out the dilemma we are likely facing, i.e. we have 3 talented 2 guards on the team (counting Rudy) and zero top notch point guards. A trade is likely in the offing.
If this Blazer team doesn't light your fire, then your wood is wet!
I hope it's Miller
I just don’t trust him in the 4th, to simply not turn the ball over, or get selfish and shoot some stupid 18ft fadeaway.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
So now it is "he's not a PG, because he scores too much"?
Tell that to CP3.
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 8:02 AM PST up reply actions
He definitely isn't a pure PG
He’s a PG in the mold of Tony Parker, or Monta Ellis— but with the ability to defend.
Monta is a better pure scorer than Parker, Parker the better playmaker (but certainly not a pure one at all; he’s a scoring guard all the way). Both can’t defend. As long as Bayless is breaking down the defense and getting assists off of his reads (which is pretty PGy, same as what Roy does), it’ll work— as long as he can guard the opposing PG, that is. Which it appears he can.
We needed someone else who can create, and Bayless creates efficiently for himself at least, and it appears he is creating efficiently for others with a good A/TO and better-than-expected assist percentage.
Last year, like in the playoffs, if ya stop Roy from creating for others, ya stopped the Blazers. Bayless might be the guy who can be the secondary creator (for himself and others) on the perimeter.
He is a type of PG… not a pure one, but not a Michael Redd-only-score-nothing-else type SG. He is like a lesser version of Roy— a scorer who can create for others. The reason a combo guard might actually work this time, is that he can guard a position. Most combo guards are too short to guard SGs, too slow to guard PGs.
Mortimer
#52
I've always called him The Thinking Man's Monta Ellis.
Monta’s quickness, but a smarter player with a better jumper. Last year, he didn’t have the jumper. He certainly had it in college, and he definitely has it thus far this year. And, like I said above, the ability to guard PGs.
Now, guys can explode and catch teams off guard. I expect his insanely quick first step to keep working, but once the scouts get a hold of his tendencies and teams try new ways to contain him, we’ll see what Bayless is really made of. It’s awesome that he is playing awesome, but it has to be sustained.
There will be some bad games from him, some wild turnover games, some where he can’t get a call and can’t hit a jumper— but those are part of the growing process. And, as “luck” would have it, we can now afford to develop a youngin’ not named Oden! And, at our only position of need.
I think two playmaking scorers in Roy and Bayless, along with Oden’s post passing, and Bayless’s ability to be a one man fastbreak, PLUS Batum’s likely ability to be a point forward, will be more than enough playmaking for the offense. A mix of everyone who can finish, and pass. And despite Bayless’ reputation, I’ve not seen a selfish streak that some believed him to have.
Man, what a season. Such an awful, but inspiring season that confirms why we care about these players and root for this team.
Mortimer
#52
by Mortimer on Dec 24, 2009 4:24 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Bayless is explosive
As explosive as anyone in the league…..I think last night was the first game, this year, that I’ve truly enjoyed watching. I mean, I love watching every game, and do, but last nights game was a blast. They finally put one together.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Implying Monta Ellis can't think!
Rec for you.
Go Rockets/Nets[CDR]/Bucks[Jennings]!
"He is like a lesser version of Roy"?
Not exactly, because he’s much, much faster. Bayless is more like a combination of Roy and one of those quick, penetrating point guards that have taken over the league lately (e.g, Aaron Brooks).
It’s all about the tightened-up handcheck rule, I guess. These days you can’t keep those quick point guards from killing you; the best you can do is have one of your own to do the same thing to the opponent. Mutually assured destruction.
Mind you, I’m not saying Bayless is BETTER than Roy. Just that he’s different, and that his speed is disruptive in a good, point-guardish way. Hopefully Bayless & Roy can evolve into a great backcourt duo—a 21st century Jerry West/ Gail Goodrich. (Or Isaiah Thomas/ Joe Dumars, etc.) We can dream…
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
Lesser in terms of being a scorer playmaker guard
Roy is a good playmaker, very good scorer, and Bayless is appearing to be a very good scorer, and not likely as good of a playmaker as Roy. Maybe he is, we just need more time to see it, but he wasn’t till now.
Thus, a lesser version of Roy. Playmaking shooting guards, in a way, who do both PG stuff and SG stuff, aka, the dreaded combo guard. But as long as Bayless can guard PGs, it’ll work.
He’s a lot more athletic than Roy (and Roy is very underrated athletically— it’s just Bayless is in that top 1% of athleticism, out of a league of 1%ers.) , plays a lot faster, and faster up and down with the ball in his hands. He is different than Roy, but in how he approaches the offense he’s sorta the same.
M—
#52
player evaluations can change as the player improves
It’s OK to say “I told y’all so” but unless you were at practices and witnessed JB’s improvement…what the rest of us saw from Bayless last year didn’t inspire confidence that he would soon be a PG in the “classic” sense. Heck, even Nate wasn’t "sold’ on Jerryd’s decision-making last July, so I can’t blame anyone for having a conservative projection of Rex heading into this season (it didn’t look like he’d get much playing time, etc)
As for me, I made the “JB = Terry Porter” comparison back in the summer of ‘08, so I’m sitting pretty, right now
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I told you so's
I’ve been a Bayless fan since he got here and am in that camp. The I told you so’s aren’t aren’t for everybody, they’re for people like AK who says he’ll NEVER amount to anything, etc, etc, etc.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
True enough. But there has been a second group.......
…….. that has been stubbornly, if steadily, retreating. These folks have grudgingly acknowledged that Bayless can play, but have clung to the notion that he is not, and never will be, a PG.
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 8:07 AM PST up reply actions
I have been hard on Bayless in the past.
If he’s so great, then he needs to show it for more than one game. Well, now I think he has. He can score, he can shoot the long ball. He can pass. And he’s showed it with a bit of consistency. He’s done what I’ve wanted him to do.
It’s not that I ever wanted Bayless to fail, rather I want the best players on the floor. And Bayless is showing that he is one of them.
πεντήκοντα δύο
Citing Nate as justification for having a poor evaluation of Bayless....
……..is kind of like asking a blind man for an opinion on color coordinating your wardrobe.
Nate is the guy who chose to start Blake over Miller after saying the players play would make the decision, and then stubbornly stuck with the decision for over twenty games. Nate has many fine qualities both as a person and as a coach. Being a visionary and thinking outside the box is not at the top of the list.
Bayless didn’t fit his idea of a PG, so he spent a season trying to change him into Blake. Now it has taken a host of injuries just to get the guy on the floor. Nate has still refused to play Bayless without Blake, even though Bayless was clearly playing PG for significant stretches last night. Nate has been one of the last to see what he has in front of him.
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 8:21 AM PST up reply actions
Here's the thing, ulc
I remember when Jarrett Jack was here, and always got time in the fourth. And people were so upset that Blake wasn’t closing out the games, because he was a threat to shoot the 3, and he didn’t make as many mistakes as Jarrett did (like stepping out of bounds at least once a game).
Now, Jerryd’s game is much more like Jarrett’s, right (as far as style)? So if it was style of play that had Blake playing over Andre (and Jerryd) for so long, wouldn’t Blake have played over Jarrett back in the day, too?
Dave always said that Jarrett got time in the 4th because he could draw fouls, and Blake couldn’t. Well….
So I remain somewhat mystified. And I’ve been one who is saying Nate likes Steve’s style, but that wasn’t the case, or at least not the determining factor, a couple of years ago, so I don’t really know what to think.
Unless Nate thinks Andre is a locker room cancer, and only wants to play him enough to keep him tradeable. But I don’t know.
Wouldn’t you love to have about an hour to sit down with Nate and say, “Please explain your thinking on the PG rotation in detail, I’d like to understand it all.” And then give him truth serum so he’d actually let you know the real reasons….
#52
You have no idea
I know that my irritation with Nate gets the best of me sometimes. I have a hard time understanding his decisions and comments. I know he is a smart guy, but sometimes his actions and comments seem internally inconsistent.
I would love to sit down with him after having issued him a nice dose of “truth serum” and get the real scoop from the horses mouth.
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 10:06 AM PST up reply actions
As far as Nate goes
The reason I think so many of us are mystified by Nate’s inconsistent comments, is because he gives such generic answers and generally tries to answer the question without answering the question. So instead of just speaking what his heart and mind tell him, he gets confused and gives conflicting answers, trying to come up with what to say.
Does that make sense?
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
One on ten, nothing
You, me, KP Corleone, and one or two others never joined the dark side.
#52
You convinced me a while ago.
It's been said that Bayless can't run a team, can't shoot from outside, well we've found out that what he really can't do is lose a big game. -Mike Rice
my team bayless bona fides
note the date on this one
http://www.blazersedge.com/2008/7/16/572835/a-bayless-comparison-tony
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/10/7/1075934/preseason-sacramento-radio#22460194
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/11/14/1157025/can-somebody-please-explain-to-me#25585606
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/6/22/921904/blazer-draft-prospects-darren#17296146
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/10/7/1075934/preseason-sacramento-radio#22460194
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/7/13/948536/summer-league-game-1-recap-blazers#18194118
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/7/8/942359/summer-league-coverage-question#17949074
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/5/8/869091/the-season-in-review-jerryd-bayless#15449965
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/5/8/869091/the-season-in-review-jerryd-bayless#15445437
http://www.blazersedge.com/2009/6/10/904631/risky-business#16809630
Meh
It took you almost 3 weeks. I’d probably persuaded you by then. :)
Yeah, you were another one.
There was someone who suggested we should trade up to get him long before the draft. I was still skeptical at that point, so I was by no means the first member of the club, and was initially wrong. I got sorted out by the time we drafted him, though.
#52
I have a few earlier ones... but I'm holding them back for when Bayless
hits the winning shot in a playoff game, ;)
This is definitely true, and ungracious of me to not give those of you who supported Bayless equal billing.
My reference was to some late night, post game threads last season where it certainly felt like I was going one on ten. I am not tasteless enough to name names, but they know who they are, and you know who they are as well..
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 7:44 AM PST up reply actions
I don't think it is tasteless to name, names
If they were consistent and ardent Bayless haters. He is a player on our team, after all, so gloating is okay! Of course, we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously, one way or the other. No one is right all the time, not even jscot.
I'd flag you for lying
but I like your signature too much. :)
#52
"Ungracious"?
We’re all just having fun here. Even a lot of Bayless doubters are having fun, now.
We’ll enjoy it while we can, Denver comes tomorrow….
#52
Yes we are having fun
Although I will confess that the pounding I took in some of those threads last spring and summer were not exactly my idea of “fun.”
by upper left corner on Dec 24, 2009 10:09 AM PST up reply actions
I hope they are up for this game
I hope they don’t relax at home on Christmas. They need to play at a very high energy level to have a chance to win any of these games, no matter who they are playing. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
Rex handled the ball most of the 4th quarter.
Heck, even Steve Miller conceded it to him on the way up the floor!
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
Some people call him Maurice?
and we don’t know why…
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
I know why
Because he speaks of the pompatous of love, whatever that is. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
Bayless is a scoring point guard
your definition of a “shooting guard in a PG’s body” doesn’t mesh with the definition of a point guard (any guard is a point if they have the ball at the point of attack).
Bayless isn’t a Stockton, Nash or Kidd (but none of them ever won a title, did they???), but he, like every other guard on the Blazer roster, will play “off guard” whenever Roy is the point. He also plays “point” better than any other guard on the roster, Roy excepted (Bayless has a lot to prove before taking that mantle away).
by blacknoiseNW on Dec 24, 2009 10:43 AM PST up reply actions
Really, it's all about that handchecking rule
Quick penetrating guards rule the league right now, and the Blazers have had one sitting on their bench all along.
Not that I necessarily fault Nate for working in Bayless slowly. It might have cost the Blazers a few wins, but all that sitting lit a fire under Bayless and motivated him to work on his game. Now the sky is the limit for this kid.
I was born in '52, and I believe in #52. Hang in there, GO.
You too, Przy: everyone knows you're the heart & soul of the Blazers.
I love how many people get so hung up on positions
Oh, he’s not a point guard, he’s not this, he’s not that….to my mind, we just put the best players out on the court, and that’s the end of it. Sure, Bayless is not a Steve Blake, but I’m pretty sure that if he gets consistent minutes he could be twice the player that Blake is in terms of production and in terms of opposing defenses fearing what he can do. Also, if you look around the league and you look at many of the top teams, who is the point guard?…well, for the Lakers it’s Kobe, for the Cavs it’s LeBron, and for us it’s Brandon Roy….those are the guys that dominate the ball for much of the game, so they essentially serve as point guards. All we need are other guards around Roy that can defend (i.e. Bayless the charge drawing machine, or Rudy the b-ball klepto), and that can fill up a stat sheet and be weapons on the offensive end. Thus, we already have a couple guys that can fill that role: Bayless & Rudy….plus, both of them CAN play point guard in stretches….Thus, for the millionth time I’ll post about the 3 guard rotation where any of the three can take over point duties or play off the ball: Rudy (30 min/game), Roy (36 min/game), Bayless (30 min/game). Nate, once Rudy gets back, just try it one time and see what happens! Thank you
not convinced about Rudy as a PG
I’d like him to have better handles. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
keep it simple...
guards / forwards / centers
front court / back court
big guys / little guys
any others?
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
Good/bad
I will throw my mouthpiece across the court if I disagree with you.
by SabasforThree on Dec 24, 2009 5:26 PM PST up reply actions
I don't think I have EVER seen a win that I was more proud of. The Roy buzzer beater vs Houston last year was more exciting, but this was more inspiring, a total team effort. We won with essentially 7 players.
Tonight, I am proud to be a blazers fan. These guys we have are playing their freaking hearts out. They are leaving it all out on the floor.
Anyone who thought signing Howard was a dumb move must be reconsidering by now. Man’s game, Bi%$#.
Blake played Blake ball, but within himself, and didn’t force it. He was awesome.
Miller was the only sore spot, but he DID ice the game with clutch free throws so he gets a solid B from me.
Pendergraph looked like a player out there. I think he will do well in this league. I’m sure he will enjoy the playing time. I’m excited to watch him grow.
Dante had some HUGE rebounds. I liked his energy.
Marty was our jack of all trades out there. He hit some big shots that were key to a run that gave us that big lead. Hopefully he gains some confidence from this game.
Jarryd…..well yeah. He is going to do great things in this league. The kid is going to be special.
Great win. Perhaps my favorite Blazer win ever. I am just so ecstatic over this. These guys have heart.
#10
by dario argento on Dec 23, 2009 11:56 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
yes inspiring is the right word
this is one of the most inspiring and emotional wins I’ve seen from this team
I love to see this
Dario, you have had some grumpy posts in the past. I love to see Blake, Howard, Andre, Webster, Pendergraph, Bayless all getting props from you. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
Hard to take away anthing but inspiration after this win. My GF and I couldn't stop smiling and celebrating last night.
#10
by dario argento on Dec 24, 2009 12:14 PM PST up reply actions
Can someone answer this for me
Who was Rice talking about when, in the second half, he said “Finally, somebody closed out on ballsack”?
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
are you sure
he wasn’t talking about Balzac?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Who's Balzac?
I couldn’t think of anybody with a name close to that…..and I typically know most players in the A.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
funny...probably too obscure unless you're a baby boomer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor%C3%A9_de_Balzac
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I'm trying to think of a Spur
Who WOULDN’T fit that description.
Nope, not happening.
Pick a Spur, any Spur.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Dec 24, 2009 1:36 AM PST up reply actions
Also, to point out the obvious
What a great win. Bayless reminds me so much of Tony Parker. What a stud, I’m so happy for him, that he’s finally getting some burn. Don’t care for the circumstances behind his PT, but glad to see him make the most of it.
The only play of the game that really annoyed me, was Millers craptastic possession immediately after checking in, near the end of the game. Bayless had been killing them, so they doubled him out top. He made an aggressive move to get open and Miller looked him off, tried driving, nearly losing the ball before jacking up a fadeaway J from above the key.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Uggh, that killed me too
And I’ve been a pretty consistent Miller apologist (sort of still am…). That was junktastic though. When your shot has been off all night, you choose that moment to try to be the hero?
yep, I thought the same thing.
but it worked out for us because we essentially had the last possession.
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
I meant the Miller one
I meant to reply to the above conversation, but ended up here for some reason.
He meant Miller also
When he shot quickly to regain the 2-for-1 from the Spurs.
It worked, or Miller could have so easily ended up the Goat this game.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Dec 24, 2009 1:38 AM PST up reply actions
3-0 with Anthony Tolliver on our team! 4-1 with Pendergraph...
just sayin’
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
i was a bit surprised
that tolliver didn’t get any minutes last night… maybe he’s too new
by hotstuffdb22 on Dec 24, 2009 3:24 AM PST up reply actions
Doesn't seem to have the gifts necessary to play defense before learning the system
I think he will play more when he is ready to be in position on defense….
by blacknoiseNW on Dec 24, 2009 10:48 AM PST up reply actions
Thanks Dave
perfectly summed.
It’s so fun to watch a team with a chip on it’s shoulder—-especially when they win in dramatic fashion.
J-Bay > Hinrich
you Hinrich goobers can shut it now please, ok? thnxbai…
I'm just not crazy about player nick names...
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Dec 24, 2009 12:30 AM PST reply actions
Depends what Nate is going to do
For those of us who believe Nate isn’t going to change his style, and is fairly untouchable as far as job security, Hinrich is a guy who plays like Blake but is an upgrade in every category.
If Nate is willing to make Roy play more team ball, then Bayless is an upgrade of Miller in just about every category.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Dec 24, 2009 1:40 AM PST up reply actions
I can't wait for the Roy / Bayless backcourt
Bayless is doing what everybody hoped Miller would do. Create and open the floor.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Ok, So you know how there's we were once known as the "Jail BLazers"...
How about we call this years blazers the “Frail Blazers” ! LOL
haha ok ok
Joking aside, A Very Good Gutsy Win and this just proves that you can never ever count a team out even if the odds are totally against them.
(I hope i didn’t infringe on anybody if i did i’m sorry)
actually, my dad has been calling them the Frail Blazers since Oden went down.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Just got done watching the replay on Comcast
Had to go to great lengths to avoid knowing the final score beforehand. Since my sister doesn’t have Comcast all I knew was the halftime score from ESPN update. I avoided checking in with BE when I got home because I had this funny feeling. What a great win. Everybody chipped in tonight. I hope Bayless can forgive me for ever doubting him. Nate, I’m sorry for being critical of you at times this season.
I also gotta say what a class act San Antonio is. Pops went directly to the Blazer bench after the game to congratulate the PTB on the win.
"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him."
by bow4meow on Dec 24, 2009 1:27 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Pops has been a fan of our post-Jail Blazer teams for a while
Always says very nice stuff, stuff that shows he has paid attention.
M—
#52
Maybe he's keeping his options open for when he moves on.... Maybe
by OT on Dec 24, 2009 4:16 AM PST up reply actions
I think
there’s lots of ties from the Spurs org to the PTB org. Didn’t Pritchard come from there? And I know Prunty was an old assistant as well.
by portlandpete on Dec 24, 2009 8:45 AM PST up reply actions
Howard takes easier shots
Straight-on wide-open catch and shoot 15-footers.
Aldridge prefers posting up at 18 feet, acting like he’s going to drive, and shooting a turnaround fadeaway.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Why?? Aldridge hit some daggers last night.... haven't seen enough consistency from Howard
Howard doesn’t do as much 1 on 1 as Aldridge, so the selections are different
by hotstuffdb22 on Dec 24, 2009 3:22 AM PST up reply actions
One word:
Improbable!
I think we just received our Christmas gift. But I don’t think there is anyway we can expect this to last. Teams will figure out how to take advantage of our depleted line-up. Bayless’ shot won’t always be falling. Howard could wear out. And oh, I’m very concerned about what Roy’s MRI might reveal today. IMO, there is simply no way we can win consistently without him.
Merry Christmas!
If this Blazer team doesn't light your fire, then your wood is wet!
You're right, of course
That kind of performance isn’t sustainable with any consistency.
But if that kind of effort is sustained, there will be enough games where the ball IS going in, enough games where Andre has a better game, enough games where Martell catches fire, that we’ll win some here and there. And if we sustain that kind of effort with Brandon in the lineup, we’ll probably win more than we lose.
#52
Who knows what Bayless will do this year
He may find his consistency and if he does, we could do just fine, riding LMA, Roy and Bayless.
I’m sure JB will have his down games, especially early, but if he gets consistent minutes, it won’t take him long to acclimate to playing time again.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Bayless
He more than likely will have some bad games. BRoy and LMA are notorious at having bad games depending on how the opponents play D against them. With all three ready to take over, opponents defense are going to have to choose their poison. JBay won’t take Greg’s or Martell’s place, but he won’t get in the way of BRoy because he can play off the ball like Rudy can.
Therefore, we will have to allow for JBay’s down games and not judge him by game to game anymore. Evaluate his improvement and confirm that he is ON THE RISE and is here to stay.
Do you think JBay, BRoy, Rudy, LMA, and now Howard or Pendergraph would be a good line-up? Not excluding Andre, just feeling he does not play as good with BRoy as I think JBay might.
hg
JH and Penderbender were exceptional
Merry xmas my blogger buddy.Penderbender is way tough and smart.
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 9:17 AM PST up reply actions
Yes
I would love to see JB, Roy, Rudy, LMA and Howard start. I like Pendy also, but I’m not sure if he can spread the floor like Howard or Lamarcus.
Two great attackers paired with 3 others who can shoot the rock. Rudy the 3 ball and both LMA and Howard can hit with consistency. The only issue could be rebounding, but LMA seems to be attacking the glass more aggressively this season.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Penderbender is a solid player,smart,good hands,4 yr college player
Dre and Steve still up and down, too. I say Jbay has at least earned a chance
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 10:06 AM PST up reply actions
I'd LOVE to see Bayless start at the 1 for the rest of the season
I like Pendy a lot and enjoyed his college game. I’m just not sure what we have with him yet, as a pro, since he’s been hurt and just started practicing and playing recently.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Sure, Bayless could be consistent
Unlikely, but he could. He’s much more likely to have very good and very bad games.
But I was responding to TwoDeep’s comment about being unable to win consistently without Roy. If Brandon were to go out for an extended period, teams would game plan to stop Bayless. It is unlikely he could perform at that level consistently if he were the focus of the defense.
#52
Granted,
But it seems wit every opportunity he has gotten so far,he Has stepped up every time,More PT ,more confidence.
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 9:34 AM PST up reply actions
Not true
He had a couple clunkers on this road trip.
Young players do that. No problems, the good ones make it worth the clunkers, and the clunkers aren’t going to come that often, IMO.
#52
Don't you think he brings more firepower than either of the other two guys
& 7 assists too, last night.Even Dre,who I love, has been up and Down.And,Steve,well,you know.
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 9:41 AM PST up reply actions
Obviously he brings more firepower
That’s not even the question. He brings more firepower than LaMarcus right now. And you are right, he’s trending up.
Doesn’t mean there won’t be clunkers. We were talking about consistency, not progress.
#52
Ok,
You might be right,but has Dre or Steve been consistent? I don’t think so.
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 9:48 AM PST up reply actions
Did I say they had?
If I’m the coach (we can all be thankful I’m not, though, for multiple reasons), Jerryd would be the first PG off the bench behind Andre, and getting a guaranteed 25 mpg right now. If he’s hot, you stick with him and he gets 32-33 mpg.
Andre has always been a slow starter, and I’m willing to wait to see if he cranks up. But if he isn’t rolling by early February, and Jerryd continues to play at a high level, I’d start him.
Consistency is important, but often overrated when you have such an explosive player. If he becomes consistent, he’ll probably be an all-star. He doesn’t have to be consistent to be a starter, though, because he’s going to virtually singlehandedly destroy the opposition once ever 3-4 games even if he isn’t consistent.
#52
Too young and inexperienced
Rarely are players that young consistent at a high level. They have really good games, and games that aren’t so good. You live with the ones that aren’t so good, enjoy the ones that are, and teach them the things they are doing differently between the two types of games.
#52
All you said is or could be true.
It is the effort that will keep us on fire. If JBay is for real and teams up with BRoy without Steve or Andre, I think the fire will even get bigger. JBay played, IMHO, good D last night which will take pressure off our limited bigs. Of course in the long run we will start feeling the fatigue of being fired up and start losing more games, but by then some of our players will be back.
With that being said with my limited knowledge, I will be optimistic and I agree with you that we will win more then we lose
great post
hg
I am so extremely proud
to call myself a Blazer fan!
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
FKA BLAZER_FAN_199. Now an author for the Jackets Cannon!
by Andrew Tolliver on Dec 24, 2009 6:59 AM PST reply actions
It's not just the wins, it's the style of ball, it's the competing
I’ve been more impressed with the team over these last four games (minus the 4th in Orlando) than I have all season
Blazer Fan
Credit where credit is due
You’ve been bringing the blogging. Just keep on with your game preview predictions. You know what I’m talking about. Sure, some people might get upset with you, but take one for the team.
Leeroy is our secret weapon.
#52
"leeroyjenkins"
is a disguised anagram for “Eeyore”
Eeyore is everyone’s favorite delightfully dismal donkey. But Eeyore doesn’t see himself as gloomy — he just has low expectations. He expects nothing from anybody, so whenever his friends do come to his aid his expectations of the worst are overthrown, and he is sincerely grateful. Eeyore’s tiny bright pink bow on his tail, the one hint of color against his gray, is a perfect symbol of the kernel of joy that occasionally surfaces in Eeyore. Though he may pretend he’s helping because there’s nothing better to do — make no mistake, Eeyore is always there for his friends.
by blacknoiseNW on Dec 24, 2009 10:55 AM PST up reply actions
its exciting to watch
the last few games have been everything ive been begging for: guts, fire, passion, togetherness…everything.
I might be whining again in a week but for now I am (as someone said earlier in the thread) inspired
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 24, 2009 11:43 AM PST up reply actions
I hear that
I hope they show up with the same kind of effort and energy on Christmas vs. Denver. – Elgin
Travis Outlaw, the Funnel Cake of the Blazers
Ok, ok, ok guys....that's enough.
Which one of those jokesters at Blazer Broadcasting put in the tape of last year’s team on instead of the ACTUAL game last night??? I know we had no chance to win and everything, but they didn’t need to go to those lengths to protect the fans. We can take it, guys!
It was also a nice touch splicing together every bucket Bayless has ever made against San Antonio and making it seem like it happened all in ONE game…..seriously, that’s some great production work. How did they get that to look as real as it did? Juwan Howard shown getting 12 and 12? Come on, guys. Lets stop stretching the credibility so much. It was also a nice touch keeping all Roy, Rudy, Oden, Przybilla, Outlaw and Batum plays from last year out of the broadcast as well. It was presented like it was ACTUALLY happening. Nice work.
So did anyone ever hear what the actual final score was? I’m dying to know if Portland kept it within 20.
Yes! Yes! In the face!
blazers
The San Antonio players probably took the floor and wondered, who the heck are these guys? Oh yeah, there’s one guy we recognize.
Checkmate.
road trip
“That kind of performance isn’t sustainable with any consistency.”
But you don’t need that kind of performance to win all your games. Remember these were against some of the best teams in the league on the road.
Even with the whole team healthy we wouldn’t expect to win these.
The next big test comes in January when the Blazers have a string of home games against some winning teams.
You have to give them better odds on those now after seeing what they did on the road trip.
Maybe we won because we are new.
You have to admit the Blazers offense is mighty predictable, but very effective. The opposing teams thought we lost too much and would be easy. JBay was just as effective, if not more effective last night as BRoy would have been; partly because he played great and partly because SAS wasn’t prepared for him. He also all but
shut down parkerwhich made us that much tougher to beat.
Therefore, I agree we could have not been better even with everybody healthy. but the reason might be because we are new, come January they will be more prepared. but we will have Rudy, Maybe Batuum, Mills will be more effective and by then Pendergraph and Howard will be more use to keeping the center position at least secure.
hg
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!
Who thought that "Rise With US " meant games like last night. I am sure Pop’s s considering retiring and moving to Oregon to watch over his wine. Atleast wine gets better with age and the Spurs have not.!
J Howard has shown that everybody needs insurance and that given the chance JB can be an All-Star. Cunningham and Pendergraph show why players should stay in college. LMA is the best true 4 in the NBA right now. BRoy needs to see the future and Miller needs to see the road.
WARNING !! Pounding the Rock has not read the code of conduct for BEdge
Merry Christmas and a KICK A*S NEW YEAR!
What Now??? From Western Division Championship to Lottery Pick in less than 2 months. KP Magic is needed ASAP!
From the Spurs site....
“First, credit where credit is due: Tonight the Portland Trail Blazers won their second game in a row in Texas for the first time since 2001, and they did it with two players, some chewing gum, a ball of twine, and a lot of heart.”
Interesting how
folks can take an amazing win, a fantastic “Hi Mom!” performance by Jerryd Bayless, one of the most memorable games in years and make it all about them.
:::raising eyebrow:::
—Dave
by Dave on Dec 24, 2009 10:09 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
People like to be proven right
Good or bad, people like to know that the evaluation they made on a player was right. The other way to read this though is that people are just incredibly excited to see a young player like Jerryd show some real heart and talent in what has become a bad situation.
Let’s hope he continues to blossom and along with the other “role” players we have healthy, allow this team to win at a decent enough clip so that when the Rudy, Nic and Trout come back that we’ll be in a position to make the playoffs against all odds and know what we have on the bench.
I haven’t been able to watch all the games as I don’t have Comcast but from the sounds of it, Nate is making better decisions right now and hopefully that trend continues. The players are really showing some character right now.
by gotissues68 on Dec 24, 2009 11:37 AM PST up reply actions
I told you so, I told you so, neener, neener, neener!
I was right, I was right, neener, neener, neener!
I thought the same thing Dave!
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
Right on
Dave,Loved the quote about May contain les than 2% Blazers.One of the classics.
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 10:12 AM PST reply actions
Christmas Confession...
I hereby admit that I didn’t believe Bayless could or would be as good as he is. I am ashamed of my lack of faith in him and will learn from this experience. Maybe he will never be a “True Point Guard” but he can flat out play!..
What an awe inspiring display of heart and determination. I’m realistic enough to know that there are struggles ahead with this thin of a front court but the effort these guys are giving, from top to bottom, is impressive and forgives alot of sins.
Thanks for the effort and entertainment guys!…
GO BLAZERS!!!
by Ilikeemall on Dec 24, 2009 10:49 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Go Summer Leaguers!!
Keep your expectations low and you won't be disappointed.
I think every player in the league who pays attention to these types of things is scratching their heads thinking..
“weren’t these guys supposed to lie down and give up???”
Maybe it won’t last but for now the Blazers are one of the NBA’s most intriguing stories.
Blazer Fan
Why can't it last?
Like JBAY’s Tweet .“Believe”
by DowntownVinnie on Dec 24, 2009 11:48 AM PST reply actions
"They couldn't guard him," Roy said, simply.
Let's do it for the big men!...and Rudy!....and Nic!...and, uh, Trout, Patty, Mo, Mr. Allen, and Nate!
Rehab With Us
Rebounding
I was especially impressed with the Blazers rebounding. With no Greg or Joel and the Spurs with Duncan and The Beast DeJuan Blair, I was a little worried. To my very pleasant surprise, Blazers get 36 boards to the Spurs 33 and Blair only gets 2! Thats 2 boards for Blair. Was very proud of the Blazers boxing out and rebounding by committee. Well done!!
Just checking in from Mexico, haven't seen Blazers news in three weeks.
The injuries our devastating to read about straight off like a list for the first time but the grit and determination of our players really drags me out of that depression. This is why you follow a team, to live through moments of inspiration like this.
It's a tune-out fest.
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