Full Court Press
by Ben Golliver on Dec 28, 2009 10:52 AM PST
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PrintHere's what you might have missed on Blazersedge over the long holiday weekend...
Sixers Preview | Decade Retrospective (Part 1) | Nuggets Media Row Report | Nuggets Recap
Reminder: The Les Schwab Invitational continues today through Wednesday. Here's the bracket. Jesuit, Rainier (WA), Lake Oswego, Westchester (CA), Jefferson, Westview, Oregon City and Oak Hill (VA) make a pretty awesome elite 8. Quarterfinals run tonight from 4PM to 8:30PM. Winners advance to the semifinals are tomorrow at 7PM and 830PM. The championship is Wednesday night at 830PM. For more information, click here.
Jonathan Givony of Draft Express reported this weekend...
Courtney Sims signed with CSKA Moscow, a source tells DraftExpress.com. Will play in Euroleague and Russian league.
Sims was reportedly one of the players who worked out for the Blazers when the team was looking to fill its first hardship exemption. He was also on a list of top candidates for the Blazers' second hardship exemption pulled together last week by Scott Schroeder. So he's out. Awesome. One step closer to Boomtho (more on him below).
Click through to go around the blogosphere. Desite the holidays there is a ton of good stuff out there.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
A phenomenal story about Portland's Roosevelt High football program from ESPN's Tom Friend.
Roosevelt kids were just happy to have something to eat, period. Few of these kids knew football. They didn't play "Madden." When they went 0-9 the previous year, they slammed their helmets, pointed fingers, cursed the refs and griped at their coach. Most of them didn't have fathers at home to set them straight. Swain guaranteed Lomax that these kids would break his heart, that he would design some elaborate game plan and they would forget the plays. He told Lomax that he had better not be coming in to win nine games, that his goal should be to help these boys become men. One win, he told him, would be gravy.
At the first summer workout in July, eight players showed up. Lomax was upset, but Swain grinned and said, "This is good!" Recent Roosevelt teams had never even held summer workouts; to the head coach, this was progress. Lomax brought out the footballs, and his initiation came in the form of an early four-on-four drill (because they didn't have enough to go seven-on-seven). One of the Roosevelt wide receivers ran a hitch pattern, caught the pass and just stood there, obviously pleased with himself.
"Don't you think you ought to turn upfield?" Lomax asked.
"Oh, yeah," the player said.
Jason Quick of The Oregonian continues his series of the Top 40 Blazers in franchise history. Links...
30. Billy Ray Bates | 29. Kelvin Ransey | 28. LaMarcus Aldridge | 27. Larry Steele | 26. Dave Twardzik
Dwight Jaynes writes...
I'm pretty sure what we're seeing is not all that important to the long-term future of this franchise. And I'm afraid at season's end we won't be able to say that the Trail Blazers have made important progress toward someday being a championship contender.
For many of you, that's not exactly breaking news. You've figured it out and already accepted it. Good for you, because it frees you to enjoy this season for what it is - an exciting and surprising turn of events during a season that appeared at one point to be pretty depressing. But I hear from a lot of people who don't have that sort of perspective.
Truth is, we're seeing the Trail Blazers play pretty much the same sort of game they played last season
David Aldridge writes...
If you wondered why the Blazers have resisted all offers for Jerryd Bayless over the last year, now you know. When Brandon Roy was out Wednesday in San Antonio with a shoulder injury, Bayless got the start and promptly dropped 31 on the Spurs, leading Portland to an amazing road win. You know the Blazers' litany of injuries by now, but coming on the second of a back-to-back that began Tuesday with a win at Dallas, beating the Spurs at the A T&T Center was one of the most impressive wins I've seen in some time.
"For the last year in practice, we've seen him," teammate Steve Blake said by phone Sunday. "We definitely know his physical ability, his ability to get to the free-throw line and all that stuff. It was just as matter of time before we could start putting him in that scorer's role, doing what he knows how to do, which is score the basketball."
Kate Fagan of the Philadelphia Inquirer on Andre Milller...
Last summer, his No. 1 choice was to remain with the Sixers, Miller said yesterday.
"There wasn't any money available to pay me," Miller said. "So that was the problem right there.
"I felt the two times we made it to the playoffs, we actually had opportunities to advance. So I just thought with a little bit more time to jell together . . . we definitely had a chemistry when I was over there."
Brian T. Smith on Jeff Pendergraph. A full transcript with Pendergraph is here.
The next trip down the court, Pendergraph ran up, planted his feet and set a screen. But he soon saw Anthony barreling his way. The Nuggets' all-star forward had turned into a bulldozer, revving up and attempting to uproot Pendergraph.
However, the rookie braced himself, tightened his muscles and barely moved. And when a frustrated Anthony drew a moving foul, Pendergraph screamed out in victory.
"I'm, like, ‘Yeah. Go ahead and get mad; hit me. Cause now you got another foul, fool.' " Pendergraph said.
Brian T. Smith on Anthony Tolliver giving back this Christmas...
Working with the Blazers and Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tolliver is sponsoring Lisa Hill and her two children, 15-year-old Darius and 10-year-old Marquisha.
Hill is a single-parent mother living in outer Northeast Portland. She struggles with health issues and is unemployed. As a result, Hill said the holidays are usually hard for her family.
But things will be different this year, thanks to Tolliver.
Joe Freeman on Juwan Howard...
From Day One in Portland, Howard, the sixth-oldest player in the NBA, had a voice in the locker room.
When he speaks, even a heralded leader such as Roy said he perks up to hear the message and quietly says to himself, "Tell me more." Howard constantly screams motivation on the court, shouting "Believe, believe," to his teammates, and, "He can't guard you," to Roy and "We're a bad team, too," to no one in particular. McMillan said Howard has been the glue during these rocky, injury-riddled early-season weeks.
"Howard has really stepped up and kind of (given) that veteran leadership we need," McMillan said. "He's not allowing these guys to give in to all of the adversity that we've been facing. He's playing good basketball. All of our guys are feeding off of that."
Coup on the Christmas Day win...
Bayless still had an up-and-down night, and by that I mean he was walking along the bottom of the ocean for most of the game until he came across an undersea volcano in the fourth quarter, slipping up only with a love/hate pullup jumper and an airballed three. Jerryd's biggest contribution was not his offense, but that his ball handling allowed Roy to set himself up, allowed Bayless to create better than Blake would and allowed Blake to catch and shoot better than Bayless would. Synergy.
Mike Barrett writes...
In the first half Roy was spectacular, but didn't get enough help from his teammates. Once other people started getting in on the action, it started the ball rolling, and the Trail Blazers roared from 10 down to finish off the Nuggets in the final minutes.
Steve Blake, who has now officially busted out of his shooting slump, scored 14 in the fourth quarter, including three huge three pointers that helped put the Nuggets to bed. It's pretty amazing that even though we've talked of this "slump" for Blake that he's still shooting 39 percent from behind the three-point line on the season.
Jason Quick with the latest on Rudy Fernandez...
Rudy Fernandez, who underwent back surgery Dec. 8, said he is targeting a return to practice in two weeks and has his sights on joining the team for a four-game trip that begins Jan. 18 in Washington. Fernandez said he has been pain-free while shooting free throws and during three 20-minute sessions on an anti-gravity treadmill. Blazers athletic trainer Jay Jensen said Fernandez experiences pain when twisting and has yet to be weaned off anti-inflammatory medicine, making Fernandez's two-week goal of returning to practice "optimistic."
Sheed from BustaBucket.com owns up...
Let me first get something out of the way about this most recent stretch of games. Last Monday, apparently not trusting our team, feeling disheartened by injuries and a rough stretch of losses- I basically predicted Portland could lose 6 of these last 7 games. What else can I say but- my freaking bad.
Runyon from Trail Post writes...
Luckily, Jerryd is the most focused person in existence. That's what it comes down to. Jerryd Bayless is the answer for this team at this time. They need guts, focus, and moxie, and that's what Jerryd specializes in. Roy will be Roy, and LaMarcus will do his thing. We needed a third option.
Quick Hits
- C Dub from BustaBucket.com has more killer Blazer-inspired photoshops.
- Nick Poust of FanHuddle thinks Boomtho is the answer at the 17th spot.
- Speaking of Boomtho, you gotta love that he Bedges, right?
- Timbo's blog rankings were great and provoked quite a stir. Western | Eastern
- BlazerGuy.com thinks it's time for LaMarcus Aldridge to be more like Channing Frye.
- Oregon Sports Live reacts to the loss of Joel Przybilla.
Power Rankings
- Hollinger: Blazers are 6th
- Stein: Blazers are 6th
- Schuhmann: Blazers are 7th
- Aldridge: Blazers are 5th
- Parker: Blazers are 6th
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Jaynes
It’s too bad that Jaynes doesn’t see how the team’s growth this year—Roy’s, LaMarcus’s, Bayless’s, Martell’s—is very significant for the team down the road. Roy and especially Aldridge have room to grow yet, ways they can develop their games, and there’s a lot of opportunity for that right now.
Further, I think and hope that we’re seeing some significant growth in our PG of the future, Bayless. If he continues playing well alongside Roy, well that’s a very, very dangerous duo moving forward.
Pretty disappointed that someone of Jaynes’s reputation is so short-sighted about this season.
by travis13 on Dec 28, 2009 11:01 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, I agree with you
This season has been remarkable, particularly because of the growth of these four players.
“we won’t be able to say that the Trail Blazers have made important progress toward someday being a championship contender.” This team has learned how to win and overcome adversity. Think how much better they will be when they actually have centers and a full rotation?
Jaynes is out of his mind.
Barrett: You are going to score 35 tonight.
Bayless: Ya think?
MB off by only four, my oh my.
by thenatural007 on Dec 28, 2009 11:05 AM PST up reply actions
additionally
this team relied quite a bit on the creature comforts of home last year, even posting a below .500 road record (which isn’t terrible). However, to really join the elite, the Blazers are going to have to show the fortitude to go into hostile situations, keep their composure and execute well. The win in Dallas (where we’ve had TONS of trouble) bodes well in this respect.
Pretty disappointed...
that so many Portland fans fail to see what Dwight does, myself. I think he’s dead on.
Too many folks here in Ptown are drinking the Brandon is all we need" Kool Aid. Not saying you are, travis, just in general. I was frustrated beyond belief at the lack of foresight this team showed – from coaches to Brandon (everyone save Miller, actually) – in not really committing to integrating Greg into the offensive game.
Without Greg and Joel, Brandon and the rest of the team are free to play perimeter ball. Fine for awhile now, but no way in hell that’s the recipe for the future, or for a title.
I'm with you
which should come as no surprise to anyone whose heard me complaining about our game plans for a long time…
How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009
So do you see no growth coming
from playing well in the face of pretty huge adversity? To me, that’s where Jaynes misses the mark. To learn to play through adversity is a key element that is needed before the Blazers will be competing for a championship. And losing 5 key rotation players while maintaining (and even increasing) the win rate sure looks like learning to play through adversity to me.
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on Dec 28, 2009 12:03 PM PST up reply actions
no, i wouldn't say that...
and I honestly don’t think Dwight would argue that there’s nothing to be gained from it, either. I think he’s just pointing out what a lot of us think – that to truly take that next big step, to actually compete for a title, the Blazers can’t just hand the ball to Brandon and hope he carries us there. 4 guys standing around watching Brandon is no way to build a title contender. Perimeter shooting as your bread and butter is not the way to make progress.
There is, without a doubt, GREAT things to be gained from playing through adversity. It will build a sense of belief within the team. Confidence in each other. Comfort. Cohesion. It’s all good, but in the end, Oden remains a critical facet to this team breaking through… and I didn’t see Nate or Brandon embrace that this year at ALL.
I guess I just disagree with Dwight's direct statement of:
“I’m pretty sure what we’re seeing is not all that important to the long-term future of this franchise.”
I thinkplaying through adversity IS important to the long term future of this franchise. That’s my bone to pick with Jaynes.
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on Dec 28, 2009 1:25 PM PST up reply actions
The development of Bayless
is a huge step towards a future championship.
All you need to know is that Denver was double-teaming Jerryd in the fourth, with Brandon on the court. That says it all. Whether Jerryd scores or not, that threat opens up so many other things.
#5 #10 #52 #88
by jscot on Dec 28, 2009 12:24 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Double teams and court spacing are two very important factors
both of these things will make Roy and Greg’s life much easier. If Batum comes back with a 40% 3pt stroke, it’s going to be fun times in Rip City.
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Dec 28, 2009 12:34 PM PST up reply actions
That is truely the unappreciated point of the year.
Denver was double-teaming Bayless in the fourth with Roy on the court! I’m not sure why that hasn’t been talked about more.
When was the last time anyone double teamed a blazer PG in the fourth quarter of a tight game near half court?
by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 28, 2009 1:05 PM PST up reply actions
That and the Phoenix game
where Bayless and Roy dominated the fourth together. And I mean together. It wasn’t a case of one of them going one on one, then the other going one on one, they were looking for each other (and other players). They didn’t look like two great iso players, they looked like they had been playing together for a long time.
I have been a strong advocate for making Greg, because of his passing, a major focus of the offense, but if Brandon and Jerryd play together like that, we really only need him to score off of the things they create (like the pass to Juwan to LMA) and some putbacks.
#5 #10 #52 #88
Completely agree
It’s amazing. Denver double teamed a Blazer not named Brandon Roy on the perimeter down the stretch… when Brandon Roy was on the court!! And the guy was a point guard!
It’s completely revolutionary. Most of the time, I’m sure Brandon would be happy if other teams committed ONE guy to other perimeter players on the Blazers – much less two. With Brandon playing off the ball, he got a number of looks off catch-and-shoot, cuts, and catch-and-drives – opportunities he rarely saw last season.
If Jerryd can continue to force teams to gameplan around him, Brandon will continue to reap the benefits, even if Jerryd isn’t hitting. It’s fun watching them learn to play together.
Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.
In addition to Jerryd, Juwan and LMA also deserve a little credit for helping free up Brandon offensively
When Juwan and LMA play center they’re offensive threats. I love Joel, but the other teams could cheat off of him, so we’d end up playing four-on-five offensively. (I’m certainly not the only one to point this out.) In many ways Juwan and LMA give the Blazers better balance at the offensive end to make up for the loss of Joel at the defensive end. Of course, one of the worries is whether Juwan at his age can do this the entire season.
emergence of Bayless is very important
I wouldn’t go as far as saying they’ve found the PG of the future, but I’d say they’ve made big steps towards that direction. Having PG position finally settled is arguably an important step towards championship.
These comments I don't understand at all
The reason Brandon’s PER was barely above 19 was because he was committed to integrating Oden into the offense! Now that Brandon has to score with Oden out, he is scoring more and his PER is up.
I know we all are different and thus see different things at times but this, to me, is a pure headscratcher. Brandon deferred and at times the team soared (blowout wins) and at other times the team looked lost. The reason for the inconsistency was because Brandon is the only consistent performer on Portland. With him deferring, the team had ups and downs. With him taking over, the level of play of the team will be more consistently good.
I think your point should be that the highs with more spread out scoring and with Oden getting some easy buckets down low on a more consistent basis are much higher than the highest level this team can achieve (aka number of blowout wins) with Brandon being the only great option. To that I agree. But because Oden can’t shoot outside a few feet with any consistency, making Oden your number one option offensively turns Portland into Orlando. And I don’t see Orlando ever getting over the hump (title) with Dwight as option one.
If your center can shoot out to 15-17 feet consistently, make him your number one option (Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Tim Duncan (I know, PF – right…), Ewing). If not, the best he can be is 1a like Shaq with Kobe or 2 like Shaq with DWade – if your goal is to win championships.
How big was Boston’s center when they dominated in 2008? Who was he? Perkins right at about 6-10 maybe? How big was the Laker center last season? Bynum was hurting and a non-factor so it was Pau I guess. And Pau is a skilled offensive player who is 7 foot or so. Pau can shoot to 18 feet consistently but is finesse and rarely dunks on people.
My point is this, you win championships with the offense running through great wings nowadays unless you have a “center” with the skill level of an Olajuwon or a Duncan/Robinson. Oden is not likely to be those guys but, if he can be a 70% Shaq, I think Portland can win with him as long as the offense runs through Brandon with Brandon as your first option.
And I can see this team making noise in the playoffs as constructed as long as LMA becomes more consistent. Boston won with Allen, Pierce, Garnett and scrubs with no real center so why not at least be able to make some noise with Brandon, LMA and some very talented kids along with Howard (if he can stay healthy) and the kid PFs? They can’t be any worse than Perkins. We just need LMA to step up and be more consistent with his energy and effort and production.
by jcuw94 on Dec 28, 2009 1:33 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
I'll take Brandon over Pierce
but the gap between LMA and Garnett is immense, and I’m not sure who our Ray Allen is.
Not to mention Rondo.
We’re not at that level with our team as it is now. Maybe with everyone healthy, but the difference between Juwan and Perkins is pretty significant. Old man is playing great right now, but whether that is at all sustainable remains to be seen.
#5 #10 #52 #88
Our depth, even without Joel and Oden, is better than C's 2008
The depth on Portland is proving to be far greater than the C’s circa 2008. Boston had no point guard (remember Rondo was atrocious that whole playoffs) and Perkins brings very little to the table for my taste. Howard is a better player than Perkins even at 38.
Now Allen is a great scorer and smart but Roy is 10x’s the player Allen is. Pierce we have no match for but Aldridge has the ability to contribute what Garnett does. Garnett is an effort guy first and foremost. He plays defense and rebounds. He is a solid shooter and a great help-side defender to get his blocks.
There is nothing Garnett did for the C’s in 2008 that Aldridge can’t do for Portland now save for the leadership which Portland doesn’t need – Brandon provides that.
Get Rudy back, Batum back, and Travis back and frankly there are still no excuses in my opinion for this team not getting out of the first round. If they can’t, it’s because they couldn’t solve the rotation issues due to having too many rotation players. Not because Greg and Joel arent there. Not having Greg and Joel only means they can’t beat LA when it comes down to it.
I do believe that the rotation needs to be settled at 8-9 players max. Which 8-9? I have no idea – I’ll leave that to the powers that be. But you have to define roles and playing time to succeed; which I think we all can agree on.
Ever notice the defensive end?
Garnett is all world on defense. LMA is far from providing what KG does. Could he? He has the physical tools, but we’re not even close right now.
As to getting out of the first round, we don’t know how well these guys will come back, or if Travis will be back this year at all. But remember this, teams usually like to have a center because, well, size matters in basketball. I had the skills to be dominant, if only I’d been seven feet tall and 260 pounds. I could have run the fastbreak far better than Greg, too.
If we get everyone back, and if by some miracle they meld together in time for the playoffs after all the injuries, and if by some miracle none of them are rusty, we will have a good chance to win a series, depending on matchups. If we get an eight seed, and run into the L@kers, Bynum and Gasol will hurt us. If Billups is healthy, Denver’s size will hurt us inside, and even if they can’t win in Portland, we probably won’t win in Denver.
Phoenix? Sure, we might beat them without a center. San Antonio? Hard to say. Houston? Definitely a possibility. Utah? We might struggle inside against Boozer.
Remember, if we do get into the playoffs, due to all the injuries, we aren’t likely to have home court. This team will do phenomenally well to win 50 games, which isn’t likely to be better than 6th seed. That means a tough opponent, and we’ll have to win on the road — not an easy thing in the playoffs.
#5 #10 #52 #88
Impossible
I had the skills to be dominant, if only I’d been seven feet tall and 260 pounds. I could have run the fast-break far better than Greg, too.
Greg is the greatest seven foot point guard of all time. There are legends about him running the break in practice. It is a poorly kept secret for now, but one of these days he is truly going to be unleashed!
#52
you underestimate Garnett
There is nothing Garnett did for the C’s in 2008 that Aldridge can’t do for Portland now save for the leadership which Portland doesn’t need – Brandon provides that.
Defense. Garnett plays far better defense than Aldridge. I’m not a huge believer in awards and such, but Garnett has 11 first team all defense awards, and was defensive player of the year when they won the championship. Garnett was presence that could alter shots in the middle (something the Blazers rely on their centers to do), and was also one of the best in the game at defending the pick and roll (one of the Blazers’ weaknesses). That’s not to say Aldridge can’t get much better, but he’s not there yet.
This sort of made me scratch my head.
There is nothing Garnett did for the C’s in 2008 that Aldridge can’t do for Portland now…
On offense, maybe. On defense it’s night and day. Overall it’s really not even close.
by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 28, 2009 2:46 PM PST up reply actions
Can't do is different than doing...
LMA can be as good as anyone on defense. LMA has shown to be a great on the ball defender on even guards at times when isolated out high.
Now he isn’t doing what he is capable of but he can do it if he puts his mind to it. At least that’s what I believe!
Travis Outlaw has virtually the same body as Tayshaun Prince.
Same height, same weight. I’ve even seen him make amazing defensive plays, but that doesn’t mean he CAN ever be as good a defender as Price. He can’t. He never will. He just doesn’t have the same attitude. He doesn’t have the same drive that it takes to be a good defender.
Aldridge would have to undergo a brain transplant to be a Garnett type defender. It’s never, ever, ever, never, ever, never, ever going to happen. It takes a certain personality to play defense at that level and Aldridge just doesn’t have it.
by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 28, 2009 3:12 PM PST up reply actions
you can keep your Rondo but I agree w you on LMA and Garnett
sad thing is LMA could be a poor man’s Garnett if he had the mentality
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions
Bayless is the only one of those that I see any significant growth from.
Dwight’s more or less correct, with the best thing that can happen from this year being Bayless showing he can play effectively with Roy.
#52
It is not so black and white.
Negatives to this season:
1) Lost opportunity for the big three to learn how to mess their games.
2) Lost opportunity for Batum and possibly Rudy to further develop their NBA game.
3) Possible loss of Joel Pryzbilla for good.
4) Possible lost opportunity to make a surprise run in the playoffs.
Positives to this season:
1) Opportunity for Bayless to get significant minutes.
2) Opportunity for Martell Webster to step up and become a significant all-round player.
3) Opportunity for LaMarcus to learn how to carry more of the inside scoring load.
4) Opportunity for Jeff Pendergraph and possibly Dante Cunningham to gain experience.
5) Possible opportunity for the entire team to develop the sort of mental toughness that will pay dividends down the road.
And here is one big factor that significantly mitigates the first two negatives – Portland’s young age. Greg, Rudy, Nic, Martell, Brandon and LaMarcus still are very early in their playing curve, with a lot of time ahead of them. Whatever they lose out on this season is simply a speed bump in their achieving the final goal. When you account for that important factor, then it really takes a defeatist attitude to brush off the potential positives of this season in order to moan and complain about what isn’t going to happen.
Whether Dwight Jaynes realizes it or not, he is exhibiting the classic sympthoms of a loser’s attitude.
hakkaa päälle !
by timg56 on Dec 28, 2009 12:27 PM PST up reply actions 11 recs
nicely said,
I was contemplating a comment along the lines of “both sides have a point”.
Reading the Jaynes comment, the overall attitude, I agree, was a pessimistic one, while I remain optimistic (homer).
The earlier lineup “issues” seemed “resolved” by injuries rather than Nate brilliance. Nate good at setting up young players… OK, mark Bayless a success (credit Bayless and injuries with the assist, at least).
The pressure is off Nate for the rest of this season, and he may grow and learn himself (or not). What’s he gonna do when everyone’s back remains to be seen.
The team attitude is in “winning” mode now, for whatever reason. They are believers now. We can’t rule any win out after that road trip, even with Brandon out. Which highlights the “it isn’t all about Brandon” note, that I quite agree with. I tend to think this “Brandon’s team” policy is not constructive, and I fault coach some for fostering it. Yeah, he can be great, but he needs the team, that’s playing the “right way”. Brandon’s big chance for leadership was in NOT taking a max contract, which he now has the improbable task of justifying in the midst of all the other impending contract negotiations for our other budding stars. How are we going to keep the team together with the implied future payroll?
But, you gotta love the heart of the team, and the winning feel we’ve got going, which is good for all. Even the guys watching from the rehab bench are probably just thinking how they can contribute when they get their chance, hungry to join the action. The tough coaching job comes when we have to select who of our deep roster we are going to develop and keep, and who we have to let go so they can be utilized elsewhere. The potential seems so great. We really don’t need a mistep there. But, the pressure is off for a while now.
"Travis went all wang-dang diddly wubba SPROING wow-wow on everybody " Dave's recap, season opener
2) Lost opportunity for Batum and possibly Rudy to further develop their NBA game.
They aren’t learning anything by watching from the bench?
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:32 PM PST up reply actions
Didn't say that.
However it still isn’t the same as actually playing. Therefore I would side with there being a certain amount of lost opportunity. But as I point out at the end, it is not a fatal blow by any stretch of the imagination.
hakkaa päälle !
Pendergraph has been a revelation
Yeah you don’t see it on the stat sheet. You see it watching the games though. Not sure what Dante’s problem is.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions
I wouldn't say he's a tool...
But I would say he’s a real downer. Even when things are going great, he has to nitpick about something…
I'd rather read/listen to Canzano. Seriously.
Jaynes make shis living by being a contrarian windbag. It doesn’t take a lot of thought to just say whatever you think will piss people off in order to get attention. He’s turned being a dick into a nice living. Canzano, even though he has the morals of a dump rat, at least attempts to think about the stuff he writes.
I seriously don't get the hate on Dwight.
He calls it like he sees it.
He gives credit where it’s due, and criticizes when and where it’s due.
He isn’t just a Blazer homer like some other members of the media seem to be.
Personally, for my Blazer money, he’s the best writer out there. I prefer his takes on things more than Canzaon, Quick, or Smith.
Dwight
I like a lot of what he does, appreciate what he brings. I just think he’s off in his assessment of this season, especially at this point, when the team is playing well and we’re seeing some real good things come out of some trying times.
I wouldn’t call him a windbag. But when you start going against the grain, nitpicking at a time when you see an opportunity for your opinions to stand out, well, it’s a sign that you’re reaching for relevancy.
He’s done great work. Much respect and appreciation for him. But I’m disappointed with his outlook on this season. Honestly, I cried for Greg, and Outlaw is one of my favorite people in basketball. I don’t need to be convinced that some development went down with all of these injuries. I know that too well. Being the basketball guy Dwight is, I would hope he’d see how important it is for Bayless and Pendergraph to develop into the roles we need them to fill. And that’s happening. There could be a silver lining to all of this, and because I love this team, I’m looking at that.
if by being a homer you mean constantly negative then sure
do you recall the last time you saw a positive statement about the Blazers from Dwight? of course you don’t because it never happens.
There’s a huge difference between being an ass when the team deservs it (me) and being so stubborn that you can’t praise the team when they are doing something amazing (Dwight).
Here’s the fact: Dwight is fruious that he missed so badly on Bayless and now the entire team is going to endure his venom. That’s petty, not a great sportswriter. There’s a reason nobody employs him to write.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:25 PM PST up reply actions
It happens when one gets old and everything has passed them by.
Jaynes apparently thinks he is a fount of knowledge. Unfortunately for him, he’s sliding into windbag territory.
hakkaa päälle !
ah cmon it's Dwight Jaynes, what did you expect?
guy’s even gloomier than I am
mostly he’s furious that he was so wrong about Bayless
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 1:07 PM PST up reply actions
I agree with Jaynes on one (obvious) point
the team’s overall development is currently “on hold” because of the injury to Oden. There’s no way to sugar-coat this. They need to find a way to get more easy baskets: this was the goal after the Rocket’s series, and it’s the main reason why Hedo and unltimately Miller were pursued in July.
The team is now coping with adversity by going back to what they did well, last year. There’s no reason to gripe about this, because they really don’t have a choice. They might as well pick a style of play that will win the most games with the personnel that’s currently healthy. (The danger is playing Roy and LMA 40+ mpg and putting them at risk of stress-related injuries)
But, will this jump-shooting-dependent style lead to playoff success? It didn’t last April, and we’ll find out this coming April how much improvement they’ve made (their first round matchup could make a big difference, in this regard) Make no mistake though, Dwight is right in regards to Roy/LMA’s adjustment re: “playing with Oden”…this has been set aside by necessity, and can’t it be resumed until next fall at the earliest. It’s the proverbial “elephant in the room” that can only be ignored for so long. Another issue is (“too much”) roster depth, but like with Greg there’s no point in worrying about it now—the team needs “all hands on deck” and the only potential “excess” of talent that could be dealt in the next month or so is at the PG position.
Are there “other ways” that the Blazers can improve over the next 50 games? Sure, but the “Oden question” will have to be revisited again, next fall. And the pattern of play that LMA and Roy have grown accustomed to will be that much more “ingrained” than it was, back in October. For a month and a half this fall, Greg showed that he can be an incredibly efficient offensive machine. But what hasn’t been demonstrated (to anyone’s satisfaction) is how well Roy and LMA’s game will ultimately integrate with Oden’s, and vice versa. So, we wait and wonder how things will eventually shake out when “everybody” gets back together again
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It shouldn't be on hold...Oden probably won't be Oden when he gets back
And if he ever does become Oden that we all hoped for again it probably won’t be next season
In other words putting everything on hold for maybe getting a solid player back in two seasons seems silly
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:20 PM PST up reply actions
like I said, they don't have a choice
the show must go on, without GO. But when he is healthy again, in whatever condition he is in, there will be another adjustment period
Can the Blazers win a championship without a healthy, fully-involved Oden? That’s the question. I know they can reach the playoffs for the next 10 years with Roy/LMA, but I’ve seen a lot of Blazer playoff teams since ’77 and finishing anything less than #1 is not satisfying. Entertaining? Yes. But satisfying? No.
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
The season has been remarkable because the Blazers still field one of the best rosters in the West
The team didn’t just go beat three of the better teams in the league – two of them on the road – with smoke and mirrors. I don’t get all the doomsaying. I didn’t get it when Greg went down and I don’t get it when Joel went down. This is a team with two ‘superstars’ and a bunch of really solid role players. Why is everyone so convinced the bottom is about to fall out? Especially when the upcoming schedule is cheese. I don’t get it at all. This season is positive because we are watching a good team win games. That’s it. Anything else is gravy.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:56 PM PST up reply actions
Glad I read the article before responding...
Before reading what Jaynes wrote, I was prepared to say, yeah, what a grouch, there certainly have been individual improvements and stories (Duante early, then Bayless, now Pendegrap)…
But after reading it, I agree with his central point, which I take as: if this jump shooting style is only good enough to win 50-something games, but not a playoff series… and we saw glimpses of a style that CAN win in the playoffs, but that requires Greg to be here, then yes, we do lose another year of that evaluation, integration, learning process.
A more optomistic view might point out that because of all of these injuries, players are getting time they wouldn’t ordinarily get, and management is getting plenty of opportunity to make the personnel decisions it must make soon. For example, Pendegraph may eliminate the need for that 4-5 banger…
Blake
Barrett makes a great point about Blake. Sure, he has struggled some this season, both running the offense and shooting-wise, but he has had the knack of coming up big, especially from three-point range.
He looks like he’s back on track, and his contributions can only help the shorthanded Blazers. If he can continue to post 15-17 points, watch out!
Barrett: You are going to score 35 tonight.
Bayless: Ya think?
MB off by only four, my oh my.
15-17?
Probably shouldn’t expect 15 ppg! But yeah, if Blake can come off the bench to knock down two or three big threes each game, that’d be huge. Still, his shortcomings on both ends of the floor have me setting my expectations low. Just a couple of big shots now and then would be nice. :)
Okay, maybe that point total was a bit much
but if he can be dependable from three, that spreads the floor and gives the Blazers an option they desperately need consistently.
Barrett: You are going to score 35 tonight.
Bayless: Ya think?
MB off by only four, my oh my.
by thenatural007 on Dec 28, 2009 11:10 AM PST up reply actions
I would argue that he's come up big in several games 3 pt wise
but he certainly did vs. Denver
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 1:15 PM PST up reply actions
I don’t disagree with you in the slightest, and know that this team needs more than jump shooters to win a title, but to insinuate that the team hasn’t grown or made progress or anything, its just hilariously off base.
#52
by greatestfall on Dec 28, 2009 11:30 AM PST up reply actions
I don't think it's off base at all.
have certain players made progress? It would seem so. But that wasn’t Jaynes’ point at all. has the TEAM (including the coaches) made progress to the point where they realize that their style of play is going to make it difficult if not impossible to go deep in the playoffs? That remains to be seen, but I certainly think the case can be made that they haven’t. And now there is the potential that they have even more ammunition to keep things the same: “See, just like we won 54 games last year, now that we’ve abandoned any thought of trying to play inside out and push the tempo, and instead gone back to the isolation heavy outside-in game, we’re back to winning again.”
How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009
their style of play has been completely different these last few games...so which style of play are you and he referring to?
and how is it relevent?
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:17 PM PST up reply actions
I'm serious... I don't even get the argument
It seems like he’s really reaching to try to find negatives right now, but that’s his ‘thing’
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:18 PM PST up reply actions
to me the style has been pretty much the same the last few games
but they’re making baby steps within the same style… Miller has been making better decisions, Bayless has greatly improved the quality of our pick-and-roll plays. Both of them have been bringing aggressiveness to an otherwise simplistic & methodic offense.
well...
I think what he’s saying is that hey, folks, this recent stretch is great and all, but let’s not loose sight of the BIG picture. and the big picture isn’t making the playoffs this year. It’s winning a title in the next 5.
like i said above, i think the gist of what he said is pretty accurate. i’m sure even he would concede that yes, of course, the process of playing through adversity and finding success when everyone counted you out DOES count for something….
but whether or not that something is actual, palpable, tangible progress towards a title? not sure…
Rod Benson, a player in the D-League
He’s quite a character. Great player. Check the article and find out.
Barrett: You are going to score 35 tonight.
Bayless: Ya think?
MB off by only four, my oh my.
by thenatural007 on Dec 28, 2009 11:32 AM PST up reply actions
Thank you, will do!
Rip City Baby! Follow me on Twitter @TylerHayden8
by bla7er4life on Dec 28, 2009 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
would love to see this guy in a Blazer uni
I think out of the guys listed in Schroeder’s article it’s gotta be him or Stiemsma…Benson seems more versatile but Stiemsma seems to be more of a poor man’s Przy
I love Shav but we need a 5 and I haven’t seen evidence he can play there…we’ve got plenty of middling 4’s.
"When jumpers are outlawed only Outlaw will take jumpers"-LoadedOrygun
by DominicanAvenger on Dec 28, 2009 11:58 AM PST up reply actions
R-o-d-B-e-n
Son
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I also really liked..
the story about Tolliver, who despite not really playing much is at least feeling at home with the team and doing some good things in the community, all of his own accord.
also the Howard story, good to see that he’s getting recognition on the team and in the media for what he’s doing out there, the man is on a 1 year contract and could have mailed it in this year, but he’s playing like he’s 10 years younger, amazing.
#52
Pendy Said What?!
Was that Rookie Jeff Pendergraph calling MVP-Candidate Carmello Anthony a “fool”?
Why yes… yes it was.
I love it.
Mr. Dwight Jaynes? Let me introduce you to development.
Buck Williams for the hall of fame
Amazing.
There was a lot of gold in that interview.
by ShannyMcShanShan on Dec 28, 2009 1:40 PM PST up reply actions
agreed
The Blazers have needed a “chippy” guy for awhile (probably since Ruben left…for better or worse) Joel can’t do it all by himself, and it’s good to hear that JP02 relishes the “enforcer” role…like Nate said
‘Jeff: This is what you need to do. Be the tough guy. Get rebounds. Get in people’s heads. Mix stuff up. Just be that kind of annoying guy on defense that everybody hates to play against.’ And I’m, like, ‘All right. I can do that. That’s fine.’
This kind of “stuff” always comes up big in the postseason
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Joel will do dirty work but he doesn't scare anybody
We’ve needed a loose cannon for some time now. Preferably a tough one.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Dec 28, 2009 2:28 PM PST up reply actions
Lovin me some Pendy...
A big dude who thinks about two things: where can I set a pick, and how do I position myself for a rebound… Thank you KP!
I love his 15-foot jumper too
He’s going to be great. – Elgin
OK...so girls in movies where guys wear hockey masks have a better survival rate than the average Blazer player. - Dave
The ESPN piece about Roosevelt HS ...
… should be a must read.
hakkaa päälle !
by timg56 on Dec 28, 2009 12:31 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Awesome story
A real tear-jerker. – Elgin
OK...so girls in movies where guys wear hockey masks have a better survival rate than the average Blazer player. - Dave
Incredible piece of writing
It really made me think. The perseverance exhibited by some of those kids/coaches is nothing short of incredible. It’s sick that Roosevelt isn’t even the only school in Portland with these types of problems (which was nicely pointed out by the author when he got to the subject of the season finale), hopefully this gets some people motivated to start changing things
Always supporting Greg Oden.
Free AK1984.
by blazeraddict on Dec 28, 2009 1:15 PM PST up reply actions
Aw, c'mon....
How important is education really? Or equal opportunity? Not anywhere near as important as cutting taxes, and cutting taxes, and cutting taxes. Remember, the sole role of all levels of government (Which ARE evil) is cutting taxes.
(yes, that was written in the sarcasm font)
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on Dec 28, 2009 1:29 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
not to devolve this into a political debate, but...
being for education and for cutting taxes are not mutually exclusive. It isn’t a hoice to just have one of those things or the other. It is actually quite possible to be in favor of both, and for both to be possible.
How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009
I wonder how much help could come from improved policies and methods in education
for a given budget, given you have to have money, what is the best way to use it ?
Policies, including accountability and results are legitimate areas for improvement.
Without going into OT detail, or starting debate, I support voucher options.
"Travis went all wang-dang diddly wubba SPROING wow-wow on everybody " Dave's recap, season opener
Juwan Howard
You can tell from his interviews that he’s a very mature, no-nonsense guy. I’m not surprised at his leadership role, and I see him as a coach in a few years.
Go Westview!!
"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."
- resurrect_ha28
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Dec 28, 2009 3:23 PM PST reply actions
Westview Pride
The Kings have the best bench I’ve seen. There are easily 14 guys on this team good enough for every bench in the league. Now if we could only get some starters, I’d totally jizz in my pants.
Kings fan
by dyshooter182 on Dec 28, 2009 3:34 PM PST up reply actions
Lakers vs Blazers
You’ve got to remember though in a hypothetical match up against LA (without Greg and Joel) , we have Howard, LA and Pendergraph going against Bynum, Gasol and Odom.
When being optimistic about the team, we’ve got to temper our expectations for we’re not a team now that is built to really compete in the playoffs without our bigs.
I thought our healthy team matched up very well against the L*kers
but you’re right, the injured team can’t compete with them in the frontcourt.
never say never
Houston took LA to 7 without any real centers for most of the series.
It all comes down to what you're looking for...
if
(a) you’re looking for a world championship (or two) and believe to do that we need to establish some other method of scoring that jump shots off isos,
then this is a lost year
(b) you just like to be entertained,
then you love this hustling, never give up group…
© you just like watching young guys improve…
.. then JBay and Pendy make it worth your time to watch this season..
I’m sure there are many other “types”, but I bet that most of the arguments on this site boil down to what your expectations are
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