What is McMillan Thinking?

by Salem Stephen on Feb 25, 2009 7:38 PM PST Comment 56 comments

Even if the Blazers do come back to win the game, Nate McMillan's strategy against the Spurs (and other teams) is inexcusable. We are playing a Spurs team without Duncan and Ginobili. They plan is easy. Don't let Parker beat you. McMillan said the right things during his pre-game interview. The plan was to pressure Parker on defensively and force him to work on the other end. For the most part Blake and Sergio played sloppy defense. They either sagged off enough to give him an open shot or let him get by at will. In addition, Sergio continues to show zero effort in transition defense.

No one could predict that Steve Blake would be 0-8 from the field through 3 quarters. What people do know is that Blake and Rodriguez do not force PG's to work defensively, nor do they defend the PNR. Why on Earth did Jerryd Bayless not play 25 minutes tonight. He would have forced Parker to run in transition. His physical nature would have been draining on Parker and his perimeter defense is certainly better than either of the other two players.

Bottom line... If you make it your mission to stop one player. Don't let him score 35+ in a game. And if he does, at least put the player most capable of neutralizing him into the game rather than DNP-CD him.

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you're right

I have no idea why Bayless didn’t at least get a chance. I think he could’ve possibly slowed parker down and if not that he would’ve at least made him work on both ends. Things were just way too easy for not just Parker but for the entire team. The defense was pretty pathetic…….again unfortunately

persistence is the key

by OOODDDEEENNN on Feb 25, 2009 7:46 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wait wait wait

Was the plan “do not let parker destroy us”?

I thought it was "Let parker show why he should be an all-star then ask him for tickets to watch the spurs in the playoffs.

Maybe the coach got that confused also? Really the sad part about the DNP, is that it’s followed by -CD. It’s as if the stats guys want to make sure everyone knows “we didn’t use the guy that would’ve given us the best shot because the coach decided he didn’t want to”.

He’s confused about what’s going on with Greg? Does greg get kiddie gloves? “We won’t let parker destroy us, watch us switch and put LMA on him. HA! when he lined up the pick and roll he never thought we’d actually do it! Darn, he hit again….”

Sometimes I wonder if greg’s sulking is related to having to guard PGs. I think Id’ rather see Greg come off the bench anyway. It might help him feel like the weight of the world isn’t on his shoulders. He shouldn’t have to be the starting center. Mcstubbornmuffin needs to consider adjusting his schedule for who plays. Greg sulks and doesn’t seem to try for improvement. Bayless busts his behind and some days is the most logical choice based on the expressed strategy, and still gets a DNP.

by lurtsman on Feb 25, 2009 9:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn't agree more

With Parker clearly controlling the game, why not put a great defender in Bayless on him to try and cool him down. And although Frye might be hitting his shots, Brandon Roy and LMA need to be our go to guys down the stretch, relying on Fry to hit jumpers is not going to cut it. It is really surprising to me that Bayless has been relegated to the bench since Blake’s return, I completely expected him to somehow squeeze at least 10 min per game. Especially in a game where Blake is playing so badly..

by dip city on Feb 25, 2009 7:49 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

and also

putting outlaw on Parker might have worked for a few possessions, but come on, that just seems desperate.

by dip city on Feb 25, 2009 7:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Bayless has no chance of stopping Parker

But he would have made him work at the other end. For this reason alone I would have liked him to play. Our point guards were getting into the paint all game, they just can’t finish.

Karma

by Sabonis4Ever on Feb 25, 2009 7:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

another reason to run Jerryd out there

You can’t learn how to defend Tony Parker sitting on the bench watching him blow by your teammates. If Bayless is ever going to learn how to recognize/counter Parker’s tendencies, he’s going to have to guard him and get “beat” a few times

After all, what’s the worst thing that could’ve happened, a 20 point loss instead of 15?

by two4larue on Feb 25, 2009 8:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

"This" is what I was talking about

When it was proposed that Roy and Rudy could play together in the backcourt. Hello? Not unless you want to see Parker’s sneaker prints all over the paint.

Of course, the counter argument is “NOBODY can stop Tony Parker from going where he wants to go!” Well, part of that is true, it takes better perimeter/team defense than the Blazers are capable of playing at this time. However, if you put a weak defender on Parker, no amount of team defense is going to be able to compensate for protecting the paint and staying “out” on all of the 3 point shooters.

“This” is why acquiring Hinrich was a good idea. “This” is why Bayless is the future. To be that PG defender who will give the Blazers a chance to contain a premier penetrator like Parker and maybe win a few playoff series in years to come.

I appreciate what Blake and Sergio offer to a team’s offense. But if they are Portland’s “first line of defense” this team is going…nowhere. No amount of great defense (or even GregZilla roaming the paint) can compensate for matador PG defense

The effort is there with Steve and Sergio, but effort and desire is not always enough.

by two4larue on Feb 25, 2009 8:06 PM PST reply actions 4 recs

Rec

by TimG on Feb 25, 2009 8:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

I’ll rec to that.

Bayless is the future. Why is it greg was starting and bayless was collecting DNPs?

by lurtsman on Feb 25, 2009 10:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It seems that more and more people are realizing how Kirk Hinrich would've made a difference here.

by AK1984 on Feb 25, 2009 8:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If KP wants him, he seems to be very available in the summer, according to most Bulls fans

Brandon is one of those quiet assassins. - Chris Paul

by Norsktroll on Feb 25, 2009 8:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I have a feeling

asu11 will be along here any minute to disagree

by two4larue on Feb 25, 2009 8:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that guys an idiot

by as11osu on Feb 25, 2009 8:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That'd be great... oops....

It appears Hinrich did an even worse job than Sergio or Blake tonight. Devin Harris went off for 42 on him tonight.

by as11osu on Feb 25, 2009 8:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't watch that game, so I'm not sure exactly who earned the assignment on Devin Harris.

Here, however, is a statistic that might help tell the story.

Derrick Rose: -17
Kirk Hinrich: +10

Knowing Vinny Del Negro, he was probably to inept to put Hinrich on Harris.

by AK1984 on Feb 25, 2009 9:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I know... and tonight

Sergio was +1… he must’ve done a good job on Tony Parker right?

by as11osu on Feb 25, 2009 9:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nope, but you still can't fault Kirk Hinrich for Devin Harris going off tonight.

by AK1984 on Feb 25, 2009 9:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Or Sergio for the same thing... at least with like-logic

by as11osu on Feb 25, 2009 9:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I never blamed Sergio Rodriguez for Tony Parker's outburst.

by AK1984 on Feb 25, 2009 9:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

We're pretty much in agreement on the defense having to improve....

I just don’t think Hinrich for a multitude of reasons that have been uttered ad nauseam by me, is the right guy.

by as11osu on Feb 25, 2009 9:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If we had Kirk Hinrich this fanpost still would have been written

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 25, 2009 11:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure why you think this game proves that Roy and Rudy wouldn't be effective defensively

Roy and Rudy were never assigned to guard Parker. In the first half Blake and Sergio were guarding him, and they both got burned repeatedly. In the second half, Batum was able to guard him semi-effectively, and Outlaw also got burned repeatedly. I’m not convinced that Roy or Rudy wouldn’t do better against Parker than Blake/Sergio/Outlaw did.

by trk on Feb 25, 2009 9:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Again, Sergio was assigned to guard TP

for maybe all of 4 possessions. Blame Blake or Trout, or LMA for not getting there in time to help protect the bucket, but it’s pretty silly to blame Sergio.

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 10:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A: why did Nate assign a SF to guard Parker

Q: because he knew Blake and Sergio couldn’t?

by two4larue on Feb 26, 2009 11:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

shrug

Sergio looked pretty good on Tony in the few possessions he guarded him. Blake was struggling but not as bad as Trout.

by howlingfantods on Feb 26, 2009 1:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And once again, LaMarcus and Joel were switched on Parker a lot...

Brandon is one of those quiet assassins. - Chris Paul

by Norsktroll on Feb 25, 2009 8:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Totally Agree

Jbay and Batum were probably the best options against Parker. Nate definitely dropped the ball here.

Let RudyMania Reign!!
http://twitter.com/downtwnchinatwn

by DowntownChinatown on Feb 25, 2009 8:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Absolfriggenlutely!

Bayless should have been given 20 min tonight. Instead he rode the pine all night long. Blake was off from the start and Sergio does not have the skill set to make Parker work on defense.

This one’s on Nate.

RCR

by Rip City Reign on Feb 25, 2009 8:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, Sergio really sucks

at making guys work defensively. When they’re sitting on the bench. Which Tony Parker was most of the time Sergio was on the court.

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 9:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And yet

Nobody else on Portland had a + even though Parker was out for a lot of shifts.

Sergio got more assists then our entire team combined, had 1 turnover, and grabbed more offensive boards than anyone not named Joel tonight.

by Zaig on Feb 25, 2009 9:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think you might want to check your sarcasm-meter.

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 9:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Be clearer!

For once, maybe you should try to NOT use sarcasm in a post.

by BlazerTag on Feb 25, 2009 10:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that... doesn't sound like a reasonable solution.

Well, back to the main subject, I did think it was a very strange decision to assign Outlaw to defend TP in the middle of the fourth quarter. That’s when he really started going bananas. I think Nate liked how Batum looked on him and thought that Outlaw might be able to do the same?

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 10:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If that is the case

Nate truly went insane.

by Zaig on Feb 25, 2009 10:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, if anything, that's the thing to kill nate about

not the tired Bayless thing.

Honestly, Blakey was struggling but was playing at least some defense on him, Batum looked pretty good, and Sergio did ok in the four possessions or so he was checking him. Tony Parker is a Finals MVP – he’s going to get his points.

But from 6:43 to :34 (so a little over six minutes at the end of the game), Parker scored 11 points, hitting 5 of 6 and a free throw and an assist with Travis on him. Bad decision there.

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 11:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh Snap!

by Nick Van Excellent on Feb 26, 2009 1:10 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

We should have just had Batum guard Parker the whole game

and by “whole game” I don’t just mean the 15 minutes that Batum actually played. Whenever Parker was in the game, Batum should have also been put in the game to guard him.

by trk on Feb 25, 2009 9:33 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Like I said, every game we lose “Bayless is the answer” even though Bayless hasn’t shown he can play D for crap.

San Antonio sets good screens. It is impossible for our guard to get through them in time against Parker. We also can’t switch properly.

Nate keeping Bayless on the bench tonight protected him from getting the same criticism you’re giving the other 2.

by Zaig on Feb 25, 2009 9:44 PM PST reply actions 3 recs

+1

Boom. Rec

by ryryslyry on Feb 25, 2009 10:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Coulda shoulda woulda

right?

by ryryslyry on Feb 25, 2009 10:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Naw man, it don't matter what happens on the court.

I mean, Sergio was assigned to defend parker for like four or five possessions, and he defended him just fine – got beat maybe once or twice, whatever. Still getting killed around here. Frye’s getting killed around here too even though he was probably the best offensive player and second best rebounder on the squad tonight.

Folks here just be repeating their beliefs, not their observations.

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 11:26 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Don't forget the one play

where he played the best one on one defense of the night, easily. In the second quarter out on the right wing, forcing Tony into a horrible leaner that he somehow banked in. Even Mike and Mike were commenting how great that defense was.

One play doesn’t make for a great defender, but it’s hardly the traditional view of “Ole” defense people love to crow about.

by Royster on Feb 25, 2009 11:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh you guys got the mikes?

I had the Spurs playcallers on LP. Got to hear Sean Elliot mentioning Arizona every time Frye touched the ball.

Yeah, I remember that play, that was some nice D. Sergio’s really gotten pretty good at one on one defense, it kind of blows me away how little folks around here recognize it. He puts some nice pressure on the ballhandler in the open court, he’s active and he tries hard. He gets picked pretty easily, but other than that, his defensive game is getting pretty solid and he at least tries to get his hand in the face.

by howlingfantods on Feb 25, 2009 11:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

nate choked

It was driving me nuts that Nate didn’t even try Bayless. I mean at least for a few minutes just to see how he would defend Parker. Also to have at least one person other than roy trying to get to the hoop. Way to many jumpshots.

If a team keeps us out of the paint we are more than happy to take jumpshots. I would like to see at least a few charges out of our guys if they arent going to make jumpshots.

by meatwad3 on Feb 25, 2009 10:09 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I would have liked to see bayless

If nothing else for the 6 fouls (make them hard) he could have used on TP. Use SA’s own MO on them…you pay for entering the paint.

If you have nothing constructive to say about someone, I prefer that you say nothing at all.

"If Jumping to conclusions, Kicking others when they do not do well and Launching into senseless tirades were Olympic Events, some people around here would be Medal Contenders". Me

by coastrider on Feb 25, 2009 10:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Of all the Blazers

You know that Bayless is the one that will continuously take the ball to the rack and that is exactly what we needed tonight with Duncan out. Instead we jacked up jumpers at the end of the shot clock. Why not stick him in there and see if he can give a spark? He’s not going to play any worse D on Parker than Blake of Sergio did.
The only one that looked semi effective was Batum. I don’t know why Nate doesn’t let him play 25-30 minutes in games like these, especially when he’s doing well in there.

by KitIsh on Feb 25, 2009 10:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

The only problem is

we weren’t hitting any outside shots. This allowed the Spurs to clog the paint. That was why every time Brandon drove to the basket he was met by 3-4 guys. Bayless would have faced the same problem.

They were hitting outside shots like crazy. That spread the floor which allowed Parker a free pass into the paint.

Give the Spurs credit. We were beat.

by ryryslyry on Feb 25, 2009 10:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Nate's lineup down the stretch was certainly questionable....

But not because Bayless didn’t play. I just keep wondering what in the world Batum has to do to get some minutes. I would have pulled Sergio, put in Batum, and moved Roy to point guard with Batum taking on Parker. But thats just me….

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Feb 25, 2009 11:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I with you

Back in the day I thought Nate was an idiot when it came to playing Telfair or Blake, Sergio or Jack, and now Bayless or Sergio. The common denominator in all those instances is Blake. Until Blake is traded away, Nate’s mancrash on Blake will inhibit the growth of the young point guards.

I’m one of the few people who has been saying that Bayless should start. I’ve been on the Bayless bandwagon since his freshman year in college. I had the feeling he was KP’s guy and KP was going to find a way to get him. I was right on that and I’m right that Bayless should have been starting since the start of the season.

If Bayless would have been the starter from the start of the season he would have been plenty seasoned and he would have totally shut down Tony Parker.

You heard it hear first, Nate’s failure to develop Bayless this year is going to prevent the Blazers from winning a championship this year.

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 25, 2009 11:36 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

YES!!!

If they do not win a championship this season you are absolutely right! It will be because Nate did not develop Bayless this year.
Let’s make this one green!!!!!

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Feb 25, 2009 11:40 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

by tssbro on Feb 26, 2009 10:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the advice...

And right back at you!

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Feb 26, 2009 10:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Just a thought...

I ran across this on youtube and thought the general idea might apply to some of us here at the BE.

Take a look and let me know what you think…

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Feb 25, 2009 11:44 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

It's KP's fault

He should have traded for Jason Kidd at the trade deadline. Then, we’d have had an experienced, defensively-skilled guard to defend Parker. He’d have held him to 37 instead of 39.

Fire KP.

When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.

by jscot on Feb 26, 2009 3:54 AM PST reply actions 0 recs