Dazed and Confused

by upper left corner on Feb 26, 2009 8:04 AM PST

I hate it when fans start whining and moaning every time the Blazers loose a couple in a row. I also hate it when fans start grinding on Nate, if we loose, it means Nate has screwed up rotations, or he doesn't know how to teach defense. You know the drill: blah, blah, blah.

All that being said, I feel compelled to WHINE. I claim no great expertise in basketball, although I have been watching the Blazers since the days of Roland Todd and Geoff Petrie. But, for the past two seasons, the thing that has stood out to me is the defensive struggles of Portland's PGs. Time and time again, I have watched Blake struggle to stay in front of the quicker PGs in the league. In order to keep from getting consistently torched off the dribble, he stays so far off his man that he can't pressure the ball, can't cut off any passing lanes, and can't contest jumpers.

Sergio is option two. His defense in years one and two was simply atrocious. He has improved significantly, but he still consistently struggles. I would rate his defense as about a toss-up with Blake's. Blake seems to have better position, but lacks lateral quickness. Sergio has somewhat better quickness, but is frequently out of position or caught leaning the wrong way.

The last two nights were like a spotlight illuminating these weaknesses. First, Aaron Brooks drove by Blake with astonishing ease. If Brooks had a better finish, he could have scored 40. As it was he scored 20. Brooks wasn't super efficient, but that had more to do with his outside shooting than anything Blake did to slow him down.

Then last night, Parker torched Blake in the first half. Nate barely even tried putting Sergio on Parker, a few possessions and it was clear that Sergio was not the answer. In the second half, Nate tried Batum and then Outlaw, mostly to poor effect.

All of this poses a simple question: where was Bayless? Few would contest the observation that Bayless is the fastest and strongest of the teams PGs. Sure he is green and would have likely been burned at least a few times. But good grief, when you are getting killed, why not give the kid a shot at slowing Parker down?

At a minimum, last night seemed tailor made for Bayless' offensive repertoire. Parker is not a great defender, and with no Duncan in the middle, why not see if Bayless can get to the rim? Let Bayless push the pace and see if he can get some transition buckets or get to the line for some easy points?

I don't think any of this is rocket science. Certainly, any observer of the team had to be asking the same questions. I am sure that the Blake and Sergio fans take this as validation of their view of Bayless' readiness.

Bottom Line: Either I am badly mistaken in my observations of our three point guards, or my faith in Nate's competence is badly shaken. Again, I am no expert, but am I that wrong? Are Blake and Sergio playing better defense than I give them credit for? Are my perceptions of Bayless totally off? Or is our coach guilty of malpractice? I have to believe my own eyes. Last night marks the first time I have had serious doubts about Nate, as a coach.

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Ba Baowwww Baowwww Baowwww Boawwww ba baowww baowww baowwww baowwww

by ryryslyry on Feb 26, 2009 8:19 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Huh?

by upper left corner on Feb 26, 2009 8:30 AM PST up reply actions

your title

made me get the Led out

by ryryslyry on Feb 26, 2009 8:37 AM PST up reply actions

It's been a long time

since the Blazers have Rock and Rolled. – Elgin

Since when do we need to ponder to froth? - jscot

by 22baylor on Feb 26, 2009 10:15 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Why don't you take a good look at yourself and describe what you see

wooooooah OoooooaAAAH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj8DgWnbVng&feature=bz303
MVP *** MVP *** MVP
I've never scored more than 38 ..... not even in Little League.

by Portland89 on Feb 26, 2009 1:44 PM PST up reply actions

Where's that confounded bridge?

Since when do we need to ponder to froth? - jscot

by 22baylor on Feb 26, 2009 4:29 PM PST up reply actions

I hear that if it keeps on raining the levee's gonna break!

Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA Rocks and B-Rex ROARS!!
RRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWRRRRRRSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by LaMarvelous on Feb 26, 2009 9:19 PM PST up reply actions

Our attrocious perimeter D

The biggest problem, is that our perimeter d breaks down nearly every play. I have no idea if Nate is teaching them this, I highly doubt it, but when they switch or go under every single time, it makes you wonder. If the guards would just fight through a screen, they don’t even necessarily have to stay in front of their man, just with them. If they can to do that, then our bigs have an easier time blocking shots at the rim because they aren’t having to pick up TP (or whoever) out at the free throw line.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Feb 26, 2009 8:38 AM PST reply actions

I think the main reason ......

….we switch on almost all picks is the fact that Blake and Sergio lack the strength to fight through picks and lack the speed to recover when going on the bottom side of the pick.

by upper left corner on Feb 26, 2009 8:48 AM PST up reply actions

I can agree with that somewhat

But it also happens quite often, against lazy picks.

If they are going under because Nate doesn’t think they can fight through the pick, then the big needs to step out and buy them a half second to get under, then recover, not switch. It was painfully obvious last night, in the first quarter, when Pryz picked up his first foul. We got lucky a couple of times and Parker didn’t take pryz to the rack, but we can’t have our bigs constantly defending PG’s. That’s a recipe for foul trouble.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Feb 26, 2009 9:16 AM PST up reply actions

lst night would have been a tough night for our bigs

to hedge on the pick last night as both Bonner and Thomas are good shooters so the bigs cannot leave them.

Life is exhausting when you are this stupid.

by jonestr on Feb 26, 2009 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

I'm with you from beginning to end of that entire rant up until the part about losing confidence in McMillan.

I definitely agree that the last two games would have been a great time to get Bayless some run, for all the reasons you addressed, but I have to believe Nate has his plan and is sticking with it.

One possible explanation is that from a traditional coaching standpoint, you can only develop so many rookies on the floor at once. Bayless has ended up being the 4th rookie in this scenario, and I can’t think of too many NBA coaches who would be so willing to rely on 1st year players to generate wins to the extent the Blazers have done this season.

Dunk

by Billy Ray Bates on Feb 26, 2009 9:00 AM PST reply actions

rec’d anyway because at least you opened by acknowledging that whining and moaning and bashing on the coach after a loss is generally counterproductive, and your issue is actually valid

Dunk

by Billy Ray Bates on Feb 26, 2009 9:02 AM PST up reply actions

I too would've liked to see Bayless out there...

but the game was close right up until the end, and I guess Nate didn’t want to risk putting in the rookie point guard. However, in retrospect I think you are right. We did not have things clicking all night long and maybe a spark plug like Bayless could’ve made a big difference for us. It would’ve been a risk. But one I think worth taking.

That being said, you can see the difference between the 2 teams defensively. While Tony Parker is really not a very good perimeter defender, our point guards could not make them pay for his lack of defensive prowess. Why? Because the Spurs work well as a defensive unit and do not rely soley on great individual defenders. In short they have a plan defensively. They know where they want the other team to go and then push the other team that way. With Portland, I could not really tell what their strategy was on the defensive side of the ball. It seemed confused, reactive and a step late.

by JasonT on Feb 26, 2009 9:00 AM PST reply actions

I stopped reading at where was Bayless,

like that kid is any kind of a defensive answer, lololol

Man, we should forfeit before roy’s hammy explodes, knocking him into LMA’s ear who loses his balance and hits Greg’s knee… - HurraKane212

http://www.nba.com/news/miles_10_080919.html

by maid tu rek on Feb 26, 2009 9:01 AM PST reply actions

The constant Bayless

promoting is getting old.

Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave

Also: COMCAST SUCKS!

by TwoDeep on Feb 26, 2009 9:22 AM PST up reply actions

maybe not...maybe though he coulda have at least offered some offense

Rudy was bricking blake was 0 for7 .. . . .Parker scoring at will . . . .how bad could it have been?

"Sergio and I obtained chalupas to understand their power. Then Sergio showed that each one has 427 calories and 27 grams of fat. Leaping upwards, we reviled the accursed chalupa and its pressure. – Rudy Fernandez

by LetsBlaze on Feb 26, 2009 9:58 AM PST up reply actions

Good

You can look into the future and tell Nate when Rudy and Blake are going to have bad nights.

by Zaig on Feb 26, 2009 11:11 AM PST up reply actions

Don't look into the future

That’s just a silly comment. All Nate has to do sometimes, is watch the present. It was pretty obvious early on that Blake and Rudy were struggling.

Look, I know you’re being a smartass, but I love this team just as much as everybody else here. Just because some of us enjoy analyzing the game and discussing what went right and what went wrong, doesn’t mean we’re jumping off a bridge. This place would be pretty boring if all of us thought the same and just went with whatever the media tells us we should think.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Feb 26, 2009 11:52 AM PST up reply actions

silly comments are quite appropriate for posts and comments that include the likes of

All Nate has to do sometimes, is watch the present. It was pretty obvious early on that Blake and Rudy were struggling.

its funny, cuz im sure if you aquired an audience with nate as said as much to him, he could likely begin his responce with…

Look, I know you’re being a smartass, but I love this team just as much as everybody else here

I’m sure Nate watches the games, another thing nate watches that we dont get to watch, is practice, and of course how the players interact with each other. we might want nate to play to strengths that we percieve in players, but if he dowsnt see them, as obviousw as they obviously are, then its not gonna happen, and acting like nates dumb, or silly, or (fill in the blanks) for not seeing it or whatever is, well, silly

Man, we should forfeit before roy’s hammy explodes, knocking him into LMA’s ear who loses his balance and hits Greg’s knee… - HurraKane212

http://www.nba.com/news/miles_10_080919.html

by maid tu rek on Feb 26, 2009 12:20 PM PST up reply actions

I've have talked to Nate before

He’s a nice guy and very knowledgeable about this game. I love Nate and hope he stays for ever and ever. Doesn’t mean he’s right 100% of the time.

Thanks for the constructive input BTW, very refreshing.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Feb 26, 2009 12:46 PM PST up reply actions

that view is tolerably reasonable,

but kinda like zaid said

Man, we should forfeit before roy’s hammy explodes, knocking him into LMA’s ear who loses his balance and hits Greg’s knee… - HurraKane212

http://www.nba.com/news/miles_10_080919.html

by maid tu rek on Feb 26, 2009 11:39 AM PST up reply actions

If we went one loss without saying Bayless is the answer

I’m pretty sure the universe would collapse on itself.

by Zaig on Feb 26, 2009 9:08 AM PST reply actions

Can't you at least admit the Blazers would be undefeated if he was getting more minutes?

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 26, 2009 9:17 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs

no.

only if he’s starting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj8DgWnbVng&feature=bz303
MVP *** MVP *** MVP
I've never scored more than 38 ..... not even in Little League.

by Portland89 on Feb 26, 2009 1:40 PM PST up reply actions

That is what I've been saying since last March.

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 26, 2009 1:52 PM PST up reply actions

I don't think people are saying he's the answer

But when things are so obviously out of whack, like last night, why not try something to get a spark? What would it have hurt?

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Feb 26, 2009 9:18 AM PST up reply actions

Hindsight

Let’s see, Sergio had a +1 so that means Bayless should have replaced Blake.

You’re right, Nate should know when Blake is going to be ineffective and let Bayless start those games instead.

by Zaig on Feb 26, 2009 9:33 AM PST up reply actions

I'm not asking him to see into the future

I’m asking him to watch the present.

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Feb 26, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions

That's it in a nutshell.

2-4 the who

by 24thewho on Feb 26, 2009 9:42 AM PST up reply actions

Look, I get your sarcasm, but.....

…..did I say that? No, I did not. I didn’t say Bayless was the answer. I posed a series of questions:

To me it seemed obvious that the Blazers were struggling to defend Parker. Do you disagree? Do you think it is fine to give up 40 to Parker?

Most people, even Sergio fans acknowledge that Bayless is stronger, faster and more athletic than Blake and Sergio. Do you disagree?

Most people acknowledge that Bayless is the best of the three PGs at getting to the rim. Do you disagree?

Given the above, it seemed pretty obvious to give Bayless a try. When you are getting torched, what would it hurt?

Rather than just dismissing my post, try discussing my arguments rather than constructing “straw-man” arguments.

by upper left corner on Feb 27, 2009 6:47 AM PST up reply actions

I also hate it when people think it's the end of the world when portland looses

the celtics just lost the the clips (yes the same clips that gave up 14 assists to seve blake in one quarter, the same clips that let the suns score 140 points on them in back to back nights. Yes, those clippers)

bayless leaves over my dead body

by thomasikehara on Feb 26, 2009 9:25 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Well...it was gonna be the end of the world...until the leprechauns got beat by the slippers!

Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA Rocks and B-Rex ROARS!!
RRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWRRRRRRSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by LaMarvelous on Feb 26, 2009 9:25 PM PST up reply actions

I love Bayless

but I ain’t gonna’ question Nate. There’s a reason he gets paid millions per year to coach and I don’t.

Want more aggressiveness? Try less Baylesslessness.

by prezofdeath on Feb 26, 2009 9:43 AM PST reply actions

I question the fandom of fans that don't question the coach

Ha just kidding.

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 26, 2009 10:35 AM PST up reply actions

I am not saying I have lost confidence in Nate....

…….I am saying that, for the first time, I have doubts.

by upper left corner on Feb 27, 2009 6:51 AM PST up reply actions

Completely Agree

The kid either looks brilliant or absolutely not ready for the NBA at times. Unfortunately we usually see both in a matter of minutes…..not exactly someone a coach has confidence to put in against one of the top PG in the league (that happened to be blazing hot at the time).

by keepfryealive on Feb 26, 2009 10:51 AM PST reply actions

yes

-Gabby

by ireallylikejerrydbayless on Feb 26, 2009 9:48 PM PST up reply actions

PnR D

I’ve been trying to pay close attention on how we run and defend the Pick and Roll.

UofTorange mentioned Tuesday that we run so many Isolations….but it works…gonna make the playoffs…

I think the OP here has a point. It seems that Blake, Sergio, Outlaw, (all outside defenders including BAtum sometimes) all play so far off the ball they’re in the worst position possible to guard the PnR. I see a few repeating styles

A) they don’t make a big enough effort to get close to the ball handler (before the pick) so they can get over the top

B) are too lazy (or not quick enough) when the pick is coming to fight over the top. Or at least get into position where they can be just behind the ball handler after going around the pick to force a tough shot.

c) When we switch our bigs rarely show hard enough to force the ball handler out above the 3 and create some reaction time for our smalls.

The last home game was the first sign of life as far as our bigs showing and making the ball handler react. As expected though that was lost once they hit the air plane.

When we run the PnR on offense their big either shows and pushes our ball handler way out or their PG goes over the top. Our bigs are usually in a good position rolling, but our smalls can never get them the ball.

I have faith that Nate is prepping them to be a great team defense. However; the way the play right now. The PnR will be the end of them in an early playoff series outing.

by keepfryealive on Feb 26, 2009 10:59 AM PST reply actions

I think communication and familiarity play a part in this.

Last night for example, Outlaw was on Parker and a pick came. Frye jumped out and pushed Parker well past the three point line but for some reason Outlaw was standing by himself just out of the key. This led to an easy basket for the guy Frye was guarding because Outlaw didn’t take the opportunity to get back to his guy, nor did he actually switch. He just kinda went rover.

Maybe it’s because the team is really young but they don’t seem like they talk much on defense so no one knows what everyone else is doing.

by Jerb on Feb 26, 2009 1:11 PM PST up reply actions

Why do some fan expect players to earn their playing time unless they are Bayless?

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 26, 2009 11:45 AM PST reply actions

Bayless has allready earned his playing time, he's franchise

Man, we should forfeit before roy’s hammy explodes, knocking him into LMA’s ear who loses his balance and hits Greg’s knee… - HurraKane212

http://www.nba.com/news/miles_10_080919.html

by maid tu rek on Feb 26, 2009 12:21 PM PST up reply actions

Two words, Tom: Greg Oden.

Talk about the Golden Ticket to start…

Why is Channing Frye still here? Anybody??? Anybody???

by timbo on Feb 27, 2009 9:14 AM PST up reply actions

Oden & Batum start because Joel and Travis fit better with the second unit

Am I right, or am I right?

I da man!

by Dragline on Feb 27, 2009 9:28 AM PST up reply actions

How about Bayless' intangibles?

We could have used a little spark of Argh out there. Even if he made a few mistakes it would have been good for the team to have a guy (besides Roy) with a refuse to lose attitude. Might have rubbed off on the regulars. One day maybe we’ll have a veteran to provide this, but for now Bayless is as close as we have off the bench.

by bamkapow on Feb 26, 2009 12:56 PM PST reply actions