Playoff Rotations; 8 or 9?

by The Natural ala Mode on Mar 22, 2009 9:17 PM PDT

This is the first year in a long time we aren't testing our talent and considering the draft at this point in the season! Heck Yeah! So now we get to discuss fun stuff like playoff match-ups, home court advantage. The best playoff teams start trimming their rotation and then set a 7,8 or 9 man rotation for the big dance. I think the Blazers will go with either a 8 or 9 man rotation with the following distribution of minutes. For the purpose of setting a standard lets assume that Martell returns and is somewhat limited by conditioning. This is based on Nate's tendencies and my own belief of what will happen. Let me know what your theories are. What will Nate do? What would you do?

PG: Blake 34 mins/ Roy 14 mins

SG; Roy 27 mins/ Fernandez 15 mins/ Webster 6 mins

SF: Batum 18 mins/ Travis 18 mins/ Martell 12 mins

PF: LMA 40 mins/ Travis 8 mins

C: Pryz 25 mins/ Oden 23 mins

Roy : 41 mins

LMA: 40 mins

Blake: 34 mins

Travis: 26 mins

Pryz: 25 mins

Oden: 23 mins

Martell: 18 mins

Batum: 18 mins

Rudy: 15 mins

For a total of nine in my projected rotation.

Poll

What will be the magic number of our rotation for the playoffs?

5! We will never Sub.

2 votes

6. Trout will play back up to everybody.

10 votes

7. We are going Suns style

1 votes

8. Martell won't play it will mess with chemistry.

51 votes

9. I like your style Natural!

48 votes

10. Tag Sergio you are in.

25 votes

137 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 27 comments | 3 recs |

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Comments

I don't think Martell will be back for the playoffs

which is too bad, so Rudy would get more than 15 minutes in my mind. I also believe that Outlaw will be traded this summer and martell will take his minutes next season. Which is too bad really because Travis has played wonderfully the second half of this season to help this team make the playoffs.

by usmcr3049 on Mar 22, 2009 9:25 PM PDT reply actions

I also believe that Outlaw will be traded this summer and martell will take his minutes next season

Please don’t take this the wrong way. But is this necessary? It seems that every time someone makes a nice post about the playoffs and talking about what this team is going to do in the next month (hopefully two.). Right aay someone starts talking trade or draft. I definitely see room for improvement and agree changes will be made. But I wonder if it’s possible to talk about the playoffs without throwing someone under the bus during the period AFTER this playoff race is over.

For the record. Outlaw will not be traded. He’s too cheap for the talent he brings.

by keepfryealive on Mar 22, 2009 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions

reccomend

by GoBlaze22 on Mar 23, 2009 1:22 AM PDT up reply actions

not possible

because the two are one in the same. The playoff rotation that the OP stated is one with 3 sf’s and while I don’t think Martell will be 100% in time to make it happen, I also believe that the Blazers will not go into next season with 3 quality sf’s on the roster all looking for minutes. To me it is all the same conversation.

by usmcr3049 on Mar 23, 2009 7:07 AM PDT up reply actions

OP

The OP Is about will the playoff rotation be 8 or 9 guys? You interpret that as making a trade in the offseason. After the 8-9 man playoff rotation is over? That makes the Outlaw comment completely off topic.

I’m not saying I speak for the OP, but if this was my fan post I’d be upset that you blew it up with the first post being off topic discussion about trading Outlaw because Martell will be back.

A) It’s a time period that would be after the window of discussion this Fanpost is about
B) Both deadlines are over so making a change to that 8-9 rotation is impossible; thus discussion regarding changes is off topic and irrelevant.

I could very well agree 100% with your thoughts. But that stuff should be saved for the fanposts positions 1, 3 and 5 below this one.

I think the majority of readers are extremely happy with how this team has performed. We’re looking at 50-52+ wins right in the face. A possible 1st round home court advantage and basically some of the best basketball this town has seen in this decade. I think it would show more respect, saying how you feel about Martell here. And then post the trade Outlaw discussion in one of the other threads.

My 2 cents. Take it for what it’s worth.

by keepfryealive on Mar 23, 2009 7:59 AM PDT up reply actions

I think it can work

Martell and Batum at the 3
LMA and Travis at the 4
PRyz and Oden at the 5
Broy and Rudy at the 2
Blake and Sergio or whoever at the 1
some of these minutes get mixed up as people play different positions now and then (broy at 1) but generally this is the team I see next year. With a couple of guys that are back ups in case of injury, Perhaps Freeland and a draft pick. And perhaps a new look at the 1 who knows.

by twggyy on Mar 23, 2009 8:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Looks about right

Not that talking trades is the thing I would want to do right now, but I am hard pressed to find a good reason to break up the lineup you have above…

most teams would kill for that solid a rotation. Are their people stronger at various positions sure, are we likely to get them in any trade? no…

Unless the Blazers are going to pick up a big time player in a trade this team ought to be kept together, chemistry is as tough to get as skill…

In the end Channing Frye needs to be cut lose to somewhere that will use him more…LA sucks up all the minutes at the 4 and Frye has too much trouble gaurding opposing 3s to get the time on the court his lay otherwise warrants…

by PDXBuckeye on Mar 23, 2009 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions

I wouldn't expect much from Martell

He’s hungry and that’s a positive. But anything positive will be unexpected. He hasn’t played in an NBA game for how many months now? Most of that time he was in a boot. I wouldn’t expect too much.

That gives more time for Rudy and I think Sergio will get spot minutes if he can hold on to his job.

Nate’s been doing a good job shoring up the rotation lately. He’s getting good production from his starters with increased minutes. 8-9 man rotation for sure. I don’t see both Bayless and Sergio getting run in the same game.

I really hope we see some twin tower sets. Especially late in the game while trying to protect a lead.

by keepfryealive on Mar 22, 2009 9:26 PM PDT reply actions

8 makes sense to me

There are no back to backs in the playoffs, so I think it’ll be an 8 man rotation with some spot play from Frye and the back up PGs.

Blake
Roy
Batum
Aldridge
Przy

Outlaw
Rudy
Oden

"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"

by Magnum on Mar 22, 2009 9:29 PM PDT reply actions

I agree

expecting martell to play more minutes than rudy in a playoff-level atmosphere after having been out all season is expecting too much. I’d be thrilled if he were able to come back and contribute to that degree but I doubt it’ll happen.

also, I’m expecting rudy to be a stone-cold killer in the playoffs. we always talk about joel and blake being the only guys with (albeit limited) postseason experience, but rudy has more postseason experience in his little finger than the rest of our roster combined. fans going nuts in a pressure-packed environment isn’t going to faze him in the slightest.

by BlazersOrBust on Mar 23, 2009 8:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Also agree

that Trout, Greg, and Rudy will be the main guys off the bench. However, we may see spot minutes from Martell (if rudy is missing his shots) or from Sergio/Bayless if the matchups permit. Primarily, I expect to see more 8-man rotations or 9 if Martell does indeed make steady contributions.

by NWfan on Mar 23, 2009 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Nice Post

I’ve been pondering this a lot lately. Nate has really been able to change his rotation with the addition of Greg. He’s doing a good job of mixing starters and back ups. While leaving either Roy or LMA on the court at all times. Plus the ability to have a true center in for 45+ minutes a game is huge for his schemes.

It seems the starters are taking kindly to the additional minutes and are thriving together. They possibly could be peaking at the perfect time.

by keepfryealive on Mar 22, 2009 9:34 PM PDT reply actions

9 Man, no Martell

Martell will not play much if at all. We will likely see about 10 minutes of either Bayless or Sergio unless one of them gets in a rhythm, then we could see that PG get more minutes.

There won't be clean officiating in the NBA until David Stern is forcibly removed by the US Congress in 2013 for fixing games.

by 123_G.O._RipCity on Mar 22, 2009 9:38 PM PDT reply actions

It all depends

How Webster performs in “april april april” 7 with Oden, 8 With Marty.

Positive Vibes For Oden

by Air Norv on Mar 22, 2009 9:50 PM PDT reply actions

Marty is our silver bullet.

Joel (30) and Greg for 18 minutes.

LMA (35), Nic (18), Travis (30), Martell (12) get the forward minutes.

Steve (30), Brandon (35) and Rudy (30) get all the guard minutes.

Bedge or go home.

by Ojala John on Mar 22, 2009 10:36 PM PDT reply actions

i can't see...

"Joel (30) and Greg for 18 minutes.

LMA (35), Nic (18), Travis (30), Martell (12) get the forward minutes.

Steve (30), Brandon (35) and Rudy (30) get all the guard minutes.
"

roy and LMA getting fewer minutes in the playoffs than they got in the regular season. i think both player around 40 minutes per game.

i also can’t see martell seeing the floor. i love the fact that he wants so badly to come back but we have as much depth at his position as any and this would be an odd time of year to add a guy back into the mix who hasn’t played the entire year.

by colinmarsh on Mar 22, 2009 10:46 PM PDT reply actions

I would love to see Webster play if he is ready

I disagree that the Blazers have depth at the 3 spot without him. Basically you are looking at just Batum. Travis and Brandon have been filling the rest of the minutes at the small forward. Brandon is a natural 2 and Outlaw is more productive at the 4. The Blazers often go with the Blake, Fernandez, Roy 1-2-3 lineup in the regular season, but if those three guys are your entire guard rotation in the playoffs you can’t keep them all out on the floor at the same time for much of the game.

For what it’s worth, I generally agree with the OP about this year’s playoff rotations. LMA might have to go upwards of 40 min a game though. Especially if Oden has trouble staying on the floor due to fouls.

Dunk

by Billy Ray Bates on Mar 23, 2009 8:20 AM PDT up reply actions

I expect LMA and Brandon to each play 42 minutes, at least.

Steve will probably play 35/40 as well. Rudy, Travis, and Nic take up the rest of the 2/3 minutes, with Travis as LMA’s backup and Greg backing up Joel.

Eight man rotation.

draft dejuan blair

by Cablinasian on Mar 22, 2009 10:56 PM PDT reply actions

The less we see of Jerryd and Sergio

The better

by nikolokolus on Mar 22, 2009 11:22 PM PDT reply actions

That's the truth.

by AK1984 on Mar 22, 2009 11:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Amen

Although I’d love to see them play some mop up time. Playoff mop up time. Does that exist?

by keepfryealive on Mar 23, 2009 5:16 AM PDT up reply actions

It sucks that our backup PG has to start

We should really find a starting PG someday

Blazer Fan

by leeroyjenkins on Mar 23, 2009 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah it's not fair that we don't have a top 10 player at ever position!

by Zaig on Mar 23, 2009 9:01 AM PDT up reply actions

I agree for now,

but I hope not to hold this sentiment next year. I want to see T-rex unleashed next year.

by NWfan on Mar 23, 2009 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions

I pretty much agree

with your rotation projections, except I think Blake and Rudy will get more run, and Martell less (unless he has a strong April showing). I also expect a little time (in blow outs) for Sergio and Bayless just because this is still a training year, and Nate will want them to get a little playoff experience for future years.

by crakarjack on Mar 23, 2009 10:41 AM PDT reply actions

The last 2 games...

indicate the trend in playoff rotation mimute, IMO. Major minutes for Pryz, LMA, Roy, Blake, Outlaw, and Rudy. Now that he is healthy, Batum will of course also get minutes, as will Oden depending on his foul situation game to game. That’s eight, and I think that will pretty much be the predominant rotation. Backup PG (Sergio or Bayless) may get a few minutes but won’t be part of the regular rotation, and Frye only sees the court pending injury or a specific situation. Martell will only play if we need a shooter for a specific situation, i.e. end of game.

by socalblazer on Mar 23, 2009 11:04 AM PDT reply actions