Kevin Pritchard declares, "HURRYUP'09 WAS RIGHT!"
by hurryup09 on May 20, 2009 2:39 AM PDT
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PrintOK, that's not exactly what KP said (on The Fan Tuesday afternoon). What he said was that the one thing he took from the Blazers-Rockets playoff series was, "Let's get some toughness and some physicalness in here...We may need to go out into free agency and look at something like that."
Please excuse the "I told you so," but since my earliest comments & posts at BE back in '07, I've been saying EXACTLY that. In fact, I've often specifically cited the Houston Rockets as the type of team who would be able to exploit the Blazers' lack of toughness & physicality during a playoff series--when the intensity always ratchets up and the officials are forced to let a lot of contact go.
What I saw in the Rockets that the Blazers lacked was an abundance of "Maxsaps"--Millsap/ Maxiell type forwards off the bench who bring plenty of toughness and plain old muscle to the playoff fray. During the regular season, you can get away with fielding a trio of beanpole, jumpshooting power forwards like LMA, Trout, & Frye. Even during the playoffs, there's a place for a supremely talented finesse foward like LaMarcus. But you must balance him with some beef, because teams like the Rockets come at you with Maxsaps in waves.
Back when I was saying all this, a few agreed. But a lot more folks didn't see it. They felt that if the Blazers needed any added toughness, the addition of Greg Oden to the roster would fix it. I replied GO and Przy wouldn't be enough: that when the going got rough, those two would be like the little Dutch boy trying to hold back the waters with his finger in the dike. Having a big, tough center isn't enough when the refs swallow their whistles and the opponent has bruising forwards--and available fouls--up the ying yang.
My most controversial suggesting back then was that perhaps the fact that KP had been a point guard caused him to overlook the critical role that physical bigs play on championship teams. After all, the Blazers at that point were fielding four point guards (Jack, Sergio, Green, and Blake), without a Maxsap in sight. (Josh Roberts & Raef LaFrenz? Please!) I suggested this possiblity in a post entitled, "Where's the Beef," and convinced absolutely no one. Our genius GM might have a blind spot? Heresy!!
Well, perhaps KP's point guard background has had nothing whatsoever to do with his failure to field a more physical team up to this point. But judging from yesterday's comments, KP himself has come around to the view that the key missing ingredient on this talent-loaded young Blazer squad is toughness.
Brandon Bass, Big Baby?? I don't know who our Maxsap is going to be, but you can bet that the '09-'10 Blazers will be featuring a back-up forward (or two) who NO ONE is going to shove around. And that will pay big dividends in next season's playoffs.
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What?
Um….join the millions of Blazer fan’s thinking the same thing.
by Sabonis4Ever on May 20, 2009 2:52 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
but he thought it first?
"Fernandez, to my eyes, is the Blazer who walks that walk most comfortably. A lot of Portland's fans (egged on, dare I say, by their local broadcasters) lament things like how Ron Artest or Yao Ming get to hit Brandon Roy's arms.
But I suspect Fernandez sees all that and thinks: We get to hit arms! Cool!"
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-135/On-Playoff-Experience.html
Put it this way...
It doesn’t take a genius, the day after a building collapses, to say, “When we rebuild, let’s make the foundation stronger.” But the guy who had been saying for two years, “That’s a lovely building, but its foundation needs shoring up since this is earthquake country”—that guy might deserve just a little credit.
Building a playoff-bound NBA team without a slew of big, physical forwards is a recipe for failure. But an awful lot of folks around here couldn’t see that—apparently including the architect. Just saying.
But it’s all good. No one died when this building collapsed, and the architect has already announced he’s going to rebuild it with a rock-solid foundation. Onward and upward; ’09 is here!
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Actually, KP kind of saw the need
After all, he did acquire Diogu. He could’ve kept Steve Hill but chose Shav instead. Then he dealt Ike and got Ruffin. He had PFs in quantity, just not quality. So Frye got those minutes by default
If Oden had stayed healthy and out of foul trouble so Nate could use the twin towers a little bit more, they might’ve gotten by…but one more experienced veteran big man banger is like pitching in baseball
you can never have enough
True, Ruffin is a Maxsap
He even has the requisite two consonants together (ala MiLLsap & MaxieLL). And I’m sure KP hoped he could return to the play of his college days. But, unfortunately, those days are long gone.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Hmm
I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve seen hurryup09 bring up the subject of toughness. I’m pretty sure you’ve been a Sergio Fanboy since I joined, and I don’t recall you ever discussing anything but Nate’s Mancrush on Jack or Blake.
2
He's also always trying to trade away Bayless for nothing in return
Just to make more room for Sergio.
Oh Hurryup09, we’re on to you!
Plus he always talks about how his favorite show is The Real Housewives of New York City
Should we be listening to someone like that?
M?
ouch
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
by prezofdeath on May 20, 2009 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions
The Blazers need toughness?
Since when?
It’s interesting to hear Pritchard talk about free agency though. Does he even know what free agency is? Maybe he meant to say the draft and it just came out wrong.
Roy is the best player in the world with the exception of Incarcerated Mike from Queensbridge .
by Nick Van Excellent on May 20, 2009 3:00 AM PDT reply actions
If Tom Penn had left
KP wouldn’t likely have realized you’re supposed to pay players, and everyone wouldn’t have gotten a paycheck, and everyone would leave the team and our reputation would have been ruined.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on May 20, 2009 3:03 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Do you think the draft is going to become a problem for KP?
Like a drug habit that he just can’t kick. An eternal cycle of trading up in an effort to bring in thousands of project point guards.
Roy is the best player in the world with the exception of Incarcerated Mike from Queensbridge .
by Nick Van Excellent on May 20, 2009 3:11 AM PDT up reply actions
omg it's 3 am and im reading this site instead of doing my HW
what is going on here
"Our heroes are people and people are flawed. Don't let that taint the thing you love."
-RK Milholland... or the wisest words ever spoken by a Blazer fan.
by Boss_Raptor on May 20, 2009 3:05 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Good grades are for suckers.
Roy is the best player in the world with the exception of Incarcerated Mike from Queensbridge .
by Nick Van Excellent on May 20, 2009 3:18 AM PDT up reply actions
Is HW slang for some sort of heroine weed combo?
Lay off the drugs man.
I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich
excellent points
by hurryup09 i’ved been saying for the longest time,that this team is too damn soft.this franchise has too many gingerbread men on the roster period.i’ved been saying for the longest,that they needed an enforcer.oden is too much of a nice guy to be that type of player.also most importantly these guys other than the following,roy batum rudy and pryzbilla needs to just start MANNING*UP book it.
The cowards never started
The weak died along the way
Only the strong survived
They were the Trailblazers
Actually, I don't entirely agree
I think Oden is plenty tough; I’ve even seen glimpses of a mean streak in him. (E.g., when he dumped Ray Allen into the photographers at the Rose Garden and when he bulled thru His Highness LeBron.) Nothing soft about that guy at all.
No, I think that, considering their age, the Blazers have a reasonable number of no-backdown-type guys. They just don’t have enough players with the body-types needed to back up their attitudes. Besides the guys you mention, Blake, LMA, and Bayless are plenty tough. The team just needs a couple more beefy guys in the Maxiell/ Millsap mold to balance the line-up.
It’s not so much a matter of standing up to bullies. The Blazers have gotten past that hurdle now. But the team doesn’t have enough of the type of players that can be effective when opponents are allowed to push, shove, and grab them. That’s a very different type of game that what’s played during most of the regular season, and it calls for a different body type—as well as a feisty attitude.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
by hurryup09 on May 20, 2009 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
brian scalabrine!!
if brandon roy played for toronto he'd be brandon waaaaah
by R1cEbUrNeR on May 20, 2009 8:35 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Oooooh yea
I can see that guy playing well here. I’d actually like to have him on our team. A guy that looks like your average Boston strip club bouncer and can play… gotta love that. He’ll love Portland too. He can moonlight.
I'm a really really ridiculously good looking orange mocha frappaccino drinking manhammer sandwich
you laugh
but he’s done more in 1 of the greatest playoffs games of this decade,in detroit game 5 2004 e.c.s.f..playing big for an injured k.martin hit 23 off the bench including the game winning 3 pointer.what did these soft blazers do,other than roy in these playoffs.
took dikembe out?
"Slum dunk? You just go to the rim, and crush.. crush the ball in the rim."
- Nic Batum
WWTSM
not soft
MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)
by The Cactus Leaguer on May 20, 2009 7:38 PM PDT up reply actions
I disagree, clearly the NBA is basketball and not football
Therefore you don’t need super-inflated freaks of nature who’s one ‘basketball’ skill is bumping into other guys.
Oh wait, never mind the NBA is football and yes you do.
Blazer Fan
Is hu09 prescient? Doesn't matter. Here's why ...
Look, “toughness”, and I think people generally mean “physical toughness” is great. As long as it is accompanied by sufficient talent and intelligence, toughness is to be sought after and admired. But I would argue that the Blazers are both physically and mentally tough enough right now. What they really need to do on offense is: (1) move more without the ball, like Rudy; (2) work on passing and the inside game — dribbling, post moves, floaters, layups, bankers and hooks, and (3) run. On defense, they need to (1) improve their perimeter play and (2) learn when and how to double team effectively. Teams that have strong inside games and good defense seem to be thought of as “tough” teams. I agree that to win in the playoffs a team needs to be able to manufacture some easy points and needs to be able to shut down the opposition. That does not require extreme physical toughness; it does require energy, intelligence, athleticism and experience.
I probably should have defined "toughness"
As you suggest, the term means different things to different people. Importantly, KP referred to both “toughness” and “physicalness.” Unlike some, I don’t think the Blazers are a bunch of easily intimidated wimps. The ‘08-’09 team may have had some issues in that regard, but age and the addition of Greg Oden (joining Przy) have alleviated that to a large extent. If LMA weighed thirty more pounds, I think he’d be a bit of a bully, in fact. Same goes for Steve Blake. Those guys have the ’tude—just not the body to back it up.
So I don’t think the Blazers so much lack a tough ATTITUDE as simple physical mass. I’ll bet that if you added up the total weight of the Blazer roster, it would be lighter than the Celtics, Rockets, etc. There just aren’t enough big, strong, guys with massive lower bodies on the Blazers squad.
Players like Bass, Maxiell, and Big Baby are forces of nature; opponents fly off them like bowling pins. My thesis has been that you’ve gotta have at least a couple of those guys on your team if you want to thrive in the playoffs, and the Blazers have none. (I’m not counting Ike Diogu, as you must have game as well as a body.)
Does the physicality of those types of players serve to give bullies pause? Sure. But more importantly, it allows your team to execute on both offense & defense in the ultra-physical playoff environment.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
I suggested this possiblity in a post entitled, "Where's the Beef," and convinced absolutely no one. Our genius GM might have a blind spot? Heresy!!
I actually took this concept one further, suggesting that KP deal Frye/Diogu for Chris Wilcox, back in Jan/Feb. I was told that acquiring Wilcox wasn’t worth the trouble, but he always played well against the Blazers and I was “looking ahead” to the playoffs, because of how the frail Blazers had been pushed around eariler in the year by teams like…Houston, Phoenix (Amare) Denver and even L*A. (I wasn’t advocating that the Blazers sign Wilcox beyond 2009, BTW, and I’m not targetting him as a FA PF right now)
If KP has a blind spot, it’s his lack of action at the trading deadline. He likes to build his roster in the offseason and “let them bake” during the regular season. If the team has a major injury he’ll bring in a “10-day contract kind of player” (Wafer, etc) but in the future he will need to significantly upgrade the roster in mid-stream to improve the team’s post season chances, if he wants to be considered a “full-service” GM
That was my take in February, and I wasn’t pleased to be proved “right” in late April
He doesn't have a track record with a contender yet, though.
“Letting them bake” maybe makes more sense with a young squad, where potential distractions to POSSIBLY get out of the first round might not be worth it.
We haven’t seen yet what KP would do when we are definitely one piece away from a contender.
The cowards never started
The weak died along the way
Only the strong survived
They were the Trailblazers
KP will need to "grow up" as a GM
Just like his team needed to grow up this season.
It was clear enough to many of us that they were ready to “contend” back in February, based on their record and performance. The “let them bake” philosophy was fine for the first half of the season, but there was enough evidence that Frye and Outlaw playing backup PF wasn’t going to be enough to “get it done” in the playoffs. (Of course, the Houston matchup in the first round was the “worst case scenario” that exposed the team’s lack of interior toughness)
Indeed, the season after the all star break was a dissappointment. Imagine what they
could have accomplished had they broke up the team for a couple of used up vets. They might have won 50 games for pete’s sake!
The Blazers have reached the point
where success is not measured by the regular season W-L record. Reputations are made in the playoffs, and a better option at PG and backup PF could’ve made the difference between losing in 6 to Houston and advancing.
Besides, none of the deals I recommended in February would’ve “broken up the team for a couple of used up vets” (unless you envisioned Frye/Diogu as irreplaceable pieces?)
Agreed: Blazer fans shouldn't become too enamored with those 54 wins
Gaudy regular season records don’t mean a whole lot come playoff time. Remember the Dallas Mavericks’ meltdown vs Golden State a few seasons back? The playoffs are truly a different season, played with different rules. A team that’s built for the regular season (as those Mavs were) is doomed to heartbreak in the post-season.
I’m not saying KP needed to pull the trigger at the trade deadline. He might get a better deal on draft day, or even afterwards. But I wouldn’t be too quick to justify KP’s inaction by referencing that 54-win number.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
i think you mean steak, not beef.
http://www.blazersedge.com/2008/3/26/123026/855
"Whatever...I heard Bayless uses a pillowcase as a wallet." --TiH
Yeah, he's such an idiot
Thank goodness he had me to show him the light.
Seriously, I consider KP to be the best GM in the league. In the big picture, it doesn’t matter much that the Blazers didn’t get past the first round this season. I do think that KP shouldn’t have needed a playoff series with the Rockets to recognize the team’s toughness deficit. But, importantly, “Maxsaps” aren’t that hard to acquire. In fact, most of the Maxsaps in the league were second round picks.
So I’m sure KP will address the team’s lack of beef soon—either thru the draft, a trade, free agency, or some combination. A bigger issue is the team’s starting point guard position. Top point guards ARE hard to find. But that’s a subject for another thread…
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Oh snap
KP got Pritchslapped by Hurryup09
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
Of course, I try not to mention that I wanted to "Draft the 'stache"
Oops…
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Carl Landry
He got shot in the leg & came back two weeks later. You don’t get much tougher then that.
We get Conley & Milicic from Memphis
Send Milicic(To Backup Yao now that Deke is gone), our 1st round pick or a few 2nd round picks, throw in the rights to Joel Freeland or Petko to Houston for Landry.
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
by TheGreatDane17 on May 20, 2009 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions
You mentioned Landry in another thread
I really don’t think Houston would give him up, even if I personally believe Darko is a good backup big man.
I’ll take Darko, the guy will rock our worlds.
Morty
They could have used Darko
After Yao and deke went down :\ Just sayin
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
by TheGreatDane17 on May 20, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Darko is a handsome man.
Roy is the best player in the world with the exception of Incarcerated Mike from Queensbridge .
by Nick Van Excellent on May 20, 2009 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions
If he was real tough
He would have taken bullets as he ran towards his attacker, not away… Just saying.
That is weak man.
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
by TheGreatDane17 on May 20, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, I liked Landry in college
He’s a Maxsap for sure (even if he’s not as thick as most).
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
6'9" 250 is not bad
He is a svelt 250 though
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
by TheGreatDane17 on May 20, 2009 3:54 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm guessing 6-7, 240
Maybe someone can check his pre-draft measurements. In any case, heart and attitude are big parts of being a Maxsap, and Landry has always shown those attributes.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
One of my fondest playoff memories will be Mike Rice never failing to mention Landry’s injury.
“And here comes Carl Landry, who was having a great season before he was shot in the leg.”
“Welcome to Portland folks, the Blazers have some catching up to, after shot-in-the-leg victim Carl Landry went on a run.”
I s\wear my Tom Peterson alarm clock got changed to Mike Rice saying “Carl Landry got shot in the leg.”
Diet. Dr. Pepper.
HAHAHAHA
Rec
Offseason:
Trade For Mike Conley Jr
Sign Antonio McDyess & Othello Hunter
Draft Kevin Seraphin/Rodrigue Beaubois(Eurostash)
by TheGreatDane17 on May 20, 2009 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions
k.
is human he has a very big ego,he’s the type of gm who loves his type of players.like hurryup09 and 24larue pointed out,he seriously need to grow up with the great gm’s of this league.also remember he’s made some enemies around the nba.and these gm’s are not dumb.they know pricthard loves the soft gingerbreadmen type of guys.i have to feel that pricthard will swallow his pride and get some real ballers in town.
Just curious: who are the "soft gingerbreadmen-types" on the current squad?
Frye? OK. Trout? Kinda sorta (although I’d say he’s more skinny and uninterested in blocking out than truly soft). Maybe Sergio. Beyond that, no one really comes to mind for me. I think the team just needs to swap Frye & Trout (much as I love both guys) for a couple of strong, quick, talented, and most of all beefy forwards off the bench (preferably vets) to balance the roster. I’m talking guys with wide bodies—with lower body strength to burn. Then I think the team will be fine.
Remember: players tend to get stronger, tougher, and more savvy with maturity, and the Blazers still have the youngest playing rotation in the league.
As for KP’s ego and the enemies he’s made: he has an ego because he’s good, and he’s made enemies because, well, he’s good. That goes with the territory. Where I do agree with you is that many Blazer fans forget that KP is human. To suggest that he’s had a blind spot re/ the critical value of toughness & physicality shouldn’t be sacrilege.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Thanks for the tip on KP's interview
I went to the Fan’s audio vault and listened to the podcast.
All I can say is “it’s about time”
http://audio.1080thefan.com/m/audio/22326299/kevin-pritchard-5-19-09.htm
Good job
One of these days, I’ll learn to do the linky thing myself!
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Just open another browser window (or tab)
then copy the url and paste it in your comments
(podcasts rule)
Yeah, like the Cavs with Big Z, Sideshow Bob, and Joe Smith.
Or the Lakers with Bynum, Gasol, and Odom.
REAL hard hitting ballers.
MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)
by The Cactus Leaguer on May 20, 2009 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Late to the game...
I like your style, dude. Putting it out there and being willing to respond to the backlash. I am one of the guys who thought Oden would be the difference maker in this area. I still think he will. If Oden can stay on the floor, I think a lot of these problems will disappear or at least be greatly reduced.
I do think having a banger to back up LMA instead of Outlaw and Frye would be a bonus. But the team also will lose some of its versatility that makes it tough for teams to match up with them. And where do those minutes come from for that banger? It isn’t like Frye was getting a chance to get into a lot of games last year. It might be a mistake to make changes to get past Houston and then not be able to get past the L@kers.
That said, there will obviously be changes over the summer with four contracts expiring. At least one of those spots needs to be filled by a big guy that can bang inside. I love the idea of McDyess because he can also hit the outside shot and is a veteran who seems like he would fit in with the culture. If you sign him, don’t you have to then make a choice at the SF position and trade either Webster or Outlaw and try to upgrade the PG if at all possible?
I am torn on a lot of these questions. I certainly don’t want KP to overreact and break up the team or even create minutes crunches that lead to bickering etc. I think they will be a better team next year with the 11 guys they have committed to next year…but how much better is the question???
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
I think you raise good questions
If this stuff were cut & dried, then it wouldn’t be interesting, would it? But I feel that because playoff basketball is played at such a higher level of intensity & physicality, you must build your team with that in mind.
Houston isn’t alone in having a slew of big, physical forwards. Boston does as well (or did, until Powe and Garnett went down), and so do most other playoff-tested contenders. Everything is tradeoffs, and if you get rid of Outlaw & Frye, you’ll probably sacrifice a few regular season wins. But history has shown that even if you win 60 regular season games, that won’t help you in the playoffs. Not if your team is soft and lacks low post offense.
The Dallas Mavericks are the cautionary example: they looked like a lock to win a championship (or 3), and came up empty because their game didn’t translate to the post season. Without some more beef at the forward postion, I see the same thing happening to the Blazers. So—it would seem—does KP. The difference is that he was a little late coming to the party.
No sweat: even geniuses have blind spots. Bottom line: KP is willing to reassess.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
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