Why do we need a banger PF?

Many people say lets go and get a back up banger 4. I got news for you. Those mins aren't gonna be there next season-certainly not in the post season when it matters. This year we rotated Przy & Oden at C with spot minutes from LMA and some minutes for travis at the 4. Next season? Greg's minutes should climb pretty quickly as he reconditions himself. I think you're gonna see that eat into LMA's time at the 5 and either Oden/Przy will be in the game at all times. You're already gonna have a banger option as Oden develops, and Przy is NOT a center who feels comfortable more than 2 feet from the basket-so where is this backup PF gonna operate when defenses stack the box/? We're gonna need a backup 4 for only 8-12 minutes a playoff game and that screams Outlaw. He mixes it up, Greg would mask his poor rebounding, and he gives a different look at opposing teams. He needs work, but that's another conversation altogether. At this point, I'm unconvinced that we need a backup banger 4. We could use a starting PG (and move Blake to the backup), but I don't see the need for a backup PF. And I would think experience/a few years would mold Batum into exactly what we need from our wing. So tell me, why do we need a backup PF?

6 months ago nima 27 comments 0 recs |

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A wise Bedger once said

“There’s a difference between two guys banging down low and having two guys that can bang down low.”

by tominrehab on May 4, 2009 12:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

but we were absolutely murdered a few times this year by backup 4s. Remember Reggie Evans scoring 12 points in the first half of the Philly game because we didn’t box him out? That run ended up costing us the game.

I dunno. It would be an incredible luxury to have two dominant rebounders in the second unit, seeing as we have a surplus of jump shooters.

draft dejuan blair

by Cablinasian on May 4, 2009 12:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

LaMarcus played already too many minutes this year. 1 or 2 less per game would be desirable.

And that doesn’t account for any injuries to Joel, Greg or LaMarcus. We definitely need a 4th big man even if Travis is still getting some minutes as a power forward, and preferably a pure 4 (to be acquired) and even an additional guy in reserve who can play 4/5 (Freeland).

by Norsktroll on May 4, 2009 12:41 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

but don't you think Oden's minutes are gonna fly up next year?

off the top of my head, he played probably close to 20mpg this year. Don’t you think with better conditioning and work in the offseason, he’s gonna commit a few less fouls and stay on the court a little longer? I mean I guess in case of injury it could help but I don’t see whomever we could get stepping in front of Outlaw to nab those minutes.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 4, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

sorry that wasn't clear.

i guess it could help in the case of injury, but if there is no injury, i don’t see anyone stepping ahead of outlaw at the backup PF. if there were an injury, i could see us using the person.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 4, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's why we trade Outlaw for a real backup 4

I hate myself for saying this, but Blake/Outlaw/Whatever for Hinrich/Noah would be interesting. I hate looking at Noah, but we could make him play the 4 and our defense/rebounding would be scary on that second unit. The offense would be mehish… that’s what Rudy/Martell and whoever our Point Guard is would be for though!

by Zaig on May 4, 2009 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bingo.

And give Batum T.O.‘s minutes at the three (assuming Webster starts) and the new ’4’ (ahem..CHRIS WILCOX…cough-cough) T.O.‘s minute at the four, plus whatever Channing got plus two more minutes of rest per game (or foul avoidance) for Joel, LMA, and GO. There are more than a few minutes there where we would need a quality contribution. Plus, if we do get in foul trouble against a playoff team dominated by a big man, we won’t get punked (not that we did).

this has been a message from: "The People's Alliance to give Greg Oden at Least a Couple of Seasons"

by bforsythe on May 4, 2009 7:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you want to play more twin towers with Greg as the power forward? Or are Joel's minutes going down a bit?

Both could work, but in the twin towers scenario you need a decent third center, and in the case of redistributing minutes between Joel and Greg you need the second power forward who you should have anyway since injuries happen and LaMarcus was remarkably durable so far.

by Norsktroll on May 4, 2009 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think more twin towers would be fine

I guess the way I look at it is there are 96 mins for PF/C. LMA should avg 35-40. Oden and Przy could both be at 30 or so next season. Lets say one is 25 and the other is 30. That together is 35+25+30 = 90. I think during the regular season you get by with Travis against smaller more mobile PFs and against the bangers, you can definitely put Oden at 4 (for limited mins).

Come playoffs, its all about different looks. Again, if Travis develops his game, he has potential to be a game changer. He has ability-he just needs some skills. This offseason he needs to make adjustments. If I were KP, barring a trade for an elite PG, I’d hold on to Trav until the trade deadline and see where he’s headed in terms of development.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 4, 2009 3:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

draft dejuan blair

by Cablinasian on May 4, 2009 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know anything about college basketball so I wont pretend to.

but I think that’s the idea. If we do forgo the banger PF, we can pick up a PF in the draft and let him play a few garbage mins here and there. We couldn’t do that if we traded for a decent backup PF.

And if we did trade for a decent backup PF, are we trading out of the draft? Are we drafting a foreign project? We don’t need any more 2’s, 3’s, or 5’s..and I doubt we find a PG prospect thats an upgrade on Bayless unless BE’s wet dream comes true and we trade up to 2 for Rubio. That pretty much leaves another 4 and around our spot, we can get a decent role player.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 4, 2009 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what do you think about Hansborough?

I dont know anything about college bball in case i wasn’t clear btw :)

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 4, 2009 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

unathletic

not able to defend 4’s in the NBA, not able to rebound against taller, heavier, more athletic players. Hard nosed, hard working career 12th man.

Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash

by HurraKane212 on May 4, 2009 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because Brandon Roy said so.

by champs2011 on May 4, 2009 12:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you.

Our three bigs will expand their games (and Nate his coaching style) in ways where the Greg, Joel and LaMarcus consume most of our 96 big minutes per game.

Our three smalls will experience the same phenomenon much more easily as Brandon, Rudy and Steve eat up something close to 90 minutes among them.

Martell and Nic will get all of the 48 at the 3 and be looking for more at the 2 or the 4.

Eight deep and we’re outta time folks.

Bedge or go home.

by Ojala John on May 4, 2009 1:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Outlaw's not big enough or active enough to be a decent PF.

He can literally hurdle people but doesn’t attack the glass, play tough D, or go to the hole as much as he should. Those have always been my biggest gripe about his game. He gets eaten up by bigger PFs.

We’ll need some inside scoring on the 2nd unit and a big who has a post game would help that. Neither Pryz nor Oden have that (in Oden’s case I mean yet), and we’ll only have shooters on the 2nd unit. Assuming we keep Blake and pick up pg and pf, that will leave Pryz or Oden, Rudy, Nic or Martell, and Blake on the floor. That’s great on the perimeter but not so much on the interior. I don’t think another face-up power forward helps us much.

I think Outlaw’s outtie. His athleticism and his ability to make big shots are his assets, but the athleticism goes unused too often, his shot selection is terrible, and he was MIA in the playoffs—made me question his rep as a gamer.

by Benjamanic on May 4, 2009 2:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

he was MIA in the playoffs because he doesn't have more than 4 moves.

thats why i hope this off season he will get to work and actually improve his game. He doesn’t seem to have the drive that Roy or Bayless has.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 4, 2009 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

no one set him up really either

with the shortened rotation there wasn’t sergio to find trout camping in the corner for spot up 3s either. so we end up taking a major facet of his game away.

I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer

by Philthyanimal on May 4, 2009 6:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

To Protect Defensive Board

To win a championship, the Blazers need a starting PG and a relentless, tough backup PF. I’ll defer the PG discussion for another day.

I’m a firm believer in dominating your defensive board. The Blazers can dominate their defensive board with a combination of Oden, Pryzbilla and Aldridge on the floor. Another PF ensures that the Blazers have 2 defensive rebounders on the floor at all times. It allows the Blazers to move Aldridge to the 5 without unduly sacrificing the defensive board. How many of us wish that the Blazers would have done a better job of protecting their defensive board in the 4th quarter of Game 4? It cost us game 4 and the series.

The following are the type of PF:

Milsap (Utah)
McDyess (Det.)
Maxiell (Det.)
Bass (Dallas)
Collison (OKC)
Turiaf (GS)
Powe (Bos.)
Noah (Chi.)
Smith (Minn.)
Oberto (SA)
Thomas (SA)
Landry (Hou.)
Hayes (Hou.)
Evans (Phil.)
Thompson (Sac.) – would Sac swap him for Bayless, if Sac gets Griffin in draft?
Lopez (Phx.)
Varejao (Clev.)
Andersen (Den.) – like his game, but way too much baggage
Haslem (Mia.)
Skinner (LAC)

by Turnout on May 4, 2009 4:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

No Chris Wilcox? He's at the top of my list.

this has been a message from: "The People's Alliance to give Greg Oden at Least a Couple of Seasons"

by bforsythe on May 4, 2009 7:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're assuming Przy will still be playing as many minutes.

Oden and Joel will not be playing together for so many minutes every game. That will hurt the rotation of having at least 1 in at all times and lead to LMA playing center. In that scenario it becomes even more clear that we need a banger in PF to grab rebounds and keep opposing post players honest.

Joel will grab 18-20 minutes behind Oden’s 28-30 barring foul trouble. In some games you’ll see the twin towers, others not.

It’s better to have a full time backup 4. A banger type will make us even better at rebounding. Now you say Oden can be a banger, that’s true but we need the pesky type who’s going to throw himself to the ground for a rebound. We don’t really want Oden doing that… Getting a guy to come in for 12-14 minutes a game, rough people up, use his fouls and grab every rebound he can (man I want Blair) is a lot better than forcing Joel or Oden to play out of position.

by Bskey on May 4, 2009 4:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And Outlaw is not that guy.

Sorry, but he’s not going to magically learn to fill that role. I’d love if he did but I don’t see Outlaw changing his play style this late into his career.

by Bskey on May 4, 2009 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

PF

i think one thing is that martell is coming back next season, and will be ballin it up. anyway, this means that either outlaw plays a lot of minutes at power forward or we get a guy like dujan blair and let batum and mertell get all of the small forward minutes. At the same time I love batum, martell and travis and it would be tough to see any of them go, and outlaw is part of the core of this team with alamrcus and roy, his replacement would have to be legit

by StocktonNEP on May 4, 2009 4:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i really think martell is overrated.

he coulda been good, but i’m still not sold. he needed a lot of work already and he hasn’t played for a year now.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, please stop using the following: "Book it.", "FTW", "Epic" & "Fail".

...no seriously--stop.

by nima on May 5, 2009 8:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Three little words

Low….Post…..Scoring

Joel cannot be depended on to score down low, Oden is limited by foul trouble and LA has a brain freeze from time to time. Outlaw has no post game. The Blazers need a consistent off the bench scorer a la Carl Landry. Blair or Hansbrough could fit this role nicely.

by Rip City Reign on May 4, 2009 9:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs