Top Stories of the Pre-Season
by Dave on Sep 15, 2009 12:38 AM PDT
Email
PrintWith training camp opening in a couple weeks one of the big questions is what we'll see and what we stand to learn in the pre-season. In a sense the answer is "not as much as we've become accustomed to". For the first time in recent memory we know that every position will be manned by somebody with experience who is capable of handling the role put before them. Whether those positions will be manned optimally is a separate question, as yet undetermined. But even the Blazers' fall-back position leaves every slot filled by someone we can live with. We're not facing potentially devastating, or even unknown, options. That takes some of the stress off of training camp and the pre-season.
On the other hand the team being stocked with quality players puts more emphasis on how roles and positions will be filled. Battles for limited playing time will provide most of the intrigue early in the year. It's not guaranteed that the rotation that exits October will be the same one featured in January but the initial confidence the players earn from the coaching staff will be a barometer for their early season success. One of the main pre-season questions is going to be "Who's in and who's marginalized?" That's going to make October more exciting even without the excess stress and mystery surrounding the team as a whole.
Given that, here's my shot at the top seven storylines of the pre-season.
1. How many minutes can Greg Oden carve out?
I fully expect Oden to reclaim the starting position this year. Ideally he would come into camp in shape, motivated, and dominating and make a run for it from the start. Delaying the evolution would be somewhat disappointing as it would reflect on his progress. That said, Oden's progress is no sure thing. Based on last year's performance he doesn't have many guaranteed minutes, let alone a guaranteed spot in the starting lineup. The Blazers will want to play him as much as they can but how much that ends up being depends on him. Since he is at the heart of Portland's hopes for improvement this will clearly be the most significant story of the coming month.
2. How the heck is the small forward rotation going to work?
Nicolas Batum showed a lot of promise when thrust into the starting role last year. Martell Webster was also showing signs of finally putting his game all together before he got injured. Travis Outlaw has been the most prominent reserve player for the Blazers the last couple of years. Even with Outlaw playing power forward as well you still have three guys lined up for 48 minutes of time. Will Webster's experience and shooting ability catapult him into the starting lineup? Would Batum be better served being a situational defender off the bench? Does Travis lose or gain minutes? How will all of them be affected by the point guard transition and by Oden's (hopefully) increasing role? This is the position where literally anything can happen which makes this the most exciting story in the offing.
3. Will the Blazers run more on offense?
You don't want to tip your hand completely before the regular season starts but with Andre Miller coming on board there's certainly an opportunity to shift the running game into a higher gear. If that's going to happen it'll have to start coming out in October. Another question lies in the penumbra: How will Miller blend into the halfcourt sets? He's a different kind of point guard than any we've had. If he's effective you're going to see ripples in the offense.
4. Do we finally have a pick and roll defense that works?
Unless the Blazers radically overhaul the defense Miller and Oden are the keys here. Miller is experienced enough to know what Nate wants out of a point guard defending against the screen. He also has enough of a body to manage it. Oden has to be quicker in his rotations in order to help. I expect an adjustment period but I'm hoping for the Blazers to cope much better by the time the season starts.
5. Where do you find minutes for Rudy?
Fernandez' rookie season was a success but the ground rules are changing this year. First of all, Rudy himself is going to want a more significant role. He was visibly frustrated last year with his minutes and the situations in which he was employed. He'll not make it through a duplicate season happily (or probably quietly). Second, the parameters for Rudy finding more playing time have changed. In your rookie season it's all good. Whatever you give they'll be happy with. Defense, dribbling, and continuity are all going to be issues set before Fernandez this year. He could end up with a stellar season. He could end up frustrated. He could end up somewhere in between. Early indications might tip which way the season will go for him.
6. How much has LaMarcus grown and how much can we lay on his shoulders?
While he doesn't have as much growth room left as Greg Oden does, LaMarcus still has room to contribute more. He's obviously the main guy at his position. He's a dependable scorer for whom the door is open to become a world-class scorer. Can he step through that door? You know the Blazers will depend on him as much as they can. His physical strength, mental dedication, and the evolution of his offensive repertoire will help answer that question. It's entirely possible for LaMarcus to be the story of the pre-season if he wishes, and that's even having been the second best player on the team last year. He's got the potential in him.
7. Who comes in shape?
This question will be answered on Day One. It's mundane but it's always important. We've seen the results of players trying to play their way into game shape during training camp and pre-season. The results are often slow progress followed by high potential for injury. If the Blazers really are dedicated to reaching above last year's mark one of the first indications will be their fitness at the start of camp. Anyone who has slacked off can pretty much expect to lose minutes on this roster. Hopefully that's not an issue.
Yes, I left out the point guard battle as I expect this to be the biggest non-story of the camp. I'm sure all of the experimental lineups will be tried. I'm sure Steve Blake will get the chance to start and Jerryd Bayless will get extended minutes somewhere in the pre-season. But when the regular season starts Coach McMillan has a habit of sticking with the odds. The odds say Andre Miller is the starter and there probably won't be much doubt about that.
You may argue with me about the point guard story or about any of them, of course. Feel free to add your own anticipated storylines below as well.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
357 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Oh man
What do you want to bet you just cursed two of the three small forwards? Just don’t get LaMarcus too. That would be bad.
—Dave
i did make it sound like every player was going to get injured, didn’t i?
whoops. sorry about that.
by Ben Golliver on Sep 15, 2009 12:56 AM PDT up reply actions
smh
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:56 AM PDT up reply actions
i blame it on watching andre smith go down on hbo’s hard knocks!
by Ben Golliver on Sep 15, 2009 12:59 AM PDT up reply actions
how much would you pay for a season of Hard Knocks covering the Lakers? I need more Ron Artest.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
not 1/10 as much as i would to have all access to the blazers practices/camp!
by Ben Golliver on Sep 15, 2009 1:02 AM PDT up reply actions
this is true. Yet I have a feeling that it would be a little dull… watching Rudy eat chicken fingers and lament the loss of Sergio while Jerryd tries to beat the wall at wallball would get kind of old, no?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
serious question: when does Bayless get fed up with sitting? This doesn’t seem like it’ll end well.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
After the quotes post-SL, when he talked about just being glad to have a role… I can see that he’ll be frustrated.
My main concern is him going to the media with his frustration. If he could just make it through the year, there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Are there rumblings about Rudy being discontented? The stories that surfaced around his return to Spain seemed to reflect, as Dave wrote, a desire for a different role. Well, he’s looking at the same role with potentially less minutes.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m increasingly less worried about the backup power forward and increasingly more concerned about the chemistry of eleven very good basketball players that will require playing time.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
need to "thin the herd"
Here’s the relevant Rudy quote
- Rudy:“Turkoglu is a perimeter player and we are speaking about almost six for two positions. This makes me think that the team does not give me space for my work. I have demonstrated that I could be more of a factor. I have been surprised with the minutes that I have played but if now they pick up a player in my position, that will stop my progression, and what I want is minutes, so I can improve.”
Of course Hedo isn’t going to be around, but the logjam at the wing positions is still very accute. If “everyone stays healthy” there needs to be a consolidation trade, or the “progression” of several players is going to be…affected
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It they are smart
we will see Rudy’s minutes increase on nights when winning is not the question, the question being by how much. Less wear and tear on Roy means less chance of injury…
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Sep 15, 2009 1:32 AM PDT up reply actions
What if Nate cuts his rotation to no more then 9 players.
This has been rumored.
Everybody may say Travis, but it was pointed out by KP that Nate likes to use Travis when he goes small and at crunch time.
Since BRoy can play the 1, 2, and the 3, it is natural to think it would be one of the role players that will have to go.
If in fact Rudy is disgruntled to the point of being disruptive, it could very well be him. That is of course if Martell can play the 2 as you posters says he can.
I could not choose between the top 11 let alone the top 10.
For curiosity sake: I would love some feedback on this. Will you keep him or will you tell him he has to go?
hg
my .02
I don’t think KP should actively “shop” Rudy at this time. However, if KP has a particular key player in mind that he would like to add to the roster in the future (Devin Harris, etc) he shouldn’t hesitate to include Rudy in the deal. The major problem is that Roy and Rudy both are best when defending SGs, and there won’t be enough PT at that position for the two of them
(the risk for KP is waiting too long, and let Rudy get disgruntled and request a trade. This will drop his trade value in any potential deal)
my best guess is that Rudy has about 15-21 months in a Blazer uniform before this PT conflict hits critical mass, unless Brandon misses some significant time due to injury
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Rudy didn't make all the sacrifices it took
for him to move to America and play in the NBA to settle for backup minutes at three positions. He was a young, rising star in Europe and he clearly wants to become a star in America. I believe he will not be happy with anything less than being the starting SG for a winning team.
Brandon getting injured would only be a temporary improvement.
We might be seeing the same situation at SF. If both Martell and Nico prove they are full-time starting NBA forwards, neither will be happy playing backup minutes. Nico at least could back-up Brandon at the 2 if need be, so if KP trades Rudy we could see a situation like Nico getting 30 minutes a game backing-up Martell and Brandon, or Nico starting at SF and backing-up Brandon.
I’m guessing Rudy will be dealt next summer.
The European view is different
I don’t think Rudy cares that much about starting. He would be happy with a Manu role.
But he will want to get 30 mpg — maybe 25 if we’re blowing people out every game and the fourth is garbage time half of the time.
Most importantly, he’ll want to play in a style that fits his game. He’ll want running, motion, opportunities to create, etc. This guy is an incredible talent in a free-flowing offense, and only a spot-up shooter in a “stand around and watch Brandon” offense. He won’t want to play in the latter, even if he’s starting.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
A healthy Brandon means 12 mpg at SG for Rudy
+ a healthy Martell and Nico means no minutes at SF for Rudy
+ a healthy Andre, Steve, and Jerryd means no minutes at PG for Rudy
= Rudy wants out.
Of course Rudy wants to win championships, but it won’t be meaningful to him unless he has a major role in it. To use an extreme example, Wally Walker won a ring with the Blazers in 1977 and with the Sonics in 1978. He averaged, what, 0.3 minutes a game? Does anyone think Wally feels the same way about those titles that the starters on those teams feel? Does anyone really believe that Rudy wants to win a title while playing 12 mpg?
I think Rudy will soon decide he would rather go to a team like the Hornets or Knicks, where he can be a starter, and hope they become contenders, than play a minor role on a stacked team like the Blazers.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Agreed. Nico is the same. His comment about playing “Portland-style” in a bad game against Belgium where he just stood around were a pretty clear sign how he wants to play and be used offensively – while still focusing on defense which also is his calling card with the French national team coach.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
Agreed about the role thing
with regards to Nic and Rudy potentially playing elsewhere, people seem to be setting it up as too much of a false choice, i.e. either they play for championships in whatever role they have here or they get to be the centerpiece of a perennial lottery team, so of course they’d rather be here.
The idea that they could be playing in a preferred role for a winning team that isn’t the blazers just never enters into the equation for some reason. Sure, with the CBA rules we can control their futures to a certain extent, but it just irritates me to see posters basically completely ruling out that possibility
Two points
1. Starting next year, no one else has a chance to win a championship. I have said so and therefore it is true.
2. If KP trades either of those guys, he will do his dead level best to trade them to someone where they won’t come back to hurt us in the playoffs.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Responses
1. Fair enough. Point conceded.
2. Understandable, and I can see him refusing to trade them to someone in the NW or possibly the WC, but if we get a great offer from a good EC team. The odds of playing any individual team from the East are pretty slim, so turning down a better offer from one may be counterproductive.
money talks
when players are young and (relatively) underpaid, they tend to think more towards their playing time/stats leading to a more-lucrative next contract
Rudy = Drazen Petrovic…who left a finals team to star for Joisey
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
You are correct here
It is about getting the attention to be paid. It is also about being a hero in their own country.
The role Manu has played has accomplished both. It is possible for Rudy to do the same. Nic will become the starter in his time, depending on becoming consistent and handling stronger players.
JB's mantra this year is probably "Don't worry Jerryd. They'll trade Blake or let him walk. They'll trade Blake or let him walk."
While Rudy’s mantra is something like “Vámonoooooooooooos!”
There's Gotta Be More To Life
hahahah.
What is Jerryd’s mantra next year after McMillan and Roy force KP to resign Blake?
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
somebody needs to post
a rampaging T-Rex jpg, complete with bloody fangs and claws
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I second this
What happened to that guy doing photoshops in a fanpost a few weeks ago?
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
We're talking about the 3rd string point guard
I don’t understand why people worry about Bayless going to the media with his frustration. If he was a man, he would step up and earn his playing time.
I guess my concern is that
he would be grumbling at all. Bayless holds the key to not sitting. Until he shows he can be effective consistently, Nate will probably not give him much time. He needs to make it impossible for Nate to sit him. IMO, he hasn’t done that yet. Not even close.
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on Sep 15, 2009 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
Agree
A player who can run the court and dunk (as he did in his first Vegas stint) doesn’t show how he can take on a complex offense. He showed his lack of ability to do that in his second Vegas stint.
I’m not saying the kid doesn’t have a lot of talent. He just has a lot to learn. Whether he can do that on this team or not is yet to be seen. Will he get the minutes to develop? Probably not in the next two years with two seasoned PG’s taking up most of the minutes.
Love Bayless. But he may take more time than most on this blog want to believe to develop. If we’re talking about going deep into the playoffs this year, a young, unseasoned PG is probably not going to play. That might mean his becoming disgruntled.
I hope he stays positive and sticks it out the next two years. I just don’t think he’ll get the playing time needed to develop the necessary skills to be a starting or backup PG on the Blazers in the upcoming two years.
Folks, this is why I ramble like a crazy person about roster balance.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
I love crazy-person rambling.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
It’s entirely possible for LaMarcus to be the story of the pre-season if he wishes, and that’s even having been the second best player on the team last year.
agreed. if aldridge succeeds in stealing the headlines from miller i think that will be a great indicator.
Thanks Dave--Good Read!
1. Greg starts. He will have a huge season. My guess is 17-pts, 12-rebs, 3-blks per game. Possibly gets 30 min a game and most improved player?
2. Martell starts, Batum plays defensive roll specialist type, Trav gets few minutes here.
3. YES! I cant wait for the Miller Time run n gun-and lobs to Oden or even Rudy aka Speedy Gonzalez!
4. Tough question . Only time will tell.
5. Rudy needs more minutes or he might be a goner next season. And thats a shame. Where those minutes come from, I dunno! But our 2nd unit is still one of the best if not the best in the entire league. Rudy is majorly why. Now our 2nd unit will have our (ex)starting pg Blake running the show, it just keeps getting better!
6. This will be LMA’s 1st All Star appearance, put it that way. He is gonna blow up this year.
7. Most of our cats will be in good shape I expect, but not exactly game shape—LOL! But thats what camp and preseason are for!
8. Technically there was no 8. but you mentioned th PG issue. Andre will start, Blake will back him. Bayless rides the pine.
The Dude: Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!
by cavejunctionblazer on Sep 15, 2009 1:05 AM PDT reply actions
good night yall
its time for me to crash out!!!!!!!!!!
The Dude: Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!
by cavejunctionblazer on Sep 15, 2009 1:06 AM PDT up reply actions
The biggest issue going forward is one Gregory W. Oden. It’s pretty crucial for him to be in shape and have at least a primitive post game.
However… the battle I’m most intrigued by is Martell Webster v. Nico Batum. Batum’s defense and efficiency on offense were terrific last year, and his stellar play in Eurobasket has only further cemented the thought that he will be much improved this season. Having said that, Martell is Nate’s guy, a small forward who is the prototype of what the high-low zone offense requires.
While I personally view Nic as the future at the 3, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Martell supplant him as the starter, joining a lineup of Lloyd Miller, Brandon, LaMarcus, and Greg.
It’s Nate, who am I kidding. Travis will be playing big minutes and the Martell/Nic debate won’t have a winner.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 1:05 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I start to think if KP wants to see Batum develop and that forward conundrum be resolved, he has to take one of Nate’s toys away and either trade Travis or Martell at the deadline. He needs to see if Martell is back on a path to be at least a solid backup if not more before making a decision of course. Right now he has next to no trade value and it would be foolish to make that decision too soon. Travis seems prepared to have a good contract year, no matter where it ends.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
I completely agree
I think this is a case where KP may have to take matters into his own times if he wants to develop Batum— I would not put it past Nate to play him the fewest minutes of the SF trio, even if his play is the best.
I don't see that at all
It’s Nate’s job to win games. Why would he bench his best SF? Batum won’t be a rookie anymore so Nate won’t have that excuse and Batum has proven he can play.
You wouldn't.
He ended up playing a 19 year old French guy with an extremely limited offensive game over one of the better 6th men in the league. That takes some guts. He also stuck with Batum through spurts when he was playing some really god-awful basketball.
He let James Jones and Ime Udoka walk, which were both good ideas even though people second guessed them at the time.(some crazies still do) I’m not sure I can recall anything that Nate has done that would lead anyone to believe he doesn’t know who his best SF is. When it comes down to it it’s probably going to depend on who Roy prefers to play with.
Either Batum will have matured with age or Webster will have bounced back from injury. Neither has happened yet so we won’t know until the season starts.
Patience.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Switch their minutes and we lose more games.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
We can’t forget Batum’s slump in December. He would have killed us playing major minutes.
I do think that if Batum had played all of Travis’ 3 minutes we would have won more games.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions
I know.
Unless you have a time machine and a Nate McMillan body suit I’m not sure how we can figure it out. I guess we can agree to disagree.
There were games when Batum literally did nothing on offense. Outlaw is inefficient, but he can still put points on the board. Someone else needed to create off the dribble and the only guy who could do it consistently was Travis.
Next year might be a different story. Even a little more offensive output from Batum and I think it pushes him over the top, but for now I would still play Outlaw more minutes. That’s not the trendy position to take but statistically I don’t see any evidence that Batum would have added to our win column.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Adjusted +/- liked Nic over Travis by a fair margin.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Is that true?
I stand corrected.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Nic was a +4.13, Travis was a -1.85. Link.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
So?
All of Nic’s PT was with Brandon and LMA.
I’m with NVE re: last year.
I’m not now. Last year, we needed Travis to be an offensive threat. This year, we need him to be efficient. We’ve got other ways to create offense this year.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I've said it before
but basing any argument on Nic’s APM is just flawed. The stat itself is inherently noisy, as any sabermetrician with any familiarity with it will tell you, but when you add in the ridiculous collinearity between Nic’s minutes and having both Roy and Aldridge on the floor at the same time, it distorts it further.
Just look at the efficiency on/off splits from basketball value. We were actually slightly worse defensively with Nic on teh court and MUCH better offensively with him on the court. Given that anyone with eyes could see that Nic was not a great offensive player last season, why would this be the case?
Oh, wait, looking at the raw lineup data from bballvalue for both guys, it appears that Nic played 89% (!!!!) of his minutes with BOTH Roy and Aldridge on the floor and a total of 3% of his minutes with neither on the floor. Outlaw played only 42% of his minutes with both of them on the floor nad 9% of his minutes with neither on the floor. Even though APM attempts to adjust for the quality of teammates and opponents, it’s just not possible to get a valid reading with such a ridiculous sample size.
Looking at Nic’s +/- is basically looking at out +/- with our best two players on the floor, which, unsurprisingly, is a lot better than when they aren’t on the floor. I don’t mean to imply that Nic was awful, but one of our best 4 players? Let’s be honest here.
Adj. +/- has flaws, but it does a decent job in many cases. If this was true, wouldn’t LeBron’s teammates (Mo Williams) have incredible adj. +/- because they play with LeBron?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Mo Williams played approximately
15% of his minutes without LeBron, also, which totaled roughly triple what Nic played with only one of Aldridge or Roy on the court and sextuple what Nic played with neither of them on the court. Saying those sample sizes are anywhere near the same is just a false equivalence.
I’d guess that it’s similarly the case for the other members of the Cavs as well.
but he played 85% of his minutes with the best+/- player in the game. That’s a large, large sample.
Sure, adjusted /- has a lot of noise… but if does a decent job weeding out the fakes. LeBron and Wade’s teammates were almost all negatives and the stars played 75% of the team minutes.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
I'd guess a lot of that is due to the fact
that it’s a heck of a lot easier to control for one player than it is to control for two given that Lebron represents 25% of the total number of players to be controlled for whereas the Roy/Aldridge combo represents 50% of what would need to be controlled for by the analysis.
And regardless, the fact remains that the entirety of Nic’s APM “contributions” come from our improved offense while he’s on the floor. Just using the sniff test, how would it make more sense that a guy who had a minimal role in the offense, shot a pretty mediocre %, and barely touched the ball had the 5th greatest positive impact on the offensive end? I’m not saying that I don’t think APM has a lot of validity, but that Nic’s case is somewhat skewed by the oddities in his minute distribution.
He undoubtedly had a positive effect (although most likely due to the fact that his presence meant more of the offense ran through Roy and Aldridge), but it’s just skewed towards the positive in his case. If we’re going to dismiss something like PER because it has known issues, why are we ignoring the acknowledged issues of a less well known metric?
I’m not ignoring that there is an issue with isolating Batum’s impact on the game.
It’s not like adjusted +/- is disagreeing with every stat. That would be suspicious. It agrees with virtually ever stat but PER.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Did I say anything about Pelton's or others?
Which is why I replied to the post about APM favoring him by a wide margin, which actually (outside of Wow) would be considered a fairly distant outlier in terms of showing Nic as “much” better than Outlaw last year. Kp2’s win % shows Nic ahead by a little bit, but still fairly equivalent. I have my own issues with WoW, but I don’t think this really needs to be taken in that direction.
I guess I just don’t see this overwhelming set of evidence that Nic was way better than Outlaw. There’s enough to make a pretty decent argument, but it’s in no way the open and shut case that it’s beiing made out to be.
I think statistical plus minus is useful because it correlates APM with things that actually show up in the boxscore-- ie things Nic actually did
and, like with APM, Nic is in positive territory (+0.99, 6th on the team behind Roy, Rudy, Oden, Blake and Aldridge) while Outlaw was in negative territory at -0.70.
I agree its not an open and shut case, but I definitely give a significant edge to Batum, and he was a 20 year old rookie while Outlaw was a 24 year old 6th year pro.
well, SPM is regressed to pure PM
and pure PM doesn’t even attempt to account for quality of teammates, so we’re regressing to an even steeper line here. Given that Nic’s situation is somewhat unique, I think it provides a more accurate description of the situation than APM does here, but since their roles were so different, I really just don’t believe that Nic could have done what Outlaw did.
Their TS% were nearly the same, except Outlaw did it with over 1.5 times the usage that Nic did. Scoring efficiently at a decent usage % is one of the hardest things to do in the league. If we’re just going to look at TS% as a measure of offensive contributions, we might as well be arguing that Rudy was a better offensive player than Roy, or that Joel was better than Aldridge.
Besides, the lineup that Trout played in most often without Roy or Aldridge was him, Sergio, Rudy, Joel, and Frye. That lineup is already woefully short on shot creators (88.8 total usage). If you swap out Nic ofr Travis that leaves you with a lineup of 80% total usage. As research done by a current Rockets analyst has shown, that would probably lead to a pretty awful offensive lineup, even though those are all decently efficient players (except Sergio).
that's a great link-- really interesting.
Its worth noting that though they had similar TS%, Batum had a significantly better Orating (117 to 111), though your point about usage is important and well taken.
Taking defense into account, I’m still sticking with my opinion that giving Batum more minutes would have led to more wins.
Really fascinating link
I am moving on to the rebounding diminishing returns one as well.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Nice - but does this mean that Memphis will be highly efficient
with 5 scorers forced to diminish their usage by the possessions available?
(tongue in cheek). This requires additional homework to more fully understand.
And I am on to the rebounding as well.
I think you are right to be skeptical
However, stats like statistical plus minus, KP2’s Win % (which is basically WARP adjusted for playing time), etc. also like Batum (better than Outlaw, among others).
PER prefers Outlaw but adjusted plus/minus, WP48, offensive rating, defensive rating, TS%, WARP adjusted for playing time, etc.
all prefer Batum. I think the majority of APBR sabermaticians would give Batum the edge… Hollinger would probably be the only holdout.
Nate also stuck with Travis through some awful basketball. He likes to play the guys he feels comfortable with. It’s arguable that he is more comfortable with Martell and Travis than Nico.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions
How about plantains?
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions
It depends a bit on style. Nic might quickly become the most well-rounded small forward (SF tending towards guard by how he plays with France), but if Martell is the better corner shooter he has a place in Nate’s system. And Travis is the best at creating his own shot when nothing else works and is the best to play both SF and PF as needed with no better backup on 4, so he has a spot, too.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
The addition of Miller
reduces the value of Travis’ ability to create his own shot.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
the definition of "tension"
is when Travis goes “outside the offense” to create his own shot, when Miller is also on the floor
this could get interesting
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I don't think there will be any trades during the season
KP has demonstrated that he does not like doing that, even when he has had prime players and trade assets in his pocket. If no trades happen before the 1st preseason game, then none will happen until draft day.
I get the paper, so I don't care!
He may do it
Once he feels the team is approaching the apex of their production curve. There may be a point where he says, “Ok, we’ve seen what we have. I don’t expect much more improvement from our young players, so it is time to make a move.” However, I think he values culture and team chemistry more than the risk of a mid-season trade. They can go either way a la Rod Strickland for the Blazers or Rasheed for Detroit.
I get the paper, so I don't care!
past performance does not (always) predict future behavior
observers may say that KP does not prefer to make a midseason deal, but he did trade Taurean Green for Von Wafer during the season, a few years back
So, if there’s an injury, or another compelling reason for KP to pull the trigger at or before the trading deadline, I suspect he’ll be up to the task
and the not-so-fragile team chemistry will somehow survive
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Oh
When I read your title line, I thought you were saying Snake might not flip out, because his past performance does not always predict future behavior.
I’m willing to bet that if KP makes no move by the trade deadline, Snake will flip out, unless we are winning 80%+ of our games.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
What? ON THE INTERNET????
PEOPLE FLIP OUT!?!!
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I forgot about Green and Wafer, but they were hardly anything but end of the bench players. You could argue that RLEC was even further to the end of the bench.
But, he has recently stated that he wants to see the team together for a season before he makes impactful (probably not a word) trades. Maybe he learned something from the Green/Wafer trade.
I get the paper, so I don't care!
The Green for Von Wafer trade and the Diogu for Ruffin trade both seemed to be for the benefit of the players
Who were not going to play here. It did help Diogu when he finally got a chance.
so, maybe KP will deal #25
when it becomes clear (to Travis’ agent, at least) that Outlaw’s career would be better off elsewhere?
After all, more PT = more shots = “out of this world” $ in July
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Interesting quote from Nate re: Batum
In EuroBasket championship play, Batum has made 5 of 13 three-pointers, including 3 of 5 against Croatia. That might need to improve even more if Batum is to hold onto his starting spot with the Blazers, particularly considering that shooting is Webster’s strength.
“I think for his sake, it needs to get better,” McMillan said, referring to Batum’s long-range shooting.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/09/blazers_batum_blossoms_on_fran.html
The SF battle lines are already being drawn…
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
That's a great statement
We don’t need it to get better, but he needs it to. That tells me Nate sees Martell draining a lot of 3s.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
small sample size much? Nate is just preparing for a Martell victory in training camp.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Any small forward who hits 3 of 5 for the Blazers and helps with other little things can be the starter. Martell hit a bit more in his last healthy season, but it would have amounted to one more made three every 10 to 15 games. Even if he hit 1 more every game it wouldn’t be automatic.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
3 of 5 was just for one game
he’s 5 of 13 for the tournament, and the NBA 3-pt line is further out, I believe
if Miller starts at PG the 3pt% at the SF could be more important than those “little things”
it’s going to be a battle in camp, and I don’t think any of the coaches’ minds are already “made up” who will start at the 1,3,5
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It is, but Nic is shooting a similar percentage. And Martell was only about 2% better, admittedly on more attempts. But it’s not like Nic can’t shoot threes at all.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
Start whoever is hot during the shootaround.
If he cools-off during the game, bring-in the other guy. If he can’t hit a shot either, move Rudy over there, cuz he’ll need the minutes anyway.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Start whoever is hot during the shootaround.
Seriously? I’ve seen Rudy miss most of his threes in warmups and then get hot during a game. Warmups are not something on which to judge players.
There needs to be continuity in the starting lineup. Can’t be flipping the lineup based on warmups.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
In fact, the team shouldn't even be allowed to start the game
until they hit one of those ball columns where five or six drop into the net like BBs through a funnel.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions
There's a huge difference...
between a Webster 3 and a Batum 3.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Martell’s threes were probably a bit more difficult and he took more. Nico only shot when he was wide freakin’ open.
I still say Nic is the guy… but three point shooting is still a solid advantage for Martell.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
he took some coming off screens, didn’t he?
Nic shot if there was no one within five feet of him. In Houston, they conceded him shooting the ball and clogged the paint.
While Nic’s overall game is much better, Martell is still a shooter. Let’s see how he performs with the personnel Nico played with.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Martell is pretty bad coming off screens. Worse than Travis. Or was. But I just don’t see how he has improved that while being injured.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
Martell's only problems have been mental
and that certainly could have improved while being injured.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Reports indicated that he started to realize he was “uncoachable” in his early years, and he vowed to change that during the off-season two years ago, but then he was injured in the preseason, so we never saw the fruits of his work (except that awesome show he and Rudy put on against the Kings).
I get the paper, so I don't care!
Yes and no
This comes down to coachability, IMO, which was an acknowledged mental problem in the past.
A coachable player learns how to use picks pretty quickly. It isn’t rocket science. I thought there was some progress on that front in his third season.
Ball handling is something that can be improved with practice, if he just decides to work on it, which again is a coachability issue. However, to me ball handling isn’t a major issue with the role Nate has had him play. The last we saw of Martell, he was indeed mediocre, which is an improvement over what he had been.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
a few percentage points don't really matter
what matters is that the small forward is enough of a threat from 3pt range to keep the floor spaced.
I don't remember that.
Batum had way more space.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't disupute that Batum had way more space or that Webster is a better shooter
but let’s not forget how inconsistent Webster has been (even on wide open threes) over his career.
Batum was very inconsistent last year as well. Rudy had a rough few months where he struggled from three. Travis couldn’t hit a three in the last two months of the season.
I think shooters are commonly inconsistent.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions
volume shooting is difficult, though. i think we can agree that Rudy’s 40% and Martell’s 39% are a mile ahead of Nico’s 37%?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions
they are obviouslty better shooters
I don’t know if I’d say a mile better in Webster’s case— Rudy, it seems to me, took a lot more contested threes (e.g. his step backs) than Webster did.
Rudy is a fantastic shooter, arguably better than Steve. I’d say that Martell falls around Steve’s level, who shot 40.6% in 2008.
Give Martell the looks that Nico got this year and he’ll push 41-42%.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
you're saying they're consistently inconsistent?
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
I guess.
But Webster shot 39% on 317 attempts, compared to Batum’s 37% on 168 attempts.
That’s a big difference in my mind.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Batum was also much better at taking it to the hole
Batum has handles that Webster prays for every night.
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
which is why he’s a better player.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Don’t you think this is a bit of a moot point? There’s a solid chance that Rudy will want out of town next summer, so Batum/Webster/Roy will be our wing rotation.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
Do you see a scenario that Rudy is happy after this year? I’m having trouble seeing it.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
didn’t he say when he went back to Spain that he wanted a bigger role in the offense?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions
I think we should all root for Martell to be the kind of shooter that we can use in Rudy’s role. I have a hard time believing that he’s a long-term Blazer.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Martell will never have anywhere near Rudy's vision or passing ability
or his ability to create his own 3 pt attempt at the end of the shot clock.
Rudy may not be a long term Blazer but Martell won’t be the new Rudy.
isn’t that the point, though? We didn’t fully utilize Rudy’s skillset last year. Martell could potentially fill the void of the specialized three-point shooter that Rudy was last year.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
I'd feel ok about it.
I would miss Rudy’s passing, but having a legit PG rules everything.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
I think Rudy's cutting and movement will be missed even more
I also think those are areas where he felt he wasn’t being utilized, so if he does more than just shooting threes then it’s much more likely he’ll enjoy his role.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
I’d argue that Martell can do the things we ask Rudy to do.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Rudy wasn’t drawing fouls or attacking the basket to get that TS%. That’s from shooting threes at 40%, something Martell can do.
Martell is not the passer Rudy is. I’d give him the edge on defense, though.
Rudy > Martell but sometimes the decision isn’t about talent. It’s about Rudy not wanting to be here and Martell being a decent option.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Rudy might want out next summer, but the Blazers would be wise to try to make it work first.
Play a Roy/Rudy backcourt. Play Roy at SF. Cut Outlaw’s minutes. Get Rudy on the court 30 mpg.
Cut Outlaw’s minutes? He’s projected to play at the 4. That wouldn’t help Rudy.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Rudy gets more touches
Brandon can slide over to the 3 more. Because, c’mon, Travis WILL play some 3 if he is here.
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions
my point was that even if Travis plays no 3, there still aren’t enough minutes for Rudy as Nic and Martell will demand at least 34 minutes. That would leave 26 minutes for Rudy at the 2 and 3.
I believe Outlaw will be moved.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
I would be fine with Nic seing ~28 minutes, Rudy seing ~32 and Martell riding pine.
Won’s happen, but I’d be fine with it.
Rudy and Bayless could bring us an awesome point guard in return.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Martell, Rudy, Jerryd, and filler for CP3.
Don’t yell at me, if I hadn’t started a new “we have to trade for Chris Paul” thread, someone else would have.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
crap. Now we’ll have fifteen fanposts.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions
why don't we just find a time machine and go back and DRAFT CP3
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
I suggested that once.
I’m surprised Norsktroll hasn’t done that by now.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 16, 2009 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not talking about shooting form.
I’m talking about having a quick release, being able to get it off with a hand in your face, etc.
Martell didn’t enjoy the same kind of spacing when he was shooting 39% (317 attempts), that Batum had when he shot 37% ( 168 attempts).
Twice as many attempts, less space, and a better percentage. I think it’s a pretty slam dunk case that Webster is the better shooter by a mile.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
in terms of volume and percentage, or just percentage?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
a problem is the mindset of opposing teams. Teams often concede Nic the shot and challenge Martell. If it gets to the point that they don’t concede Nico the shot, then he’s arrived. That would help our offense immensely.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
You're right, that's the key
It isn’t the made 3s, it’s the spread defense that is important.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I would bet my entire bank account you are wrong.
Within a year from this date? Possible, but extremely unlikely.
Webster’s 3pp has improved every season. I don’t see it slipping with the extra spacing he’ll have next season.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions
I think Webster will be around the same % as his 3rd year.
and I think Batum will get to around the same %, possibly higher. He still won’t have as many 3 pt attempts/minute as Martell though.
why do you predict a decline in Martell’s percentage when nearly every Blazer’s shooting improved last year, potentially due to spacing?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
That's not an "equal" shooter then.
Attempts matter.
by Nick Van Excellent on Sep 15, 2009 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions
fair enough, but part of the reason Nic will have fewer attempts...
… is that he is better at doing other things on offense than Martell is.
I think there is just too much talk about Andre Miller. People are really overrating what he is going to
bring to this team. I’d really rather have Blake start and have Miller bring some life to our second unit. If Miller can’t shoot the 3 ball at the rate Blake can I’d rather him just come off the bench.
I don't mind if Blake starts
But at the end of the game I want Miller…
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Sep 15, 2009 1:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Starting top point guards who “can’t” shoot threes (<35% or even much lower): Parker, Harris, Rose, Sessions (probable starter), Davis, Williams, Westbrook, Ford, (Arenas), … And other guards like that Dwyane Wade (who for some reason quadrupled his attempts last season), Monta Ellis, …
Yes it’s nice if they can, but it shouldn’t be the main criteria to determine who starts or closes out games when he otherwise is a great player. Maybe Blake does start and it’s great for Nate to have two reliable options depending on matchups and health, but Miller will finish when it matters. They didn’t bring him in to just play with a second run-and-gun unit. No way that was what KP, Nate and Miller talked about in their discussions.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
by Norsktroll on Sep 15, 2009 2:20 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
Thanks Norsktroll
I completely agree that the 3-pt excuse for not starting Miller is running a bit thin. Sure we have all seen Nate expect the point to shoot 3s, but that was because our PG was not able to do much else.
by BlazerFanFromDenver on Sep 15, 2009 7:38 AM PDT up reply actions
OTOH
If Miller beats out Blake for starting PG, as many expect him to do, it could signal a shift in the starting lineup at the SF, with Webster replacing Batum to provide at least one long-distant threat at the beginning of each half
and Oden starting at center to “pair” with Andre is another strong possibility, so that makes 3 “new” starters from a team that won 54 games…and I’m not sure Nate wants to go there. So, Andre may need to bring something a little “extra” to camp, if he wants to supplant Blake and start these dominos falling
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Oden did start in like 25 games last year
And if I remember correctly the winning percentage was pretty good when he started. Lets also remember that it was 54 wins and a 1st round loss. IF the team is to improve changes will be made in the starting line up. My bet is Oden, Aldridge, Webster, Roy, and Miller. Possibly Batum instead of Webster if he can shoot better at distance. Oden I going to show us what he is about this year 15Pts 13 rbs and 2 blocks a game.
O.R.
believe me, I haven't forgotten the 1st round loss
but Nate has vauled keeping the starting lineup together in his summer comments re: Blake, so I doubt that changing 3 lineup spots is high on his “want to do” list
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
true, but having the same rotation or the same 4th quarter lineup matters more
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Oden started 39 games, Joel 43
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Yes and Portland was 28-11 in those games or 71.8% wins
Leaving Joel with 43 games 26-17 or 60.5% wins. And one of Greg’s starts was game 1 in LA where he was hurt after 13 minutes (probably a loss anyway).
I also agree
that this argument about Miller’s range is tiresome. One of the criticisms all last year about Portland was that it was a jump shooting team. Who cares if Miller can’t shoot the three? He wasn’t brought in to do that, he was brought in to run the offense and attack the rim. Blake ran the offense well, but was not very effective at driving to the basket. Miller will improve that, thus taking some pressure off of Roy.
Trust me, Paul Allen will be very upset if he sees Andre Miller on the bench at the start of game 1. He isn’t paying him $7 million this year to be a back up PG.
Paul played Raef to not play for the past 3 years...
Allen is not going to start making playing rotation mandates, at most he will ask what Nate and KP’s strategy is…and they should both have a lot of “leash” considering how the team has improved from 21 to 54 wins over the last few years
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Mainly worried about the Rudy/Roy situation
it all depends on injuries, but if we actually have healthy small forwards this season then there will be less reason to stick our Shooting Guards ie Roy/Rudy into the Small Forward position minutes. I like to see Roy at 30-40 minutes a game instead of 48. I realize he is an all-star and all that but I’d liked to minimize the injuries. With PG finally filled I don’t see Rudy getting any PG minutes so he’ll get 10-18 in SG (if he is lucky) and maybe a few in SF, but ? I don’t know, I don’t see him being okay with that…
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Sep 15, 2009 1:37 AM PDT reply actions
Seems to me that LMA,Rudy and Nic would get the most out of playing time with Dre
Steve is good at what he does along side Roy ,Miller is better at every thing else and shifting gears between a half court,iso for Brandon game to a using the talent we have running the court mode might not be an easy thing to do several times a game
by southern oregon on Sep 15, 2009 1:44 AM PDT reply actions
Travis will have to get some minutes at the 4 in order to get any decent playing time
Which is just as well because we don’t have a real backup PF at the moment. Webster can be Batum’s backup, and Outlaw can be Aldridge’s backup. If we ever sign a true PF, I think Travis will be the odd man out. I love the guy, and I think he’s the most entertaining Blazer to watch on the floor, but I don’t think he’ll fit in once we get a true backup PF.
Travis will fit in.
KP, said that Nate likes Travis when going small, at crunch time and IMO, he would be great in an uptempo slot at 4 with Miller. Cunningham can probably back up LMA as good as Travis, but it has been said that he can’t keep up with Travis running the floor.
hg
Nobody gets out of camp alive...
1. 28
2. a. Batum starts, plays 4-6; Webster 4-6, Rudy 2
b. Webster 4-6; Batum 4-6; Outlaw 2
c. Batum 4-6; Webster 4-6; Rudy 2
d. Webster 4-6; Batum 2; Roy 6; Rudy 2
3. Yes – Miller will run, right at the hoop.
4. Pick n’ Roll YES. Pick n’ Roll Defense? That’s gonna be a work in progress. See 6 for weak-side help, and LMA getting blamed for letting all those “Scolas” score.
5. 16 behind Roy, 8 in a 3-guard rotation. He is expected to be able to score; he will have to earn his minutes on the defensive end.
6.LMA does have room and will likely improve. He’ll have more chances for getting feeds cutting to the hoop; more offensive rebounds and higher shooting percentage if he works the low block some and doesn’t settle just cause that fadeaway is easy to get; needs to get a little beefier on defense. You know, just filling out an all-around dominating PF game. I’m guessing he’ll have team top minutes per game.
7. Nic and Rudy are playing full-out right now (although that may mean they are short on the weight work). I’m really struggling to think of anyone that would come in out of shape. Travis in year’s past but no way he comes in weak this year. Probably the old guys like joel and Miller will need more time to get up to speed; I’m hoping Roy needs the most time if that means he was resting his knees. Anyone seen Martell in action?
8. Nate will keep the same starting line-up as last year (for the first month or two) but will rotate freely, giving minutes to the most efficient and strongest defenders. Nic, Webster, Rudy, Outlaw, and Joel will all play 18-24 minutes each game, depending on performance, individual match-ups, and hot line-ups. Once the crew gets the rotation concept, he’ll start changing starting lineups, but only to work specific match-ups and situations. By year end nobody will even know who the starters used to be – it will all be day-to-day [OK, except for Roy and LMA]. Only problem? Roy and LMA won’t make the All-Star game playing only 30 minutes, even when the Blazers led their division. Upside? They’ll have 8 or 9 players in double figures.
9. The Blazers will stage eight miraculous comebacks and force double overtimes in order to get more run time.
10. Nate will experiment with a new Tall ‘n Small line-up; Twin Towers with 3-guard lineup, Roy, Rudy and Bayless.
11. Against shack and labaun he go Tall ’n Tall with Twin Towers, Nic, Webster and Roy. (2-3 zone)
12. He’ll honor Nelson with Small Ball; LMA, Outlaw, Rudy, Miller, Blake.
13. Blaze is getting married. Look for a pack of cute kit mascots.
what is that?
the Kittyshark?
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
WARNING: don't make the Trail Cat mad!
who threw Blaze in the exercise tub?
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Quibbles about Trout & Batum (Question #2):
First, the battle for minutes at small forward isn’t really between Martell, Batum, & Trout. Nate rarely played Trout at the three LAST season, when Martell wasn’t available. That’s because Trout has generally been ineffective at both ends of the floor when matched up against threes. At least he can score against most fours. I expect Trout’s minutes to decline this season as his role is reduced to primarly backing up LMA. It’s even possible that Cunningham will eventually get those minutes, as the Blazers have more offensive options this season.
As for Batum, I don’t envision Nate using him as a “situational defender.” Even as a scrawny, raw, teenaged rookie, Batum showed a more complete game than Martell (not to mention Trout). And by all accounts, Batum has grown both physically and skill-wise during the off-season. Regardless of whether Martell is the starting three at the beginning of the season, I expect to see Batum challenge him for that role from here on out. This kid is no situational role player. He’s destined for great things—and soon.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
Your not wrong!
It’s one thing to practice, Practice, and PRACTICE shooting over and over.
You might get you “eye” back. But….. defending quick 3s ??
Not!
by spencerbutte on Sep 15, 2009 3:22 AM PDT up reply actions
I stand corrected--nice research there
One could still argue that Nate PREFERRED Outlaw at the four position, but that, with Martell unavailable, he lacked options. Now that Martell, an improved Batum, and Cunningham are all available to play the three, we’ll see how things shake out.
My expectation is that Outlaw’s minutes will drop overall, especially his minutes at the three position.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
yes and no
with Martell unavailable, he lacked options.
Correct, and often overlooked
Cunningham … available to play the three
Sounds like Dante is bulking up to play the 4. He’s not quick enough to defend 3s
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
how do we know that Dante isn’t quick enough to guard some 3s? That’s a strong judgment to make with the very small sample size we’ve had to view him. Adding muscle doesn’t prohibit him from playing the wing… ask Ron Artest.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
I think it's somewhat based on reports from the organization and Quick
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Joe Prunty's comments from summer league
I think, or maybe it was Chad Buchanan or Mike Dorn, whatever. One of the Blazer coaches said Dante isn’t quick enough to chase around Travis or Martell
he’s a 4/3, and Portland doesn’t really need him to play any SF
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
yep.
But they also said that Pendergraph is too slow to guard PFs O_o
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
let's face it
Jeff is a “project” at this point
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Sadly, yes.
Which is too bad, cause I like both him and his style of play.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
I also recall hearing that Cunningham struggles guarding threes
But so does Trout—big-time. They’re similar players, except that Cunningham lacks Trout’s freakish leaping ability and shooting range, and Trout lacks Cunningham’s toughness, nose for the ball, and—dare I say it?—basketball I.Q. Those are my admittedly very preliminary impressions…
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
"preliminary" is OK
I also observed that the 4-year college senior showed better overall fundamentals than the 6-year NBA vet, when playing on a less-structured summer league team that he had only practiced with for about a week
and I really don’t care if either of them can guard SFs, because Portland already has Batum and Webster to do that for 48 mpg
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
On courtside
It was said that Batuum has increased his upper body mass tremendously this summer at the shoulders and biceps.
BBK
Barrett said that about Dante Cunningham
Judging by the Euro videos, it doesn’t look like Nic has had much time to spend in the weight room this summer. He’ll get bigger as he gets older, but Batum’s game is based on quickness at this point. Having Martell around to defend the larger SFs in the league will be a good thing
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Nic said he added 8 kilos (17 pounds) of weight - arguably mostly muscles - since the beginning of last season
There's Gotta Be More To Life
different time period
the post above said “tremendously this summer”, not during the last 12 months
(I think he mis-heard what MB was reporting about Dante, last night)
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
About points 3 and 4:
I think at the end of last season Nate pushed his players to run in offense, as some of them already wanted, and worked a lot on defending the pick and roll in defense. They ran more and I think Nate feels now very confident with it. I predict they´ll run like a bat out of hell. But the pick and roll defense depends more on the players capabilities, IMHO, and will be harder to get it done. I think they´ll improve through practice but won´t be a finished work for the Blazers.
I think also Nate will try to incorporate new systems to his plays book, both in defense and offense. He coaches like a chess player would, he was solid and conservative when the opposite coach had better tools, but now he has the pieces to play more aggressively almost against anybody. I think he has the tools to do so, probably situationly at first, depending on macht-ups. I expect and hope for more intensity in defense with Brandon leading the effort (instead of saving his legs for the 4th quarter heroic comebacks), because that´s the way to have better first quarters than the Blazers had last season, and the best way to take advantage of our deep bench.
by amlmart1 on Sep 15, 2009 4:47 AM PDT reply actions 5 recs
Great analysis
I expect marginal improvement (but only marginal) on defending the pick and roll, too.
I also think your description of Nate’s coaching approach is right on the money.
Rec.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
After looking at our pick and roll offense.
I have changed my mind about our pick and roll defense. Our offense produced many open shots using the pick and roll. Our defense of the pick and roll did not produce as many open shots for our opponents. Yes, this was probably because our players switched on most picks and this may not be optimal, but while our defense produced some miss matches for them, our opponents defense produced open shots for us. Advantage Blazers.
Not being able to handle a hangover will lead to a level of maturity.
Wheels to Jason Quick
Our offense produces a number of nice pick-and-pop shots for LaMarcus and Brandon, and sometimes for a catch-and-shooter in the corner. Our defense produces nice switches on a number of occasions resulting in bad matchups and open shots for penetrating opposing guards but is pretty good at not leaving the wings too open. Unfortunately in the playoffs Houston got a lot more easy shots than the Blazers when they had to double Yao, often leaving Scola or a wing shooter open, or allowing close shots for the guards.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
the Blazer's pick and roll defense created fouls for Greg Oden
when the PG was switched off on him, last year
hopefully, Miller’s experience will help close this “exploit”
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I will drink to that
I feel the same way about Nate. he started out slow because the players was just learning to walk and run was not an option. Now, he has the pieces and the players can walk and run without turning the ball over, I think he will run more.
With 10 to 12 good players, he can keep fresh legs in the game at all times.
Remember BRoy said the would love to run the wing with Andre, that was my first clue. It also gave me goosebumps thinking of him and CP3 at the first all-Star game.
hg
Here's how I see it
1. Oden has to start, not because he deserves it, but because if he was the number one pick going into his third season an if he has any pride and self respect, he is going to step up and take the starting job. He better have been busting his butt all summer to give McMillan no other choice but to start him, and if he did that, then he should be in better condition and more experience to stay on the floor longer.
2. Who gives a crap? I don’t. We all know Batum can start, the word out of camp says that Webster is very impressive, and Outlaw showed last year that he is better suited coming off the bench. Batum should be better because he’s been playing all summer and he has a year in the NBA under his belt, if Webster beats him out for the starting role, then fans should rejoice that the Blazers have two quality starting small forwards. If it is Outlaw, then that is great too. If one of them has to rot on bench then I do not care. I want the players on the floor who are going to give the Blazers the best opportunity to win games and go deep into the playoffs. Nobody deserves to start at small forward, they have to earn it.
I believe Nate when he told Batum at the end of the season that the starting SF job was his when he came back. If he loses it to a better player, then that is his problem. He’s still young and has time to improve.
3. I think every team says they want to run more before the season starts. I’ll believe it when I see it. I honestly think McMillan, KP, and all the players want to run more. Miller should help, but everyone has to be ready, willing, and able to run. Last year a few players would run but the player who got the rebound, threw it to the point guard instead of throwing it ahead. I want everyone looking down court, not just Rudy and Miller.
4. Familiarity with each other and Nate’s defense and the addition of Miller should help out on the pick and roll defense. I expect Oden to be in better shape than last year and more experienced. I don’t know how good Miller is at defending the pick and roll, but I expect the Miller/Blake PG combo plays better defense than the Rodriguez/Blake PG combo.
5. My thinking on Rudy’s minutes parallels my feelings regarding issue #2. If Rudy’s play deserves more minutes, then I expect Nate to find him more minutes. It may mean that he and Roy steal a couple of minutes (I only said a couple, not starting) at SF or PG. I think there will be games where both Roy and Rudy are on the floor at the end of the game.
6. I expect Aldrige to be better. I don’t know by how much. I do not think the Blazers will have to depend on him and Roy as much as they did last year because of the addition of Miller and the added experience of the team playing together for a year. I do think Aldrige will be relied on more during crunch time than he has been in the past.
7. This year, the only player I have any concern about not going to camp in shape is Miller. I think it will not be an issue since he is a veteran and knows his body. I am just not sure he know’s about Nate’s running test. Last year, Outlaw was the only guy who did not pass and he says he has been working out all summer.
8. Regarding the point guards, see my response to issue #2. I do not care if Miller is paid starter money, the Blazers are still paying Miles starter money and he is not starting. Miller is better than Blake, no one is arguing that. The question to me is how does he fit with Roy, Oden, and Aldrige? If Blake starts, then more power to him. In the end, I only care about winning, not who starts or ends the game.
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 5:44 AM PDT reply actions 8 recs
Well said and complete.
I think I agree on all aspect of your analysis, Although(there is always an although). I don’t think Travis will be in the hunt for the 3 spot. IMO, he will be used as back up 4, crunch time and when going small.
On Courtside, it was said that Miller showed up at the practice facility but did not participate. So he may be out of shape.
I am with you about who starts and who comes off the bench, I am not with the posters that say you start your best 5, but use the ones that work better with the rest of the unit. It is the winning of the game that counts.
hg
Yeah
I love Outlaw and think he’s fun to watch and I also acknowledge that he’s getting squeezed out. He said he’s been working out all summer so I thought he at least deserves a mention. I think the reason so many fans have turned on him, beyond his mistakes, is that they know he’ll get more than 10 minutes a night behind LA and they are frightened that his minutes will take time from Batum and maybe Rudy.
iron man
Miller showed up at the practice facility but did not participate. So he may be out of shape
Andre has played the most consecutive games without injury in the NBA, so if anyone knows how to get/stay in shape heading into a 82 game season, it’s him
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
He won't be in shape at the start of camp
He said as much in his first interview, and again recently: “summer is a time to rest the body”. But yes, he knows that for his body, he needs to relax.
I think this also might influence at least the opening night (month) starter.
that was back in July
later he said he’d stat to work out in August to prepare for the season
Miller’s readiness is the least of my concerns. Blake had better be in the best shape of his life, or he’s gonna get “lapped” by Andre. Miller’s game isn’t all about athleticism, anyway. It’s about preperation, and BBIQ. Dre’s like an old racquetball player who can stand in the middle of the court and make the teenagers run around until they puke
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
The big story
to me is Nic Batum. Can he do the same things in the NBA that he did in Europe this summer. For those of you who missed it, he was like turkeyglue was in the playoffs only better. And if he can, can he do it consistantly.
Not being able to handle a hangover will lead to a level of maturity.
Wheels to Jason Quick
I really can't believe this team is going into the season with open roster spots and Travis Outlaw the one-and-only healthy backup power forward...
Even using the words “Travis” and “Power Forward” in the same sentence seems to me like a non-sequitir… And he is THE GUY if LMA goes down?!?!
I mean, I hated Channing Frye more than the next guy, but at least he was a real PF, even if he didn’t play like one… Travis is a SF that thinks he’s Kobe Bryant and is UTTERLY UNSUITABLE to play more than garbage mismatch smallball minutes at the 4…
Now Pendergraph the unproven rookie is on the shelf for a protracted period with hip surgery. And we have…… Who exactly?
This strikes me as a CRITICAL situation. What is KP waiting for?
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Probably because he keeps trying to trade Outlaw for one
If he wants to get a quality backup PF, he needs to trade Batum for one, while people are still high on him and before he gets buried on the bench.
In a word NO
You trade Rudy before you trade Batum.
"BEER IS LIVING PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US"
- Benjamin Franklin-
No me
I’d trade Batum before I traded Rudy. The Blazers wouldn’t have a back up SG if the Blazers traded Rudy and half the roster can slide over to the SF position. Batum has an attitude and cusses too much for the culture.
Somebody has been eating the bad poi
Trade a starter for a reserve with a limited role? I understand your compunction for LMA insurance, but still….
Not only do you advocate trading a starter – you advocate trading a 20-year old starter that is progressing way ahead of the curve. We are talking All Star potential, here. How do you duplicate that at the reserve 4 spot???
by blacknoiseNW on Sep 15, 2009 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Rudy started over Batum in the last playoff game
I’m not advocating trading anyone, I just think it’s better to trade a petulant kid who probably has more “trade value” than Rudy. Rudy can play SF and Batum cannot play SG. We’d be stabbing Peter to kill Paul.
I dont agree that Batum cant play SG
But even if he cant Webtser can blake can.Sometimes you have to go with the defensive player.I’ve been told defense wins championships!
"BEER IS LIVING PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US"
- Benjamin Franklin-
Hi tom love your posts.
Batum can not only play SG but also PG. Between Travis and Donte the power forward backup position may be very entertaining.
Not being able to handle a hangover will lead to a level of maturity.
Wheels to Jason Quick
I heard Batum can play a bit of Center as well
I dream of a:
Miller
Bayless
Rudy
Roy
Batum
lineup
"Put your drawers on, and take your gun off."
Rudy started over Batum in the last playoff game
Yeah, that turned out well!
"BEER IS LIVING PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US"
- Benjamin Franklin-
by We-B-Dunkin on Sep 15, 2009 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions
Had to do something since Batum's poor play caused the Blazers to lose the other 3 games
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions
lol
ur such a troll tih!
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions
I forgot to bring up Batum's shoulder injury as well
It could be nagging and last all season, and who’s to say that it wasn’t bothering him in the playoffs?
So many questions with Batum that are unanswered and we’ve had no info on him since the playoffs.
Someone needs to write a trade drawer or I think I’ll write one to trade Batum for Tyler Hansbrough.
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
for the colorblind or those with broken monitors
TIH put a nice link in the ? http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/09/blazers_batum_blossoms_on_fran.html
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
huh?
no comprende, I’ve been around a while, been lurking even longer
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Sorry, I just thought if you were getting links for Tom
you could fetch a nice raised glazed or maple bar for me.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
man, i miss the maple bars in oregon
other states just don’t do it as well
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
I've had some excellent ones here in the Bay Area.
Just found a little donut shop in downtown Concord a few weeks ago that makes ‘em nice and fresh. Raley’s is usually pretty good, for a grocery store chain.
What state are you in?
texas
I’m here for law school. I did my undergrad in TN, haven’t been to Oregon this millennium.
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
I was in Dallas, back in '84-85
and went to the Blazer-Mav playoff games (Audie Norris series)
back then they’d look at you funny if you asked for a pizza with pineapple topping
“I’d rent out TX, and live in hell” — general Phil Sheridan
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I went to Vermont early this year
They didn’t have maple bars,whats that about?
"BEER IS LIVING PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US"
- Benjamin Franklin-
it's because they are commies!
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions
No maple bars in Vermont either?
How many other U.S. citizens are thusly deprived? I should open a chain of stores called MiledAnimal’s Maple Bars. Except I’d get rich overnight but die in two years from weight gain and skyrocketing cholesterol.
Batum would've played a lot, against L*A
Houston’s roster was a bad matchup for Portland, in general. Artest vs. Batum was just one of the examples
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Nah
You’re forgetting that Sergio lost one of them for us, too.
Dang
You got me on that one. Let’s be fair and share.
The first loss was Outlaw’s fault.
Second one was Sergio’s fault
Third one was Batum’s fault
Fourth one was Rudy’s fault
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions
don't forget Blake
that 5-foot-short desperation heave in game 4 was not helpful
(hello, Andre)
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
wasn’t that game 3? They start blending together after a while.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
I guess game 4
was when travis tossed up the turn-around 3 pointer with 15-20 seconds on the shot clock
there was some gawd-awful BBIQ in that series…hello, Andre
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
backwards
Rudy can play SF and Batum cannot play SG
Nic can defend SGs, but Rudy can’t defend SFs. A player’s position is defined by who he can guard
Nate inserted Rudy in the lineup in game 6 of the playoffs as a last resort, because no one on the team could defend Artest, so they might as well try to “run” and outscore Houston…but small ball is not the way to win playoff series. (ref: Suns vs. Spurs)
I don’t expect mass quantities of 3-guard lineups now that Webster’s back…Roy playing at SF was necessary because of Martell’s injury, not because of Roy/Rudy’s ability to “defend” SFs
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
The Suns would have beat the Spurs if not for the bogus suspensions.
Anyway, Jason Kidd is better at defending 2s than 1s at this point in his career. Is he a 2? No.
I actually think Nico is able to play 2 on offense and defense. We know that Rudy is a 3 on offense and a 2 on defense.
I expect a lot of three guard lineups because it was incredibly effective last year and Rudy requires minutes.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
We know that Rudy is a 3 on offense and a 2 on defense.
That was last year, Brandon (207 lbs) Roy won’t need to play so much SF this year, unless Martell’s foot gets hurt again
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
three guard lineups because it was incredibly effective last year
not in game 6 against Houston
the regular season stats mean little, to me. You don’t win playoff series with (predominantly) 3 guard lineups. It’s just a regular season change of pace gimmick to match up with a non-contending roster that’s light on big men
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
the Rudy/Roy combination was very effective in that series, especially Games 2, 3, and 6.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
Rudy had 2 points in 41 minutes in game 6
in game 5 he scored 7 (Roy had 42)
game 4 = 5
game 3 = 17
game 2 = 11
game 1 = 3
2 out of 6 ain’t getting it done. Rudy and Roy are both SGs, and playing a 3 guard lineup in the playoffs is like giving a concession speech
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
huh? Battier essentially stuck to Rudy like glue in Games 4-6. He refused to leave him to help, meaning a decrease in Rudy’s shots but a gain for the offense.
We can’t look at the raw point totals without also admitting that much of the time that Portland was effective in the series was with a Rudy/Roy wing combination.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
"effective" because of Roy
Rudy didn’t provide much juice to that relationship outside of games 2,3
I also noticed some of the +/- categories were slanted in Outlaw’s favor in a few of those games, which tells me to ignore the stats and focus on the W-L results.
3-guard lineups in the NBA playoffs are what coaches resort to when the other options have been exhausted. The Rockets were a bad matchup…but Portland still may have pulled out game 4 if Nate had a veteran backup banger who he could have put in the game to grab just one freaking defensive rebound in the 4th quarter when the game (and series) was decided
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Nic is already 1 of our best perimeter defenders
We have enough people who can score.Martell & even Bayless can play behind Roy.Nic >Rudy longterm is just a no-brainer IMO
"BEER IS LIVING PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US"
- Benjamin Franklin-
And there isn't a single fanshot of last years highlights with Batum in them
It’s all Rudy and Roy.
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions
Liar, liar
Nic dunking on Gasol made the fanshots, I’d bet.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
That's just cause the NBA hates French players
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I can't blame them
I still call fries “Freedom Fries.”
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions
better yet, what do the french call American kisses?
Boring.
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Webster, Batum, Bayless, even Steve Blake
can play SG.
A Miller/Roy/Blake PG/SG rotation wouldn’t necessarily be ideal, but it would be serviceable and we’d have really good ball handling!
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 9:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Now, for the lesser questions...
1. How many minutes can Greg Oden carve out?
Oden is a 25 minutes per game guy. So is Pryzzy. Which is perfect.
2. How the heck is the small forward rotation going to work?
Nic starts and Marty plays a ton.
3. Will the Blazers run more on offense?
It’s Andre Miller’s MO, but I will believe it when I see it. The Keystone Cops are not gonna become the FBI.
4. Do we finally have a pick and roll defense that works?
Somebody above said that the Blazers’ pick and roll defense is better than other teams trying to defend the Blazers’ pick and roll offense and that seems pretty true to me.
5. Where do you find minutes for Rudy?
Roy doesn’t need to play 40.
6. How much has LaMarcus grown and how much can we lay on his shoulders?
See above. This is a season-crushing catastrophe waiting to happen…
7. Who comes in shape?
Everybody but Andre.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Bigs get hurt, it's one of the rules of the pit.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Yeah
But how many games do you really expect him to miss? 10 games is nothing, I’d be worried if he went down for more. So lets say the Blazers trade Outlaw for Ronny Turiaf and then LA breaks his leg. The Blazers are still screwed. Even if LA goes down for a month and Turiaf starts, who’s the backup PF behind him? The Blazers are still screwed.
there's screwed, and then there's pregnant
if LMA gets hurt and Outlaw is the only backup PF, then they’re “beyond” screwed defensively and on the boards at the 4
but if KP adds a quality backup PF before LMA goes down, at least you’ve got someone who can “get you by” defensively, and LMA’s scoring load can be redistributed
if Greg and Joel could play together for 20 mpg, the need for another big man would be less of a problem. But I’m not holding my breath for a steady diet of the twin towers
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Wouldn't LaMarcus have to actually get into the pit to get hurt there?
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Ha ha, a little too mean, but I will REC that...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Hah, I figured AK1984 would rec me.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 16, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'll rec you this time.
Anyway, I’m not worried about LaMarcus Aldridge getting hurt for the same reason.
It’s Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla’s health that scares me, as an injury to either one of them would force Aldridge over to center for extended minutes.
That, folks, is why this team must have a guy like Nick Collison or Jeff Foster in lieu of Travis Outlaw on the bench.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
Game shape prognosis
Good to great shape: Jerryd, Dante, Travis, Oden, Blake, LaMarcus
Good shape but still nursing some effect from injury: Rudy, Nico, Martell (maybe Blake too)
Mediocre game shape but fit and healthy: Roy, Miller, Joel, veteran training camp pickups
Out of shape: -
Injured reserve: Pendy
There's Gotta Be More To Life
If Travis reports in really good shape
Nate will have a heart attack.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Yes, everything he says on Twitter is totally serious....
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
backup PF
This strikes me as a CRITICAL situation. What is KP waiting for?
I don’t think the backup PF is an immediate need, unless LMA/Greg/Joel were to get hurt
but there needs to be another quality big man added before the playoffs, that’s when the lack of frontcout depth will reach “CRITICAL” proportions
right now, Melvin Ely may provide some “beef” behind LMA
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Ely was pretty atrocious except for the 2005-06 season. In terms of efficiency I would rather have Shavlik.
There's Gotta Be More To Life
take it from a Hornet fan, Ely is abysmal. Just abysmal.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Sep 15, 2009 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Eh, doesn't matter
The main reason we need another big man is to make Bedgers happy. Travis and Dante are going to get all the backup PF minutes anyway.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I won't be "happy" with Ely
just a little less concerned about depth
Here’s hoping Cunningham breaks through in a big way, but when the playoffs roll around, you won’t be “happy” with a rookie PF in the rotation, either
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Ely, as with the others
is just a fallback in case KP can’t get the right guy in a trade. Unless/until there’s a trade, we know most of the backup PF minutes go to Travis, with whichever other big guy we have only getting spot minutes to knock some people around and burn through some fouls.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
that's OK
someone has to fill the Shav/Diogu/Ruffin role
I’d just prefer it be Ely as opposed to the other suspects who have been mentioned
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
different kind of player
for backup PF to LMA I’m not concerned about efficiency, but about nasty and beasty
like I’ve said before, if Przy and Ely are on the court with Blake, Rudy and Martell, you’ve got 2 bigs to set screens and rebound, 2 guys to run curls and shoot jumpers, and a PG who can hit those cutters on time. That’s enough offense for 10-12 mpg
Melvin is a banger, and the Blazers need one
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
My two scents
sweet: Kudos to many of you for your insightful analyses. Saves me some typing.
sour: For the life of me, I can’t understand why some of you folks remain so worried about one or more of the guys saying publicly that he would like more playing time, a different role, etc. Regardless of whether there are any public complaints, I would expect all of these guys to continue to play their best and do what Nate wants them to do on the court. I mean, c’mon, this is basketball, not the army.
"Just kidding"
by CatMan2 on Sep 15, 2009 7:58 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
That's just what fans do
If Outlaw or any other player, said he’s happy being a backup and playing 10 minutes a night, fans would crucify him for hot having any ambition.
Why is OK for Bayless wanting more playing time but it’s not OK for other players to want more playing time?
Personally, all this talk about Miller being good for Bayless
giving him the chance to “sit and learn for another year with a true mentor” just smacks of the same rationalizations that we saw around here when Oden had surgery and posters were arguing that it’d be better for him in the long run to get the year off and “observe”. When has a player ever benefited in the NBA from sitting on the bench instead of playing?
It seems that neither of these situations will be able to go all season without at least some minor flare up along the way (hard to see Trout happy playing 15 mpg or Bayless happy playing 0 mpg), but in the end, only time will tell. Still, I agree with your overall point about castigating one player for wanting more PT while praising another’s “ambition” for the same.
Regarding the Oden stuff
I think we were all just grasping at any positive spin we could find regarding his injury. The difference between him and Bayless is that Bayless will still practice all year and Oden was busy running up a hill. I agree with you though.
There's good and then there's best
When life deals you a lemon, make lemonade, right?
No, it isn’t good for Bayless that he won’t get PT. But yes, there is some benefit for him in it, if he chooses to take full advantage of the learning opportunity. It’s not the best situation, but it need not be a total loss.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
If it were a perepheral thing
and it were argued in the sense that “it’s bad, but at least…”, but it seems like immediately there were a bunch of posts/comments cropping up about how great it was that Bayless could bide his time until he was ready and be mentored by a guy with a similar game to his.
History has borne out multiple times that guys who play more get better faster. I don’t remember it helping Darko too much to be sitting on the bench observing Sheed and McDyess while going through offseason workouts with Ben Wallace.
For me, it’s not a matter of “good” and “best” here, but a matter of “good” and “bad but could be worse” and twisting the latter into “good” is a stretch for me.
Hmm
I think it’s great that we don’t have to depend on Bayless this year, because he isn’t ready.
Is it great for him? No. But it is better for the team.
And in the long run, he’ll survive. If he’s good enough, he’ll get his chances, and he’ll be able to prove by next season that he is good enough. If he’s not, well, the team goes forward anyway.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Hey, I have no problem with it in terms of the team
Although, personally, I wouldn’t have shed any tears if we had traded Blake and entered the year with Bayless as the backup I just don’t buy that it’s in any way good for Bayless the player. Of course, there’s no rule that says what’s good for Bayless is good for the Blazers or vice versa.
Agreed
Well, mostly. It is good in “a way for Bayless the player”, because it does give him a chance to learn from a good one. But overall, it isn’t good for him. Eventually, he could be a better player because of this year, but it slows his development.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
I agree - if Bayless has the talent he will excel.
He will continue to improve in practice until he forces the issue and plays. I don’t buy that a player can only improve from playing in games. Bayless has spent the summer improving and although the results did not show in Las Vegas it may still come. He is also practicing against two very good point guards in Portland.
Coach wants to win games. As Dave says the time for player development against winning is over. The player who best helps the team will play and the others need to work to improve to be the best.
I agree
Experience in games is important, but not the only way to learn and improve. Practice matters, too, and in fact helps you target certain areas which may be neglected in a game because they only come up a few times.
In a game, there are no “do-overs” where the coach says, “Wait a minute, go back and do that right until you have it down.”
Wait, I lied. Practice doesn’t matter if you are AI. But if you don’t want to be AI, it matters.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
softball
When has a player ever benefited in the NBA from sitting on the bench instead of playing?
Raef LaFrentz, Dikembe Mutombo, Chuck Nevitt, the list goes on
There is the GM answer to this question, and the head coach answer. The GM will say “depth is a good thing” becasue it creates a hedge against injuries. The coach will say “I don’t have enough minutes to keep all of these players happy” and several deserving players will get less PT than they will be happy with
the answer is roster balance, and to add a couple of veterans who don’t care how much PT they get as long as the team is in contention for a title. These “old” vets should still be able to play at a high level for short minutes, when needed. They should also be good mentors to the kids and provide experience both on and off the floor
KP hasn’t gotten the memo re: needing to add these quality vets, yet. He’s trying to “cover” that deficiency with over-the-hill vets like Howard and Ostertag while (to my knowledge) he made no attempt to sign someone like Antonio McDyess this offseason.
Meanwhile, Brandon, Nate, Przy, Blake and Andre think the “window” is already open
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Sep 15, 2009 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
People are worried about public "trade me" statements
It leads to conflict and also to lowered trade value.
If someone makes a trade demand, you want it to be completely private.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Not wanting to get too symanticky here, but ...
There is a difference between:
A) Being candid about career aspirations, how things are going pat present, whether there seems to be room for growth, etc. and
B) Issuing a “trade demand”.
So, HYPOTHETICALLY, for example, I would expect Rudy to say something like, “I enjoy playing in Portland, I like my teammates, it’s great to be on a team that has a chance to maybe win a championship. But, I’m only getting an average of about 20 minutes of playing time right now, and that doesn’t look like it’s going to change. I need more NBA experience and that can only come with a larger role. I will need to consider other possibilities.”
I would not expect him to say, “If McMillan doesn’t let me start and play more minutes, I want out of here. If they don’t trade me to a team where I’ll be able to be an all-star, I may return to Spain.”
As to “conflict”, what do you mean? Furthermore, what’s wrong with a little conflict, anyway. That’s life.
Finally, is there any evidence for this often-repeated theory about “lowered trade value”. Look, GMs are not (generally) idiots. They know whether particular players are happy or not, and it doesn’t take a press conference to find out. The idea that some GM might have extra leverage to work an advantageous trade for Rudy because, HYPOTHETICALLY, Rudy has publicly stated in so many words that he would not be averse to a trade, does not seem self-evident to me. After all, for many NBA players, just the opportunity to increase their salaries by a small percentage seems to be a strong enough incentive to pry them from their current teams.
"Just kidding"
Good points
But last year, Rudy played 25.6 mpg. I don’t think he was particularly happy. If he gets the same again this year, he might want to be traded. If he doesn’t say so to the press, opposing GMs may think they can get a deal, but they won’t KNOW that KP really needs to make a deal.
If Rudy only plays 15 mpg, they’ll know it. If he plays 25 mpg and complains publicly, they’ll know. If he plays 30 mpg and we play a style that doesn’t suit him, they may not have a clue that he’s issued a trade request to KP.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
Hopefully KP’s message was loud and clear:
“If you ask to be traded, you will be sent to the kings for a second round draft pick.”
I get the paper, so I don't care!
and don't discount fan pressure
Rudy is popular in Portland, if he starts “expressing his discontent” the talk radio shows will run with it and KP will have to try to put out the fire, one way or the other
Just look at how one comment from Roy on a Seattle podcast (“I’m about 50/50 right now”) stirred up the PDX hornet’s nest in mid-July for a week
Miller+Blake should play 48 mpg at PG
Batum+Webster should play 48mpg at SF
Do I see a potential minute’s crunch for Rudy? You betcha
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Don't count out our best SF for any minutes
Roy moves to SF so Rudy can play the 2. It happened last year. It can happen again. With Roy and Rudy on the court with Miller, LMA and Oden there are no double teams profitable and few teams can score as efficiently.
Granted it does not happen for much of the game but it opens minutes for Rudy in the last 4-8 minutes of each half that are critical to team success.
It happened last year. It can happen again
Last year it “happened” because Webster was hurt and Batum was a rookie. Inserting Rudy at SG between Miller and Roy in the lineup should only be a reaction to the other coach going with a 3-guard lineup, and not as a regular nightly rotation designed to make sure Rudy gets X amount of minutes
it opens minutes for Rudy in the last 4-8 minutes of each half that are critical to team success
and I’d rather have a lead going down the stretch to protect, and not have to substitute a weaker defender into the game to play “catch up” Again, situations will occasionally dictate when Nate plays a 3-guard lineup, but I don’t consider creating a defensive mismatch by playing Roy against a larger SF “critical to team success”
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I doubt talk radio shows drive GM or coaching decisions
They do what they think is best and view those things as annoyances to try to settle down by coming on and saying nice things.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
My meandering, meaningless thoughts:
- People are expecting too much from Miller
- Oden will not be in top running shape (again)
-Nic will start and Matell will get plenty of minutes until he’s traded
- Nate will incorporate Rudy more into the offense and thus …..
- LA will be putting up fewer shots and rebounding more (he’ll still be happy though ’cuz of his new contract)
- I think Blake will start and continue doing so as long as we are winning
- Oden will start
- We’ll speed up our offense just a little
- Travis? Tough one. Nate likes him so he could last the year. Don’t know.
Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave
Also: COMCAST SUCKS!
a few arbitrary responses
I expect Miller to be what he has been, and that will mean a lot
Oden will never run like he did at tOSU, but he won’t need to. Stay near the basket, big guy
Martell will start at SF if Miller beats out Blake, otherwise Nic starts. Webster could be dealt, but another team will have to overpay to get him
I don’t see a huge difference in Rudy’s role this year, I think Miller will set him up about as well as Sergio did, but Nate won’t run any “new” plays just for #5
hopefully LMA will rebound more, and defend the paint better. And make some high post passes to Greg. Number of shots = about the same, unless Roy gets hurt
I wouldn’t be surprised if Nate keeps starting Steve, but Miller is going to play well with Brandon (and everybody else) and carve out 30 mpg, regardless
I agree that Greg should start, unless Nate starts Blake and wants Miller and Oden coming in off the bench together
just a little, Miller will help increase the tempo, but it’ll be more “secondary fast break” opportunities than traditional 3-on-2s
Nate likes Travis? I guess, he yells at him like he’s his teenage son. But if Outlaw “lasts the year” that means something “bad” has happened to Batum/Webster/LMA
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Oden will never run like he did at tOSU, but he won’t need to. Stay near the basket, big guy
Why not?
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
have you seen those NCAA championship videos, lately?
dude was 250 pounds, built like a rail and ran like a guard
Greg can still run (his gait and arm action looks like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo!) just not like when he was college. But he can run well enough to play center in the NBA at 280+ lbs
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
but more weight = more injury potential
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
I don’t think the team wants him to be 280+, though. They want a 265ish Greg, I’d guess from the interviews Nate had during summer league.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
did you see the USA basketball video this summer?
Greg didn’t look like he was 265ish, and he wasn’t getting past half court on his team’s fast breaks
and I’m OK with this, he’s a defensive center who should protect the paint, get the ball of the glass to a PG and trail the break. Then, if the other team doesn’t bump him at the FT line he can get easy baskets in the secondary fast break
the only time he should have to run hard is when getting back on defense after a Blazer turnover
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Too early to tell
The word was Greg was the best defender there. But he did not look like he did in college. He has continued to work on losing weight and conditioning and by late fall we can better gauge his progress. The real question is will he want to enough? He knows he will be good anyway. Does he still want to be Bill Russell? I can only wait to see.
I disagree
Greg ideally gets in great condition and runs hard on the secondary fast break. As long as we have Joel to come in behind him, I want Greg making the opposing center work really hard to keep up with him. And if Greg gets his weight down and runs hard, he’ll get a LOT of easy baskets on the break, a lot of putbacks. He’ll beat the opposing center down court enough times for 4-5 easy baskets a game, if he regains the speed he had before surgery, and uses it.
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
The list didn't resonate, completely
1) Oden will always be a prime subject, simply because of his talent. However, he is legitimate news only if he falters – not if he progresses naturally.
2) Outlaw vs. Webster is a virtual tie for not knowing how things will turn out: a) can Outlaw be an effective 4 off the bench; b) can Webster fulfill his promise?
3) Distribution of minutes will probably be the primary storyline of the pre-season, if all goes as expected. Pick a position. They all have minutes issues.
If you pick your newsworthiness as a ranking of unknown quantities that you want firm answers for – then Dave’s list is as good as any. But if that’s it, then the big unknown I want news for is whether the Blazers emerge from the pre-season as title contenders, or just division contenders.
it's hard to come up with something new to discuss in the dog days of summer
we all know Oden is the key, we all know the back up PF problems and the cautious optimism for Webster, we all have discussed all of these things. Because of this, it’s hard to come up with a list that “resonates” that isn’t just a re-hashing of everything we’ve already said.
Dave does a good job with a stale and largely news free subject. I can’t wait for training camp when we start to get fresh news again.
Come on you gotta listen unto me,
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be. ~Johnny Cash
by HurraKane212 on Sep 15, 2009 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions
you hit it on the head
news = new(stuff)
News will be answers to questions. I don’t expect news to be generated by a whole lot of change – just a settling of the dust. Hopefully, this pre-season will continue to be boring, from a surprise standpoint.
If you want my ranking from surprise (and therefore, newsworthy) perspective:
1) Bayless beats out Miller and Blake
2) The Blazers double their pace (little knock on Nate)
3) The Blazers keep Outlaw at the 4
4) Martell becomes the backup 4
5) Blazer fandom realizes we have the best SF rotation in basketball
My greatest point of interest? Batum vs. Webster. I think that battle will be epic.
by blacknoiseNW on Sep 15, 2009 9:25 AM PDT up reply actions
no minutes issues at center!
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
i'm feeling the
bayless beats out miller and blake.. and will blindside BEdge
"Awesome! Totally awesome! All right, Hamilton!"
Ben would die from the dehydration from the massive instant orgasm he'd have from hearing that news
by tominhawaii on Sep 15, 2009 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Well,
if that’s not the worst mental image I’ve ever gotten from BE, I don’t know what is.
That bug in the fish's mouth in yesterday's JD was worse.
Well, maybe not.
by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2009 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
One of Tom's funniest lines ever... REC.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
the coaches kept track
and Nic’s “team” won the most, last fall
When reached 39 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Our championship hopes rest firmly on Greg Oden’s shoulders. Everything else mentioned in this piece is important, but far less so than Oden’s development. We really need 10/10 and 2-3 BPG from him next year with at least 30 mins/game played. If we get that from GO, we’ll push for 60 wins. If we get a repeat effort from last year or marginal improvement, I’m not optimistic about getting out of the second round.
Regarding Hedo Türkoğlu:
Look at the bright side, Blazers fans -- you dodged a bullet. He peaked statistically two years ago. He's allegedly 30 but could be closer to 32 or 33 for all we know. (Do you trust Turkish birth certificates? And isn't it weird that he played four years of pro ball in Turkey in the 1990s?)
- Bill Simmons of ESPN.com
by halo_on on Sep 15, 2009 11:50 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Things that I want to see.
I would love to see an Ander Miller/Brandon Roy/ Rudy Fernandez/ Martell Webster/ Greg Oden small unit. It’ll mean sitting LMA for a bit, but it’d give him time to rest, and we’d have a small team that can run the court, attack the basket, and shoot the 3. Defensively, it’d be a little lackluster, especially against a post up 4, but if Greg develops into the defensive presence that we know he can be, then that’d clean up some of the mistakes…
Probably run an aggressive trapping zone
with that unit.
You might switch in Travis at times as well, his length and athleticism in a trapping defense could be valuable, and his defensive deficiencies wouldn’t matter as much. And Travis would fit ok with the type of offensive game you’d want to run with that unit.
It would be fun to see, wouldn’t it?
"if Nate has Roy or Miller in the game at all times, that stagnation will turn into conflagration" -- two4larue
solves all jams
trade miller blake webster bayless.
new pg 35 mins
b roy 35 mins
batum 30 mins
lma 35 mins
oden 28 mins
rudy 26 mins (back up sg and pg, roy moves to point)
outlaw 31 mins (back up sf pf)
zilla 20 mins (back up center)
end of story.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Blazer's Edge
Related FanShots on Blazer's Edge
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Roy Hibbert tap-dances to Maine
- Grizzlies Valentine’s Day cards are the key to love
- Kevin Love would like the NBA to take the MLB’s approach on All-Star games
- Kobe Bryant fires a few hilarious salvos at Jeremy Lin
- Brandon Jennings states the obvious regarding his 2014 free agency, everyone goes nuts
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
