Patty Mills blows up in the D-League
38 points, 12 assists, 7/10 from deep, 3 steals after returning from injury in debut with the Idaho Stampede.
I've tried to bring as many things together as possible in one post here. Look out, Patrick Mills has a big future and we have to be thankful that it's with the Blazers.
over 2 years ago
mookie
18 comments
0 recs |
Email
PrintComments
I like Mills a lot too, who knows if he'll be that great in the NBA. It kind of makes me feel like
it’s not a big deal because Anthony Tolliver had 30 and 12. I mean how bad is the d league if Tolliver is scoring like that?
Tolliver is not really that bad
It’s not like he was really given a chance here he was just used for a practice body.
That said of course stats usually fall a significant amount when called up, but 7/10 from the arc is no fluke. I don’t mean the shooting percentage of course, but it shows he can drain the 3. Something we will be lacking in the worst way with Blake out for a game or two.
He certainly can shoot the ball.
Plus, you put Bayless and Mills together in the backcourt (if only for a short time, due to the defensive liability posed by their small size) and watch the other team get blown away by their ridiculous speed.
If you haven’t seen him in action, beware, Patty Mills has absolute jets. JETS I tell you.
"You've been warned...!"
A Stern Warning : http://www.asternwarning.com
Not as much of a defensive liability as a backcourt of Miller and Blake...
I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.
don't be so sure
straight-head speed doesn’t always translate to lateral quickness
and Mills will be at a size disadvantage against anyone he faces in the NBA. Opposing coaches tend to make small guys “pay” for being out there on the court, with post ups and clear outs. Nate will have to send “help” often when Patty is in the game
Short spurts, as a change of pace. Best contributions will be as a practice player and late game “sniper”
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
matchups
Would opposing coaches game plan for Mills? Unlikely. All Mills has to do is stay in front of his man and put a hand in his face when the guy tries to shoot over top.
It is highly unlikely that Mills would see any significant time against post-up points, and against perimeter/drive-oriented points, Mills should be just fine.
I get people being somewhat sensitive about his height, but questioning his lateral quickness because of his height?
straight-head speed doesn’t always translate to lateral quickness
By the draft numbers his movement looks very good overall and certainly acceptable laterally. I think his reaction time is even a bigger issue defensively. And jumping ability as a much bigger potential weakness? We’ll see? His height is only one piece of a much larger puzzle that we could ask doubting questions about all day long.
Every player has weaknesses that affect the sum total. Some players tend to get a pass for one reason or another—I don’t think Patty is one of those guys—his game has most likely been questioned both on and off the court for the all too obvious reasons. I just wish people would wait to criticize him for things they are not sure about until they actually get to see whether he can do this or that, rather than trying to beat everyone else to the punch in raining on his or his fans parade.
#52
Hey, if he's better than advertised that's great
I’m just pointing out ways that Patty will likely struggle, and providing reasons why Nate may not be quick to play him for significant minutes
The last small guard KP drafted was Taurean Green. Nate was high on him. TG was an NCAA championship PG but he didn’t make it in the NBA. Why? He was too small. Pooh Jeter? Same story. Mills may buck the odds but there was a reason why he slipped to the 55th spot in the draft
don’t get your hopes up, that’s all I’m saying. Most small guards get abused in the NBA and head overseas to play
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Why spend so negative energy on this before we even have a chance to see him play?
I’m just pointing out ways that Patty will likely struggle,
Why such a need to do that? And why point out a potential weakness of his that may in fact be a strength?
straight-head speed doesn’t always translate to lateral quickness
True, but I’ll bet his lateral quickness is very good. Why compare him to Taurean Green, when it is obvious to some of us who have watched both of them play that PM has way more quickness and skill than Green? I was very unimpressed with Green at Florida.
TG was an NCAA championship PG but he didn’t make it in the NBA. Why? He was too small.
So? And then you bring up Pooh Jeter ??? Then you say:
don’t get your hopes up…
Why shouldn’t people who like him, for what ever reason, get their hopes up? That is almost like saying we should give up on the season because the Blazers have had so many injuries. The fact that PM is short is not news to anyone. The fact that it is tough to carve out a niche in the NBA is also not news. The fact that many of us like fast little water-bugs, should not be earthshaking either. What is news to me is that so many people don’t seem to want us as fans to get all excited about a member of the Blazers. For my part I am just saying that it is now, “Patty’s time,” so lets give him a fair chance.
#52
by KINGofMACct on Jan 3, 2010 2:53 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Spot on.
I love the fact that there are people who ALWAYS need to spout negativity. Fair enough, if you have a valid view on something, tell us about it.
However, there are some of us that have ACTUALLY seen Patty Mills play on many occasions at many levels and can form clear, balanced views on what he can and can’t do. Speculating on whether he might not be able to do something is useless. But people enjoy doing that apparently.
Just wait and see. Given a bit of time he will show you all what he can indeed do on a basketball court. You will be pleasantly surprised. It won’t happen immediately, but it will happen.
"You've been warned...!"
A Stern Warning : http://www.asternwarning.com
I've seen him
he’ll struggle defending NBA guards. That’s not negative, it is what it is
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
He got a chance, and got ABUSED by Michael Beasley on three consecutive possessions.
Like a hot knife through butter. Anthony Tolliver, with his current skill set, is not an NBA player.
Getting thrown into a game and abused by Michael Beasely when you haven't been playing that sort of competition
isn’t really a fair chance. Beasely could pretty much score on anyone on our team without Oden in there.
You watch that game?
Beasley didn’t just “score on” him, he ABUSED him, made him look like a twelve-year-old. Easiest six points I’ve seen in the NBA this year.
Like I said: a hot knife through butter.
There's no doubt that the D is a different type of league to the NBA
In fact, it’s well known as a haven for guards to do their thing. So there is a big pinch of salt to be taken with that 38 and 12 performance by Patty.
BUT, there are a lot of very good players who are not putting up those numbers and 7 of 10 from three-point land is good in anyone’s language.
We await his next game to see how he’s travelling. Prediction: he won’t be allowed to go for 38 again. That much is for sure, but let’s see.
"You've been warned...!"
A Stern Warning : http://www.asternwarning.com
great stat line but dont get to excited
dleague is nothing like the NBA. Even Tolliver had great stats in the Dleague. Patty is a good player but he still has to prove himself on an NBA level. Although we need all the help we can get, I wish he was a 7foot center instead of another pg. If anything his #’s might help up his trade value. I just dont see Mills playing and making a big enough impact on our squad to make the permanent rotation. I think Bayless has way more potential to be that guy than Mills.
The Dude: Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!
by cavejunctionblazer on Jan 2, 2010 1:13 PM PST reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
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
- NBA Playoffs Fan Fiction: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- The Indiana Pacers? Gone till November
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- C-a-C: This is probably as close to LeBron James working with John Waters as we’ll ever get
