Giving Z-Bo his due

by BlazerDavid on Jan 25, 2010 10:21 AM PST

I'm in the minority of Blazer fans that enjoyed Zach Randolph's game and didn't want to see him go. I acknowledge he was a knucklehead, but believe he would have fit in here with the right leadership around him. Zach is a follower, and therefore generally adjusted his lifestyle to those he companied with. With McMillan, Roy, and Prichard in town, and with the elimination of Miles, Sheed, Damon, etc., I believe he would have eventually come around here. There was never an issue with his work ethic and his desire to play. He even worked exceptionally hard to come back strong from micro-fracture surgery.

That being said, despite always being on the short list of "snubs", he has never made the All Star team. His teams performed poorly when he was the designated go-to guy and his reputation of a bad defender didn't help either. Nevertheless, I believe he has matured significantly and his performance this season should be recognized. He has played within his strengths to lead his team in scoring and rebounding. Few players have a nose for loose balls like he does and such a soft touch around the rim. He is finally over 50% from the field as well. And, most importantly, the Grizz are winning and he is a big reason for it.

I'm glad he is finally settling in to a situation where he can perform well without all the distraction.

Please don't confuse this post for a anti-LMA rant either. I love Aldridge and believe he will eventually be an All-Star as well. I am just happy for Zach and believe if he doesn't make the team this year, it will be the first time he is truly snubbed.

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I've never seen a guy be able to score inside like Zach

I think if he would’ve been a little more mature a little earlier in his career he would’ve been a perennial allstar and probably won a lot more games

The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct

by leeroyjenkins on Jan 25, 2010 10:32 AM PST reply actions

If you took away the points and boards he got off of his own missed shots

He’d have been a 14 and 5 guy. I hated his game when he was in Portland, I always viewed it as basketball at it’s worst and most selfish.

I do think that, for whatever reason, he’s bought into a system and is playing within it. I guess it only takes the CLIPPERS saying they want no part of you before you realize that you’re on the expressway to basketball purgatory.

Long story short; I, perhaps, wouldn’t mind this year’s edition of Zach, but as for Portland-era Stat-bo? No, no, a thousand paper cuts with lemon juice NO!

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.

by haildablazer on Jan 25, 2010 11:03 AM PST reply actions

I agree that he became a selfish player -

much due to the fact he was annointed the franchise player and didn’t know how to handle that role.

I don’t mind players going after their own missed balls, however. At least he is in position to get the rebounds unlike those PF’s out there that rely on the mid-range jump shot.

by BlazerDavid on Jan 25, 2010 11:07 AM PST up reply actions

Well, there's nothing wrong with going after your own miss

Obviously I love seeing Brandon, or LMA, or anyone do it, but if that is a majority of your production, and you are shooting under 50% (on 20+ shots a night) then that’s a great way to put up big stats and kill any chance of winning consistently.

Remember, it took Randolph 40 shots to get 40 points, and it took Brandon 21 attempts to get 52

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.

by haildablazer on Jan 25, 2010 11:26 AM PST up reply actions

The main point of my post is he has matured a lot

since those days. He always had the potential and natural ability. He seems to have put it all together now (for half a season, at least, which is all the ASG should be based off).

by BlazerDavid on Jan 25, 2010 11:49 AM PST up reply actions

I voted him for the ASG this year.

It made my fingers bleed a little to do so, but he really seems to have come around to the concept of a team game.

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.

by haildablazer on Jan 25, 2010 3:02 PM PST up reply actions

I have never got the idea that it was bad to put in your own miss

regardless of how often you do it. If Oden puts up a shot …misses it…..tries to tip it in …misses….gets it again and dunks it, he described as tenacious! Zbo does same …he is an inefficient chucker. The only way that it selfish is if he misses them on purpose. Zbo was a selfish player at times…but not because that ..it was because he was a black hole and didn’t run the offense and because he didn’t bother to try on defense ….but not because of offensive rebounding

" Welcome to the Bedge....where good, is never good enough"…Rudiculous

by 92wastheyear on Jan 25, 2010 12:05 PM PST up reply actions

The only way that it selfish is if he misses them on purpose.

Moses Malone used to throw the ball up at the backboard from 5-10 feet away, then beat everybody to the rebound and score around the basket area

He won a ring with Philly and (IIRC) is now in the HoF. I’m not saying Randolph is the same caliber as Malone, but rebounding your own miss and scoring a lay-in isn’t about being selfish. It’s about beating (and demoralizing) your opponent

When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!

by two4larue on Jan 25, 2010 1:33 PM PST up reply actions

I agree..and that is my point too

" Welcome to the Bedge....where good, is never good enough"…Rudiculous

by 92wastheyear on Jan 25, 2010 1:58 PM PST up reply actions

Well, Oden does it, and still shoots 65% from the floor

Zach was sub-50, which is unacceptable from a guy who can score so well on the inside.

This year’s Memphis Zach (Arby’s notwithstanding) has shown trust in his team, and actually doing a little passing.

Still warm-butter-soft on D though.

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.

by haildablazer on Jan 25, 2010 3:06 PM PST up reply actions

Actually, it took him 27 shots and 21 free throw attempts. But you're right. That is MUCH more effective.

"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."

- resurrect_ha28

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Jan 25, 2010 4:48 PM PST up reply actions

I am really happy for him.

You don’t usually see players with maturity issues figure it out, but it is starting to look like he is. He is by far playing the best basketball of his career and it’s nice that the advanced stats confirm what my eyes have observed. His TS%, FG%, Efg%, etc. are all career high or match his previous highs and his huge decrease in 3pt attempts(was a serious chucker for the past 3.5 years) is another sign that he is now playing to his strengths and not his weaknesses .

by organjet on Jan 25, 2010 12:09 PM PST reply actions

I noticed his 3-pt attempts were way down as well;

which is evidence he has matured or his coaches have taken that green-light away. Either way, it has helped him and his team.

by BlazerDavid on Jan 25, 2010 12:13 PM PST up reply actions

It was trading away Zach

that convinced me the team was really serious about cleaning things up, and brought me back as a fan.

I’ll never be a fan of the person, and probably won’t get past that to become a fan of his game, either. Just the way it is.

But I give credit to Hollins for finding a way to get Zach and others to buy into a team game and actually play some D occasionally, when few thought it could happen. And Zach has obviously bought in.

Good for him, and he’s playing like an all-star. If he makes it, he’ll have earned it. The competition at forward is extremely tough, and if he doesn’t get it, I won’t think it was unfair. But he’s one of the guys you could choose and say he deserves it.

#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!

by jscot on Jan 25, 2010 12:22 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

Well said.

I totally understand those that have a cynical view of him and understand why they moved him. Unlike some, however, I believe people can change, it just doesn’t happen often. Hopefully, his development is more than the “contract” year thing.

by BlazerDavid on Jan 25, 2010 12:26 PM PST up reply actions

I believe people can change, too

It’s just that I haven’t heard anything from him apologizing for or repudiating any of the things he did that earned him so much trouble.

You know, even a simple statement like, “I did a lot of stupid things, but I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m trying to not make the same ones again.”

If someone really changes, they usually want to let people know. No major mea culpas necessary, just an “I’m different now”.

So color me skeptical. That’s not to say I don’t hope you are right, it would be great if he’s grown up some and made some real changes. It’s not that I hate him or anything. He isn’t a player I would have booed when he came back to Portland — he didn’t ask to be traded or bash the team or city.

#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!

by jscot on Jan 25, 2010 1:20 PM PST up reply actions

Hopefully he is rewarded for his excellent play and earns his first allstar appearance.

Duncan, Dirk and maybe Pau are the only other Western Conference big men playing better than z-bo this year. A’mare is basically a Lma that rolls rather than pops on Pick&ROLLLLLS, with more explosiveness and turnovertheballness, but less defense and rebounding. Love and Landry are playing out of their minds, but are still to green to get the nod.

Something a little strange, out of all the western conference players only Broy, Lma, Jason Thompson and Deron Williams are part of every top 5-man floor units for their respective teams. So, hey K%b#, tell me how this stat taste?

by organjet on Jan 25, 2010 12:57 PM PST up reply actions

He's not a center

Amare, Duncan, and Anthony are the starters.

Pau, Dirk, and Durant are backup forwards. That’s a given.

You’ll have five guards, and that’s five forwards and one sort of center. You get one more center/forward. Perhaps Zach grabs that last spot, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Kaman is the leading scorer among centers in the league. You leave him out to put in a PF at center? Hmm.

#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!

by jscot on Jan 25, 2010 1:32 PM PST up reply actions

I definitely leave Kaman out.

Zach is the MVP of the winning Mephis team, remove him and they are well under .500. Kaman is playing well on a losing Clipper team. If raw stats mattered Z-bo would be a perennial all-star, but we know that is not the case.

Kaman – 20pts, 9rb, 2ast, 1blk, 3to, and a PER 18.4
Z-bo- 21pts,11rb, 2ast, 1stl, 2to, and a PER 22.4

I don’t know how you don’t put Z-bo in the All-star game as one of the wild card picks.

by organjet on Jan 25, 2010 2:00 PM PST up reply actions

So, no centers

#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!

by jscot on Jan 26, 2010 5:01 AM PST up reply actions

its the nba all star game, its credibility is already shot

why not no center?

The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct

by leeroyjenkins on Jan 26, 2010 9:55 AM PST up reply actions

It doesn't even matter

all stars are only truly position-dependent for the starters. The reserve ballots are told to pick guys at positions “most advantageous for the All-Star team” and “not necessarily the one he plays most often during the season.” , regardless of if they’re listed as something else. Certainly you could make the case that Z-Bo would help the west more as a center than Kaman (or some other listed center) would, which is the only requirement.

I believe this rule was changed to be more flexible after the moronic selection of Magloire a few years back when the reserves had to be listed at the same position.

#52

by Royster on Jan 26, 2010 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

I didn't know that

Helpful fact.

I’d still want at least one center on the team, when you are facing Howard. But what do I know? I thought Portland should have a center when facing him, too.

#7 #10 #25 #52 -- #5 & #88 are back!

by jscot on Jan 27, 2010 8:42 AM PST up reply actions

good post

zbo shouldve been an all star in 06-07.

cash rules everything around me CREAM get tha money dolla dolla bill yaaaaallll

by staceyaugmon4HOF on Jan 25, 2010 1:57 PM PST reply actions

contract player

Odenized

by CroRupt on Jan 25, 2010 2:43 PM PST reply actions

I do miss my TMNT dearly.

but he wasn’t gonna mesh with the no headband rule.

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
Head Czar of Amerika <--- Mortimer said so so there!!!

by faith on Jan 25, 2010 3:10 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

haha :)

by In Walks Rudy on Jan 25, 2010 6:43 PM PST up reply actions

booyah

by jervil on Jan 25, 2010 7:01 PM PST up reply actions

Z-BO

Has some of the best low-post moves in the game, but the guy still plays marginal Defense. As long as you have the personel to cover that up, he is an extremely effective offensive player.

If Lamarcus could get some of Zach’s moves, the guy would average 25 &12.

Zach is playing well and we might be slightly better than LMA at the moment, but I still wouldnt want Zach on the Blazers long term. I still have no idea how Zach would handle big game situations either because the guy has never played in them.

Ball handling and dribbling are my strongest weaknesses."—David Thompson

by Benson on Jan 25, 2010 3:20 PM PST reply actions

Isn't it a contract year?

Seems like this was to be expected. Zach needs money to throw at strippers.

by The Running Man on Jan 25, 2010 4:18 PM PST reply actions

If he's strapped for cash

He can always get a few rolls of quarters and “make it hail”

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.

by haildablazer on Jan 25, 2010 6:57 PM PST up reply actions

I was always a z-bo fan

and was sorry to see him go. His off court antics were a little crazy, but they can’t all be model citizens.

Brandon Roy, 'nuff said.

by johnv59 on Jan 25, 2010 5:58 PM PST reply actions

Correction...

He has another year on his deal after this. That doesn’t mean necessarily that he is not motivated by money but only that technically the term, “contract year” refers to the a guy playing in the last year of his deal. I misstated this in another thread so I feel obligated to bring the correction here.

For the record, I am pretty much with jscot on this although I mark the day Sheed was traded as the day the Blazers showed they were serious about going in another direction. Thus my reference to PTB Liberation Day in my signature.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Jan 25, 2010 6:07 PM PST reply actions

My emotion towards his "snubbing"

will be directly proportionate to the amount of hustle and selflessness I saw him show as a Blazer.

I don’t mean the guy ill will, but I could care less if he doesn’t make the All-Star team. Its not like he’ll be slighted in favor of T-Mac or AI, either. There are some legit PFs in the west.

Two points scored by GO’ = "thunderdunk"

by T$ 225 on Jan 26, 2010 10:02 AM PST reply actions