Martell Webster

by playtothebeat on Dec 26, 2010 4:01 PM PST

Not directly relating to today's Blazers roster, but I can't help but notice how good of a year Martell is having for the T-Wolves. Averaging about 15 ppg and 4 rpg off the bench in six games following his return from injury. He's shotting the ball really well (unlikely to continue), and looks like he really found his place on the team.

Always liked the kid. His jumpshot is a thing of beauty. Glad to see him playing well!

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good for him.

Hopefully he WILL keep it up.

by hoodieNation on Dec 26, 2010 4:03 PM PST reply actions

I just noticed that today, too.

Of course, so far today he’s 1-5 through halftime.
But I would also be happy if he finds consistency in Minnesota.

by Section323 on Dec 26, 2010 4:08 PM PST reply actions

Martell

seems like every week he’d give us a 1-9, 4-9, 7-12, and a 1-9

#12

by collectiveshane on Dec 26, 2010 5:30 PM PST reply actions

sounds like every blazer's numbers as is right now...

unfortunately.

except (whoops) babbitt. 0-3, 1-4, 0-1, 0-0, etc.

"If you've got the hoops version of love handles they'll expose them mercilessly." - Dave

by Oh. Em. Gee. on Dec 27, 2010 12:22 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Minny's actually running him off screens for mid-range J's from time to time. Wish we'd thought of that.

by Marvin100 on Dec 26, 2010 6:42 PM PST reply actions

We used to. That was a lot of the points in his huge 26(?) pt quarter.

She'll be right.

by idoltime on Dec 27, 2010 6:23 AM PST up reply actions

And that was the first and last time we did it consistently. After that he had only garbage points or corner-camping to look forward to.

(and it was a 24 point quarter. Still wicked awesome)

by Marvin100 on Dec 27, 2010 6:31 PM PST up reply actions

Love Martell

but he’s only played a quarter of a quarter of a season. Let’s wait to see if he can be consistent

by tkblazeys on Dec 26, 2010 7:00 PM PST reply actions

only six games

on a crummy team… they need help!

"Look at us. We're just like everyone else. We've bought into the same, ridiculous delusion." - Revolutionary Road

by johnv59 on Dec 26, 2010 7:13 PM PST reply actions

always liked him

i think he had/has self-esteem issues

rarely had a swagger about him, but when he did → he had some game. that 20+ 3rd quarter he had against the Jazz was Jordan-esque

Nate’s not the best coach for a kid like that to develop confidence, happy that he got a chance to go elsewhere for a “new start”

by selurnedo on Dec 26, 2010 11:04 PM PST reply actions

He is such a good guy

and it always seemed like bad things were happening to him. Hopefully it’s turning around.

Andre Miller - The most underrated best PG of all time.

by llamaiguana on Dec 27, 2010 12:07 AM PST reply actions

His jumpshot isn't always a thing of beauty...

Sometimes it’s downright ugly. Not just the trajectory of the shot but also his form and release. You can tell before the ball even leaves his hand whether it will hit the mark perfectly or miss it by a foot. For a guy whose reputation DEPENDS on that jumpshot, it was all too often the latter of those two possible outcomes during his Portland tenure.

by looster401 on Dec 27, 2010 12:38 AM PST reply actions

He's been shooting it well (except for last game, which I didn't watch),

But if the game against Portland is any indication, he needs to figure out what to do about his turnovers. I found most of them were when he was forced to bring the ball up the court. It seemed like 75% of the time he had the ball in the back court, he turned it over.

by jmark on Dec 27, 2010 7:45 AM PST reply actions

His handles never really came along.

by Marvin100 on Dec 27, 2010 6:32 PM PST up reply actions

I could see him doing very well under a coach that allows him to play

his game. He just isn’t the kind of player for a coach like McMillan that forces round guys into square holes.

witty statement here

by Escrote on Dec 27, 2010 8:47 AM PST reply actions

+1

Roy is like herpes...he comes and goes, but we are stuck with him for life.

by Philthyanimal on Dec 27, 2010 10:03 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah, I can still hear Nate yelling at Webster. "Don't shoot the ball" "Don't drive to the hoop" "Don't create your own shot"

“Don’t go after the offensive rebound” “Stand still out there, don’t cut to the basket” “Don’t run out on a break”

He does the same thing to Wesley, but Wesley unlike Martell just refuses to follow Nate’s orders. So Nate had to discipline Wesley by starting him and playing him 30+ minutes a game for the season, and 37 minutes a game over the last 10 games. If Wesley doesn’t start listening to Nate pretty soon Nate may have to play him 40 minutes a game to teach him a lesson.

"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 27, 2010 2:00 PM PST up reply actions 4 recs

Rec.

Still think Matthews’ defense is over-hyped?

"I don't get much. I don't expect much. I don't give much. I'm generally happy with whatever comes my way."

by Benjamanic on Dec 27, 2010 9:03 PM PST up reply actions

Webster always seemed like a great guy...

and I always thought he might be able to put it all together but it took about three games of Wesley to see what Webster should strive to play like. That was even when his shot wasn’t falling consistently. He just knows where to go and when to go there.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Dec 28, 2010 1:40 AM PST up reply actions

With Webster's size and athleticism,

Getting Wesley’s brain in there would be one incredible player!

by jmark on Dec 28, 2010 7:10 AM PST up reply actions

Matthews caught a few breaks when he joined Utah as a rookie

First of all, he played for a great coach who rewards effort and intensity, and isn’t afraid to play rookies (notice Hayward instead of AK-47 in the 4th quarter, the other night?)

Second, Wesley had the opportunity to play alongside a first-class PG in D-Will. The Jazz highlight videos showed many plays where Williams kicked the ball ahead to WM for lay-ins

Of course Matthews caught a huge break in free agency, last summer

When Roy was healthy and Batum was starting at SF, Wesley struggled. Same aggressive player, different coach/system and a rookie PG (AJ) Matthews also suffered a sore achilles during preseason that set him back.

As soon as WM was tried in the starting lineup, his game took off. Same coach, same system, same aggressive player—what was the difference?

Andre Miller. ‘Dre isn’t D-Will, but he’s as close to a true facilitator/enabler that the Blazers have had since the days of Pippen and Strickland.

Now, just imagine where Matthews would be if he had been drafted #55 by Portland in 2009 (instead of Mills) No Sloan, no D-Will. The added benefit of working out with Monty Williams, last year. Would Wesley be starting for Portland today and doing so well, or would he be mired in “role indecision” like Webster was in the past, or like Batum is now?

We’ll never know, but McMillian’s track record re: playing rookies and developing his own gems (like Millsap) cannot be compared to Jerry Sloan’s. FWIW, the best Blazer success stories in the past 3 years have Monty Williams and Bill Bayno’s fingerprints all over them

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

by two4larue on Dec 29, 2010 6:56 PM PST up reply actions

he played for a great coach who rewards effort and intensity, and isn’t afraid to play rookies … McMillian’s track record re: playing rookies and developing his own gems (like Millsap) cannot be compared to Jerry Sloan’s

Who was that 20 year-old rookie in 08-09 that started 76 games for Nate? … Oh, yeah Batum. I suppose Sloan must have called Nate and convinced him to start Batum.

And what was that other rookie’s name that started 55 games (of the 57 games he was healthy enough to play) as a rookie for Nate. ….. it slips my mind, but I remember he was rookie of the year (ROY) that year. There was also another rookie that same year that started 22 of his 63 games for Nate. I think he is still around too.

FWIW, the best Blazer success stories in the past 3 years have Monty Williams and Bill Bayno’s fingerprints all over them

Stupid me. And I thought the best Blazer success story of the past 5 years (since Nate arrived) was that kid that won ROY and then 3 all-star appearances. But I’m sure that was all Monty Williams doing …

"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 29, 2010 10:19 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Who was that 20 year-old rookie in 08-09 that started 76 games for Nate? … Oh, yeah Batum

As we both know, Nic was Nate’s last resort at SF after Webster broke his foot and Outlaw was ineffective with the starting lineup. I’m not saying that Nate can’t be “flexible” re: starting rookies, when circumstances push him towards that decision

Roy was the most-talented SG on the 2006-2007 roster. Of course Nate started Brandon. Z-Bo was traded to make room for LMA to play PF, so starting Aldridge was a no-brainer on a rebuilding team

Exceptions can always be found (yours were low-hanging fruit) Nate’s overall record re: developing (i.e. giving adequate/regular playing time to young players and building their confidence) is abysmal, by any measurement. I suspect that you’re playing the devil’s advocate, by supporting his track record against the evidence.

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

by two4larue on Dec 30, 2010 9:23 AM PST up reply actions

Looking at Portland/Utah from a different direction

In the last 5 years, the Jazz have one second-rounder and an undrafted player who were given max contract offers as FAs (Millsap, Matthews) Where are KP and Nate’s corresponding success stories? OTOH, the Blazers have had lottery picks (like Webster and Bayless) who haven’t been developed to a similar level of league interest

Utah’s scouting department may be superior to Portland’s, but it’s clear they draft players who fit Sloan’s system and then Jerry and his assistants “coach ’em up” to execute the fundamentals much better than Nate and his staff have with their youngsters, during the same time period.

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

by two4larue on Dec 30, 2010 10:30 AM PST up reply actions

Um, well, if you're right then Martell is up a creek in Minny.

Dunno if you noticed, it can be hard to tell with the T-wolves, but Kurt Rambis runs the triangle offense. Nobody plays “their game” on the triangle, unless your game happens to include all the things the triangle demands of you.

Is Webster the right guy for that offense? I don’t know. Did David Kahn take his coaches strategy into account when he traded for Webster? I don’t know. I’m pretty confident though that Webster’s going to get more minutes on the floor there than here, and he’s a better player when he gets more minutes.

"That really stuck with me and built something inside of me. He's a two-time MVP. If he comes in and works like that, then that's what I need to be doing." - Armon Johnson on Steve Nash

by conspirator5 on Dec 27, 2010 2:49 PM PST up reply actions