Full Court Press
by Ben Golliver on Feb 8, 2010 10:03 AM PST
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PrintStop the presses. Tom Haberstroh of Hoop Data just blew up the internet. Here's the coolest and prettiest new tool to hit the NBA blogosphere in ... ever. Make sure you have Internet Explorer 9 to get it to work. So sweet.
Here's what you might have missed on Blazersedge this weekend...
B. Roy's Presser | Lakers Recap | Lakers Media Row Report | Outlaw Drill Diagram
Scroll down for Dave's great look at the start of the new CBA negotiations.
Click through for a few trade rumors, a nice look from California at Andre Miller's 52 points, reaction to the Lakers game, national takes on the start of the CBA discussions, some early draft talk (had to happen...) and much more.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
David Aldridge says the Blazers are interested in Caron Butler...
(Don't discount Portland, either. While much has been made of the Blazers' pursuit of Washington center Brendan Haywood, the Blazers have just as much, if not more, interest in Butler, and are willing to put $3 milliion in cash toward a deal -- which certainly interests the Wizards. But Portland's refusal to put any of its young players other than Martell Webster in any potential deal puts it on the outside looking in. As has been reported, the Wizards want either Nicholas Batum -- no chance -- or Rudy Fernandez -- not likely, as he is a favorite of many inside the Blazers' braintrust. The Lakers would also love to repatriate Butler with Kobe Bryant, who would love to have him. But L.A. doesn't have the expiring contract/young player assets necessary to get seriously involved.)
Further down the piece, Aldridge interviews Patty Mills...
You played with Sundiata Gaines in Idaho. When he hit that shot against Cleveland, were you at all surprised?
You know what's interesting, my last (NBA D-League) game was actually his last game before he got sent up as well. He had the exact same shot against Reno in Reno. And he missed it. And I got the rebound and put it back on the buzzer to win. And then he got sent up and made that same shot (in Utah). I would have saved it for the league as well.
Chris Sheridan: Blazers chasing Kurt Thomas?
ESPN.com has learned that Thomas, the 37-year old backup center/forward for the Milwaukee Bucks, has emerged as a fallback trade option for the few playoff-bound teams (including Portland, Dallas and Cleveland) open to the idea of taking on additional salary.
"I have heard Portland," Thomas acknowledged in the visiting locker room after the Milwakee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 114-107 Friday night at Madison Square Garden. "It's always a good feeling when you're hearing teams are interested in you."
Marc Stein on Andre Miller...
Yet it had to be asked last Saturday after Miller's eruption in Dallas: Does a 52-point game make Miller even less available ... or more desirable?
"I don't know," Miller said. "It's one night. It's still a business. Whatever happens, happens."
...
The ongoing skepticism about Miller's co-existing with Brandon Roy, since both need to see so much of the ball to be effective, has been temporarily hushed while Roy is sidelined by a hamstring injury. Yet Miller admits that he does "glance on the Internet" on occasion to read the latest chatter, expecting to hear his name tossed around until the deadline passes because he's a vet who knows how the league works.
"I hear more [trade speculation] from friends, but if I'm on the computer, why not?" Miller said. "You can try, but you can't shut it out [totally]. I take it in stride."
Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee tracks down Andre Miller's NoCal roots...
When news of Andre Miller's 52-point outing at Dallas on Jan. 30 spread, the reaction among those who know the Portland guard best was almost universal. And local basketball guru Guss Armstead, it's safe to say, could have been the spokesman of that elated bunch.
"It definitely surprised me, because his whole game has always been an attack game but more of a facilitator, getting other guys involved," said Armstead, who has welcomed Miller into his high-level summertime scrimmages and watched him closely for years. "To see him get 50 (points)? I think a lot of people were really surprised. I think everybody was pretty surprised that Andre Miller scored 50 points. I can't honestly say I saw that coming."
Here's Brian T. Smith's latest Blazer page.
It all comes down to growth. Aldridge has stepped up big time with Roy on the bench. And the No. 2 overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft is beginning to utilize his size, strength and quickness to form a potent combination that demands respect on the perimeter while punishing opposing defenders on the low block. Aldridge averaged 22 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and shot 50.7 percent (35 of 69) from the field during a four-game run. But the biggest number was 40 - Aldridge's average minutes per game for the shorthanded Blazers.
Dwight Jaynes sees stat-padding from Jerryd Bayless...
For me, the worst thing in the waning moments of Trail Blazers losses lately has been Jerryd Bayless's relentless pursuit of his own points.
You've seen it. Both teams are just playing the game out and that's when he lowers his head, quits looking for teammates and just tries to steamroll to the basket to get his own points. No thought of looking for a teammate - just a seemingly selfish dash to grab cheap points.
It comes off a little cheesy.
Wendell Maxey on Steve Blake...
That's where Steve Blake comes into play.
Right now, the veteran point guard - who is coming off a career year yet has struggled at times this season to find his groove with Andre Miller running the show - probably finds himself wondering if his future truly remains in Portland. Many are wondering the same, especially knowing Blake is one of the more expendable players on the roster.
Blake owns a $4 million expiring contact. That's enough to make some GM's around the league salivate over the next 10 days.
Wendell Maxey lets us know the Portland Sentinel will stop publishing in March.
March will be the last issue for the monthly newspaper serving North and Northeast Portland. The ad revenue just isn't there, and while the paper will explore non-profit avenues to transform into an online news service covering all of Portland, at this time that dream is simply that - a dream.
Brian T. Smith on Jay Jensen.
McMillan said Jensen is irreplaceable. Spot on with his observations. Heartfelt and caring in his approach. But also tough and unbending as steel when he has to make a call.
"He and I talk more than anybody," McMillan said. "Because he's letting me know where the players are. How they feel. Who can go, who can't. Our travel plans, he arranges all of that."
Travel plans.... culturally-themed airport song and dance routines when greeting free agents... all of that.
Jason Quick on the Lakers game loss...
Bad news has found the Trail Blazers so frequently this season that coach Nate McMillan admitted before Saturday's game that he has not been sleeping.
Literally, not sleeping.
"One of these days, I'm just going to fall out," McMillan said. "Like just be walking and collapse."
Maybe that help explains McMillan's snippiness Saturday (bottom of game notes).
Kerry Eggers finds KP doing what no Blazer thought to do: stand up to Lamar Odom.
If you stayed to the end of Saturday's Trail Blazers-Lakers game, you might have seen an exchange of words between Portland General Manager Kevin Pritchard and the Lakers' Lamar Odom.
"It was a private discussion between myself and Lamar," was all Pritchard would say.
But the Blazer executive clearly objected to Odom's dunk attempt that bounced off the rim with 19 seconds left and the Lakers ahead 99-82.
Just take your L and move on.
Joe Freeman with Phil Jackson's reaction to Saturday's win, the first for LA in Portland in 5 years...
How nice is it not having to come back to Portland and answer questions about the losing streak?
"Well, you just have to do that as a coach. That's why you get paid these big bucks just to answer those nasty questions that you have to answer."
SJ from Rip City Project on the Lakers loss...
I liked that lineup in the second quarter with Batum/Cunningham/Miller/Rudy. Things just feel so much smoother with Batum back in the lineup. We can run out more, the defense looks better. Dante Cunningham kind of showed me he has some glimpses of veteran Antonio McDyess with that mid-range jumper. I felt he gave some big minutes in the second, with energy on defense, his ability to run and that mid-range jumper can only get better. I was really impressed by him tonight.
Andrew R. Tonry on the Lakers loss.
When the Blazers succeed as of late, it's usually because a player or two finds a hot hand that inspires the rest of the team to lay out. But against the Lakers Saturday night that leader never appeared. And while credit must go to the opposing defense, tonight's failure was more than systematic. On too many possessions the Blazers looked aimless on offensive. No one seemed to want to be The Man. But with at least two more games before Brandon Roy returns, the Blazers need someone with ego enough to try.
Sophia Brugato on the Lakers loss.
By the time the fourth quarter began, the Rose Garden faithful began to file out, as the Lakers had a double digit lead. Everything McMillan tried did not work, no shots went down, Steve Blake's threes resembled those which he took at the beginning of the season and the defense lacked effort and heart. The Blazers fell apart on every level, playing like a team adrift without its leader.
Ian Thomsen takes up a topic I looked at last season and which never gets old: B. Roy's love of the moment...
"I walk out there thinking they know I'm going to shoot it, I know I'm going to shoot it," said All-Star guard Brandon Roy, the Trail Blazers' last-second game-changer. "And for a basketball player, that's like the best feeling. For a competitor, you're saying, 'This is great.' "
...
Roy found out during his second season in the closing seconds of regulation at Sacramento on a play designed for Zach Randolph.
"Zach popped and they denied him, so I popped and I think Juan Dixon or Jarrett Jack hit me -- and Zach couldn't get open so I went," Roy said. It was a 15-foot fallaway overJohn Salmons at the buzzer to force overtime in an eventual Portland win. "Ever since then, coach was like, 'I've got two guys -- I can go to Zach, I can go to Brandon.' I thought it made our team better. Even Zach started to have confidence in me. I felt like, 'Hey, I want this responsibility.' "
Adrian Wojnarowski on the new CBA negotiations...
Players Association executive director Billy Hunter is preparing for the fight of his life, with the agents armed to advance to Defcon 1 with him.
"I have so much respect for David Stern, and I know he wants to create the most competitive environment possible for the fans, but the current system is broken," agent Mark Bartelstein said. "The luxury-tax concept is anti-competitive. We've created a system where in the midst of trying to sell tickets in the summer, we have teams admitting to their fans, ‘We're not trying to win this year. ...We're waiting for 2010 or some year beyond.'
"We need to start from scratch and develop a system in which everything is designed about creating the most competitive environment possible so that we drive revenue."
Marc Spears on the role that CAA, a major media power broker, will play this summer...
James, Wade and Bosh, of course, are the names on the tongues of every NBA executive these days. All three will be free agents this summer, the headliners of what promises to be the deepest and most heralded free-agent class in league history. That all three are represented by the same agency only adds to the drama and intrigue. It stands to reason that CAA - an agency which wasn't doing much sports business as recently as five years ago - will now have some influence on how the NBA's power structure shifts for the future.
"When you have those type of players," New Jersey Nets president Rod Thorn said, "that's power in itself."
John Canzano goes deep...
The Blazers are waiting for their big men, knowing neither is coming back until next season. But they're not doing it by sulking and cruising, rather by trying to outwork other teams and play the right way.
There's something special about that.
Quick Hits
- Talked some Blazers this morning with The MSP. Here's the podcast: Beginning of Hour 3.
- The Kap checks in on Petteri Koponen. More on this subject coming soon.
- Matt Smith of Fox 12 profiles the Dancing Lady (with video).
- Super Sonics musical tribute: "When I wear my Nate McMillan jersey people start laughin'."
- If Brandon Roy doesn't get back soon, it might be time to start memorizing this list.
- How would Greg Monroe look in a Blazers uniform?
- Fox Sports on Kyle Singler.
- KP2 tries to save the Clippers.
- Here's the video of the Taco Bell ad with the guy wearing a Blazers t-shirt getting swatted Dante Cunningham style by the New Jersey Nets mascot.
- Bust a Bucket is giving away t-shirts.
- Ronnie Brewer says Nicolas Batum was imagining things.
- Spent way too long this weekend marveling at the thought of this.
Power Rankings
- Hollinger: Blazers are 12th
- Paker: Blazers are 10th
- Schuhmann: Blazers are 9th
- Aldridge: Blazers are 10th
- Mannix: Blazers are 13th
Drop anything I missed in the comments. And, please, frequent the FanShots.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
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bayless was padding stats at the end?
i wish he was doing it more, because that last 2 minutes was pretty much the only time we scored in the 2nd half
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
I remember Clyde doing the same thing, during his first years in the league
Bayless has competitive drive…I don’t want that fire coached out of him, much less “complained about” from the local media
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
what a compelling argument
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
Well, yes. I meant by comparison, relatively speaking.
I mean if I’m tied to a chair and have to listen, all things considered, I’d rather hear Chad.
I listen to them a little during my morning commute
and hate myself for it.
Of all of them, though, I think I like the old guy the best. The kids just sound like over-confident, ill-informed frat dudes with a mandate to fill time and engender a response (any response). I really hate it when they interview people and you can tell that the interviewer is just tuning out through the whole thing, not engaging or giving a damn what the interviewee says.
Like I said, I hate myself for listening to it.
Me too, but what are you gonna do? Listen to news? No thinaks. Cowherd? Arrghhh or someone
else’s music selections?
Canzano is Dwight Jaynes 20 years ago
same haircut though
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Feb 8, 2010 2:01 PM PST up reply actions
Ben is sometimes guilty of that as well
McMillan was snippy? I watched the video and didn’t see anything close to snippiness.
Mathematics is not my friend.
If Jaynes=tool
and If tool=finding imaginary drama
and If finding imaginary drama=ben
then ben=tool?
Ooph.
πεντήκοντα δύο
i kind of agree with Dwight on this one
throwing down a few buckets in garbage time night after night is a bit unbecoming
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
Once or twice is not night after night. What should he be doing? Dribbling the clock out and tossing an airball?
What’s the preferred way not to score when you are getting blow out?
Dwight was refreshingly insightful when all he had going was his blog. As he gains more tread in local media again he becomes more and more critical. Now I’m not saying that this criticism of Bayless is off base, but rather pointing out that Dwight tends to be exactly as loud as the public allows him to be.
You don't need a Maserati to mow the lawn.
Dwight has well-known biases
Most notably towards Nate and Bayless
That said he’s right sometimes, more than most local media
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
by leeroyjenkins on Feb 8, 2010 2:06 PM PST up reply actions
but was having a "kids get off my lawn" moment
#52. Get well soon.
by Eat Politicians on Feb 8, 2010 4:02 PM PST up reply actions
He's puts his head down and doesn't look to pass early in games too
he’s cut down on it, but that may have been a situation where he just drove to the hoop doing what he instinctively does. Since the game was decided he may have been playing his way instead of thinking about what the team wants him to do. I wouldn’t look at how he played at the end of the l*ker game as evidence he’s selfish, but more that he’s a shooting guard and doesn’t have good vision unless he focuses on it.
"Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums." -Captain Kirk
by terryisntbald on Feb 8, 2010 2:39 PM PST up reply actions
The Google Motion chart used by Hoopsdata does not requre Internet Explorer
It should work fine with Firefox and Google Chrome as well. It looks like Adobe Flash Player is required for whichever browser used.
Also, there is no Internet Explorer 9. Version 8 is the latest for Windows. Just in case anyone goes looking for it.
Thanks.
Wrong
I’m using the IE9 beta on Winders ’97, and it works flawlessly. It also works fine with Firefox.
didn’t Roy and Zbo only play together during Roy’s rookie year?
That article says it was during his 2nd year (that zach was denied and somebody got Broy the ball), but I could have swore that Zbo was traded during the Oden draft.
you are correct
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
by thomasikehara on Feb 8, 2010 10:30 AM PST up reply actions
you might have seen an exchange of words between Portland General Manager Kevin Pritchard and the Lakers’ Lamar Odom.
“It was a private discussion between myself and Lamar,” was all Pritchard would say
It doesn’t sound like KP thinks LO fits the Blazer’s culture, which is a pity because if Portland had gone after Odom as hard as they pursued Hedo last July 1, the “outcome” of those negotiations could have made a big difference for 2 franchises
Sure, it’s easy to say that Lamar was “always going to resign” with L*A regardless, but there’s no accounting for showing a UFA he’s your “#1 guy” (Jack Palance voice) Especially while the L*kers were sending LO mixed signals during the month of July following the Artest deal
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Pro: We could have had Lamar Odom and Andre Miller (sign and trade for Blake and Travis/Martell)
Con: We would have had a Kardashian around the locker room
Considering those pros and cons...
I’ll take what we have.
imagine a motivated Odom
grabbing 20 rebounds in red/black
“keeping Lamar motivated” is the real trick, but he was UFA last July and Portland’s interest in him was tepid…despite Nate having experience coaching LO on team USA in the past
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
We could have had Lamar Odom and Andre Miller (sign and trade for Blake and Travis
That’s debatable…whether KP would have even offer it, and (if he did) Philly would’ve accepted it at the time
we can dream, though
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Kaman replaces BR in the ASG
First Clipper All-Star since Brand was an injury replacement in 2002.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
What is the issue Blazer fans have with Monta Ellis?
Second time I’ve heard that. He’s a bit of a showboat but so what?
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
he is to some degree
This season, he’s had to shoot and score a ton because of how ridiculously undermanned the Warriors are, which has led to huge boxscore numbers but very poor efficiency. He’s been a Warrior (no pun attended) with the sheer number of minutes he’s played, but because he’s had so many turnovers and low shooting percentages, he hasn’t really performed at allstar level.
Free AK1984
His on/off court team efficency numbers
are really really bad. The warriors are better defensively with him off the court and somehow better offensively too. When you can’t help a team that bad win, you probably don’t deserve to be an all-star
it's so easy to get on the all-star roster
a Caveman can do it
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
That sign was only funny the first time
They showed it Saturday.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
I was referring to Kaman
not Pau
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Is it wrong to rather have Batum as our SF than Butler?
Butler is good, but I think Batum is better right now, and has upside yet. Of course, maybe that’s my heart thinking and not my head.
πεντήκοντα δύο
I love Batum and wouldn’t want to trade him for a lateral position upgrade when he can continue to grow a lot, but I have to believe established players like Iggy, Butler, Wallace are still significantly better. Batum has never scored more than 25 points as a pro anywhere, and those guys do that regularly. And I see no way that Nate plays Batum the same minutes as he would (have to) give such a bona fide #2 player. Butler starting for two years and then Batum taking over? I take that over our current situation with too many guys who could or should get minutes at 3.
What's up with Butler?
His numbers had been quite excellent the last 4-5 years, but this year he’s down to 51% TS and his asst % is half what it was in that past. That’s a huge decline for someone who really is at an age where he should just barely be on the other side of his peak. Is it fluky, or maybe because the Wiz are in turmoil, or a sign of decline, or some combination? As someone who doesn’t watch must Eastern Conf. ball, it makes me wonder what’s up with him, and I would certainly want to make sure I was getting something closer to the 18 PER Butler than the guy who’s playing this year.
I’d say Iggy is a better player (similar offensive #s with better defense). Wallace would be a great addition who would bring some fearlessness, and I think he’s far superior to Batum at this point as well, but you do worry about his head (injury wise).
Is Butler on the same career path as T Prince?
I remember Bedgers being all ga-ga about acquiring Prince in season’s past, but now not so much. KP needs to be careful not to get stuck with a descending “star” and his contract
My summer-love man-cush on Devin Harris might also fall into this category, BTW
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
like I answered in the other fanpost
if Portland adds Iggy or Butler, then Nic only gets scrap backup minutes behind Roy and the starting SF
(and that’s assuming Rudy and Bayless aren’t getting those SG minutes…)
I want Nic playing more than that, and not as a skinny PF. Now it might be possible to play Nic-Roy-Butler at the same time without another guard needing to be on the floor (Batum defends the opposing PG) but Iggy would be a better choice for that “tall” lineup, because he has better playmaking ability than Butler
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I’d say Iggy and Butler are two totally different acquisitions. Because he’s 29, Butler is basically a stopgap for the next 2-3 years. If you get 26 year-old Iggy, you’re doing it for the future. You don’t bring him in, especially with the amount of money he’s getting, if you don’t anticipate him being the future of the SF position and basically your second banana.
if you are going out to get Iggy
then you probably want to move Rudy along as part of the deal or another one. Then Batum could be your backup at both wing spots, which gives you a pretty solid rotation there.
that said, I can’t see Portland bringing on that Iggy contract – not with the uncertainty of the next CBA, along with what they are paying Roy and LMA going forward, and extensions for Oden and Batum/Rudy on the horizon.
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
Has Batum ever been given the opportunity to score?
It seems like he is barely part of the offense out there. I love watching other players chuck up contested J’s while Batum stands in the corner with no one within 15 feet of him. I’m not saying he is better than Iggy, Butler or Wallace, but their respective teams definitely run their offense more around those players than Portland does around Batum.
I think he can score very high, a la Rudy Gay but with higher efficiency. Yet as a pro neither in France nor on the national team nor on the Blazers he ever did so far.
The best game I remember was 20 points against the Nets last season,
and he played a lot more minutes than usual in that game.
I’m basically making the Bayless argument here. It seemed like last year many believed Bayless was the next NBA rising star, but Nate wouldn’t ever play him so… Now, Bayless has played a ton of minutes with varying results. I feel like as a fan I have a lot better idea of what Bayless can really contribute to the team at this point in his career.
It seems like Nic hasn’t been given much of a chance to perform offensively. I know that sounds sort of ridiculous since he started last year, but he often played less than 20 minutes a game (from memory). I’d just like to see Nic more involved in the offense because I think he could be a force. And I might be wrong. Generally, though, players that score 25+ points on a regular basis play a lot more minutes than Nic does.
That said, you are correct. Nic hasn’t put up the numbers in the NBA or in France. And he did get the more playing time in France.
but it's not really about points or shot attempts
because with a healthy Roy, LMA amd Oden, Portland doesn’t need the SF to score much…just to be available for the “outlet” jumper and keep swinging the ball
I want Nic playing as many minutes as he possibly can…but not as a “stretch” 4…Batum is the best perimeter defender the Blazers have ever had…and this is a team that needs to defend the perimeter much better to get to the next level
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It's not about points or shot attempts.
I like Nic’s role on the team. He is a great defender, and he never gives up on a play. He is without question my favorite Blazer. All hustle, no attitude, and a total stud in the making.
It just seemed unfair to compare Batum to Iggy or Butler given they have completely different roles on their respective teams. Basically, Batum’s ability to score is hampered by his limited playing time and Portland’s offensive sets. Should he try to score a lot? Probably not. Could he if given the opportunity? Probably.
I agree Batum should not play much at the 4. Sadly, if he were traded and his new team played against the Blazers, Nic could pretty easily defend and put up points at the 4. I’ll give you one guess who is my least favorite Blazer at the moment.
either LMA or Travis?
I like Batum’s potential, and (more importantly) we know that Roy loves playing with Frenchy. Who wouldn’t? The sooner we see a Miller-Roy-Batum-LMA-(new center acquired in trade) lineup, the better
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I'm really down on LaMarcus right now.
He’s a very talented player. He just doesn’t play with much passion in my view. He also seems to disappear in the 4th quarter or just pass up shots he’d normally take. Nothing revolutionary. I think I’ve jumped on pretty big bandwagon here.
The Spurs game was great. LaMarcus played with some fire in the 4th, making shots and ripping down rebounds. Great effort. He needs to do that every game.
I know LaMarcus will never be a beastly PF. That’s fine. His finesse game is solid. I just groan when he rebounds the ball 3 ft from the basket and doesn’t try to tear the rim off the backboard Or he gets deep post position 6 ft away from the rim but shoots a 12 ft fade away jumper. It’s a lot easier to defend a guy if you know he is never going to attack the rim. He needs to develop an inside game to compliment his outside game. And maybe stop talking about his desire to be an All-Star and actually play like one consistently in crunch time when it really counts.
Travis is Travis, an absolutely brilliant and completely inept player all wrapped into one grinning, wise-cracking package. It’s hard not to love him and hard not to fear his decision-making. Doubt that’s ever going to change.
I’m all for a new center at this point. I consider Blake, Outlaw, and Martell expendable. But it doesn’t seem like anyone wants just them. I’m not going to be too surprised if nothing happens.
Dave was saying in a chat
something I hadn’t really noticed, namely that some of LaMarcus’s post fundamentals are really not up to snuff. He ends up very high when calling for the ball at this makes it easy for the defender to nudge him away from the basket as the pass comes in. Because LaMarcus doesn’t establish position strongly, the guards aren’t very confident when they make their entry passes—they have to be more conservative because he doesn’t have a good seal. That leads to him catching the ball outside of 15 feet, which is an easy position to defend.
I don't have a problem with LMA
because Portland has a smashy-smashy post player in Oden, and they’re going to need Smooth to stay out away from the basket in the future. If LMA was forced to be “the” Blazer’s big man (like Mychal Thompson and Rasheed Wallace, in the past) then I’d be more concerned. The reason that he’s catching so much flak this year is because he’s been forced to play a lot more “center” than he was expected to. I did like to see LMA spinning left and drawing fouls against the Spurs, and I hope to see more of this “attacking” behavior for the rest of this season.
But down the road? LMA will be a good complimentary PF to a beast like Greg. Is that role worthy of a near-max contract? The Blazers thought so, and there’s no undoing what’s been done, regardless. Of more importance (to me) is adding a 3rd big man who can play alongside Oden or LMA in the future. Joel is great but he can’t be on the floor with Greg, and I’m not sold on Pendergraph as that “3rd big guy” Signing Brad Miller to the MLE in July might make some sense, but my first choice would be to acquire Ronny Turiaf on the 18th
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I like the way you think Larue,
Let’s hope the Blazer brain trust agree’s on that lineup. I know I’m waiting…..
Small ball does not win championships.....
Go Blazers !!
He was the #2 offensive option on the French national team this summer
Had me salivating with his scoring efficiency on a higher shot volume
IF we were to acquire Butler, it would be to have both of them
so basically, we would be turning Webster into Butler – that’s a good deal for us. You can keep Butler’s minutes in the low 30s, which gives Batum 15-20 minutes at the 3 spot. You can probably throw him another 5-10 at the backup 4 most night as well. That’s doable.
Butler than gives you a 2011 expiring deal, which might be quite usable depending on how things go over the next year.
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
at this point in their careers, id pass on Butler for Batum
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
by leeroyjenkins on Feb 8, 2010 2:07 PM PST up reply actions
I hope when the Blazers go down to LA in April....
they play better. It is on national television and they seem to play better.
I think no Kobe threw us way off
We know how to play against Kobe, those other guys not so much.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
I say if Kobe had played...
Blazers would have won. The crowd wasn’t as into the game as it was when it was Kobe v BRoy earlier in the season.
I felt that too
It just didn’t feel right. It was like going to a title fight and finding out you only get some undercard.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
not to mention
Kobe has downright hurt the Lakers the last two weeks by shooting more than the much more efficient big guys. He more or less shot them out of the game against the Nuggets. If Kobe’s in there, you don’t get such a big night from Pau.
Also, when Kobe’s gunning and their bigs don’t feel involved, I have to believe their team defense isn’t as rugged as it was last night.
is it on TnT?
Blazers rarely lose on that network…and Kenny/Chuck always talk about the other team and not PDX
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
ABC
Its our only ABC game at this point (they can always add more if they wish).
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Which may happen
We’ll see how the Denver/Laker race for 1st in the West is going at that point.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
No Butler pleeeeese
I dont think we should make a move on any highly paid 30+ veterans until we know what we have.
Can we please get Chris Bosh for LMA though? Not that it matters, the NBA is in big trouble the next few years.
No NBA…..No NFL in 2011-2012. bad times. I refuse to watch Baseball
Ball handling and dribbling are my strongest weaknesses."—David Thompson
Blazers falling into mediocrity without Roy.....
I still think that they can make the playoffs. Looking at the schedule, after the All-Star break it’s not that bad. And with Roy coming back the Blazers have a good chance to get there. Although, if the Blazers have to play the Lakers or Utah in the first round I don’t know how I’m goingl be able to deal with either team’s fans.
Making the playoffs remains the goal
It will take a healthy Roy and no further injuries, especially to the big men. And if KP doesn’t make any deals, the Blazer wings and guards will have to “buy into” playing less and performing better down the stretch
Hopefully Portland will draw a first round matchup against the Mavs, but there will be a lot of changes in the WC standings between now and mid-April
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
problem with this season is although we found out some stuff about the 3rd and 4th tier guys, we still dont know how the 1st and 2nd tier guys play together
hence we’ll be going into the next season with all the same questions
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
by leeroyjenkins on Feb 8, 2010 2:18 PM PST up reply actions
A few questions can be answered
First, I want to know if Webster can play inconsistent minutes behind Batum. We know he doesn’t play well sitting behind a 3 guard lineup, but I want to see Batum start since he’s the future starting sf and better than Webster. I’m assuming Nate doesn’t want to make changes until Roy is back.
Second, we need to find out if someone on this team can be our 2nd crunch time option. Although Aldridge can play well for the first 3 quarters and put up numbers, he doesn’t consistently look like he wants to or knows how to attack a team in the 4th. In the past Outlaw had been that guy, but we don’t know how he’ll fit or if he’ll have a spot on the team long term. When Roy is out Dre is our best playmaker, but I still don’t know if he can play off Roy in the 4th and his age doesn’t make him a long term solution.
Some questions we can find answers to if Roy comes back healthy and plays the rest of the season. We can still find out what type of players these guys are and what they have going on between the ears.
"Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums." -Captain Kirk
by terryisntbald on Feb 8, 2010 2:53 PM PST up reply actions
Ben these are pretty awesome
Dave should give you a raise
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
I don't know who I want to win tonight
with the spurs vs lakers. I really, really hate the lakers but the Blazers need a team at the bottom to fall lower than them. Oh hell, go Spurs.
kurt thomas?
juwan must need someone to play shuffleboard with. id rather see KP try to go for brendan haywood. i get pushing for thomas (temporary fix, pros pro, essentially having another juwan howard around) but id rather see the blazers get a legt 7 footer and a TRUE center rather than a 6’8’’ 37 year old who can play against bigger players. i like it as a plan B though.
cash rules everything around me CREAM get tha money dolla dolla bill yaaaaallll
by staceyaugmon4HOF on Feb 8, 2010 2:48 PM PST reply actions
Agree we need a shot blocked
Howard can play good individual defense on traditional postup guys like he did against Duncan and that’s Thomas’ defensive strength too. We need a shot blocker who can stop guards when they penetrate or guys moving off the ball like the Jazz. If Thomas was in the middle for us, guards would attack him just like Howard. I’m not crazy about Haywood unless his price drops a lot, since he’s a rental that only lifts the Blazers ceiling from first round exit to second round depending on the matchup.
"Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums." -Captain Kirk
by terryisntbald on Feb 8, 2010 3:06 PM PST up reply actions
shot blockeR
"Maybe we can't stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums." -Captain Kirk
by terryisntbald on Feb 8, 2010 3:06 PM PST up reply actions
Regarding Marc Stein on Andre Miller and reading the internet
I hope Mr. Miller knows how much I dislike him.
I have an inside source that told me
Andre taught his dog to growl at pictures of Hawaii. He knows about you, Tom.
Nice
We use washable pads for my dog to piddle on and we used an iron on patch to put Miller’s face on them.
That's a great idea.
I’d use an iron on patch of LeBron James or Sarah Palin but to each his own.
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