Blazers Chatter: Coach McMillan Staying?
by Dave on Jan 25, 2011 11:15 AM PST
in Chats
Email
PrintThis is your daily-ish Blazer Chatter thread for all Blazer-related topics not covered elsewhere on the site. You can talk about anything you want but we always start you with a seed topic. Today I'd like to take up something that's been a near-constant source of controversy over the years but that has actually died down with the injuries: Do you think Nate McMillan remains Portland's coach after this season? It's odd because up to this point it's been assumed that the Blazers will be the ones making that decision. But don't forget Nate left Seattle of his own volition. Is it possible, after years of not having a full roster and more apparently on the horizon, he'll do the same to Portland? How do you suppose this will turn out?
Talk about that or any other Blazer topics you wish below.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
90 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I've always remembered...
I’ve always remembered that McMillan left Seattle of his own volition. And I’ve always felt that McMillan would ultimately do the same here. It’s kind of a mixed bag, but I think if McMillan feels he’s not wanted, or that he’s not affective and/or he simply is not enthusiased by the challenge of being The Blazer coach, I think He will leave The Blazers.
McMillan is such the professional, that he’s not going to distract from the focus of the team during the season with commentary along these lines. But McMillan is positioned I think to demand a nice contract to stay, or avail himself of numerous other opportunities.
I think the key will be what McMillan wants. Has he tired of The Blazers? What is his relationship with Cho? Does he want to move on?….only he can really answer these questions…
When he came to Portland he sited the challenge of rebuilding the franchise as one of the primary motivations for taking the job. Since admittedly I am a McMillan fan, I hope he see’s this challenge as unfinished and stays…..
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
New Jersey Nets?
That would be an intriguing challenge…
Actually though, I think Nate is biding his time for a return of the Seattle Supersonics. That would be his perfect fit.
"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
Sacramento would be his perfect fit, as well as apropos replacing Paul Westphal for a second time.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Agreed
I think the ball is mostly in Nate’s court. Hopefully the potential of the return of Oden will keep him here one more year while we search for a replacement (as mentioned below, Monty Williams is no longer an option). Although I did see an article a month ago w/ an interesting option for Nate (maybe why MJ was at the game). http://www.examiner.com/portland-trail-blazers-in-portland/charlotte-bobcats-may-target-portland-s-nate-mcmillan-as-next-head-coach
sorry, don’t know how to imbed links.
"What we have here, is a failure to communicate."
Why does everybody keep saying Nate left on his own volition
It’s simply not true. His contract was up, and the team chose not to renew it. Technically, he didn’t get fired, but the Sonics were not interested in bringing him back. It’s not like they tried to get him to come back and he turned them down. If they had offered him a new contract he would have took it. Believe that.
I was in Tacoma for most of Nate’s tenure in Seattle. It was eerily similar to the time he’s spent here. At the end, half the Seattle fans loved Nate for his character and work ethic while the other half couldn’t stand him and wanted him gone. The team took too many jump shots, and the offense was unsustainable. It’s time for Nate to go.
This is pretty much how I remember it as well.
Sonics weren’t really eager to bring Nate back, and never really supported Nate, be it publicly or through roster-building. So, he went to a situation where there was an ownership that had proven history of willing to spend to win. even though it was going to be an extensive rebuilding project.
The cake was a lie.
Yes
I love how this is now being spun that Nate is might be too good for us in Portland. He’s got the rest of the league fooled. Let him go somewhere else.
I trust Cho’s decision making and PA’s pocket book to bring in someone better.
Really?
You trust an unproven GM and Paul Allen to bring someone better? I’m mostly just playing devil’s advocate on this one, but..
After Paul Allen fired Rick Adleman (and caused Geoff Petrie to resign as GM), this team’s second best coach in franchise history after Dr. Jack, they brought in PJ Carlisimo straight from the college ranks, Mike Dunleavy who hadn’t won with anybody in years, then it was Maurice Cheeks (another rookie coach) who was eventually fired mid-season and replaced by Kevin Pritchard as interim coach….
Finally after all that, we get Nate McMillan, whether you like the way his team plays or not, is in the top 3 of all-time Blazer coaches. I’m not really a Nate supporter, or hater, or anything, but there is no denying that he has had a lot to do with the team’s turnaround from the JailBlazer Era.
All that being said, if he walks, he walks and I think it will be his choice. I don’t think there are going to be many coaches (if any) out there that will be an upgrade this summer. I do like George Karl, I always have, and he’s the only one I can see Portland going after (provided Denver blows up their team and he walks).
George Karl?
That absolute moron instructs his guys to play at a doltishly fast tempo and, moreover, he can’t properly coach defense — for he’s another imbecile fooled by Bob Kloppenburg and his switch-heavy SOS pressure defense — plus, he’s a washed-up, over-the-hill has-been.
Oh, and If the Portland Trail Blazers goes after a coach who’s been around the proverbial block, then please, please, please hire on Mike Fratello. Fratello is a superb coach, since he demands his guys to play at a down-tempo speed — which’d make McMillan seem like Paul Westhead — and, more importantly, teaches principled man-to-man defense.
For once, I want to see basketball played the right way on both sides of the ball—no matter how much it upsets those of whom who love slopball and excessive ball movement.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Well, that's your opinion on Karl
I’ll stick to mine thank you very much.
I never said I didn’t like watching real basketball, I said that I’ve always carried a fondness for George Karl. You may not like his brand of ball, but you can’t deny that Denver has kicked the crap out of us since he’s been there, and they’ve been towards the top of the division/conferrence the entire time. True, he had Melo, but one guy can only do so much. If Karl had less headcases in place in Denver, they would have won more in the last 5 years.
by Eric Loftin on Jan 26, 2011 11:53 AM PST up reply actions
And..Fratello was a pretty good coach, but I don’t see him giving up his cushy commentary job. I could be wrong, Doug Collins did, but Collins was never a very good coach.
by Eric Loftin on Jan 26, 2011 11:56 AM PST up reply actions
It was a mutual thing.
But yeah, there was a disconnect between Nate McMillan v. Wally Walker and Rick Sund.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
I wouldn't blame him if he decides to stay/go
It can’t be easy when the roster is changing seemingly daily and you can’t get the cohesion right for any considerable stretch of time.
Being in a small-market with only 1 pro team (of the 4 major sports in the US) locally makes the burden greater on a coach. The dreams/expectations for the team from ‘06-whenever is/was pretty high and with a couple first round KO’s the fans have been turning on him (whether or not it is his fault entirely, the coach almost always gets the blame).
Nate is all about D, and controlling the tempo of the game and I don’t see that being what the Blazers REALLY want to do. They seem to thrive in the fast break style of offense (for stretches).
I am undecided on whether he should stay, I always thought Monty would be taking over for him when he did leave but that obviously isn’t the option anymore.
Well
I don’t think Nate is the one to blame completely for the style of play that has had me bashing him for years. It seems more to be Roy’s style. Roy out of the roster has made me happier with nates offense (the problem now is the players being consistent in running it).
Our roster is still relatively young and inconsistency is generally the rule with guys their age. Dre, Roy and Aldridge are the only stable performers we have and Roy is out…you know the rest
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
I think the slower style of offense was a mutual point
for Roy and McMillan. At first, it made sense: the Blazers were a very young team that needed to learn the discipline of a half court game, and how to take care of the ball. While it is still a young team, it isn’t filled with rookies and second year players the way it once was. Miller, Camby, and Przy are vets, LMA is in his 4th year, Rudy & Nic in their 3rd.
I think both Nate and Roy just prefer a slower tempo, but the rest of the roster doesn’t really fit that style, and it never truly did. Look at the key players at the beginning of the year (and assume they were healthy):
Centers: Greg Oden, good defender and low post scorer, good rebounder and shot blocker to clog the lane. Can help initiate a fast break, stay back on defense during a fastbreak to prevent an opponent from racing back. Przybilla, same thing without the scoring. Camby — great defender, shot blocker and rebounder, outstanding passer, especially the lob and the outlet pass to initiate a break.
PF: LMA — rangy, athletic, quick, athletic. Good defender. Perfect for a running team. (This is LMA 1.0, btw).
SF: Batum — perfect for a running team. Very athletic, fast, and long, great defender, slasher, moves well w/out the ball.
SG: Roy — hall of fame talent, good shooter, needs the ball in his hands. Can break anyone down on the dribble. Likes to set up his play deliberately, observe the defense after it is set to see what they are giving him. Average defender.
PG: Miller — savvy veteran, average shooter, good post-up player, likes the ball in his hands, likes to push the tempo, but not to breakneck speed a la Phoenix or NY. Average defender at best, but a good defender.
The bench is filled with guys who could do well on the run — Rudy, DC, Mills, Johnson.
Looking at that roster, one guy sticks out as not belonging with the rest: Roy.
My biggest complaint about McMillan, for all his strong points, is that he has never really coached this team to the talents of the roster.
the talents of the roster was always my main issue
everyone, as you outlined, is built to run, except Roy
I get why you rely on a guy like Roy, but I never got why it seemed he ignored everyone else.
My opinion began shifting on Nate a little at the end of the year when he could be repeatedly heard over the microphone yelling at the team to run or push it and they just wouldn’t. Of course I hung that on him too
"Oh Yeah!" ~ Kool Aid Man
Meh, Nate McMillan has always coached at a quasi-slow pace during his time as a NBA coach, ...
althought it’s not even a down-tempo enough speed to satisfy me. Up-tempo basketball is ugly slop, pure and simple; it’s crap that belongs at the amateur level.
Y’know, when it’s all said and done, it saddens me that a slew of people get off on slopball. Heck, it makes me want to forget the game of basketball and focus more of my attention toward football and baseball.
At some point, enough is enough.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Let's just steal Monty back from NO...
Nicolas Batum is the future of the Blazers
by gtbassett on Jan 25, 2011 12:23 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Monty Williams coaches at a slow pace, too.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
I expect the sides to mutually part ways this offseason.
long live the jd.
by jksnake99 on Jan 25, 2011 11:25 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
yep
it’s just a question of where Nate’s coaching 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
I was just getting ready to post the same thought.
Although I would like to keep Nate, but that decision may be Nate’s or may be for just business.
Actually trading coaches is like trading players, you don’t necessarily get better, just different.
hg
Yeah, I'll be surprised if he stays.
I think he probably wants to coach a team that can compete for a championship and the Blazers aren’t that team and probably won’t be for several years at least given the injuries and contracts they have to deal with.
Before all the Hate McVillian posts rain down I though tI put in my .02
All Nate has done in his time here in Portland is get these young guys to play over their heads. It seems like every season the story line is: How is Nate getting it done? They went 42-42 (with a 13 game winning streak) with all youngsters. Fast forward to the following year and they improved on even that…they ended up the 4th seed in the tough western conference without any veteran presence at all. Most people were predicting a 7-8th…at best. Last year he got them to 50 wins without any centers. This they are 4 games over .500 without Brandon Roy.
Good Luck Nate…I hope ya get what you want
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Jan 25, 2011 11:33 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
I would like Nate to be here after this season
but I don’t think he will be
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Jan 25, 2011 11:47 AM PST up reply actions
Let him go
Nate’s a good coach and a likeable guy and he’s been dealt several bad hands throughout his tenure here but he’s just not a good enough of an offensive coach. That doesn’t mean ditch him if you can’t find somebody better but keep an eye out. Don’t settle for mediocrity.
I'm sure Nate has better options than staying in Portland.
Maybe he’ll become the L*kers head coach after Phil retires.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
No chance, they've been grooming Brian Shaw for years...
They have a bit of a unique offense and no desire to tamper with what’s working…
"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
True. Just trying to come up with worst case scenarios.
"Nicolas! You're the strongest boy in the world!"
I believe you Timbo but what is with all the talk about Kobe's love for Nate?
I’ve heard that rumor thrown out there a few times and know that it is based on their experience on Team USA. Is there any more to this than that?
#20
IIbdII
Kobe thought that Nate was a good coach with Team USA and the media echo chamber made it into something it wasn't...
"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
Seems like all those guys had pretty good things to say about Nate...
or perhaps they are all just being PC cuz they won a gold medal together. Makes it hard to determine if there is real credibility to their statements.
#20
IIbdII
I wouldn't stay on this sinking ship.
If he had more pull in the front office…maybe, but he doesn’t at all so he’s outta here.
If he goes, I think it will be his choice
I think the team is now playing closer to the brand of basketball he’s wanted all along, but you can’t do anything with just Aldridge. If the Blazers want to keep Nate, they need to make a concerted effort to build the team to how Nate wants it.
Or, maybe that’s been the whole problem all along…who knows. I know that Nate likes to ride his horses too much. First Roy, now Aldridge. Is that a symptom of not having enough talent surrounding them, or is that a flaw in Nate’s coaching philosophy? That’s the question I want answered more than anything.
I think it is a symptom of not having enough talent around them...
Nate has pretty much got the most out of anybody who has suited up for him as a Blazer. None that have left have amounted to anything more than they were here and most much less (Z-bo not withstanding). That tells me that talent IS the issue. Nate has been dealt the hand of inexperience followed by injury. He’s made the most of it. That has meant riding the talent he does have (Roy and Aldridge) and coaching up the rest of teams as best possible.
I think they were trying to build the team that Nate wanted. I think KP believed in it wholeheartedley. KP got a little to close to the players and overvalued them and was ultimately shafted by the injury bug. Imagine if last year, we had a healthy GO, Przy, Roy, Batum, and Rudy. We would have likely been the 2 seed and killed it in the playoffs. And KP would still be here…
#20
IIbdII
Not not enough talent
not enough bodies. Actually, there are plenty of bodies here, just not enough knees.
Nate McMillan would be sorely missed.
Getting teams to play better than their talent says they should is the primary job of a coach. And Nate has done that consistently with his time on the Blazers. Letting him go will only lead to bemoaning the fact that the Blazers let go a coach of such caliber down the road.
"The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason." - G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, 1909
Blazersedge.com || New to Blazersedge?
Actions -> Rec and Flag. Blazersedge works right when you use these two things.
by T Darkstar on Jan 25, 2011 11:44 AM PST reply actions 7 recs
Nah
Our players have always had more defensive talent that Nate’s system shows. I firmly believe that. Nate is good at rallying the troops, which has value. A more fundamentally sound defensive scheme has more value though – bring on JVG I say.
The Blazers were #7 on defensive efficiency when all these players were playing together (2 years ago)
They were also #1 on offensive efficiency. These numbers with very young players are outstanding.
For me the real test for Nate as coach will be the return of Roy.
More precisely,how Nate will handle the adaptation of Brandon.
Currently the Blazers practices team basketball – very democratic offense.
McMillan has changed the way the team is playing.
I definitely think that coach is the one who must find a way to integrate Roy to that style of play,and not to allow the opposite – to adapt the team to the style that is comfortable for Roy.Whether Brandon will be ready for it mentally?
Early in the season there were times when I wondered who’s in charge – Nate or Roy?
So Nate will face a major challenge.If he copes with it then he is an excellent coach.
I don't see BRoy as a clincher for Nate at all.
His health totally trumps any effect a coach could have on his re-integration.
by botanyjames on Jan 25, 2011 12:04 PM PST up reply actions
I don't see Roy as being a factor...
I’d be surprised if we see him for an extended period at all this year. Perhaps just in time to pump up next year’s ticket sales….I hope I’m wrong…
#20
IIbdII
Roy + Other Injuries
I think it has a lot to do with it. If i was in Nate’s shoes, and been coaching a certain way for the first couple years, then the last two years, always changing line ups due to injury, THEN lose Brandon to injury Id want to jump ship. Years of injury get irritating(even for a coach) Im pretty sure Phil Jackson would retire if 1/3 of his roster was lost to injury then lost Kobe to top it off. He wouldnt beable to take it. Phil got angry at Bynum for taking so long in his recovery 20 games into this season…
I think Cho would have to make a few significant roster changes this off season for Nate to say “Let’s try this again.”
I think prostofen's comment was specifically about how Nate will handle Roy when he comes back THIS year...
Not that I necessarily disagree with you…
#20
IIbdII
side topic, but these guys played the most mins yesterday
1.LA – #2 pick
2. Wes- #undrafted
3. Nic- #25 pick
4. Dre- #8 pick
5. Rudy- #24 pick
6. Dante- #33 pick
7. Joel- #9 pick
8. Patty- #55 pick
9. Marks- #44 pick
there’s no talent there.
PHILLY!
by CleBlazer on Jan 25, 2011 11:51 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Yep
If LMA goes down we might as well all work on our sense of humor. Previews and recaps around here would probably start resembling those on the Timberwolves site
I'm already getting the black humor machine fired up for the post-Celtics recap...
"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
we will never be the Cavs
we’ve already won more games than they will this year.
by hoodieNation on Jan 25, 2011 6:34 PM PST up reply actions
The assistant coach shuffle
that happened last off-season seemed to be an indicator that Nate/the FO wanted to shake things up to improve what they could do. That seems to indicate some dis-contentment on the part of either Nate or the organization.
I think it was the organization...
They got rid of KP and encouraged Nate to retool his coaches. Nate has too much respect for Monty to make him stay. Bringing Buck in was a little PR move but also a needed replacement for Lucas. Bickerstaff and Ociepka bring a lot more playoff coaching experience to the staff.
#20
IIbdII
He stays
Now, how about something along the lines of why Bird and MJ made trips to PDX to watch the games this week…trade winds blowing?
well, Bird's team was here playing, so that could explain that
as for MJ, I assumed he was in town for some Nike thing, but I suppose it could be more
"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
True re: MJ.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jan 25, 2011 12:34 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
What about the rumor
that Indy was looking to hire KP? Wouldn’t that explain Bird’s presence?
At least that was the first thing I thought of when I saw him on the big screen.
Nate is much more like Jerry Sloan than Larry Brown
Much of his drive comes from respect of his players and the owner, and I think he’s got both of those. Plus, I think he sees the Blazers as unfinished business. He’ll stay….
A healty G.O. would amke him seem like a much better X&O coach….
2-4 the who
I get this feeling too sometimes...
he see the Blazers as unfinished business
I get the feeling Nate likes to earn his respect the hard way and it might not quite sit right with him should he inherit an experienced, talent rich team and win a championship (such as Miami or LA).
He obviously wanted to stay last year (by requesting the extension). The offer is up now up to managment to make. However, he may feel a little slighted and decide to take his talents elsewhere…I hope not.
#20
IIbdII
Nate left Seattle because of his discontent with management.
He felt disrespected. I can’t put a pulse on his relationship with management. Just from afar, I don’t think Cho and McMillan share common views in regards to player evaluation. There was always some talk about Pritchard and McMillan’s relationship being somewhat lukewarm. I would put Nate’s return at 50/50. If the Heat flame out in the playoffs, I can’t definitely see Nate being the coach of the Heat. He’s the type of coach that will command respect out of Lebron and Wade.
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
Nate didn't leave cuz he felt disrespected
He left because he had to. Typically an organization doesn’t let you hang around the team after they’ve decided to go in a different direction. That’s why Nate left the Sonics because he no longer had a job in Seattle.
Do you have information to back this up?
From what I understand, Nate left the Sonics in the off-season to accept a high paying offer from the Blazers.
The following season the Sonics went down the crapper. They ended up with Durant after that and morphed into OKC.
No, McMillan was offered a contract
http://www.seattlepi.com/basketball/231594_sonx07.html?source=rss
McMillan turned down the Sonics’ offer of $18 million over four years, an average of $4.5 million per season. He will make an average of $6 million per season with the Trail Blazers.
“Our last compensation discussion detailed a proposal that on average would have made Nate one of the five highest paid active NBA coaches,” Walker’s statement said. “While we made him a fair offer, we in no way begrudge Nate’s ability to earn more than we could offer.”
"I'm at the thingamajig talking the yakety-yak" - Kenny Smith
by blzrfan on Jan 25, 2011 4:59 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
That's not how it played out, King Mar.
As a true Sonic fan, I call bullcrap on your end.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Uh, what? Nate McMillan is like neither of those guys.
I mean, look, McMillan is a product of Bernie Bickerstaff, who was a product of K.C. Jones; that’s his branch on the coaching tree.
That’s all there is to it, okay. Oh, and apropos of x’s & o’s, McMillan is like supbar at best. I’d say the best x’s & o’s coach in the NBA today is probably Doug Collins, but being able to relate a complicated playbook isn’t everything.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
No Blazer coach has ever achieved more with less,
but Nate’s teams generally fail to adjust offensively. Both parties deserve a fresh start. I doubt he’ll be back.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Jan 25, 2011 12:33 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Agreed....
Which is why I think he spends more effort just holding things together than being an inovative X&O coach.
2-4 the who
My bet
McMillan is gone by mutual consent.
Based on recent statements it sounds like he is out of the loop. Why would Cho not trust him with information? Cause it would go with McMillan to his next team.
Terry Porter
Why do you think Terry Porter is hanging around? Its not because of his great sideline reports.I bet he is the next coach.
Ugh.
"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
Good chance he stays, but...
I think he’s the Bobcat coach next year.
Campaign to remove "Free-throw Guy" from the Rose Garden.
I feel for Nate.
Just like Blazer fans he thought he was going to be watching RAMBO but the print has been damaged so we all get to watch “The Expendables” instead.
"Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is." - Josey Wales
Who needs soap operas?
We have the Trail Blazers!
it's like the climax of harry and the hendersons...
he must go, whether he likes it or not— for his own good.
“can’t you see we don’t want you anymore!?”
go. be free. thrive. flourish.
"If you've got the hoops version of love handles they'll expose them mercilessly." - Dave
by Oh. Em. Gee. on Jan 25, 2011 2:47 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I'm thinking that Nate is going to leave
The ship here is sinking a bit, and the future of the team is murky at best. I also don’t feel that the relationship between Nate and the front office has been all that good lately. Nate will likely have his choice of positions in the offseason. Imagine being offered the coaching gig for the Lakers or the Heat? I doubt that Nate could turn that down even with Kobe getting older.
I'm guessing Nate has already had some pretty good coaching offers
He’ll be gone after this season barring some complete miracle (Blazers make playoffs and every team they play against goes blind for the duration of the game).
We’ll get some fool in his place that won’t handle the organization’s drama near as well and won’t have half a clue. The team will self-destruct and, after trading off the veterans, our young guys will all beg to be traded.
The organization will trade them all for picks and scrubs and we’ll start our long voyage through the dark times again. McMilan’s team will show up on our schedule to abuse us 3 to 5 times a year. Cleveland will show up to abuse us 2 or 3 times a year.
The Raptor’s will pose on our home court after thunderous dunks and when we finally get a decent pick we’ll take the guy with half a knee left. His supporting cast will be a bunch of scrubs and a coach who could care less.
There is no one that would be better than McMillan
Considering all the injuries the blazers have had it’s amazing they’ve won at all the last couple of years. Management should crawl on their knees through broken glass to offer him a contract because there is no one else who could win with that mess.
Nate has said he wants to be like Jerry Sloan and stay for 20+ years in Portland
Portland will not find a better coach and needs to do all it can to obtain an extension. With band-aids and bailing wire Nate has kept this team in the hunt. He deserves the opportunity to move it into the finals.
For those who think Nate cannot coach defense, two years ago (relatively healthy) he took a very young team to be top 7 in defensive efficiency, For 6 years he has coached the USA Basketball team which has won the Olympic Gold Medal and the FIBA World Championship. It is Nate that has received credit from Koby, LeBron, Carmelo. Chris Bosh, and Wade for the excellent defense in those games.
For those who think Nate cannot coach offense, two years ago he took that same young team to be top 1 in the NBA for offensive efficiency.
Most importantly Nate has not lost his team. They still play hard and prepare well. He still is respected by them. This is not a point to change from the rebuilding process in year four.
Under Nate McMillan, the Portland Trail Blazers have never been above 13th in defensive rating.
I’m not sure what the heck you mean by “defensive efficiency,” but defensive rating — which is an objective stat that measures a team’s season-long points allowed per 100 posessions — suggests that your “top-7” claim is a outright fallacy.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2011.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2010.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2009.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2008.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2007.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2006.html
Heck, I’d go as far to call it a lie.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
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
- Behind the Box Score, where the Boston Celtics are moving on to the conference finals
- 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
