Who Takes the Final Shot? (Poll)

by comptoncory on Dec 21, 2011 7:47 PM PST

In years past with the trailblazers it was usually pretty much decided who would take the final shot. In the 2008-2009 glory days (yes the best season of 54 wins) the assignment was handed to either Travis Outlaw or Brandon Roy. in the years 2009-2011 the assignment was handed to Roy (one of the best clutch players I have had the privilege of watching) or Andre Miller (who either by default or by accident).

The question is this: Who takes the final shot with the game on the line? Other than maybe Jamaal Crawford, I don't feel the blazers have that clutch player or someone we can rely on for that final shot.

What do you guys think? who takes the final shot and why? Happy commenting!

Poll

Who takes the final shot for the Blazers with the game on the line?

Lamarcus Aldridge

82 votes

Raymond Felton

15 votes

Wesley Matthews

22 votes

Jamaal Crawford

116 votes

Nicolas Batum

37 votes

Other (please comment below)

8 votes

280 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 34 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Crawford's got a history taking the big shot...

…but Batum has ice in his veins when the game’s on the line, and he’s a better shooter.

That said, I think they’ll share the detail.

Doers & Makers > Movers & Shakers

by Adam Randall on Dec 21, 2011 8:09 PM PST reply actions

Having ice in a person's veins is not very good for them

They are better off having blood flowing through them.

Now that I am done with my lesson in human anatomy, I will ask a serious question : )

Other than the very cool oop at the buzzer to beat the Spurs last year when else has Nic the Stick risen to the occasion of the big moment? I think that was the first and only buzzer beater I can recall. Let’s be honest, while he does some things better than his former teammate Travis Outlaw, hitting the big shot is definitely not one of them. I still would take Nic over Trout overall, but certainly would not run some sort of iso play for him to win the game.

by ebnerblazer on Dec 22, 2011 9:49 PM PST up reply actions

Iso no

But he will dagger teams off the spot up.

by Sabonis4Ever on Dec 23, 2011 12:37 AM PST up reply actions

True...but

he does not have a history of making them. Maybe that will change?

by Blazetrailer on Dec 23, 2011 8:44 AM PST up reply actions

man...

I wouldn’t give Batum the final shot unless it was just a lob around the rim. he can’t create a shot. only can hit wide open looks.

by comptoncory on Dec 21, 2011 8:13 PM PST reply actions

not jamal tonight

"I told somebody to stop crying," Pendergraph said after the game. "Actually, I told them all to stop crying."

by cornplant on Dec 21, 2011 8:52 PM PST reply actions

rough night..

yeah JC had a rough night as did LMA. Oh well, at least it is pre-season and doesn’t count towards anything.

by comptoncory on Dec 21, 2011 10:59 PM PST up reply actions

Whoever is open that isn't Craig Smith.

by CoryBauer on Dec 21, 2011 8:58 PM PST reply actions

haha!

by comptoncory on Dec 21, 2011 10:58 PM PST up reply actions

Put the rock in his hands

Rhino drives the lane and makes the lay up…. late whistle, oh he ran the team and the ref over. Cna you get 5 fouls all in one drive? The Rhino can

by DonttrashCrash on Dec 23, 2011 9:50 AM PST up reply actions

Nate's gonna have to do a Pops impersonation

and run real plays on the last shot. Like Adam said above, Batum’s got ice in his veins. Set the Snowman up for the big shot (for Batum, I’m corrupting George Gervin’s nickname intentionally, as Batum has Gervin’s cool demeanor on the court, but is more likely to melt away during games).

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 21, 2011 10:08 PM PST reply actions

I agree that Nate needs to setup and run plays

but that doesn’t happen very often with Nate at the helm

by comptoncory on Dec 21, 2011 10:58 PM PST up reply actions

Honestly, it doesn't happen often in the NBA at all

Doc Rivers and Pops are the only guys who really do it. End game plays are tough no matter what you do. If you run something more creative, and it fails, you get skewered by the media, if not all the NBA owners. But no one will criticize you for going with your best player. That’s why isos are so common on the last play.

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 21, 2011 11:42 PM PST up reply actions

good point...

I just hated the “put the ball in Miller’s hands and let him dribble around and see what happens” play that nate seemed to resort too in end of shot-clock situations or end game situations…

by comptoncory on Dec 21, 2011 11:52 PM PST up reply actions

Those seemed to become less common later in the season, as Nic's shot steadied

and Crash started to do well in the system. For example, the in-bounds lob against the Spurs.

My guess was that once he got locked up long-term, and had more versatility at his disposal, Nate felt freer to be creative. Hopefully that’s not just a combination of small sample size and confirmation bias on my part, and we see more of that in the future.

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 22, 2011 12:46 AM PST up reply actions

Nate is never locked up long-term.

I thought he only signs 1 year contract extensions.

Jeff Pendergraph:
FGM - 3
FGA - 111
Min - 30
Reb - 10

by Tofu Anonymous on Dec 22, 2011 1:33 AM PST up reply actions

No, they signed him for 3 years, I believe.

The one year contract rule kinda just went out the window and no one seemed to notice.

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 22, 2011 10:44 AM PST up reply actions

I lied, it was a two year extension

Which, when you include last season, makes it a de facto 3 year contract, so that’s where I must have gotten 3 years.

http://www.blazersedge.com/2011/3/8/2038125/release-blazers-sign-coach-nate-mcmillan-to-two-year-contract

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Dec 22, 2011 10:48 AM PST up reply actions

Wesley Mathews is Clutch

Seems like very few people see it.

He plays better when the game is winding down and the game is on the line.

In the Second Preseason game he shot pretty bad, but he mad those 2 threes in the last 2 minutes to keep us in the game.

Mathews is clutch, but he isn;t getting the recognition because he isn;t given the ball as time is winding down.

I’d rather set a play for him to get off a shot than anyone else, right now.

by Anim8rguy on Dec 22, 2011 8:03 AM PST reply actions

agree, and it seems he has developed slightly better handle

mathews also is able to rub off of screens to get open

by utahcoyote on Dec 22, 2011 10:38 AM PST up reply actions

give it to Babbitt

by blazerblaze on Dec 22, 2011 9:12 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

Inside out

Final play goes through Aldridge – kick it out when the other team runs a double team at him – rotate the ball. Should be Batum or Wesley with an open outside shot. Wesley in the far corner, or Batum on the far wing.

by ATeam on Dec 22, 2011 10:52 AM PST reply actions

Last night Nate shouldve called a T.O

by Josao_503 on Dec 22, 2011 11:04 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

disagree.

Did you see the look we got? If Felton had put the pass on the money which would’ve allowed Aldridge to make a clean catch and shoot we very well might have been up one. We got an awesome look and messed it up (preseason jitters hopefully) but I honestly thought the Jazz were kind of surprised by us not calling a timeout. Good look imho.

by bringbacksheed on Dec 24, 2011 11:11 PM PST up reply actions

Travis Outlaw

by oregonslee on Dec 22, 2011 11:27 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

one of three things...

work it inside to aldridge to make a move in the post or kick it to a shooter

put the ball in jamal’s hands and let him create something as a triple threat

work a felton / aldridge pick and roll or pick and pop play

by SaveOden on Dec 22, 2011 1:27 PM PST reply actions

fwiw i voted jamal crawford

but it’s interesting that we have quite a few options this year

by SaveOden on Dec 22, 2011 1:28 PM PST up reply actions

I voted other

first off whats the situation enough time for a catch and shoot? 2 dribbles or 14 seconds?
For a catch and shoot I’d look to LMA or Batum good jumpers and the length to get it off clean.
Only a few dribbles Crawford he has decent length, unless the Batum point forward idea is more than a pipe dream then him or Crawford.
Enough time to run a play or two I’d go with Felton or Crawford getting the ball and being allowed to be the floor General
if Batum=point forward then add him.
I think sports commentators like the drama of a Kobe/MJ taking a final shot but the truth is guys like Paxson, Kerr and Fisher have as many big game final shots as Kobe or MJ.

Red means run, son, numbers add up to nothin

by Biph on Dec 22, 2011 3:54 PM PST reply actions

Kurt Thomas for the 15-footer...

by clinchmobb on Dec 22, 2011 4:05 PM PST reply actions

I only voted other because....

E-will looks so clutch. The guy looks like he has ice water in his veins. Silent assassin. Very unlikely that he would be given the chance night in and night out but i think he has it in him. But to play the conservative route i would go with LMA. I would rather have our best big guy shooting for the win because most likely it would be a shot closer to the basket with a offensive rebound chance. I feel a little better with LMA then crawford drippling out the clock in ISO. There can only be one seattle native that could pull that off for us and it would just be to weird for crawford to try where Roy dominated.

by Jared Gaskill on Dec 22, 2011 11:56 PM PST reply actions

LMA needs to learn to take the big shot so he has to take it whenever

possible otherwise I’d have Crawford take it. Perhaps a 2-man game with both of them working a pick and roll move to get open, depending on how much time is left. With over 5 seconds left then LMA takes it but with less than that, then it should be between Crawford or Felton, if he is shooting it well on the night.

by VinnyB on Dec 23, 2011 2:01 AM PST reply actions

How about we don't get into that situation in the first place

Let’s just win all of our games by 20.

Porter, Drexler, Kersey, Williams, Duckworth. The greatest starting 5 ever.

by Bib Fortuna on Dec 23, 2011 6:30 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

Without Roy

There is no clear cut closer… and as much much as I would like Aldridge to become the clear cut choice I think it will be a night by night basis. This team has plenty of players that capable of getting hot on any given night. Aldridge, Batum, Crawford, Mathews, heck even Wallace could be an option in a situation similar to what we saw from Batum against SA last year (hopefully not the first option but perhaps a 2nd or 3rd on an inbound play).

by PDXNATE on Dec 23, 2011 8:55 PM PST reply actions