Blazersedge Mailbag 2/18/11: Oft-Asked Questions
by Dave on Feb 18, 2011 1:17 AM PST
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PrintIt's amazing how a few wins and some key Aldridge performances have resurrected interest in the Trail Blazers the last few weeks. The approaching trade deadline helps as well. My inbox has been inundated with questions, comments, and general enthusiasm. At least 50% of the mail can be distilled to 2-3 questions so I'm going to do a limited edition of the Mailbag today covering those topics that multiple dozens of people are inquiring about. As always, you can send your own questions to blazersub@yahoo.com. Please put "Mailbag" in the subject line to make it easy for me.
Who will the Blazers try to trade for?!? Will they make a major move?
You're reading the rumors right alongside me. You also know that 99% of them lead to nothing and that whatever actual trades go down happen quickly and without much notice. Since nothing has happened yet, you can disregard the vast majority of the speculation.
My sense is that the Blazers would not be opposed to making a major move but simply don't have the pieces with good contracts to make that happen. If they get a recognizable name it'll be along the lines of a Devin Harris or Danny Granger, former producers who have dimmed the last couple of years. But I don't think either of those deals really floats. At the beginning of the season Portland had the luxury of going older and/or skill-specific in adding a final piece to the puzzle. The puzzle is in such disarray now that no piece could be considered final. If they're looking to put their eggs in one basket they need a young-ish player more talented than their current crop with multiple skills and probably also the ability to score. How are they going to draw that guy? Brandon Roy? Knees and contract. LaMarcus Aldridge? Not replaceable at this point. Nicolas Batum? Not enough unless packaged with one of the former, which is more than the Blazers would give. Guys like Andre Miller and Joel Przybilla don't factor well in this scenario.
You could see Portland pick up a cheap, skill-specific player like a Jason Kapono from Philadelphia. He can shoot and he's fallen off a cliff there. Watch for a move that's in the "you can never have enough of..." category, shooters and big men being the likeliest targets.
Is it time to praise Coach McMillan for the recent streak?
A couple of things come to mind. First we should praise the schedule makers, as the Blazers have seen some weak sisters lately on the road, contributing to the streak. Second, it's a lot easier to be a "good coach" with a dominant inside player. Third, this team has issues obscured by the feel-good wins. Rebounding has become a problem. Marcus Camby may solve that but not forever. The defense allows way too many good shots. Portland has no Aldridge alternative, nor any dependable Plan B when things aren't clicking...a long-time issue. I'm not sure Nate can coach his way around these over the long haul, which means he's in for his share of blame (justified or not) after the praise blows by.
I think it's clear that this team knows how to dig deep, though. The greater the adversity the more the Trail Blazers band together and, at least in a relative sense, succeed. That's been true year after year in the McMillan regime. It's not coincidental. That's his personality bleeding through to them.
I think it's also clear that the years of muttering about Nate not being able to develop talent has been so much hot air. If you look at the guys on the team, most are succeeding. LaMarcus Aldridge appears to have turned the corner. Brandon Roy succeeded wildly. Nicolas Batum is coveted around the league now. Wesley Matthews is a candidate for most improved player. Dante Cunningham and Patty Mills have had their moments. They're obviously not in the same category as the others but plenty of people around here get excited about them.
Last year I took a look at the players Portland had traded away who were once considered rising stars...guys that people complained long and hard were being held back by Nate and his lack of developmental skills. It's useful to update that list from time to time, so here you go.
- Jarrett Jack: Traded 3 times. Best seasons 12 points and 5 assists for Portland in 2006-07 or 13 points and 4 assists for the Indiana Pacers in 2008-09.
- Martell Webster: Playing in his first year for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Injured. Averaging 10.7 points in 2010-11 just as he did for the Blazers in 2007-08.
- Sebastian Telfair: Traded or released 5 times. Best season consisted of 9.3 points and 6 assists in 32 minutes per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2007-08. Best Portland season: 9.5 and 3.6 in 2005-06.
- Travis Outlaw: On his third team in two years. Averaging 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds on 37.6% shooting in 30.4 minutes for the New Jersey Nets. Best season: 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds on 43.3% shooting in 26.7 minutes for the Trail Blazers in 2007-08.
- Sergio Rodriguez: Out of the league.
- Channing Frye: Averaging 12.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in 32.6 minutes for the Phoenix Suns. These are higher than his Portland averages by far but his Blazer stats came in far fewer minutes. Measuring by per-36 minutes rates his best production as a Blazer in 2007-08 (6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds in 17.2 minutes) is comparable, if not superior.
- Jerryd Bayless: On his third team in two years. Averaging 9 points and 3.6 assists in 20.7 minutes with the Toronto Raptors. Best season in Portland: 8.5 points and 2.3 assists in 17.6 minutes in 2009-10.
Number of stars flourishing once out from under the restrictive thumb of Nate McMillan: Zero.
Number of players whose production increased significantly after leaving Portland: Maybe one if you count Frye's bulk numbers.
Number of players even retained by the team they left Portland for: Two so far out of six.
Out of a dozen or so coaches that these guys have played for collectively after leaving Portland, none of them got any more out of these players than Nate McMillan did. The only possible crime emerging from this list is not wanting to play his center on the perimeter launching threes for 30 minutes a game instead of Greg Oden or Joel Przybilla.
At the very least it's time to declare that old canard dead. The other evaluations depend on results. It's impossible to tell what those results would have been had, say, a Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan been coaching this team but I'm betting Nate is getting pretty close to the maximum number of wins that can be coaxed from this team under these circumstances. Maybe he shouldn't get a massive amount of credit but he also shouldn't get a massive amount of blame.
Can the Blazers hold on to the 5th seed?
Hold on? They barely got it in the first place. That's like asking if you can hold on to the girl you just locked eyes with across the produce aisle. Perhaps an introduction and some chit-chat would be in order first? Maybe even (gasp!) a date?
Looking at the competition, though, the Blazers are in better shape than they have been at any time during this season. Denver appears to be imploding with or without Carmelo. Utah is on shaky ground, though I wouldn't bet on a Sloan-induced stupor to last forever. They have talent. New Orleans also has talent but watching Chris Paul the other night legitimately scared me. I wouldn't bet on the future of any of those teams. But even with Brandon Roy and Marcus Camby coming back I'm cautious about Portland's future as well. Remember the light schedule which led to this juncture. Take a look at the post-All-Star-break schedule and tell me if you think it'll last. Also remember that even when you produce like LaMarcus Aldridge has, your success is measured in seasons, not in months. The Blazers are still ultra-vulnerable to any team that solves LMA. I'm not liking the competition's chances but they also have reason not to like the Blazers'.
At the very least, though, you can say that Portland has a clearer path out of the 8th seed. That's better news than would have been expected a month ago.
Thanks for all the mail! Send in questions to the address below if you wish.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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Thanks Dave
I really like the update on who’s left the Blazers. It always seemed to me that PDX tended to get the best of the players who were traded or dropped (poor Sergio; I wonder what he and Rudy talk about these days if they keep in touch), but the numbers make it clear.
Notes on this section:
Remember the light schedule which led to this juncture. Take a look at the post-All-Star-break schedule and tell me if you think it’ll last. Also remember that even when you produce like LaMarcus Aldridge has, your success is measured in seasons, not in months. The Blazers are still ultra-vulnerable to any team that solves LMA.
Well, to be fair that “this juncture” most recently includes three games with teams who are above .500, playoff teams and in at least two cases, very good ones. All three are wins. And hey, the L&kers couldn’t beat Cleveland in a game just like ours, where the Blazers figured out how to close. Nothing’s a gimme, although I certainly accept that some teams are a tougher beat than others.
Two thoughts on “Plan B”: first, part of what might happen if a team solves LA, we know about already—as long as someone else is shooting well that night, LA will pass out effectively in many cases. A close look at that Hornets 4th qtr, to me, makes the case that they DO have a way to win when LA can’t have his way.
LA made some shots late vs NO, but not like in the Minnesota and Detroit games where his big game deciders were the long jumpers of old. His major contribution down the stretch last night was a couple of passes out of the double to Andre, who was stupid-open in close. Once Andre missed, the other two times were buried. And out of the TO was the scripted handoff to Nicola that was a sweet jam. He battled hard with West, but West and Monty gave him everything they had and closed out on him better than the other teams on the roadie. It was his ability to find an open man off the double that was the deciding factor.
Relatedly, I think the returning players will help more than given credit for, especially Marcus. A lot of the “poor rebounding” is expected rebounding adversity from “small” lineups. When DC is the center, that’s not a rebounding lineup. Yes, they’ve given up a lot with the standard LA/Pryz configuration too, but poor Joel just doesn’t have the hops to reach out and grab, nor the ability to change shots. Marcus creates a nice ripple effect, effectively keeping Marks and Babbitt on the bench and DC/Joel in strategically. LA only needs to cover weakside and can defend out on PF like him—something which has caused matchup issues the past couple games where jumpshooting forwards kept LA needing to check the perimeter.
And assuming the team and players take advantage of the obvious if egos can be checked, what better way to use Roy than as the sharpshooting relief valve (Plan B) for LA? Brandon just needs to get open for his shot, bang. He makes Wes/Nic/Rudy less gotta-have-one crucial every night, if Roy is on. And he may not be able to cut or jump or sprint like he used to, but stopping and popping has to still be there for him. Miller with a jumper!
I understand the caution, but it’s not like teams haven’t heard about LA, and it’s not like teams haven’t tried to take him out of the game. (One thing I haven’t seen yet is a deliberate concerted attempt to get two fouls on him early and radically change the equation). He’ll have non-20pt games this year, to be sure—but it’s his play that has energized the offense, not necessarily specifically his scoring.
Going on perhaps at far too much length. Shorter me: I’m more optimistic the flaws are fixable or surmountable (low TO and high FT are two major ways they’re employing), particularly with the returning vets. Hanging onto fifth place does not seem farfetched; moving up does, a little. Moving down well possible, talk to me again after these next three tests at home.
I'm on record as being down on McMilitary
but it’s hard to argue with the fact that he gets results with both squads and individual players. Maybe Ben’s McMiliano has freed the inner coach – because beyond player development and 1st round exits – we have yet another iteration of a team outplaying the hand it was dealt.
Even more interesting is that this Blazer team is succeeding with an alter ego scheme – something I didn’t know Sarge had in him.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
yes, Nate is doing well lately.
I am trusting he is growing and learning, along with the team. The return of Brandon will be an interesting, and potentially revealing, challenge which should be interesting.
I’d just as soon skip the detailed review of past (legitimate) issues at the moment. I’m just hoping for good play to continue.
LaMarcus Aldridge's "All-Star Snub Tour" coming to a city near you.
if your goal is to grind out regular season victories amidst adversity, then Nate's your guy
but the rest of the league is playing to win a trophy in May/June. What has Nate shown that gives anyone confidence that he could ever lead an NBA team through the second season?
Is there a better coach “out there” for this challenge who is reasonably attainable? You never know until you try, but Thibodeau is doing well with the Bulls (and he’s had final’s experience with Boston) and Budenholzer has studied his craft under Greg Popovich. Enough said.
We’ll see what direction Cho and Allen go, they’ll sit down and talk with McMillian after the playoffs are done. For Nate’s sake as the future Portland coach, that meeting had better be in May (not April) this year. And the later in May, the better.
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Right now do you think there any coaches out there
that could push us to the 2nd round from the bottom half of the bracket??
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 9:43 AM PST up reply actions
When exactly has Nate lost a playoff series, or a playoff game, that we should have won?
We had homecourt advantage against the Rockets, but the entire canvases knew that Houston was the one team from the lower half of the bracket that we did not want to face. 1st game blowout is hard to blame on Nate. He was just about alone in knowing what to expect in the playoffs. That team was so young. After that loss we had to steal 1 in their house. We were close, but couldn’t do it. Do we really blame that on Nate?
Did Gentry out-coach Nate last year? Hard to see it that way unless you consider superior talent a result of coaching. I’m not saying Nate doesn’t need to eventually prove his worth in the post-season, but I do think we tend to be overly critical of his resume at times.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 10:18 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
I agree
Can’t blame him the first season and he’s had no real chance since then
Exactly
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 10:45 AM PST up reply actions
the turning point for the McMillian era
game 4, 2009 in Houston. Portland had a double-digit lead early in the 4th quarter and lost by a point
that game swung the series, if Portland had won, there would have been a game 7 at the Rose Garden
the team’s fortunes (KP’s dismissal, etc) have gone downhill following that 10 minute period of time
Nate was clearly outcoached by Adelman and Gentry the last 2 Aprils. If you disagree with this, then I doubt I could ever convince you
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Gentry had a lot more to work with though
and Nate has shown improvement. More than likely Nate will coach for a long time after this season and will probably have a solid coaching career.
It’s hard to be certain of what Nate isn’t capable of with what we’ve seen so far.
Exactly.
The guy with the machine gun clearly out-gunned the guy with the six-shooter.
by LaughingJon on Feb 18, 2011 12:19 PM PST up reply actions
Turning point for McMillan / KP era was picking Oden instead of Durant.
10 minutes where a group of veteran players at home out-executed a younger club? If that’s the turning point for an era then the era was destined for mediocrity. I’m not saying Nate is better than Adelman, but Adelman has had his own share of playoff defeats. If we’re looking for a replacement coach with a proven record of playoff success without blemish… the list is short and they aren’t coming to Portland. Can you really say with confidence that Pop’s assistant is ready to lead a team in the post-season?
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 3:04 PM PST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, I have to agree with this
I find it hard to believe how a coach can consistently overachieve in the regular season and be almost universally respected by his peers, yet is the reason we can’t tin in the playoffs. Just on that level alone it doesn’t make sense to me.
Sure, Nate could have tried too pen things up or try unconventional stuff when things were failing, but that would play against the strengths of the system, and most assuredly would have ended up failing anyway.
I don’t if Nate is the best coach in the NBA, but he’s surely above average. Like anything else, if you can find a better option, it might be worth exploring – but there’s risks involved. But if Nate gets bold and asks for Phil Jackson-type money this off season, that’s gonna fail. I have a feeling he’ll be bold in his contract negotiations, knowing he’ll have a job in a bigger market if that falls through. I don’t expect a Portland discount.
Yeah, I agree
the evolution/growth of Nate is fairly obvious to me…I’m not gonna give up on him in favor of the unknown because he and his young team were outcoached and out executed by a seasoned group during a 10 minute stretch on the road in their first playoff appearance together.
"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 Feb 18, 2011 12:22 PM PST up reply actions
I lost my job since then too...and got a different one..since then
(KP’s dismissal, etc) have gone downhill following that 10 minute period of time
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 2:08 PM PST up reply actions
What would you have done instead....and have you put in your application??
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 2:09 PM PST up reply actions
well, I wouldn't have played Joel behind Yao in game 1
and watch Ming score 24 in the first half
Why make it personal? The “you’ve got to have coached in the NBA before you can criticize the coach” is such a lame take.
Nate’s going to have a chance to get off the schneid in the post season again, this spring. If he can’t adapt to post season decision-making on the fly then he’ll die—but I’d rather that he do that for a team that I’m not rooting for
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I believe this is probably Nate's last season anyway
but I would rather him leave during the off season. Switching coaches right now would probably make any hope of playoffs this season irrelevant.
I agree with this
back when the team was 10-13 and blowing leads in the 2nd half I was ready to start over, but they’re paying Nate now and he’s righted the ship, so why change? Besides, unless the Blazers wanted to slap an interim tag on Terry Porter, there aren’t that many head coaches who aren’t already working until after the season.
With the lockout there’s going to be plenty of time to replace McMillian, so we might as well sit back and see if he can win a playoff series (unless Cho trades Miller this week and pulls the proberbial rug out from under the coach/players—I wouldn’t blame McMillian for resigning in protest if that happens, but I suspect he’d just smolder silently, and soldier on…)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
i agree, keep Miller!
i agree, keep Miller! him and LMA are keeping this team moving!!
by Batum Shakalaka on Feb 19, 2011 2:00 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I am not making it personal ...just wanted know what you would have done
I noticed you didn’t mention the Phoenix series.
BTW Pop failed to make it out of the first round a couple of times too…was he out-coached or were there extenuating circumstances? 99/00 and 08/09….injuries played a part in both
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 3:21 PM PST up reply actions
Look, I've seen every Blazer coach since Roland Todd
BTW, ’92 was not the year, ’77 was the year
I can tell you waht led to Jack Ramsay’s dismissal, I know why Adelman was let go. I’m not “picking on” Nate—I’m just telling you what is—he’s got to get it done in the playoffs or he’ll be gone. You can claim “that’s not fair…look at all the injuries!” and I could agree to an extent but it doesn’t really matter. It’s a results-driven business and McMillian doesn’t have any post-season cred.
Paul Allen isn’t patient, but he likes Mr. Sonic so he’s let Nate keep trying—but there has to be an end to every unsuccessful venture. If you want McMillian back then I recommend that you root like heck for the team to reach the WCF—I’ll be doing the same, BTW. But I wouldn’t bet on it happening, and at the end of the day this will be “KP, round 2” (i.e. life isn’t fair, that’s life in the big city, we’re moving in a different direction, etc)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
this season is Nate's
and it looks like he will get a shot to show us what he can do in the post season, hopefully, with a healthy roster. He will get the glory/blame as the case may be.
LaMarcus Aldridge's "All-Star Snub Tour" coming to a city near you.
We won't have an actually healthy roster this year either
unless Greg miraculously appears and Roy gets back to 08/09 form…neither of which I think will happen
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 10:47 AM PST up reply actions
hopefully it will be as healthy as it can be
if we have Camby at 100% we should be putting up a good fight, even without Roy and Oden
"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 Feb 18, 2011 11:37 AM PST up reply actions
there will always be excuses for a playoff series loss
but nobody wants to hear about the labor pains, they only ask to see the baby
the real question is, has Paul Allen’s patience with Nate run out? The fact that McMillian wasn’t offered an extension last summer puts this business relationship in doubt
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
What coach would have won those series you are unhappy with?
and who can win one with the roster we do have this year. This is the question that the Nate haters usually dodge …..Budenholtz isn’t really an answer because we have no idea if he can even coach at all at the head coaching level. We don’t even know if Thib can get out of the 1st round either
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 2:07 PM PST up reply actions
like I said
you never know until you try…how many chances does Nate get? When he wins a playoff series with a deep/healthy veteran roster get back to me…but chances are it won’t be with Portland
The Bulls took the chance on Thibs, and they’ll find out what he’s got re: post season chops, this spring. Some team is eventually going to take a chance on Buds in the future, might as well be Portland. Most of the great head coaches were assistants at one time or another, spooting talent and giving the talent an opportunity is the GM’s job. Recycling mediocre NBA retread coaches is the path of least resistance
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
when Nate enters a playoff series with a deep/healthy veteran roster it will be the first time
Thibs will get out of the first round this year, but I’m pretty sure I could take that Bulls team out of the first round this year (we’ll see if he can get past the second).
If Buds is a coaching prodigy then maybe it’s worth giving up on Nate, or maybe Nate will give up on the Blazers anyway, but to say he’s had all these chances with healthy rosters in matchups we should have won is inaccurate.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I’m pretty sure I could take that Bulls team out of the first round this year
You’re underselling the job Tom has done re: Chicago’s team defense. Everybody points at Rose as having the big impact, well why wasn’t DR getting it done with Vinny?
BTW, I didn’t say that Nate had chances with healthy rosters in the playoffs with Portland (I’ll let AK answer re: McMillian’s former Sonic teams…) what I am saying is that it’s irrelevant to keep making excuses for the coach’s post season lack of success. His 4-8 playoff W-L record as Blazer’s head coach is on his permanent record
Like Yoda once said, “do, or do not, there is no try”
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
one thing about the Blazers that is different right now
is that he has 4/5 starters that are playing to their potential. Another thing is that when the Blazers call a timeout to correct a scoring drought – the play call is almost always Mathews or Batum coming off an LMA side pick with multiple options for finishing the play.
It’s a subtle thing – but the Blazers running option plays and learning how to read the defense to get those options takes a big chunk out of the traditional anti-Nate debate.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Feb 18, 2011 10:06 AM PST up reply actions
What has Nate shown that gives anyone confidence that he could ever lead an NBA team through the second season?
A general level of competence and intelligence that I trust. But that’s just me.
"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 Feb 18, 2011 10:22 AM PST up reply actions
If you don't grind out the wins in the regular season...
… how do you even get to the playoffs to win the trophy in May/June?..
If the “rest of the league is playing to win a trophy” I must be watching a different league then you are. There are maybe 4-5 teams with a chance to win the ring. All the rest of the league is grinding out those wins and hoping to become one of those 4-5 teams.
Nate hasn’t had a team that could make it through the NBA second season and I don’t think Popovich or Van Gundy or Jackson could have done much better than he did with the same guys. Do you really think we’d have beat Houston or Phoenix with a different coach?.. I don’t.
Nate is doing a good job and has actually improved in the areas most Nate haters complained about. His rotations aren’t as rigid… his offense is less predictable and has better pace… and his relationship with Andre and Roy and LMA has changed for the better.
Just my opinion but we don’t know that Nate can’t coach in the playoffs anymore then we know if this team… with a healthy Oden, Roy, Pryz and Camby… can compete in the magical second season.
#7
#12
GO BLAZERS!!!
good bag, as always
As for Nate, i’ve been making that basic argument forever. i think he’s great, and i like that he doesn’t whine 10ft. out on the court like big name coaches.
i think Roy and Camby is huge. We’ve been playing with bench players starting and third string as bench so leads evaporate as subs are made. Them returning will be big.
the only trade i want to see is lower tier guys and picks for anything that gets LA a rest for more than 5 min a game without blowing our leads. But again Roy/Camby can help that in some ways.
by extraneous solutions on Feb 18, 2011 2:29 AM PST reply actions
You could include Z-Bo, but he has also rather held his course compared to his best seasons
A bit better now in Memphis, but he also has more experience now and had two bad stops in between.
McBob has improved a lot, but he was just a rookie.
Blake is who we thought he was, and the Lakers are considering upgrades now.
Subjectively I still think the team could play a more imaginative system and that we aren’t better than the proverbial “sum of the parts” rather scoring on individual talent than on team play. But in recent years Nate had the built-in “I never had the team I wanted to have” for any significant stretch of time excuse with all the injuries to Oden and Roy as well as to a handful of role players. So it’s hard to make definitive statements one way or the other.
It's not so much that players blossomed or didn't after they left the Blazers, it's that, with the exception of Camby,
the players who replaced them are so much worse. Of course, that’s a front office issue not a Nate issue. But of the players listed who are who we thought they were, just about any of them would improve the team right about now.
hmm
Sergio > Mills? Meh.
Webster > Rudy? Not so sure. This current Rudy is a sight to behold.
Bayless > Mills or Johnson? Yeah – probably. This year. But Johnson did outplay Bayless early.
Outlaw > Cunningham? Highly debatable (in favor of Dante)
Frye > Camby? Umm…no – not even greater than the injured Camby (not enough games missed)
Telfair > ….
Jack > Mills or Johnson? Yeah, probably – but not > Webster/Rudy – which wouldn’t leave him many minutes
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Feb 18, 2011 10:12 AM PST up reply actions
nice comparisons:
and had those players stayed (who might have been marginally better), would they have been happy continuing to come off the bench. Jack is the one I feel for as he had won the starting job over Blake but then blew it by the 2nd or 3rd game. Then when he won it again in Toronto, they traded him to N.O.
The juiciest speculation was the mention of Blazers bringing Outlaw back from N.J.; apart from team unity, how that would play out would be very interesting.
Try this
Sergio > Mills? easily
Webster > Babbit, no brainer
Bayless > Mills or Johnson? Yeah – probably. Agreed
Outlaw > Cunningham, yes, if you want some quick offense and a guy who can get his own shot
Frye > Marks, this one’s easy, Camby’s the starter, Frye never was.
Jack > Mills or Johnson? Yeah, probably – agreed.
Blake > Mills, easily
Are these two benches remotely equivalent?
Blake, Bayless, Frye, Rudy, Outlaw, Webster
or
Mills, Rudy, Babbit, Marks, Johnson
I’m not trying to live in the past, it’s just that I find it hard to get excited about trade talk.
We sacrificed a lot
just trying to stay competitive. Neither bench looks decent to me though. I’d blow both of them up lol
don't forget that injuries have made our bench what it is now
If Roy is healthy, Wes is a part of that bench unit. If Oden is healthy, Camby AND Przy are a part of that bench unit.
By design our bench was supposed to be
AJ/Mills
Wes/Rudy
Dante/Pendo
Camby/Przy
We could even be running a second unit of Rudy-Wes-Dante-Camby-Przy…or throw Mills in and run a 3-guard lineup. Looks a lot better when you view it that way eh?
"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 Feb 18, 2011 10:43 AM PST up reply actions
Pendergraph is sorely missed, this season
weird to say that
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Feb 18, 2011 10:48 AM PST up reply actions
Well, yeah, but they aren't healthy. And so look at the benches with the available players and
you can easily come to the conclusion that Portland traded away its depth and didn’t get much back.
yeah but you can't construct your roster expecting to be injured
also, Martell, Travis, Jack, Frye, a lot of those guys either were already or about to me making way more money that the role we needed them for. Keeping those guys would have meant paying several million dollars per season for several of our backup roles, which is not wise. Also consider how the timing coincides with the Roy and Aldridge extensions as they came off their rookie contracts.
"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 Feb 18, 2011 12:08 PM PST up reply actions
"yeah but you can't construct your roster expecting to be injured"
I disagree. Any GM that constructs a team and doesn’t consider potential injuries is incompetent.
ok, let me rephrase
injuries to your starting center, backup center, and starting SG will result in promotions of others that will weaken your bench. Obviously you want to protect yourself in case of injuries, and you can never expect to be completely healthy, but our experience with injuries over the last three years is a little above the norm.
"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 Feb 18, 2011 12:43 PM PST up reply actions
I agree with your point about salaries. My main point, was that the annual trade frenzy which possesses
BE is really nothing to get excited about. The teams core was built through the draft and free agency.
I see what you're saying
but just because it hasn’t happened recently doesn’t mean that a significant trade affecting the core of this team won’t or can’t happen.
I think we just become so emotionally attached to our players that the prospect of changing the roster is a huge deal for people, even if it’s not the core guys.
"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 Feb 18, 2011 12:45 PM PST up reply actions
Cunningham > Outlaw
for me, for a variety of reasons. Contract, defense, shot selection, BBIQ, etc…
"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 Feb 18, 2011 10:40 AM PST up reply actions
look at what Dante's done of late...
He’s been starting at center and doing a decent job, even with the mask. I think his BBIQ and energy and 3 notches above outlaw’s
by Batum Shakalaka on Feb 19, 2011 2:16 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
They're both filler IMO
They both shouldn’t be playing regularly, but I’d take Cunningham
I think Dante is plenty solid to be a bottom of the rotation type of guy
or to be used situationally. Depends on what your definition of filler is I suppose, but I certainly don’t consider either a throwaway guy like Sean marks, or to a lesser extent what Pendy was for us.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
At least Dante is
younger and muuuuch cheaper + plays defense. For what we pay him he’s a steal.
we have the unfortunate condition of Cunningham being the only viable big off the bench for Portland, right now
but he is starting in the position that Frye would take.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
by blacknoiseNW on Feb 18, 2011 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
Dave
Your list of players that “people complained long and hard were being held back by Nate” actually made me laugh out loud. You make it sound like we were all sitting around talking about how Sergio would become the next Jordan if not for Nate’s oppressive regime.
For examples of players who have been held back by Nate (and his complete devotion to the Roy-iso system) look no further than our current roster. If Nate’s hand wasn’t forced by Roy getting injured, LA wouldn’t be throwing down beastly dunks from Miller every night and Rudy would still be complaining like a little girl.
Nate is a good coach with many strengths but some glaring weaknesses too…
I'm not really a suns fan; had to infiltrate their site re: playoff refs
by SunzFan4Ever on Feb 18, 2011 3:37 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Hindsight is 20-20
Nobody really knows what he would have done if Roy was healthy. Nate’s a really good coach and has done a great job. I believe he knew he had to change the offense and get an inside presence to go with Roy’s game. He tried doing that with Greg Oden but he got hurt. Many people forget he tried to get LaMarcus to be a post player for a long time. It just wasn’t in LaMarcus’ comfort zone and he wasn’t ready to be a really good post player.
So I thought about it, LaMarcus becoming a beast actually didn’t have much to do with Brandon going down. He may not have been dropping 30 almost every night if Brandon was around, he would still be scoring 25+ every night now, to go with what Roy would bring the team. This year LA got stronger, physically more tough, and most importantly, mentally tougher. He was finally ready to be that big time scorer in the post.
by JTDBlazers23 on Feb 18, 2011 4:10 AM PST up reply actions
A big part of LMA's development has been between his ears.
He has always had mad skills. You make a good point about his physical development. Many seem convinced that the change in LMA is a result of some sweeping change in offensive philosophy or how teams are defending us. All that has merit, but the biggest factor is confidence! He recognized that whether he was hitting early, or not, we needed him to keep shooting. 4th quarter, he’s our go to guy, no need to overthink it or tighten up, just be aggressive and let the game come to you. It used to be if he took it inside and missed a few, he would settle for perimeter shots the rest of the game. Now, you can see he expects those shots to fall, even if he’s missed a few. A lot has gone into his breakout, but how he has mentally responded to being “the guy” has been huge.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 6:32 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
He's also reading defenses well and making the right passes when he's doubled.
The Dos Equis guy lives life like Chip Kelly calls plays.
which is huge, as we saw in Phoenix series last year when he couldn't do that
by billyrybates on Feb 18, 2011 8:07 AM PST up reply actions
Yup. He was lost, especially when the double came after he started his dribble.
The Dos Equis guy lives life like Chip Kelly calls plays.
But first he had to force teams to double him.
That wasn’t the case in the past, which makes it all the more surprising. In the past, he wasn’t doing this despite not being the focus of the defense. Now he is doing it, despite defenses keying on him.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 9:35 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
The defenses keyed on LMA a lot the last few years
He routinely drew doubles….that is why we have been griping that he couldn’t pass out of them effectively
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 9:45 AM PST up reply actions
It's more than LA
Look at the game-by-game stats post-12/15/10 for Miller, Rudy, Wes…basically every Blazer. We could argue back and forth all day whether or not Nate’s system produced more wins or losses (though I would definitely argue that it created less playoff victories) but it can’t be proven either way and is irrelevant to the point at hand. Dave’s theory about Nate holding players back being a bunch of “hot air” has been blown out of the water this season. There’s a reason why players such as Miller (via screaming at Nate about his offense) Dante (passive aggressive comments) and Rudy (demanding a trade so he could play his game) expressed this in their own ways and are now excelling.
I'm not really a suns fan; had to infiltrate their site re: playoff refs
by SunzFan4Ever on Feb 18, 2011 9:47 AM PST up reply actions
Agree regarding Miller
I’m not sure what Nate was thinking not starting Miller from the get go. Disagree that Rudy’s pouting and Dante’s comments have contributed to more floor minutes or to their success. Show me a coach that doesn’t require players to earn minutes based on their performance when they get opportunities and I’ll show you a loser. Rudy and Dante are getting opportunities due to injuries and they’ll continue to get time based on performance.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 10:28 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Some teams would double him, others not.
Why double a guy who is gonna shoot 40% from the perimeter. Hard to argue that teams aren’t keying on LA differently now. He is FORCING the double team. That’s the difference.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 10:37 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Sometimes triple teams
and watching him demolish that double last game and tip in his own miss was priceless!
he was doubled in the phoenix series b/c Brandon wasn't playing
by billyrybates on Feb 18, 2011 10:22 AM PST up reply actions
this
I can’t believe we managed to win 2 games with what we had. It was nice to take the opening game lol
yeah, for real
"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 Feb 18, 2011 10:45 AM PST up reply actions
A very good coach.
If Roy wasn’t injured, you wouldn’t care what Fernandez was saying, if only because Fernandez isn’t remotely the player a healthy Roy is, and you wouldn’t be begging to put Fernandez on the court as a substitute for Roy. Instead, Fernandez would be on his way out, Matthews would be the go to player for all other SG/SF minutes, and no one would care other than what one might get in trade value for Fernandez.
As far as Aldridge, Roy had nothing to do with his training regimen last summer, nor his personal decision to change his game. Roy, after all, was expected to be back and playing at the same level as he was last year. Oden/Pryz, I suspect, had a lot more to do with Aldridge’s action’s than Roy. Granted, Roy and Aldridge would be sharing more of the scoring load, meaning Aldridge would be scoring less, and Roy more, but that would also apply to Matthews, Fernandez and Miller. The entire team, not just Aldridge, would be balanced differently on the scoring side.
MacMillan has demonstrated that he will develop the system required for the players he has at the time they are available and for the skill they have. This team has been in constant change for the last 5 years, and each year, he has had to assess the players available to develop the game plan for the year.
He’s a very good coach who has played a major role in putting a winning formula on the floor. Early, he was dealing with rookies and inexperience, today, he has more experience but key pieces are not playing. Most who try to critique his performance have never been able to demonstrate that their critique would have produced more wins at the time of that critique. When you have a young team, an average PG at best in someone such as Blake, a slightly above average center in Pryz given no Oden, a talent like Roy, and an Aldridge who was not yet to the point we see him now, you emphasize Roy because he was the most skilled player on the floor.
Today, given no Roy, the formula changes. And it will change next year. It all comes down to the players after all, and putting them in the best position to win. And that, Macmillan does well.
by Eben Calder on Feb 18, 2011 7:21 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I agree completely
Spend 5 minutes over at the TWolves SBN blog, for example, and you’ll see hundreds of examples of people complaining that the coach’s system (in that case, a modified triangle) is a poor match for his players, and that Rambis is hammering ‘system’ in a way that’s killing the team (note: having a lousy team is also killing their team).
When Roy was ROY in 08-09, we ran a Roy-iso-heavy offense. When we slipped, and got a new point guard, we have more motion. Now that LMA is killing it, we’re running everything through him, and Nate’s movement that results in all these oops is absolutely a joy to watch.
My only worry with Nate is that he might be a little slow to make adjustments in a 7-game series. He’s never had a chance to really prove this wrong, though, so I keep giving him contracts until he gives me a reason to stop.
by samuelleejackson on Feb 18, 2011 9:31 AM PST up reply actions
I've noticed Nate
actually adjusting really well in game as of late. In fact, there have been times this season where it’s looked like he out coached his counterpart solidly.
I have a feeling our Nate is growing…probably just in time for us to lose him to another franchise.
People WERE
sitting around and saying just that. Incessantly. I read them every day for months on end.
I agree Nate has holes in his coaching game to go along with his strengths. But it’s become evident to me, at least, that the whole player development thing is not among them. In most cases Nate appears to get the best out of the players and teams he touches, which is pretty much what you expect from a coach.
—Dave
"Anything for you, Dave." --Roybot
by Dave on Feb 18, 2011 12:19 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I can attest to this
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 2:12 PM PST up reply actions
I think Portland starts the second half off with 6 straight wins
LAL, Denver, Atlanta, Houston, @Sacramento, Charlotte. Those are winnable, especially with 5 at home. That would put them at 38-24. I would think to get the #5 seed for sure they need to win 50 games. That would mean from then on Portland would have to go 12-8. I think that’s doable. I looked at their remaining schedule, I think Portland finishes 13-7, wins 51 games and takes the 5th seed. I have OKC finishing 52-30 and winning the division and grabbing the 4th seed. However, March 27 in Oklahoma City could decide the division. If Portland wins, I think their records flip flop. OKC caught a break with a relatively easy early schedule. They play 12 teams with +.500 records and 8 of those are on the road.
So who knows, maybe Portland wins that game in OKC and gets home court advantage against them in the first round. If Portland were to have home court advantage that would be remarkable, considering they were 12-14 on December 15, last night in which Roy played in a game. If this team were to win 52 games, they would have gone 40-16 in its last 56 games. I think it’s quite possible. If they had home court in the first round, I would like their chances to move on and face the Spurs in WC Semifinals.
As far as teams stopping Aldridge, it’s actually extremely difficult to do that. If they double team him in the post he can just run pick and pop and kill them that way. It’s a pick your poison type of a deal. Plus, LaMarcus gets a lot of alley-oops, double teams wouldn’t be there soon enough to matter. Another problem is, if you double team LaMarcus, That will leave either Batum, Fernandez, Matthews, Miller and Camby open. LaMarcus could dump it down to Camby like he did with Dante, he can dish it to Batum, Fernandez or Matthews for threes, and we all know Andre is a great cutting guard to the basket. LaMarcus is only going to get better at recognizing where he has to get the ball to if double teamed, then they will stop double teaming much, for fear of getting burned by him passing the ball. Then, teams will be forced to play him in the post 1 on 1 where nobody can handle him right now. LaMarcus is one of the only big men in the league where he can kill you in so many different ways. If you take away one thing, he will find another way to beat you. The truly remarkable thing is, he is only going to get better.
I look forward to Camby returning. I imagine they won’t play more than 25 minutes a night for a few games, until he’s back in the swing of things and has his legs underneath him. He will provide more rest for LaMarcus. LA could see his minutes cut back to say 37 minutes a night. That is so much better than 44 or 45 minutes a night. In the month of March, the Blazers play Cleveland, Washington, Houston, I would like to see Portland blow them out and give LA some rest. The second game back could be another game where LaMarcus gets to rest. Denver has been getting blown out on the road recently, maybe Portland does the same and LaMarcus can sit out the fourth and play only 28-30 minutes that night.
Denver always plays us tough, but hard to know what Denver will look like after the deadline. I wouldn’t count on a blowout.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 6:40 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
The prediction
I came up with here on Jan 13 is still in play. As Dave said the tough schedule is ahead. The enthusiasm now for a plus 50 win season has to be tempered with whats ahead. Hopefully my success rate will decrease on the positive side:
W/L
44/38
W Jan. 14 at Phoenix Suns L
W Jan. 15 vs. New Jersey Nets
W Jan. 17 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
W Jan. 19 at Sacramento Kings
W Jan. 20 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
W Jan. 22 vs. Indiana Pacers
W Jan. 24 vs. Sacramento Kings L
L Jan. 27 vs. Boston Celtics
Feb.
Date Opponent Time TV Result
L Feb. 1 vs. San Antonio Spurs W
L Feb. 2 at Denver Nuggets
L Feb. 4 at Indiana Pacers
W Feb. 5 at Cleveland Cavaliers
W Feb. 7 vs. Chicago Bulls
W Feb. 11 at Toronto Raptors
W Feb. 13 at Detroit Pistons
W Feb. 14 at Minnesota Timberwolves
W Feb. 16 vs. New Orleans Hornets
L Feb. 23 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
W Feb. 25 vs. Denver Nuggets
L Feb. 27 vs. Atlanta Hawks
Mar.
Date Opponent Time TV Result
W Mar. 1 vs. Houston Rockets
W Mar. 2 at Sacramento Kings
W Mar. 5 vs. Charlotte Bobcats
L Mar. 7 at Orlando Magic
L Mar. 8 at Miami Heat
W Mar. 11 at Charlotte Bobcats
L Mar. 12 at Atlanta Hawks
L Mar. 15 vs. Dallas Mavericks
W Mar. 17 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
W Mar. 19 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
L Mar. 20 at Los Angeles Lakers
W Mar. 22 vs. Washington Wizards
L Mar. 25 vs. San Antonio Spurs
L Mar. 27 at Oklahoma City Thunder
L Mar. 28 at San Antonio Spurs
L Mar. 30 at New Orleans Hornets
Apr.
Date Opponent Time TV Result
W Apr. 1 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
L Apr. 3 vs. Dallas Mavericks
W Apr. 5 vs. Golden State Warriors
L Apr. 7 at Utah Jazz
L Apr. 8 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
W Apr. 12 vs. Memphis Grizzlies
L Apr. 13 at Golden State Warriors
I hope the 4 games in 5 days
between March 25 and March 30 don’t equate to 4 losses. That could be difference between 8th seed in the playoffs and who knows what. I’m going to be slightly more optimistic and say they go 1-3 in that stretch.
"I don’t think it’s lost. I don’t think it’s lost. It’s adversity and something that we have to deal with. We wish it wasn’t like this, but it is."
-Brandon Roy 11/18/2010 as told to CBSSports.com blog
what?!
you have the blazers going 0-4 agains the lakers this year?! That rarely happens. Especially this year the first game after the all star break. We have plenty of rest, a motivated home crowd, the return of roy and camby, and a laker team on a recent downward spiral the day before the trade deadline where people expect moves to be made. /! Has a few key players in the all star game and they won’t have as much rest as LMA and the rest of the blazers. BEAT LA!!!!!!
by Batum Shakalaka on Feb 19, 2011 2:34 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Nate is hurting Cho
The rest of the league is likely waking up to the fact that the younger players turn to crap once they’ve left Nate’s coaching, so put that in as another factor to consider as to why Cho didn’t pull off that big such-and-such trade once the deadline passes.
You forgot Steve Blake
He’s having a typical Steve Blake year, to the surprise of nobody.
Nobody was arguing
that Blake was the next star though. When I did the list before I included your Blakes and Josh McRobertses and the results were basically the same.
I think it’s fascinating that you have to go a long way to find an ex-Blazer who produced above his Portland level. It actually makes me feel a little better about the franchise.
—Dave
"Anything for you, Dave." --Roybot
you're saying, there are no Jermaine O'Neals on that list
Phew!
scrappy
by Honka Playboy on Feb 18, 2011 1:01 PM PST up reply actions
Are you saying...
that Jermaine getting traded 10 – 12 – 50 years ago… or whatever it was… has relevance to what Nate and the Blazers are doing now?..
Before people say Nate can only coach under adverse circumstances
I’d like to see him get a shot with a team that had personnel with the skill and maturity to be legitimate contenders.
We have no idea whether he can take a good team deep into the playoffs because he’s never really had anything but middling teams to work with. Seattle had a nice run a few years back but their squad wasn’t that good (Jerome James and Reggie Evans were among their rotation bigs if I remember correctly). Against Houston, the Blazers were outmatched and too young, and Brandon Roy was a week removed from knee surgery against Phoenix.
Until he does get the chance to coach a bona fide contender, the argument that Nate can’t take a team deep into the playoffs is nothing more than speculation.
The Dos Equis guy lives life like Chip Kelly calls plays.
by Benjamanic on Feb 18, 2011 6:47 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
I agree. Seems the only Nate-doubters out there live in Portland or are Blazer fans
by billyrybates on Feb 18, 2011 8:09 AM PST up reply actions
I imagine Doc Rivers had more than his share of doubters among Celtic and Orlando fans as well.
Then he got some ballplayers…
The Dos Equis guy lives life like Chip Kelly calls plays.
Imagine is right
He got coach of the year his rookie season with Orlando…and hasn’t been repeatedly called out by his players like Nate.
I'm not really a suns fan; had to infiltrate their site re: playoff refs
by SunzFan4Ever on Feb 18, 2011 9:54 AM PST up reply actions
Oh please...
I know of quite a few people that thought Doc Rivers couldn’t coach his way out of a box and left it all to his assistants.
Yes ...where are these players
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Feb 18, 2011 2:14 PM PST up reply actions
Everywhere
Their voices blend together so it’s hard to tell who’s who for sure. Undisclosed sources confirm this…of course.
disagree, utterly
there was a bum’s rush to get the firedocrivers.com domain name in Boston. He was despised. See Simmon’s articles, for reference.
scrappy
by Honka Playboy on Feb 18, 2011 1:04 PM PST up reply actions
Nice read Dave!
I’m glad we ‘freed’ Bayless.
In regards to McMillan – Coach Nate’s a better coach than he was 2 years ago. He’s evolving through trial and error as a coach just as we do with our own professions.
It’s hard to think we could replace him with anyone more classy or disciplined than he is.
Treat people well because Karma can hit you at any second.
I think you make good observations on the trade options,
most of the guys we have who are valuable in trade are really tough upgrades, particularly if you include youth, potential, and current chemistry with the team. I remember some posters proclaiming Aldridge’s “ceiling” in past seasons…. incorrectly. That’s how I feel about Batum’s “ceiling”. Wesley is an example of the kind of player we are best to seek, flying under the radar with real promise. Some will work out, some not. But this go after the “star” after he is famous is a recipe for over priced talent. It’s going to take some skilled scouting and negotiating. Sudden championship is not the norm. Yes, you can mortgage your house and put it on the craps table (lottery tank), and some have won, but not really the smart road to wealth. It is a process, and the Blazers have a good organization and promise.
LaMarcus Aldridge's "All-Star Snub Tour" coming to a city near you.
Dave, I'll quibble just a little
you imply that it would be good if the Blazers are not the 8h seed
that may be true, however, the 8th seed right now would play San Antonio
Over the last 9 games with the Spurs, the Blazers have won 7. That 7 of 9 record would seem to translate well to the playoffs, especially considering that two of those wins were in San Antonio. Not only that, in several of those wins, the Blazers seemed in control for most of the game, which is unusual for Portland
I think, for a variety of reasons, the Blazer match up very well with San Antonio.
I’d be really happy to see Portland play the Spurs in the playoffs. It would be a far better matchup for the Blazers then the last 2 years.
I love Dave.
He gives it to you staight, no homerism included.
You had people yesterday telling me they were set to take on anybody in the league and I was saying playoffs aren’t even a lock. If they do get in, it’s gonna be close with the help of some other teams.
I agree, that lack of bench is scary. Playing four starters over 40 minutes a game isn't sustainable.
One mor einjury to a key player and it’s lottery city.
Nothing wrong with practicing for next year
The Blazer’s have plenty of unanswered questions….but like you said in your post a couple days ago, championships are hard to come by… we are still team building and it’s a safe bet to conclude that we are still quite far away from championship contention.
High draft picks don’t hurt a thing and therefore missing the playoffs not such a bad thing (in this particular case)…In the meantime we still have an adequate and entertaining team. A team that doesn’t necessarily need to be blown up…. many players have emerged with the extra playing minutes and new offensive options (due to the injuries of Roy and Oden) We are also an overall better defensive team…..Were not sitting bad at all….Cho can sit back and continue to evaluate our talent and hopefully have enough insight to draw some reasonable conclusions. Youth can come via the draft and Miller and Camby are good model players to learn from. I see very little pressure on this team at the moment…this all disappeared when Roy was sidelined and LmA stepped up.
Although fatigue might play it’s part, an eight man rotation means more minutes for Rudy, Wes, Dante, and Nic…and it won’t hurt their game one bit
Up and running.........and almost defending.
I think Portland will make the playoffs quite comfortable myself
And win somewhere between 45-49 games.
Still no contract for Nate
At first I thought the blazers had not offered nate a contract because the future of the team was so uncertain and Nate has always had a few critics, but still much more supporters so he won’t get fired. I’m scared to death that Nate leaves the blazers after this year and everything you mentioned above shows why he’s a good coach. Phil jackson has hinted at leaving, and spolstra is fired if the heat don’t make it to at least the conference finals. There could be other job offers as well and given the current state of this team I think Nate would want to leave, but as is the case with any blazer move, the depth of paul allen’s checkbook should not be ignored
Sessions...Really?
I don’t understand why anyone would want a Raymond Sessions. I get that he brings youth to the position, but can we as Blazer fans be truly confident with him moving forward. He averages less then 13 points and a little more then 5 assists per game, and thats for an awful Cleveland team. I don’t see a huge upside. If we really want a true upgrade and a chance to contend in this league I believe we have to hold on to Andre until his contract expires then the year his contract is up you have some of the best point guards in the league entering free agency including D. Williams and CP3.
Like a lot of young players, he struggles with consistency...
But he has shown flashes of real talent. Remember that Mo Williams logs some time at the point and effects those averages.
by 52therim on Feb 18, 2011 3:29 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Hard cap! Hard cap!
Blazer’s need to get to the playoffs without Camby or Miller because we likely won’t be able to pay for any replacements any way.
Good Q & A
agreed with your answers, keep up the good work
thanks for the analysis Dave
Some folks are fond of criticizing Nate for this and that, but they never seem to give him credit for what he has accomplished. Our team has been through enormous adversity during Nate’s tenure. And yet Nate has found a way to rise to each challenge. He has done awesomely in playing the cards he has been dealt. Those of us who expressed impatience with LMA’s slowness in reaching his potential have to give Nate at least some of the credit for LMA 2.0. I have the feeling that Nate will have many options at the end of the season. I hope our team will be able to keep him.
Win the day!
by Blzr fan on Feb 18, 2011 8:47 PM PST via mobile reply actions
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