Kevin Martin's thoughts on having too many wings
by acorn on Mar 2, 2011 12:09 PM PST
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PrintMartin had some quite candid comments after last night's game:
“Talent-wise I think we took a step backward (with the trades), but guys like Chase (Budinger) and Courtney (Lee) are getting an opportunity to get more minutes now, and Coach (Rick Adelman) gets an opportunity to leave his best players out on the court,” Martin said.
Martin believes the Blazers are dealing with the same problems Houston had struggled with before the trades.
“I think over on the Portland bench they’re going through what we went through all year—just too many quality wings. Now we can just do our three-guard rotation and find a rhythm out there.”
...maybe he's right. The only way our rotation works is if Wallace or Batum gets minutes at the 4.
You know, Rudy has been playing awesome lately, so he should not lose too many minutes to Roy or Wallace. We know Wes needs a lot of minutes to play well. I honestly think playing Brandon should be low-priority when Rudy gets back.
My question is, why did Brandon keep replacing Batum (the one guy with a hot hand) last night?
In any case, no matter how you sort it out, we have an unconventional line-up at the moment. Ideally, we need a true 4 since what we are really left with is LaMarcus as starting center, at least until Camby gets to 100%. And even then, who is LaMarcus' back up?
Might have made more sense to trade Batum for Wallace, and Joel for a younger quality backup center/power forward.
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BLAZERS SHOULD MAKE A TRADE
Somebody start a trade drawer, we need to clean house!
by ZenGarden on Mar 2, 2011 12:17 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Although I'm not one to usually advocate this style of play, I neverthless believe the Portland Trail Blazers ...
should play smallball throughout the remainder of this season — with LMA getting 36 minutes at center, Gerald Wallace getting 36 minutes at power forward, and Marcus Camby getting 24 minutes per game behind them off of the bench — which’d clear out the current logjam at the wing positions.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
by AK1984 on Mar 2, 2011 12:34 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
I'd rather see us in the playoffs
this i suppose to be the worst draft in 11 years. I doubt the lottery helps us with anything
Nope, it'd spread the floor and prevent opposing teams from packing the lane against Portland.
That’d provide a boost in the team’s offensive efficiency, which has been severely lacking as of late.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
With what, our awesome shooting?
Just because they go small, doesn’t mean they’ll spread the floor. We need at least 1 consistently good shooter.
Or we could go small and run, run, run, but I know you’re not a fan of that style either.
Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game
Can't hate on a good ol'-fashioned free-for-all brawl.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
It's possible to go small and slow, which is what I advocate in the meantime.
By “in the meantime,” I’m referring to the rest of this season. It’d be a makeshift type fix.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
co-sign.
Especially since LMA has been playing pretty terrific as a C, albeit with less defensive rebounding than I’d want. GW is a good enough rebounder to manage. And defensively, other than the twin 7 footers in LA, I can’t think of too many frontcourts we’d be at a disadvantage against in the western conference going smallball with LMA/GW.
by howlingfantods on Mar 2, 2011 12:56 PM PST up reply actions
this is actually the plan from what im reading and I think its a good one.
lots of length, speed and defense. It will come together just in time for the playoffs!
It's got nothing to do with speed, but rather efficiency.
I still advocate playing at a slow-paced, methodical tempo.
"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 am starting to think you are correct - we should have traded Batum to Charlotte...
…and kept Joel so that we always had a proper Center on the court at all times. That would leave LMA at PF for every minute that he is on the floor and Crash could back him up for short periods of time.
LaMONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"we should have traded Batum instead of Joel"
I hope this is sarcasm. I feel no need to explain why that is a ridiculous thing to suggest.
I don't think people are suggesting that
The trade was a good deal, and yes, Batum is far more valuable than Joel. So, you’re taking the best deal, talent upgrade wise, but you haven’t solved the problem of fleshing out your lineup. Bottom line is, neither Batum or Wallace is a backup. And neither of them can play at full efficiency anywhere but the three. Camby and Aldridge don’t have enough help up front. So you still have problems, especially against big teams.
Maybe Batum could have gotten us a quality big man, if we could have known we were going to get Wallace. Maybe its just a matter of that deal not going through until the last minute, so you take it and just improvise positionally with the upgraded talent.
you dont think people are suggesting that?
he literally said just that
by POV on Mar 2, 2011 2:25 PM PST up reply actions
i don't think he was suggesting that as a better deal
I think he just meant we would have a more conventional roster that would be easier to rotate. now either batum or wallace has to play the 4 to get the most out of our talent. I actually agree, but i like wallace at the four so its all gravy to me.
what makes you say batum is not a backup
he has not been that great this year, and came off the bench before the roy injury. i would hae no problem with him coming off the bench
fire barrett
start wallace
by thomasikehara on Mar 3, 2011 4:21 AM PST up reply actions
agree with you.
he’s 22 and has yet to break out beyond role player status.
wallace is 28 and is an all-star.
it’s normal for guys like batum to backup guys like wallace.
there’s no shame in it – happens all over the league.
you dont trade Batum instead of pryzbilla, that makes no sense from a talent standpoint.
The trade for Wallace was a homerun. If anything, they should have tried to trade Batum for a decent youngish big man. i personally believe that Batum playing behind and around Crash for a while is going to show him what he lacks…
\\oo///
It may not make sense from a talent stand point but it does from a positional stand point.
Right now have too many good wings and not enough bigs….hello?
LaMONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
keep perspective on the long term though
Nic has a ton of value as an asset. Trading him instead of Joel just to give us better roster balance for the next few months is sacrificing the future for the immediate short term.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
jarron collins can be every bit as crappy as joel was for us.
l love joel, but his knee is not allowing him to be an effective player right now. And if anybody is missing Sean marks, well….
\oo///
you're half right, in my eyes
Except Batum for Wallace is not what i’m seeing. Aside from that not working, Batums contract would have been the throw-in along with Joel and DC and Marks would still be here. I think, IN RETROSPECT, trading Batum elsewhere before the deadline for a C would have worked brilliantly.
by ZenGarden on Mar 2, 2011 1:22 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I think the Blazers were thinking Pryz would be back in 30 days
and then Charlotte sweet talked him…and he didn’t get the buy out. The trade was still a good move…but we gotta go find a legit center that can take the load off of LaMonster.
by Jomo D. M. Greenidge on Mar 2, 2011 12:42 PM PST reply actions
I'm afraid that Crash is going to need to play some 4.
I know he doesn’t want to. But after watching him last night, he needs to play. He is just too scrappy, and high energy to sit.
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
he played almost exclusively at pf last night.
which is what i am hoping to see. hopefully he can accept that role.
\\oo///
You are correct, that he will have to split time at the 4.
However, some of that is just labeling, right?. Because GW doesn’t have to pull all the load when he is in at PF. He has to defend his guy, and box out (which, good lord, he is good at — I’ve seen him successfully physically fight off rather large individuals for the ball underneath.) but Nate probably isn’t going to leave him on Tim Duncan or Garnett all night. He doesn’t have to be the dominant one man team like before. Just throw it around and score when in the flow of the game. What does it matter what he’s called?
But, no question, we do need another big for times when you have to bang all game and Camby is sitting. I’m sure we’ll find one. Maybe Juwan.?
He has barely played the three since coming here
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
the real answer is probably all of the above.
it’s looking like we will have to roll the dice on small ball.
The Blazers need to be introduced to Kevin Martin.
“Hey fellas. That guy out there with the body of a 12 year old boy, yeah, get a hand in his face.” Jeez Kevin was open a lot last night. How does Kevin Martin get left alone that many times?
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
Need to start Wallace at the 4 until Camby proves his way back into the lineup
If we are getting killed by a tall player we can bring Camby in and take out whomever. Either way, the team needs to do a better job of getting the ball to Aldridge.
by LicketyBrindleDowntheMiddle on Mar 2, 2011 2:27 PM PST reply actions
Nate said they might have to go small
to space the floor so LMA will have room to operate
that would mean starting Wallace instead of Camby. The way Crash was bombing those 3-pointers last night, this could be the way to go (the “second unit” can use Marcus’ interior defense, rebounding and post passing)
and Nate needs to reassure Matthews that Roy isn’t going to replace him in the starting lineup for the rest of the season, so Wesley can relax and starting balling, again
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I agree with starting Wallace over Camby
Having Wallace start with LMA will allow both guys to post up and spread the floor for the other. Wallace while not a great shooter does hit the right corner 3 at about 40% for his career, LMA can hit the 20 footer and I think taking the pressure off him as the sole post scorer will help his overall game.
red means run son, numbers add up to nothing
In a 4-outside/1-inside alignment, LaMarcus Aldridge shouldn't have to shoot inefficient mid-range ...
jump shots in the 16 to 23 foot range. By playing smallball with a frontline of Aldridge at the 5 and Gerald Wallace at the 4, the whole point is allowing Aldridge to post up on the mid to low block without having to worry about being fronted or facing double teams.
That way, Aldridge’s glaring weaknesses — which include poor court vision when looking to pass out of the post and his timidness at putting the ball on the floor — won’t be exposed as often as they are when Marcus Camby is out there on the floor with him.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
by AK1984 on Mar 3, 2011 6:06 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Considering LMA's minutes
and the physical stress of playing in the post, Wallace’s ability to post up and LMA’s ability to hit the mid-range jumper means LMA doesn’t have to post up in every half court set. Hopefully that means LMA has more energy to post up during crunch time.
Red means run, son, numbers add up to nothin
Rudy has NOT been playing awesome lately.
I say trade him, or just cut him :)
Elitism - It's lonely at the top. But it's comforting to look down upon everyone at the bottom.
by thankyouforblaze on Mar 2, 2011 4:02 PM PST reply actions
actually he has up until the last two games
He has been playing very well the prevous 6-8 games. Probably the best stretch of his Blazer career.
by JeffePortland on Mar 2, 2011 4:27 PM PST up reply actions
he's actually had some bad games in his last 6 games.
He’s been inconsistent all year. That’s who he is and who he’s been for a while now, going all the way to last season.
#52
I thought this is what Jarron Collins was for.
Are you suggesting he isn’t the franchise-saving PF of the future?
Holding out for Hedo
You can never have too many wings.
I prefer fire on the mountains.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on Mar 2, 2011 6:39 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
The trade was seemingly a good one
But I also think if you had to pick the two guys on the team that contributed the most without showing up in the box score, it would be Dante and Joel. Sure, Wallace has a lot of those same qualities, but he can’t be two people at once. Joel is huge. Even when he isn’t getting blocks or rebounds, he’s taking up a lot of space. It matters. Dante was an excellent team defender and never stopped moving.
Not to mention we’re running into teams that plan on being in the playoffs, and it’s post-allstar game, when teams usually turn it up a notch.
by superfly05 on Mar 2, 2011 7:06 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Where's the option for Roy to sit down?
Seriously.
After the Sacramento game, I hope folks finally grasped that it's not Brandon Roy who's responsible ...
for the offense being bogged down and, in turn, becoming more inefficient; rather, this is on Marcus Camby, who should’ve been dealt at the deadline.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
"It's not this one player... it's THIS one player!"
How about it’s a team thing. They’re having a little trouble adjusting to the new faces in the lineup, and the deeper bench. It happens.
But, there’s no reason we should have traded Camby, unless we’re getting some pretty crazy value in return (i.e. a younger, better version of Camby, or a young prospect/star AND a serviceable backup C).
I was hoping you finally grasped something else.
That the mid 90s were the worst era of basketball ever.
And I’m including the 30s when Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy could have actually played pro ball.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
Regarding Larry Brown, I'm not a fan of his.
Though, in fairness to Brown, he did play professional basketball during the late-‘60s/early-’70s.
Jeff Van Gundy played college basketball during the early-’80s, too, even if it was at small school Nazareth College.
http://www.nazathletics.com/hof.aspx?hof=65&path=&kiosk=
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Seriously?..
it’s not up there because it has nothing to do with the situation. The majority of the time our offense…and defensive… have struggled BRoy hasn’t been on the floor. I’m sure you noticed that we didn’t look that good most of the Sacramento game and that he didn’t play at all… right?
It’s funny how no matter what the topic or complaint a certain percentage of folks will blame… Brandon Roy… Root of All Evil.
#7
GO BLAZERS!!!
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