http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingd...ach-off-=1&blockID=663012&feedID=8351&qv=1#bp "McMillan is probably more perplexed by personnel issues and rotations than any coach I've seen. " (talks about why McMillan seems to favor veterans) "Remember how this whole season started with the Blazers becoming a running team? It all sounded so wonderful but it didn't stick. Perhaps one of the reasons it never came to be is in a season with a dynamically compressed schedule, McMillan made the decision to shorten his playing rotation. And now you wonder why there may be an energy shortage?" "This guy has thrown his own players under the bus countless times, accusing them of not "wanting it as much" as the other team, of not playing hard, etc. When you're calling out your players constantly, you're separating yourself from them. You're creating your own "Me vs. Them" situation. So you can't be all that surprised that they might want to be blaming you for a few things, too." And I agree with him saying poor defense is the biggest single reason we are failing and why: "Team defense here is a joke and it has been since McMillan came. And why? Because there doesn't appear to be a system or a plan. I mean, seriously -- you can't find a way to defend people with the likes of Batum, Marcus Camby, Wesley Matthews, LaMarcus Aldridge, Gerald Wallace and now Joel Przybilla on your team? That's ridiculous. But it's because individual defense isn't enough in the NBA. Players are too talented on offense. Watch Chicago, Miami, Dallas -- see how they play together on defense and cover for each other. Yes, playing hard, hustling on defense, is important. But so is an actual plan with players being held responsible for assignments and rotations." Lots of other stuff in the article, and I can't say that I have a problem with any of his points.
And isn't it kind of ironic that the coach who is known for defense and fundamentals actually has a team that is very poor in those two areas? And it is simple; either he is not teaching or he is not holding players accountable for executing what he teaches.
I'll agree with that; the guy may be a blowhard but he seems to be the only media person with the guts to come out and say what IS obvious.
Hey, I'm no McMillan apologist for sure. In fact, I think he should be fired ASAP. But, I find it hilarious when some blowhard like Jaynes is trying to break down the psychology behind everything like he knows what he's talking about.
I like Jaynes. Yes he stays away from talking to the team, but that enables him to say things like, fire Nate. The Oregonian criticizes over how moral each player is (e.g. Oden drinking) while Jaynes' critique is for direct basketball reasons.
hard to argue against much of what he's saying. something has to change, we've been through a TON of players and shitty luck - it's nate's turn, wrongly or rightly.
"Team defense here is a joke and it has been since McMillan came." This is line that sums up why Nate must go.
Agreed. What I don't get is that Nate was brought in as a defensive specialist who was supposed to have a good system and work well with young pgs. At least, that's what management (and the media) billed him to be. How many jobs out there, and how many mismanagements out there allow an employee to not fulfill the duties he was hired to accomplish for SEVEN YEARS?!?!?
Portland is Top 10 in pace, 7th in OFF EFF, and 11th in DEF EFF. It would be nice if the "experts" like Dwight Jaynes would at least try to use a statistical base for their idiotic rants.
Nah Nate was never a "defensive specialist" and he was never known as a guy to work well with young point guards (LOL, talk about the last thing he should ever put on a resume'). Nate was known more for being a hard-driving taskmaster and at the time the team probably needed that kind of coach with the collection of undisciplined knuckleheads we had on the roster. Nate's most bankable skill as a head coach has always been getting guys to play hard for him and that is a pretty important skill in today's NBA and you can win some games with nothing but hard work when half the teams only play at 80% most nights. But when a coach like this loses the ear of their team they're toast; they've got nothing else to fall back on, so instead we get to hear a lot of critiques about effort and "wanting it" and all of that shite and not a whole lot of adjustments or tweaks to the "system" because there's never really been a "system" to speak of.
The funny part is that statistically, Portland should be one of the top teams in the league. Problem is, they don't have a closer. If anybody watched yesterday's games on ABC, Boston had the ball in Rondo's hands every possession, NYK got it to 'Melo, Bryant had it against MIA, and even James was ISO the last 5 minutes of their game. I know people like to dream about the Princeton offense and spreading the ball around as the way to win at the end of NBA games, but 4 coaches of playoff teams yesterday ran ISO ball at the end of their games on every possession.
Luke Ridnour and Jarrett Jack say hello. Hell, even Telfair had by far his best year under Nate in 2005-06.
I VIVIDLY remember, when Nate came to us from Seattle, being praised for being a defensive coach, working well with Luke Ridnour, and running an effective, dynamic offensive system.