All signs point to Steve Blake starting

[B-Roy]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/portland_113_phoenix_93_all_si.html

"He plays hard every possession and I don't care what anybody says," McMillan said. "If you get your team to play that way, then you're going to win some games. He helps start and set the tone for how we want to play. He gets us to play hard … and our guys follow that. And that is important."

"Blake is a guy who plays with a lot of heart," McMillan said. "And he works at it and I love that. I love the scrappy play because ... he gets the most out of his ability -- more so than a lot of guys in this league. He works his butt off to take advantage of what he can do. And he doesn't take possessions off. He sets the tone for us."

Fire away.

 

[Schilly]

If I worked harder than Steve could I start?

 

[Tince]

According to the post game show, Nate told Jason Quick after the game that the opening night starting lineup will be:

Blake
Roy
Batum
Aldridge
Oden

 

[Schilly]

I had been quite upset about the rumored lineup featuring Joel. I am not terribly upset with starting Blake initially, but Steve really isn't very good, and eventually this season someone will pass him up.

 

[B-Roy]

According to the post game show, Nate told Jason Quick after the game that the opening night starting lineup will be:

Blake
Roy
Batum
Aldridge
Oden

Good enough for me. Oden deserves it.

 

[Tince]

I had been quite upset about the rumored lineup featuring Joel. I am not terribly upset with starting Blake initially, but Steve really isn't very good, and eventually this season someone will pass him up.

I agree. Oden deserves it and Miller will be a starting before all is said and done, so I'm not too worried about it.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

That is what I wanted all along.

 

[Schilly]

We need Miller in the 2nd unit... Someone needs to be able to post up in that unit.

 

[MIXUM]

well i am very dissapointed miller wont be starting but like i said along time ago....

if blake starts... batum starts so im okay with that as long as oden starts.

but my ideal lineup would be....

Miller/Blake/Bayless/Mills
Roy/Rudy
Webster/Batum
LA/Howard/Doubtlaw/Cunningham
Oden/Pryz

 

[Natebishop3]

Man... I've got a bad feeling about this season.

 

[Schilly]

Why Webster over Batum?

 

[Schilly]

Man... I've got a bad feeling about this season.

I'm totally with you on this, but with preseason over I am trying my best to be optimistic.

 

[MIXUM]

Man... miller is gonna be pissed. And the other thing thats a bit disturbing.... this bench unit of Miller, Rudy, Webby, Outlaw, Pryz have been awful together in pre season. They single handly let the suns take the lead tonight.


How long before Miller demands a trade?

 

[Schilly]

Rudy hasn't played enough in preseason to have a clue how that unit is.

 

[Natebishop3]

I'm totally with you on this, but with preseason over I am trying my best to be optimistic.

I just see a lot of potential for chemistry problems.

Rudy already looks..... different.

Miller is going to be pissed. He was paid 7 million dollars to come here and, apparently, back up a guy who probably wouldn't start for more than half the teams in the league.

One of our three small forwards is going to end up sitting. Whether it's Webster, Batum, or Outlaw.

About the only positive I've seen so far is that Oden is looking great.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Man... I've got a bad feeling about this season.

Why? Miller will most likely end up with more minutes anyways and I actually think Blake starting the game is a good idea, and I like Miller. I'm not trying to read too much into the Miller-Roy playing together (non)issue but I think it will help Roy get off to better starts in the 1st quarter. And Miller can run more with the second unit and run it completely. Of course he will also play a lot of minutes with the first unit so I don't see it as a big deal. The whole preseason I have thought it was more important that Greg start than Miller. I have a feeling it will hype Greg up and he will dominate the beginnings of games.

 

[B-Roy]

How long before Miller demands a trade?

Who cares? This guy has no right to be talking.

 

[MIXUM]

make that three of us who have a bad feeling.

its shocking to me that kp signed miller wout realizing how much of a bad fit he was with roy.

 

[Natebishop3]

Also, how would you feel if you were Miller and you clearly outplayed Blake, but you're relegated to the bench because Brandon Roy wants Blake in the starting lineup. Think that will cause a rift between the two?

 

[Schilly]

We'll see what happens. Nate has changed the starting lineup within 3 games every singles season he's been here and only one of those years was it due to injury. MAkes me think he's not utilizing preseason appropriately, but ohh well.

 

[MIXUM]

lets recap...

millers unhappy with blake starting.

pryz is prob weird about not starting.

rudy seems uneasy. just a vibe i get.

roy and la dont seem to have that fire from previous years.

where does minutes for webby, outlaw and howard come from.

bayless... dont even get me started




thats a lot of fucking issues

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Also, how would you feel if you were Miller and you clearly outplayed Blake, but you're relegated to the bench because Brandon Roy wants Blake in the starting lineup. Think that will cause a rift between the two?

That was most likely a deciding factor, but I believe Nate made the decision and he wanted Blake starting the whole time also.

Andre is quiet not looking for a buddy so I don't see why it would create a rift between them.. What's he gonna do, not pass to Brandon? Yeah, thats how to get more PT..

 

[Schilly]

make that three of us who have a bad feeling.

its shocking to me that kp signed miller wout realizing how much of a bad fit he was with roy.

OOhhh crap... I change my tone I feel great about the season!

 

[MIXUM]

well lets hope blake is this years outlaw and miller is this years batum.

member... nate went with outlaw the first 2 games and then realized batum was the smart choice. that will happen with miller when we start 1-2.

miller will start imo... just a matter of when. also webby will steal batums job.

batum is our jaba chamberlin(yankees) a fan fave who is waaaay overated

 

[Schilly]

I was watching the NBATV Team preview for the Blazers tonight and Brent Barry and Eric Snow had some really interesting things to say. Both agreed that they like Steve Blake a lot but also agreed that Andre Miller will make this team better. The other thing that really stuck in my head was Barry mentioned on more than one occasion that if Nate would take the reins off a bit and let the team play they could do some very special things.

 

[illmatic99]

Guys I would rather have as starting PG over Blake (disregard the order, it's arbitrary):

1. Paul
2. Deron
3. Harris
4. Parker
5. Billups
6. Nash
7. Rondo
8. Kidd
9. Calderon
10. Miller
11. Nelson
12. Mo Williams
13. Bibby
14. Arenas
15. Ford
16. Davis
17. Conley
18. Ellis/Curry
19. Stuckey
20. Hinrich
21. Westbrook
22. Sessions
23. Fisher
24. Terry
(Edit: I seem to have forgotten Brooks).

Guys I would maybe consider letting Blake start over:
25. Duhon
26. Felton
27. Alston

Guys I'd let Blake start over:
28. Chalmers
29. Jack


Wow. That list was longer than I thought it would be. Miller's gotta be pissed. He clearly outplayed Blake and should have won the spot. What's the point of making him jump over all the hoops in training camp and preseason if Nate was simply gonna revert back to his old PG?

 

[Schilly]

well lets hope blake is this years outlaw and miller is this years batum.

member... nate went with outlaw the first 2 games and then realized batum was the smart choice. that will happen with miller when we start 1-2.

miller will start imo... just a matter of when. also webby will steal batums job.

batum is our jaba chamberlin(yankees) a fan fave who is waaaay overated

What will webster do to steal the spot?

 

[MIXUM]

out play him.

simple as that. oh and hes a better fit with miller

 

[Tince]

Could all these people with "bad feelings" post their prediction for what is going to happen? 43 wins? Miss the playoffs? Rudy demands a trade?

What are you predicting will happen?

It would be fun to revisit in 6 months.

 

[Schilly]

I htnk the case could be made that ANdre needs a bit more time to get learn his team mates tendencies. He did lead the team in minutes played in preseason I believe, but due toe the kaleidoscope that was starting units in preseason how we can have much grasp on what starting 5 would work best together is beyond me. It appears to me that Nate has a tough time committing to decisions so simply reverts to the last decision, because it's safe.