AnDre Miller, Respect.

[HailBlazers]

No doubt he deserves a lot more than he's gotten for being the glue of this team. We definitely would not be where we are without him. Great blog giving him some proper Respect:

http://blogs.trailblazers.com/Publi...99/EntryID/1868/IamaUserID/21807/Default.aspx

To a leader, a mastermind and an artisan like Miller, getting in rhythm also entails encompassing 10 other players on the Trail Blazers’ roster in the rotation. No one has benefited more from Miller’s assist game than the lob monster himself–LaMarcus Aldridge.

Aldridge, who was named the Western Conference’s Player of the Month for February, leads the league with 83 alley-oops. How many times have Miller dialed in LA? Thirty-one times, which is second behind 32 from the Jameer Nelson, Dwight Howard combination.

If Aldridge is the L-Train, then Miller is the conductor.

 

[HailBlazers]

“The main thing is to make people better,” says Miller. “But at some point you have to be good at all phases of the game.”

So when Portland is in need of a rebound, you’ll see him weaseling his way in between defenders in the paint to pick away the ball that may have players scratching their heads, wondering how did the 6-foot-2 guard pull down a board over your typical seven-foot center.

“It’s just a sacrifice by everybody,” says Miller, “and willingness to share the ball and keep guys involved. Who ever has it going, you get him the ball and that’s how you play.”

Miller has had it going this whole season, especially when it comes to passing by the NBA’s all-time best distributors. He surpassed Muggsy Bogues for the 16th spot on Jan. 7. In Orlando on Monday, Miller totaled 6,917 assists to tie Guy Rodgers for the 15th position. Rodgers set the Chicago Bulls’ single-season record in assists with 908 during the 1966-67 season.

“It is an accomplishment,” says Miller. “I have been out there playing for 12 years now to be in that category with some of the best point guards all-time is great. I do have a goal that I want to accomplish and that will come as I stay healthy.”

And what goal would the versatile Miller, a guy with the tools and knowhow to do almost anything, have up his sleeve?

“I want to finish top 10,” says Miller. “I want to play three or four more solid years then that will be my goal.”

Respect.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

If he's gonna play four more years, I want them all to be in Portland. Andre is solid, smart, and is now our enforcer with Joel gone. I like him in his role here, even though I was hard on him when he arrived. He's really won me over. We need him on this team for the toughness and fight.

 

[MIXUM]

i hope they resign him as well. hes a winner.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Well I think he has at least one more good year in him. A year from now we will know for sure. After next year ideally we will have someone better and he can move to the back up spot. But I won't bet against him lasting another 3 years after this. I also hope he sticks around.

 

[Spud147]

No doubt he deserves a lot more than he's gotten for being the glue of this team. We definitely would not be where we are without him. Great blog giving him some proper Respect:

http://blogs.trailblazers.com/Publi...99/EntryID/1868/IamaUserID/21807/Default.aspx

Couldn't agree more HailBlazers. I was driving into work this morning thinking that I hope he knows how much he's appreciated by the real diehard Blazer fans. People were getting all excited about trading for the constantly injured but much younger Harris because Andre was getting old (and isn't going to be able to play much longer).

Ummmmm, well, he's actually never missed a game due to injury while in Portland (and a bunch of other teams going back several seasons). Given Harris' and Miller's histories why would you think Devon is going to be more durable in the next few years than Andre?

Plus, you know he wants to be here! He worked out over this last summer and came to training camp in shape when he had been well known for using training camp to get in shape in the past. I love the guy, I was so relieved when the deadline passed and they hadn't traded him.

 

[PapaG]

And what goal would the versatile Miller, a guy with the tools and knowhow to do almost anything, have up his sleeve?

“I want to finish top 10,” says Miller. “I want to play three or four more solid years then that will be my goal.”

Picking nits here, but it sure would have been nice to read "and win an NBA championship" as a part of that goal. It is nice to hear he is still doggedly trying to work on his shooting, though, and he has slowly won me over, just because he is such a pro and so consistent on the court.

Anyhow, I digress...

 

[Sug]

ZBO always like to be the conductor

 

[Minstrel]

I said this back at the time, and it's not meant to be a perfect comparison, but he has kinda fit the Pippen role. An offensive stabilizer, a true quarterback who holds things together. He doesn't have the defensive presence, of course. But his mentality, toughness and offensive leadership.

 

[magnifier661]

This new team has become so multidimensional. Miller is a very important piece to this success. I would love for him to retire as a Blazer. That would be so precious!

 

[mook]

Just out of curiosity, here's the whole list:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_career.html

I'm sure he knows that to reach the top 10, he's got to supplant Mo Cheeks at 7392. He's at 6922. He's only 470 assists away. If he wants to play 3 or 4 more seasons, that's only 125-160 assists a season, which seems ridiculously easy for a guy who has averaged 629 assists/year.

That's if he continues to start.

What this tells me is that he's smart enough to see that at most he's a starter in this league for another year or so. But even if he were to go to the bench next year, he'd still easily reach his goal in the stated time frame.

If you read a little between the lines, you could see this as a slow recognition that at some point soon he'd be ok with coming off the bench to wind down his career. Which is very nice to hear.

 

[magnifier661]

And more importantly, he can teach and mentor a up and coming PG talent.

 

[HailBlazers]

I'm sure he knows that to reach the top 10, he's got to supplant Mo Cheeks at 7392. He's at 6922. He's only 470 assists away. If he wants to play 3 or 4 more seasons, that's only 125-160 assists a season, which seems ridiculously easy for a guy who has averaged 629 assists/year. That's if he continues to start. What this tells me is that he's smart enough to see that at most he's a starter in this league for another year or so. But even if he were to go to the bench next year, he'd still easily reach his goal in the stated time frame. If you read a little between the lines, you could see this as a slow recognition that at some point soon he'd be ok with coming off the bench to wind down his career.

And more importantly, he can teach and mentor a up and coming PG talent.

Brilliant. Portland would be honored to have Dre reach the top 10 list and retire here.

 

[Further]

I love a lot of the things that Dre has brought to the team. His ally-oops have been killer and I love that he tries to get the ball to the hot hand.

But, I don't know if I would call him a "Glue Guy". He has had some major confrontations with Roy, Nate, and who knows which other players. He is known to be very quiet and keep to himself. Usually (not always) I would consider a glue guy to be more of an emotional leader and one that rallies the heart of the team. But Andre is someone who I see as just a member of a team who does his job very well.

 

[HailBlazers]

I'd go as far as to say those "confrontations" were a good thing. Especially in the long run, lighting up Sarge and humbling Roy. Those were two things that direly needed to happen.

IMO, Dre's glue is one of the stickiest types, leading by example. He's the quiet General out there, and the players have the utmost Respect for him following his lead, Cool as Ice.

 

[Minstrel]

I seem to recall Pippen having confrontations with teammates and even Dunleavy on occasion. Pippen had always been more of a teacher (Phil Jackson used to say that Pippen and Jordan were equally good leaders on the Bulls, just in different ways--Jordan was the in-your-face leader while Pippen was more of a teach-and-help-teammates-get-better leader) while Miller has never struck me as that type. But they seem similar in terms of being intense and private and potentially prickly if things aren't going right in their opinion. I think that's fine for a veteran leader, so long as they don't take it too far, to disruption. I don't think either guy did, and the confrontations they forced led to better play from the team.

So I'd still stick by my comment that Miller is a glue guy, especially on the court.

 

[julius]

The second Andre nailed Blake Griffin, not only did it diminish what Blake did the rest of that game but the other games that season, it showed to me he's the guy who should be taking charge of the team (in the "stfu, I got this" sorta mentality)

 

[STOMP]

[video=youtube;gLAPJiETLCE]

STOMP

 

[mook]

The second Andre nailed Blake Griffin, not only did it diminish what Blake did the rest of that game but the other games that season, it showed to me he's the guy who should be taking charge of the team (in the "stfu, I got this" sorta mentality)

I don't think I've ever respected a cheap shot as much as I did that one. If his Iron Man streak had to end, I'm glad it ended the way it did. Not with an injury, but a fuck you.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

Andre Miller has saved this team so many times in the last two years it's hard to remember how many times!!!! The thought management even considered trading him is laughable!

Rose, Parker, Wall, Williams and Rondo may be the best right now, but Dre has seen it all and still keeps going at a very high rate and one all blazer fans should be greatful for!

Our entire team is now a team in my eyes because of Dre!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/holl...r/statistics?position=pg&sort=VORP&order=true

By Most of the stats, Andre is solidly a Top-10 Point Guard in this league. He's just never mentioned. There's so few players I'd trade him for; he's a true value at his contract and position. (tangent: Patty Mills is #43 on that list -- that makes him a mid-range backup if you assume there's 30 starting PG's and 30 backup PG's... Bayless is #42 )

I'm glad we didn't get Devin Harris, actually; I'd been watching these stats, and Miller beats out Harris in most categories.

 

[Boob-No-More]

[I'm glad we didn't get Devin Harris, actually; I'd been watching these stats, and Miller beats out Harris in most categories.

Yep, me too. I've been a big Miller supporter since day one. He's just so smart, durable and competitive. He's definitely old school, and I like that.

Harris has played well in spurts, but he's not as consistent, or nearly as durable as Andre. Yeah, Harris is younger, but what good is younger if it's sitting behind the bench in a suit? I'll take Miller on the court, producing game after game after game...

BNM

 

[MickZagger]

The thing about Miller is the way he plays the game, I think he'll be a valuable player until he's in his 40's.

 

[Boob-No-More]

The thing about Miller is the way he plays the game, I think he'll be a valuable player until he's in his 40's.

Since he doesn't rely on athleticism, and uses his brain to beat his oppoenents, he could be the Hoyt Wilhelm of the NBA.

For those not old enough to remember him, Wilhelm was a knuckleballer in the 1950, 1960s and early 70s who pitched in the majors until he was 49 and made the all-star team at 47. Since he relied on a knuckleball, which doesn't require a lot of arm strength, he was able to have a very long career.

BNM

 

[Minstrel]

I don't think it is strictly true that Miller doesn't rely on athleticism. An important aspect of his game is his ability to slash to the hoop...while he uses some amount of craftiness and experience to accomplish that, you also need a pretty solid amount of athleticism to consistently drive through NBA defenses and finish at the hoop. At some point, all the intelligence in the world isn't going to be sufficient if his quickness disappears entirely.

I do think he's likely to at least be an effective floor leader into his late career, just because he's so smart and skilled. His production, however, may not fare so well a few years on.

That said, I hope Portland keeps Miller for at least as long as they don't have a superior point guard.

 

[Kaydow]

I don't think it is strictly true that Miller doesn't rely on athleticism. An important aspect of his game is his ability to slash to the hoop...while he uses some amount of craftiness and experience to accomplish that, you also need a pretty solid amount of athleticism to consistently drive through NBA defenses and finish at the hoop. At some point, all the intelligence in the world isn't going to be sufficient if his quickness disappears entirely.

I do think he's likely to at least be an effective floor leader into his late career, just because he's so smart and skilled. His production, however, may not fare so well a few years on.

That said, I hope Portland keeps Miller for at least as long as they don't have a superior point guard.

Well said & repped. Obviously 'Dre isn't a high flying, acrobatic, cat quick/blow-by-you type of player. But . . . Anybody remember the Dunk in Denver last year? (see 1st link below) Not the quickest guy laterally, but once he gets a step he usually beats the help defender to the rim. He's quick off the floor too - watch him grab an offensive board in traffic just by getting off the floor first. And he's also got fast hands & quick reflexes, as evidenced by all of the reach in and poke the ball away steals. Too much is made of 'Dre's "Old Man Game". Yes he's crafty. He uses his body to seal off his defender well, and he likes to bust out pump fakes and spin moves quite a bit. But at the end of the day, when he loses another step (Yes, he's already lost one) he won't score at the rim as much. And when the reflexes slow down, he'll be swiping at air when he reaches in for a steal. Check out the other links below. 2nd one is a put back dunk at 1:18. 3rd one is a couple of HUGE blocks on Ricky Davis & Dirk, granted, from a few years back. Okay, more than "a few". Point is that we're not talking about Steve Blake here - Andre Miller IS a good athlete. Certainly not a Gerald Wallace athletic freak, but something in between.


'Dre's Dunk in Denver

'Dre Highlight mix - Check out put back dunk at 1:18

'Dre blocking Ricky Davis & Dirk on Dunk Attempts (okay, from a few years back)