Bayless promoted....Sergio demoted

[MARIS61]

Sergio (and Jerryd) both had one really good month ... this month just happened to coincide with Steve Blake out of the lineup with his shoulder injury.

Here's the splits for each guy during Blake's absence:
Sergio:

DATE 	OPP 	RESULT 	        MIN	FG	PCT	3P	PCT	FT	PCT	STL	BLK	TO	PF	OFF	DEF	TOT	AST	PTS
1/15	@Njn	W 105-99 	23	2-6	.333	0-2	.000	0-0	--	1	0	2	2	1	1	2	4	4
1/17	@Cha	L 102-97 	21	4-7	.571	0-1	.000	2-3	.667	0	1	0	1	0	2	2	5	10
1/19	Mil	W 102-85 	34	2-9	.222	1-3	.333	0-0	--	0	0	2	4	3	4	7	7	5
1/21	Cle	L 104-98 	27	3-5	.600	1-2	.500	0-0	--	0	0	0	2	0	1	1	5	7
1/24	Was	W 100-87 	33	5-9	.556	2-3	.667	0-2	.000	1	0	3	2	0	2	2	8	12
1/26	@Lac	W 113-88 	17	1-3	.333	0-2	.000	5-5	1.000	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	5	7
1/28	Cha	W 88-74 	24	0-5	.000	0-2	.000	0-0	--	1	0	5	3	1	2	3	7	0
1/31	Uth	W 122-108 	19	4-6	.667	1-1	1.000	0-0	--	2	0	1	5	0	2	2	7	9
2/2	@Nor	W 97-89 	19	3-6	.500	0-1	.000	0-0	--	0	0	2	2	0	1	1	1	6
2/4	@Dal	L 104-99 	14	2-5	.400	1-2	.500	0-0	--	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	1	5
2/6	@Okc	L 102-93 	22	3-6	.500	1-2	.500	1-2	.500	0	0	2	3	0	6	6	1	8
2/8	Nyk	W 109-108 	37	5-11	.455	4-5	.800	2-2	1.000	2	0	2	3	0	3	3	6	16
2/11	Okc	W 106-92 	20	1-2	.500	1-1	1.000	0-0	--	0	0	4	3	1	1	2	4	3
2/12	@Gsw	L 105-98 	31	5-11	.455	0-1	.000	0-0	--	3	0	4	4	0	4	4	7	10

MPG:23.4 FG%:43.9 3PT%:42.8 FTA:14 FT%:71.4 TO:2.2 REB:2.6 AST:4.8 PTS:7.5

Jerryd:

DATE 	OPP 	RESULT 	        MIN	FG	PCT	3P	PCT	FT	PCT	STL	BLK	TO	PF	OFF	DEF	TOT	AST	PTS
1/15	@Njn	W 105-99 	25	6-9	.667	0-0	--	11-11	1.000	0	0	1	2	0	3	3	3	23
1/17	@Cha	L 102-97 	32	6-9	.667	0-0	--	2-3	.667	0	0	1	2	0	4	4	0	14
1/19	Mil	W 102-85 	14	1-4	.250	1-1	1.000	4-6	.667	0	0	1	4	0	2	2	1	7
1/21	Cle	L 104-98 	18	2-3	.667	0-1	.000	6-6	1.000	0	0	1	6	0	1	1	1	10
1/24	Was	W 100-87 	15	0-3	.000	0-0	--	3-4	.750	1	0	2	0	0	1	1	1	3
1/26	@Lac	W 113-88 	22	2-6	.333	1-3	.333	0-0	--	1	0	1	4	0	0	0	6	5
1/28	Cha	W 88-74 	24	3-8	.375	1-1	1.000	4-4	1.000	0	1	1	2	0	3	3	2	11
1/31	Uth	W 122-108 	24	1-4	.250	0-3	.000	2-2	1.000	1	0	0	3	0	1	1	4	4
2/2	@Nor	W 97-89 	24	7-9	.778	0-1	.000	5-7	.714	2	0	1	4	0	2	2	6	19
2/4	@Dal	L 104-99 	34	6-9	.667	0-0	--	2-2	1.000	0	0	4	5	1	3	4	4	14
2/6	@Okc	L 102-93 	26	0-3	.000	0-1	.000	3-4	.750	0	0	2	3	1	0	1	2	3
2/8	Nyk	W 109-108 	10	1-2	.500	1-1	1.000	2-2	1.000	1	0	3	2	0	1	1	1	5
2/11	Okc	W 106-92 	28	5-11	.455	0-0	--	2-2	1.000	1	0	1	1	1	0	1	8	12
2/12	@Gsw    L 105-98 	16	1-5	.200	1-1	1.000	1-2	.500	0	0	2	2	1	1	2	0	4

MPG: 22.3 FG%:48.2 3PT%: 38.4 FTA:55 FT%:85.4 TO:1.5 REB:1.9 AST:2.7 PTS:9.6

Given the time both players were productive, and it doesn't take a genius to infer that there is a serious correlation with both player's nose-diving since they have been juggled into and out of the lineup without rhyme or reason. In some ways I wonder if this team wouldn't have been better off in the long run if Steve was out for the year -- not wishing a serious injury on him of course.

Unless he's our future PG, ANY PT he gets is a detriment to our eventual improvement just as we wasted an entire season last year training JJ for the Pacers.

 

[Paxil]

I fear Bayless has been neutered by Nate. I hope not though.

 

[Nikolokolus]

]Unless he's our future PG, ANY PT he gets is a detriment to our eventual improvement[/B] just as we wasted an entire season last year training JJ for the Pacers.

Not exactly. I think you are falsely assuming that the team is still strictly in a 'player development' period, instead it seems like they've expanded their goals to 'win now and develop' ... finding the balance between both those goals is extremely tricky; they are after all contradictory ends in some respects.

 

[MARIS61]

Like Sergio has been good? I can only remember one good game from Sergio all year long. The rest have been a complete nightmare. Shooting 36% or something like that. That is completely horrible beyond belief an NBA level player (perimeter player at that) can shoot that bad.

So Bayless, who has performed worse should go to the D League, right?

Bayless has shot a lower FG%, 3pt%, and FT%, less boards per game, less steals per game, less than 1/2 assists per game, and more fouls per game than Sergio all season.

http://www.nba.com/blazers/stats/

Like every other Bayless groupie, you have to invent stuff because in reality Bayless has yet to accomplish anything and has shown no evidence he ever will.

If anything he has looked worse and worse each game as opponents have scouted his 1 trick game.

Watching him continually get swatted down while stupidly driving against men a foot taller than him while ignoring open teammates who actually know how to shoot is embarrassing as a fan.

He has had 2 good games and 2 decent ones and 41 pretty bad games.

His efficiency rating is a piddling 3.96 to Sergio's 5.94.

He's lucky they don't count blocked shot attempts as turnovers or he'd have 2 more TO's a game.

Playing him in place of Sergio is really the only way we could still get in the lottery this year, so maybe that's the plan?

 

[tlongII]

This move was overdue imo. Bayless has not been good lately, but he has shown flashes of a dynamic game at times this season. He also will get into players on D. Sergio has been absolutely terrible as teams have determined that all they need to do is sag off on him. He can't play defense so his only chance to contribute is on offense and he can't shoot.

 

[MARIS61]

Not exactly. I think you are falsely assuming that the team is still strictly in a 'player development' period, instead it seems like they've expanded their goals to 'win now and develop' ... finding the balance between both those goals is extremely tricky; they are after all contradictory ends in some respects.

I think that's this teams biggest albatross, no matter what players you like best.

Nate and KP have conflicting goals.

Nate wants to win right now and really thinks all development should be done in practice. He won't be here much longer and wants to win now. That's it. That's his preferred approach. He really doesn't care about a dynasty because he doesn't plan on being here that long. He'd trade half the team for "seasoned vets" and a single shot at a title.

KP wants to develop the top 7,8,9 players to the contender point, knowing the wins will come anyway but a dynasty will only come thru development.


Many teams have tried to rebuild into dynasties through the draft and they always fail because they get too anxious and break their own rules, whether it's bringing in vets or not developing their youth enough.

I hope KP stays true to his plan.

Bake it!

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think that's this teams biggest albatross, no matter what players you like best.

Nate and KP have conflicting goals.

Nate wants to win right now and really thinks all development should be done in practice. He won't be here much longer and wants to win now. That's it. That's his preferred approach. He really doesn't care about a dynasty because he doesn't plan on being here that long. He'd trade half the team for "seasoned vets" and a single shot at a title.

KP wants to develop the top 7,8,9 players to the contender point, knowing the wins will come anyway but a dynasty will only come thru development.


Many teams have tried to rebuild into dynasties through the draft and they always fail because they get too anxious and break their own rules, whether it's bringing in vets or not developing their youth enough.

I hope KP stays true to his plan.

Bake it!

I think you are reaching. What evidence is there to suggest that KP and Nate are not on the same page? I'm not saying they are or aren't, but you're going to have demonstrate some tangible evidence (print, interview, etc.) before you can make that claim.

 

[alex42083]

Speaking of Jerryd... follow him on ... Twitter!

http://twitter.com/jbay4

 

[Minstrel]

Speaking of Jerryd... follow him on ... Twitter!

http://twitter.com/jbay4

Exciting...based on his current entries, its main value is to tell us where the team is playing their games. There's no other way to find that out.

 

[Sinobas]

This says it all:

"We need some oomph, some fire, some scrappiness," McMillan said. "I want to see if (Bayless) can bring that." Bayless was shaky in 11 minutes, finishing with four points on 1 of 3 shooting with zero assists and three turnovers.

So ends the Bayless experiment.

I'm glad Nate finally sees this! This is exactly what I've been saying for months. We do need some OOMPH!

 

[timmay]

Consider Bayless un-promoted. Or at least, both guys are back in limbo.

(Oregonlive) Bayless and Sergio: It's still undecided and it's still a mess

 

[alex42083]

Consider Bayless un-promoted. Or at least, both guys are back in limbo.

(Oregonlive) Bayless and Sergio: It's still undecided and it's still a mess

Very interesting stuff. Hopefully one of these guys seizes their chance, and Nate lets them just play their game and play freely. After thinking about it, I really want Sergio to succeed and give us a good 15-20 mins a game but the guy needs to at least try to stay in front of somebody defensively, and show some sort of threat to make a jump shot and not airball it over the rim again.

Show some confidence Sergio!

 

[MARIS61]

I think you are reaching. What evidence is there to suggest that KP and Nate are not on the same page? I'm not saying they are or aren't, but you're going to have demonstrate some tangible evidence (print, interview, etc.) before you can make that claim.

3 years of statements by both have made it clear although KP did address the question with a halfhearted denial once last summer.

Anyone who has followed their comments would agree.

 

[bigbailes]

Stop your bullshit and hate of Bayless. I have watched almost of Bayless's college and SL games and he is going to be a great PG playing with Roy. He is sure as hell better then Sergio and will be better then Blake by next year. Give it a rest!

I start this by saying i have no hate towards bayless, i don't enjoy watching him play becasue he has done very litttle to imporve our team recently.

tortimer get a clue, because Arizona struggle last season when Nic Wise went down to injury and they tried to have bayless run the point. likewise the games bayless sturggled in SL were when they tried to force the PG spot on him. kop ended up running the point much of the time. i don't really know if down the line he develops into a great PG or not but i see him as a decent SG, sorry if my opinion doesn't sit well with you.

i think we can all agree that our b/u PG spot has been EXTREMELY lacking since blake came back from his shoulder injury and i think nate fucking with both of them has caused this. don't be surprised to see sergio get some minutes as the b/u cause nate just can't make up his mind.

 

[bigbailes]

Consider Bayless un-promoted. Or at least, both guys are back in limbo.

(Oregonlive) Bayless and Sergio: It's still undecided and it's still a mess

this is fucking stupid. nate is an idiot and is just screwing with these guys now.

i dont' care which one gets the nod at this point but make a decision already. bayless does a better job on d, sergio does a better job running the offense and getting teammates wide open shots, and they both suck shooting the ball. just flip a coin and get on with it.

 

[barfo]

Nate sometimes says one thing and does another.

barfo

Like I said....

barfo

 

[ucatchtrout]

Coach hasn't really made up his mind.
If Bayless wants this spot he better claim it with his play....and do so quickly.
His game the other night didn't help him any in his quest for more PT.
Otherwise if the offense stalls....there will be another change.....whether Bayless fans like it or not.

Bayless and Sergio....Still undecided....still a mess

Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan on Tuesday said the team's backup point guard position remains an unsettled situation, despite his move to play rookie Jerryd Bayless on Monday against Memphis while sitting Sergio Rodriguez for the first time all season.

"It doesn't mean I won't go back to Sergio,'' McMillan said. "It's hard to say. I think Sergio can play that position, and I know we need Sergio. Maybe this will make him hungry.''

Bayless was unimpressive against Memphis, finishing with four points, zero assists and three turnovers in 11 minutes. It continued a dismal string of games for the rookie, which no doubt played a part in McMillan being non-committal about Wednesday's game at Indiana.

Earlier this season, when Bayless started making more of a push for playing time in practice, McMillan said he would not play mind games with his point guards by flip-flopping them in and out of the backup spot.

But that appears to be exactly what McMillan intends to do over the season's final 15 games as the Blazers (42-25) vie for both a playoff spot and the Northwest Division title.

"I can use both,'' McMillan said. "It's not flip-flopping as much as me trying to find a combination that can work with each other.''

It appears that McMillan intends to use Bayless for mostly defensive purposes, when he needs a body to stay in front of a speedy point guard. And it appears he intends to use Rodriguez with the second unit now that Rudy Fernandez has worked his way back from injury.

"You have to do what you have to do in situations like this,'' McMillan said.

The situation McMillan speaks of is a dreadful disappearing act from both point guards during the season's most important stretch.

In 9 games in March, Bayless has six assists and 11 turnovers while shooting 4-for-20 from the field and has committed 13 fouls. Rodriguez has 18 assists and seven turnovers in eight games, is shooting 2-for-16 from the field and has 12 fouls.

"We need more from that position,'' McMillan said. "We need help from that position. If not, then we are going to play our guys. We are in a position where we need production.''

As the backups have struggled, it has forced McMillan to lean even more on starter Steve Blake, who is averaging 36.3 minutes over the last seven games, up from the 30.2 minutes he averaged in his first 47 games. Also, Roy has absorbed more minutes playing point guard.

"Look, we are a team where our margin for error is very small,'' McMillan said. "We have to go with what's working, with what's producing.''

In other words, McMillan says he isn't going to wait, or resort to experiments and trial runs. The backup point guard on this team - whoever it is - will always play bit minutes because of Roy's fourth quarter role.

What McMillan is saying is it's up to the players to seize their opportunity, and so far, neither Bayless nor Rodriguez has done so. Until they do, he will continue to flip-flop.

"They have to give me confidence that I can put them out there,'' McMillan said. "When I put them out there, I'm showing them confidence. But they in turn have to show me something.''

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/03/bayless_and_sergio_its_still_u.html#more

 

[BrianFromWA]

You know, I don't see a ton of talk about Blake...

In 15 games since his return from injury, he's shooting 52-133 (39%) FG. He's 27-65 (41%) on 3's, which is great...but it also mean that when he steps foot inside the 3pt line he's 25-78 (32%). He's averaging about 9ppg, 5.4 apg and 1.4 to (good a/to of about 4:1) in 33mpg. We're 10-5 since he's come back.

Trusting Nik's numbers, in the 14 games Blake was out, Baylergio Rex was 46% from the field, 41% 3pt, 17.1 ppg, 7.5apg to 3.7to (2:1 a/to) in 45mpg. And a record of 9-5.

But I guess they got lucky during that month. They're barely D-League Material while Blake's having a career year.

 

[LittleAlex]

Every time Bayless steps on the floor I hope that he will end this debate by playing well.

Every time in the last month I have been disappointed.

Right now our best option at backup point guard is to have Rudy come in and move Roy to the point until Blake returns. BOTH of the back ups have been unwatchable. Perhaps next year Bayless can make a leap.

 

[timmay]

Coach hasn't really made up his mind.
If Bayless wants this spot he better claim it with his play....and do so quickly.
His game the other night didn't help him any in his quest for more PT.
Otherwise if the offense stalls....there will be another change.....whether Bayless fans like it or not.



http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/03/bayless_and_sergio_its_still_u.html#more

It's like I'm invisible sometimes.

(BTW you may want to edit the article... pasting the whole article is still a no-no here I believe. It's why I just linked it earlier.)

-Tim

 

[hasoos]

Stats...stats and more stats. We see folks throw out this stats or that stat to argue the Sergio/Bayless debate. The facts are neither has stepped up, and there is nothing more futile than trying to argue that one is better than the other when they both have been stinking it up. This would be so easy if one of them would just step up and play well, and gain some consistency in a positive direction.

You put in one, he is strong in some ways, weak in others. You put in the other guy, and he is exactly the opposite, strong in every area where the other is weak. I have been saying for a long time, if we could just combine the best features out of the two players, we would have a serious ass point guard. Unfortunately, because we can't, we end up with 2 PG that aren't even holding their own on the court. Extremely frustrating to watch.

Please, one of the backup PG step up and start playing well. By the playoffs.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Stats...stats and more stats. We see folks throw out this stats or that stat to argue the Sergio/Bayless debate. The facts are neither has stepped up, and there is nothing more futile than trying to argue that one is better than the other when they both have been stinking it up. This would be so easy if one of them would just step up and play well, and gain some consistency in a positive direction.

You put in one, he is strong in some ways, weak in others. You put in the other guy, and he is exactly the opposite, strong in every area where the other is weak. I have been saying for a long time, if we could just combine the best features out of the two players, we would have a serious ass point guard. Unfortunately, because we can't, we end up with 2 PG that aren't even holding their own on the court. Extremely frustrating to watch.

Please, one of the backup PG step up and start playing well. By the playoffs.

I agree with this, except who's outside shooting would you take. If we could just throw in a dash of Blake and his outside shooting, then we would be talking . . .

 

[BrianFromWA]

Stats...stats and more stats. We see folks throw out this stats or that stat to argue the Sergio/Bayless debate. The facts are neither has stepped up, and there is nothing more futile than trying to argue that one is better than the other when they both have been stinking it up. This would be so easy if one of them would just step up and play well, and gain some consistency in a positive direction.

You put in one, he is strong in some ways, weak in others. You put in the other guy, and he is exactly the opposite, strong in every area where the other is weak. I have been saying for a long time, if we could just combine the best features out of the two players, we would have a serious ass point guard. Unfortunately, because we can't, we end up with 2 PG that aren't even holding their own on the court. Extremely frustrating to watch.

Please, one of the backup PG step up and start playing well. By the playoffs.

Uh, both actually stepped up. That was the point of my "stats...stats and more stats." When Blake wasn't around to relegate them to 3-minute appearances, they performed better than Blake combined, and pretty darn well singly.

I totally agree that each really aren't good in their incarnations as less-than-10-mpg backups. But that just means that maybe they shouldn't be in that role, doesn't it?

 

[Tortimer]

I start this by saying i have no hate towards bayless, i don't enjoy watching him play becasue he has done very litttle to imporve our team recently.

tortimer get a clue, because Arizona struggle last season when Nic Wise went down to injury and they tried to have bayless run the point. likewise the games bayless sturggled in SL were when they tried to force the PG spot on him. kop ended up running the point much of the time. i don't really know if down the line he develops into a great PG or not but i see him as a decent SG, sorry if my opinion doesn't sit well with you.

i think we can all agree that our b/u PG spot has been EXTREMELY lacking since blake came back from his shoulder injury and i think nate fucking with both of them has caused this. don't be surprised to see sergio get some minutes as the b/u cause nate just can't make up his mind.

I don't agree with you saying Bayless struggle at PG when Nic Wise got injured and you need to get a clue.

 

[drexlersdad]

we could have gotten some crazy value for sergio after his rookie season....

 

[hasoos]

Uh, both actually stepped up. That was the point of my "stats...stats and more stats." When Blake wasn't around to relegate them to 3-minute appearances, they performed better than Blake combined, and pretty darn well singly.

I totally agree that each really aren't good in their incarnations as less-than-10-mpg backups. But that just means that maybe they shouldn't be in that role, doesn't it?

I agree with you that the short stints hurt their games. I actually felt the Blazers didn't miss a beat when Blake was out, but the facts are, Blake isn't that good. But I am not talking about that. I am talking about how they have played since then. It's pretty obvious Nate isn't going to sit Blake down and give one of them a run. So they have to find a solution, or we need to get to the end of the season so they can retool.

 

[ehizzy3]

we could have gotten some crazy value for sergio after his rookie season....

i know, his rookie year was so promising....remember talks about trading for atls 11

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't agree with you saying Bayless struggle at PG when Nic Wise got injured and you need to get a clue.

Yeah, that's not how I remember his season at U of A at all. I know this because I watched him as much as possible and hoped the Blazers would somehow be able to steal him in the draft.

 

[Minstrel]

If McMillan is determined to give them both time and see if one emerges, I wish he'd do it differently. Rather than trying to alternate them during games, where every little mistake means a quick hook...I'd rather he alternated making each of them the primary backup game by game. That way, in any particular game, whichever is getting run can play with the confidence of knowing that his next mistake doesn't mean the bench.

I'd really rather he just picked one for the remainder of this season (and I'd prefer that be Bayless ), but IF he's going to let them both audition, give them longer auditions at a stretch.

 

[andalusian]

If McMillan is determined to give them both time and see if one emerges, I wish he'd do it differently. Rather than trying to alternate them during games, where every little mistake means a quick hook...I'd rather he alternated making each of them the primary backup game by game. That way, in any particular game, whichever is getting run can play with the confidence of knowing that his next mistake doesn't mean the bench.

I'd really rather he just picked one for the remainder of this season (and I'd prefer that be Bayless ), but IF he's going to let them both audition, give them longer auditions at a stretch.

This is a nice idea for a team trying to build for the future - but a less reasonable one for a team fighting for the playoffs or playoffs seeding.

Nate has, for all practical purposes - done exactly that at the start of the year before the playoffs ramifications came into view - and he gave the almost exclusive backup PG minutes to Sergio. The fact that he went away from that tells you that Sergio did not reward Nate's confidence with his performance - and unfortunately, Bayless is just not consistent at this point to warrant having the time locked his way come high or low. At this point - this team's mission should be making the playoffs with as good a seed as possible first - and developing the backup PG way lower than that. If this means that Nate has to experiment with the backup PG time on a game by game basis based on production - so be it. This is not that important, at this time - in the grand scheme of things, I would guess.