Dave at Blazersedge "Yeah There's Something Wrong Here"

[andalusian]

To me, B-Roy needs to adjust to playing with any true point guard, not just Miller. If there is anybody on the team that I'm not worried about having to make adjustments its are all-star, B-Roy. He needs to adjust to an offense with more Ball and Player movement, Period.

While there is some truth to it - it might also be time for this time to adjust to the idea that Brandon Roy is the PGOFTF on offense and Batum/Mathews/Bayless are the PGOFTF on defense.

While it is always good to expect and prod Brandon to expand his game - it still needs to do it with the thought that it really revolves around Brandon on offense - and taking the ball away from him is something that should be done in moderation since he is so effing good with it.

 

[blazerboy30]

A) Grant Hill may have been the Suns best defender, but he is hardly an elite defender. Miller not being able to hit the broadside of a barn meant that Hill could sag off of 'Dre.

B) Hill didn't "slow" down Miller. He shut his ass down and made him a liability.

Ok, you say shut, I say slow. Did Miller not score a point the rest of the series? Sounds like you are exaggerating.

Regardless... To use the Suns series as proof that Miller is an ineffective PG is beyond ridiculous. He caused the other team to drastically change their team defensive scheme.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

It's not the player or the chemistry....... OUR TEAM DOES NOT RUN AN OFFENSE!!!!!!!!!! We have no understanding of picks, screens, moving with and without the ball and NATE HAS NOT CHANGED THAT PHILOSOPHY!!!! Why are we getting smoked by the Jazz? They have a freakin coach!! Further they execute plays!!! How hard is this?????

Christmas! We have a defensive minded coach that other teams ran layup clinics on us last year like it was free, further he can't coach offense. Our pure athletic talent is carrying this team. Against good to great teams, we are simply outclassed! Fire the freaking coach or it's one and done again this year if we are lucky!

No one can argue that we have an offensive scheme! In five years Nate has not put one in.... what does that say with the same chore players of Roy, LA ,Pryz and Batum?

 

[BGrantFan]

Great story. And none of this has anything to do with the Suns series that Brandon didn't play in.

Huh?

Originally Posted by blazerboy30
, considering the Suns had to put their best defender on him and change their defensive scheme to slow him down.

Let it go.

YOU brought up the PHX series in this thread.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Well duh. If you want somebody to operate in the post, it takes time to develop. This is stupid.

I think his point is that Aldridge has been in the league 4 full seasons now, and still doesn't have a low post game. This should have been done already. I don't think he is expecting him to have one overnight.

 

[hasoos]

I have a feeling if Matthews wasn't scoring like he has been, Brandon wold have picked it up a bit.

At the same time, there is more than enough room for more than 1 scorer on this team. Half the problem has been the last few years that Brandon really doesn't have a #2 scorer backing him up. Lamarcus would make a fine #3 scorer. #2, not so much.

 

[blazerboy30]

Huh?



YOU brought up the PHX series in this thread.

I brought up the suns series, and you then started using that as an example of how Roy should not need to defer to Miller. They didn't play together in that series. Did you watch the series?

 

[hasoos]

If you have managed to watch any of the games this preseason then you have one up on Dave from BlazersEdge. He lives in Idaho and has only listened to the preseason games on the radio or read the box score.

Really, he has almost no basis at all for what he is saying here.

Yep. It also seems many people have forgotten that a lot of raw, young players play in pre season games, and they usually stink it up and their pre season play has no bearing on regular season. Lots of raw players = rat ball for 2 quarters of most pre season games.

 

[blazerboy30]

I think his point is that Aldridge has been in the league 4 full seasons now, and still doesn't have a low post game. This should have been done already. I don't think he is expecting him to have one overnight.

Ah, ok. I re-read. You're probably right.

 

[BGrantFan]

At the same time, there is more than enough room for more than 1 scorer on this team. Half the problem has been the last few years that Brandon really doesn't have a #2 scorer backing him up. Lamarcus would make a fine #3 scorer. #2, not so much.

Matthews is playing like Roy used to play. He's leading the team in shots, he's getting to the line, and he is distributing the ball. Instead of being blasted for being a ballhog, he is being praised, as he should be.

Meanwhile, Roy is still unsuccessfully trying to morph into a stockier version of Rip Hamilton, but his PG is nowhere near the player that Chauncey Billups was in Detroit.

 

[BGrantFan]

I brought up the suns series, and you then started using that as an example of how Roy should not need to defer to Miller. They didn't play together in that series. Did you watch the series?

No, I didn't watch the series. I watched every series except PHX/PDX. You win.

Miller is the key. Go Blazers.

 

[HailBlazers]

No one can argue that we have an offensive scheme! In five years Nate has not put one in....

I'm sorry but I find this hard to believe. Not arguing just saying.

 

[hasoos]

Matthews is playing like Roy used to play. He's leading the team in shots, he's getting to the line, and he is distributing the ball. Instead of being blasted for being a ballhog, he is being praised, as he should be.

Meanwhile, Roy is still unsuccessfully trying to morph into a stockier version of Rip Hamilton, but his PG is nowhere near the player that Chauncey Billups was in Detroit.

Yea but I don't expect Miller to be Billups. That is reality. In the Phoenix series last year they showed if you put a bigger player on him, he can't shoot from the outside, so you essentially shut him down.

Now as for Roy, I think Roy is fine. I think that a lot of people on this board still have visions of the Phoenix series Roy, where he really wasn't healthy, and couldn't move that well, and they have that stuck in their minds. Pre season play means nothing to me. Roy has started slowly each of the last couple of years in the regular season, and then got going a few games in. I don't think his playing style has changed. What I do think is his game style wasn't suited so much for fast paced play which many desire on this board, so they will never be satisfied.

 

[THE HCP]

At the same time, there is more than enough room for more than 1 scorer on this team. Half the problem has been the last few years that Brandon really doesn't have a #2 scorer backing him up. Lamarcus would make a fine #3 scorer. #2, not so much.

Good points. Do you really believe an 18 ppg scorer isn't capable of being our #2 scorer?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Good points. Do you really believe an 18 ppg scorer isn't capable of being our #2 scorer?

Most top scorers can create their own shot. That's what makes LaMarcus a great 3rd option. He is not particularly strong and putting the ball on the floor, or posting up. Not that that is a bad thing

 

[BGrantFan]

Good points. Do you really believe an 18 ppg scorer isn't capable of being our #2 scorer?

An 18 ppg scorer who shoots nearly 50% from the field. Most teams would kill for a player like that as a second option. This place does nothing but bash the guy.

 

[BGrantFan]

Most top scorers can create their own shot. That's what makes LaMarcus a great 3rd option. He is not particularly strong and putting the ball on the floor, or posting up. Not that that is a bad thing

Right. "Top" scorers. Aldridge isn't asked to be the "top" scorer, and he's a pretty damn good (and efficient) second option.

 

[RoyToy]

McMillan said on courtside that they've given the team very little sets to use during the pre-season so far, instead wanting them to focus on defense. Combine this with Roy and Miller taking a backseat to let the other guys play and you get what you've gotten so far.

Sorry, I refuse to worry during pre-season. Odds are this is going to be the same team again that wins 50+ games.

 

[HailBlazers]

Sorry, I refuse to worry during pre-season. Odds are this is going to be the same team again that wins 50+ games.

Portland Fans over-analyzing?!? No Way.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Agree with this. I was at the MC game against Utah and Matthews is a gem, a huge pick up for the team. He needs to settle down a bit but his energy especially on defense is infectious. He has Jerome Kersey like motor and can hit the three and take it inside. Some huge percentage of the best plays in that game were Matthews related. I especially liked the line up of Batum SF, Roy SG/PG, Matthews SG/PG. Gave us great ball handling, incredible defense and two shooters for Roy to target. Once Roy gets up to speed that lineup could devastate some teams letting Roy cheat on defense and fill up the passing lanes while Batum and Matthews lock guys down.

.

This quote from you caught my eye. I have not seen a game yet. I would love for it to be true, but I am a little hesitant in believing. I guess with all three on the court they could escape a press/trap. I guess the difference between running this with Wes as oppossed to Rudy would be Wes could guard a PG. In any event I can't wait to see it at the end of games when BRoy takes over anyways.

 

[Jayps15]

An 18 ppg scorer who shoots nearly 50% from the field. Most teams would kill for a player like that as a second option. This place does nothing but bash the guy.

Right. "Top" scorers. Aldridge isn't asked to be the "top" scorer, and he's a pretty damn good (and efficient) second option.

But he's not overly efficient, his TS% is below the league average and of the playoff teams in the west last year he has the 2nd worst TS% and 3rd worst PER of the 8 2nd leading scorers for each team. At best he's about average as a #2 scorer league wide, which would probably make him a great #3.

 

[HailBlazers]

Maybe so, but they need to dump it in to him early and often to initiate the offense and encourage ball movement. He will demand a double team.

 

[Idog1976]

This quote from you caught my eye. I have not seen a game yet. I would love for it to be true, but I am a little hesitant in believing. I guess with all three on the court they could escape a press/trap. I guess the difference between running this with Wes as oppossed to Rudy would be Wes could guard a PG. In any event I can't wait to see it at the end of games when BRoy takes over anyways.

Matthews has a much better handle than I imagined. Also Batum's seems to have improved. A trap could cause problems but Matthews dribbled it up against D. Will successfully a few times and had some modest luck containing him on a few plays. D. Will is D. Will as the infamous saying goes... That guy is a fucking insane baller, but I digress. I think that lineup is more situational then game long. It would be worth trying against the Heat for instance where your biggest threats are 1 - 3 and would give us a chance.

Bayless also looked improved to me. MUCH better 3 ball (just looks way better all around) and better decision making. He's not ready to start IMO, but has finally made some real progress IMO.

 

[BrianFromWA]

McMillan said on courtside that they've given the team very little sets to use during the pre-season so far, instead wanting them to focus on defense. Combine this with Roy and Miller taking a backseat to let the other guys play and you get what you've gotten so far.

Sorry, I refuse to worry during pre-season. Odds are this is going to be the same team again that wins 50+ games.

I was curious about this when he said it, but since that's the plan I'm not worried about any offensive stagnation yet. If we look stagnant and get shut down by PHX on the 26th, I'm sure I'll have some thoughts and pictures. If not, well done for thinking D first.

 

[Mediocre Man]

McMillan said on courtside that they've given the team very little sets to use during the pre-season so far, instead wanting them to focus on defense. Combine this with Roy and Miller taking a backseat to let the other guys play and you get what you've gotten so far.

Sorry, I refuse to worry during pre-season. Odds are this is going to be the same team again that wins 50+ games.

Anyone know what his excuse has been the previous 4 seasons? Or maybe he is just adding 1 play a year so they can focus on defense?

Odds are that this is going to be the same team again that wins 50+ games and gets beat in the first round.

 

[Idog1976]

Anyone know what his excuse has been the previous 4 seasons? Or maybe he is just adding 1 play a year so they can focus on defense?

Odds are that this is going to be the same team again that wins 50+ games and gets beat in the first round.

I tend to be on board with Nate offensive scheme criticisms. My question is always, "OK, who do we hire to replace him that is actually available?!" I tend to hear awful, AWFUL choices or crickets. Just sayin.

I like Bill Lambier fwiw. Rogue pick.

 

[noknobs]

I found the article to be stupid. A typical knee-jerk, pre-season, the-sky-is-falling mound of crap.

Gee, with all our centers and PF's hurt, gimpy, or playing out of position who would have ever thought we'd have some issues early on?

These quotes in particular made me laugh:

The time for trial and error is done.

Uhh... I didn't realize that time came half way through the preseason...

He starts with:

Anyone who knows me also knows that I'm the king of "Pre-Season Doesn't Matter Much". The win-loss record doesn't matter at all. You won't find me in a panic because the Blazers are 1-3 after their first four games.

And ends with:

If the Blazers can't muster a cohesive effort in this final pre-season run, though, I'm going to start biting my nails for real.

 

[Idog1976]

I found the article to be stupid. A typical knee-jerk, pre-season, the-sky-is-falling mound of crap.

Gee, with all our centers and PF's hurt, gimpy, or playing out of position who would have ever thought we'd have some issues early on?

These quotes in particular made me laugh:


Uhh... I didn't realize that time came half way through the preseason...

He starts with:

And ends with:

Dave lost the plot a couple of years ago. Blazersedge sudden massive success made his ego bloat and his analysis has been poor for awhile now. I don't like Ben much, but he has really taken over the reigns there and I have to admit has done a decent job for sure.

 

[OddEnormous]

Really, he has almost no basis at all for what he is saying here.

Except for the last 4 years.

 

[OddEnormous]

He caused the other team to drastically change their team defensive scheme.

And then what happened after that?