Even Roy calls for a change in 4th Q offense

[illmatic99]

How long will it take Nate to make one?

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/02/chicago_115_portland_111_blaze.html

Roy, who went 8-for-19 and finished with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds, said he thinks the Blazers are become too tentative at the end of games. On Wednesday in Toronto, when the Raptors starting coming back late, Roy huddled the team and urged them to start playing at a faster pace.

"Some of it is we start to play to hang on, and keep the lead instead of playing to go out there and win the game," Roy said. "We start to force it into me and LaMarcus, or even Dre, and we start to watch. We hope one guy gets it done instead of playing looser and getting some movement."

Usually, watching Roy at the end of a game has been good enough for the Blazers. But not on Friday. Not when Roy said his legs felt heavy after playing his third game in four nights.

"I tried to give us a lift down the stretch," Roy said. "I just didn't finish this one."

 

[illmatic99]

I think this where miss Sergio to an extent. Last season, he used to enter the game when we built up decent leads, and we just pummeled opponents with fast break points, or easy buckets by pushing the tempo. Now, we have Jerryd coming in to lead point instead, and he simply goes 1 on 5 while trying to get fouled every time.

 

[Minstrel]

I think this where miss Sergio to an extent. Last season, he used to enter the game when we built up decent leads, and we just pummeled opponents with fast break points, or easy buckets by pushing the tempo.

Or, more often, we pummeled opponents with silly turnovers and easy buckets for them, losing a good chunk of the lead (or falling behind if Portland didn't have a big lead when he entered).

If your recollection of what happened when Rodriguez entered the game were the usual scenario, he never would have been traded and he'd be highly valued in the league.

 

[e_blazer]

What part of what Roy said makes you think that it's Nate's offensive plan that the rest of the team stop moving the ball and just toss it in to Roy in the 4th quarter? Just because the team keeps doing the same things wrong over and over again doesn't mean that's what the coach wants them to do.

 

[Minstrel]

Just because the team keeps doing the same things wrong over and over again doesn't mean that's what the coach wants them to do.

So is McMillan an ineffective coach (in terms of teaching what he wants) or are the players uncoachable?

Or do you think that's the normal state of affairs for all teams, that the players constantly are doing what the coach doesn't want them to do?

I think those are the main options for how to resolve the consequences of your above comment, but if I'm missing a possibility, please tell me how you'd resolve the "blame" (or lack thereof, if you think this is common for all teams).

 

[Nikolokolus]

What part of what Roy said makes you think that it's Nate's offensive plan that the rest of the team stop moving the ball and just toss it in to Roy in the 4th quarter? Just because the team keeps doing the same things wrong over and over again doesn't mean that's what the coach wants them to do.

I have to ask the same question that Minstrel did. If the team keeps repeating the same errors over and over and isn't correcting them, doesn't it seem like they are either A) tuning out Nate, or B) aren't coachable or teachable?

Either way it seems like it's the coaches responsibility to get his players to follow his game plan (assuming this is not Nate's offense at work) or put players on the floor who are capable of understanding what he wants.

 

[Natebishop3]

I have to ask the same question that Minstrel did. If the team keeps repeating the same errors over and over and isn't correcting them, doesn't it seem like they are either A) tuning out Nate, or B) aren't coachable or teachable?

Either way it seems like it's the coaches responsibility to get his players to follow his game plan (assuming this is not Nate's offense at work) or put players on the floor who are capable of understanding what he wants.

Or get fired and replaced with someone who will...

 

[BGrantFan]

So is McMillan an ineffective coach (in terms of teaching what he wants) or are the players uncoachable?

What if it isn't an either/or scenario? I don't think it is. If Roy makes the 3, everybody (except, apparently, a few posters on this board) goes to bed happy last night.

 

[Minstrel]

What if it isn't an either/or scenario? I don't think it is. If Roy makes the 3, everybody (except, apparently, a few posters on this board) goes to bed happy last night.

I was responding to this line by a poster:

"Just because the team keeps doing the same things wrong over and over again doesn't mean that's what the coach wants them to do."

It may not be an either/or...it may be both. But at least one of the two has to be the case, if it's true that the players keep on and on doing something that McMillan doesn't want.

 

[BGrantFan]

I was responding to this line by a poster:

"Just because the team keeps doing the same things wrong over and over again doesn't mean that's what the coach wants them to do."

It may not be an either/or...it may be both. But at least one of the two has to be the case, if it's true that the players keep on and on doing something that McMillan doesn't want.

Well, I disagree with the premise of that poster's statement. So, rather than offer an either/or answer to something that I don't agree with, let me say this. eblazer, I disagree with your statement. I don't thing the team is doing the same things wrong over and over again.

 

[BBert]

It sounds like Brandon saw the same game I did. I saw the Blazers lose because they got outworked and outhustled. IMO, they were outworked and outhustled due to the contrast in styles and play calling. The Bulls were moving and moving the ball and getting it to guys in position to score. Meanwhile the Blazers went into stagnation mode as usual. Put me on the list of those who hate Nate's 'efficient' offense.

 

[e_blazer]

So is McMillan an ineffective coach (in terms of teaching what he wants) or are the players uncoachable?

Or do you think that's the normal state of affairs for all teams, that the players constantly are doing what the coach doesn't want them to do?

I think those are the main options for how to resolve the consequences of your above comment, but if I'm missing a possibility, please tell me how you'd resolve the "blame" (or lack thereof, if you think this is common for all teams).

Originally posted by Nikolokolus:

I have to ask the same question that Minstrel did. If the team keeps repeating the same errors over and over and isn't correcting them, doesn't it seem like they are either A) tuning out Nate, or B) aren't coachable or teachable?

Either way it seems like it's the coaches responsibility to get his players to follow his game plan (assuming this is not Nate's offense at work) or put players on the floor who are capable of understanding what he wants.

I think another factor that you're omitting is more to blame than anything else: ever-shifting 4th quarter lineups due to injuries and other personnel reasons (guys in slumps, etc.). This team simply has never gotten to the point where guys are sure of their end-of-game roles and don't have the feel and trust for each other that last year's team did. Sure, Nate's plan has been pretty consistently to put the ball in his best player's hands at the end of the game and let him create. I don't think, however, that he tells the rest of the players to stop moving and pass up open shots the way that the Blazers are playing right now. I think it's primarily a matter of time playing together that will resolve this issue. Unfortunately for this team, time's getting short for this season.

 

[OddEnormous]

Just because the team keeps doing the same things wrong over and over again doesn't mean that's what the coach wants them to do.

Oh dear...

 

[jlprk]

Just because people keep quoting that over and over again doesn't mean that's what e-blazer wants them to do.

 

[Haakzilla]

Well, I disagree with the premise of that poster's statement. So, rather than offer an either/or answer to something that I don't agree with, let me say this. eblazer, I disagree with your statement. I don't thing the team is doing the same things wrong over and over again.

...either/or/neither ?!

 

[Haakzilla]

Just because people keep quoting that over and over again doesn't mean that's what e-blazer wants them to do.

+1!

 

[MARIS61]

Or do you think that's the normal state of affairs for all teams, that the players constantly are doing what the coach doesn't want them to do?

I think that's fairly obvious across the league in recent years.

It wasn't like this 20 years ago, but players are simply not team players for the most part.

 

[jlprk]

Hack and Maris, together! Now if we could find nuraman, we'd almost have a team.

 

[Bosco]

I think this where miss Sergio to an extent. Last season, he used to enter the game when we built up decent leads, and we just pummeled opponents with fast break points, or easy buckets by pushing the tempo. Now, we have Jerryd coming in to lead point instead, and he simply goes 1 on 5 while trying to get fouled every time.

Naw Miller is just as good of a fast paced PG as Sergio or better, why on earth would we miss him? He's kinda crap in our offense. Nate tied his hands down to much.