Get Ready For This Latest Starting Lineup For The Next 3 Or 4 Games

[ABM]

At least.

Nate said.

Sorry if this has been posted already. I've been in Eastern Oregon all day.

 

[MARIS61]

At most.

 

[ABM]

At most.

Don't forget, this is just an interim move.............ultimately aimed at replacing Blake with Miller in the starting lineup. Psychologically speaking, that is.

 

[Idog1976]

Don't forget, this is just an interim move.............ultimately aimed at replacing Blake with Miller in the starting lineup. Psychologically speaking, that is.

Someone raised a good point in another thread about Blake being our best PG defender of he, Miller and Bayless. I don't personally agree with that, but I think it's possible Nate thinks that way. I would rather see Martell in the starting line up and give the green light to Outlaw, Rudy, Blake and Bayless to shoot. I'd basically like to see some mix of the following lineups:

Starters -

PG Miller
SG Roy
SF Webster
PF LMA
C Oden

The starters can play both half court and also run a bit, especially without Blake slowing up the break.

Run and Gun:

PG Miller
SG Bayless/Rudy
SF Martell
PF Outlaw
C LMA

Closing unit would be:

PG: Roy
SG: Rudy
SF: Martell (2nd shooter and defense)
PF: LMA or Outlaw if he's hot or we need a clutch score
C: Oden for defense and tip dunks

Miller could be with the closers taking out Rudy, with Roy sliding to SG.

To be honest I wish Blake was being traded. Other then Roy's comfort I don't see why we have him when we can have Martell as our 3pt threat along with Roy.

 

[B-Roy]

 

[ABM]

At least 6 games now..

http://www.columbian.com/article/20091108/SPORTS01/711089954

TUALATIN, Ore. — Less than 24 hours after the Andre Miller-Steve Blake-Brandon Roy experiment received its first real test, the positive early results still held up.

Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said a game-tape replay of the Blazers’ 96-84 home victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night revealed a Portland team playing with better movement and more fire.

And that was exactly what McMillan hoped for when he made the gutsy decision to start all three guards at the same time.

"Defensively, the rotation was really good," McMillan said Saturday, following a workout at the team’s practice facility. "We were connected. We had good ball pressure. We had three takeaways early. And I thought it was good ball movement."

In turn, the Blazers (3-3) offense played with a smooth, seasoned style, as passes flowed and open shooters were found. By having three talented guards — two of which were point guards — on the floor at the same time, McMillan said Portland opened up the court and made the Spurs react.

McMillan stated that he will likely use Miller, Blake and Roy in the starting lineup for the Blazers’ next six games. Portland hosts the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves at 6 p.m. tonight at the Rose Garden. The Blazers then hit the road for a five-game run................

................Miller and Blake said they enjoyed the opportunity to open up a Portland offense that ranks 22nd out of 30 NBA teams in average scoring (94.5 points) and 24th in field goal percentage (42.3 percent).

Miller stated that "there was a good flow," with a strong mix between half-court and fast-break basketball.

Meanwhile, Blake said he simply enjoyed the ability to sprint up the court and play side by side with Miller and Roy.

"It’s new for me to not be bringing the ball up and just to run the floor," Blake said. "It was fun. I enjoy playing with Andre in that capacity. And it’s nice to have a lot of guys that can handle (the ball) and make reads."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the start of Friday’s game that the Blazers would be "smarter" by having Blake and Miller on the court at the same time.

McMillan agreed Saturday. He stated that the ability to better read opposing defenses was one of the primary reasons he made the lineup change. The direct beneficiary of Portland’s improved court vision was center Greg Oden.................

..............McMillan said a confident, sure-handed Oden gives Portland a legitimate inside scoring option the team has lacked in recent years. With Oden hitting shots, the Blazers can play inside-out basketball. At the same time, the court should open up even more for Miller, Blake and Roy.

"Greg can establish himself in the post," McMillan said. "We can throw it down there. And if you don’t double team him, he becomes a weapon down there. It’s a pretty simple game."....

 

[ABM]

From: The O

The chess match between Portland coach Nate McMillan and San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich started about an hour before Friday's game.

Popovich was told before the game that McMillan decided to start the game with a three-guard lineup consisting of Brandon Roy, Steve Blake and newcomer Andre Miller. Popovich responded by indicating that the Spurs aren't likely to make any changes.

"It doesn’t change (anything) matchup wise," Popovich said. "It doesn’t change anything we would do as far as offense or defense."

However, just minutes after Popovich finished the question, Michael Finley appeared, walking down the hallway toward the Spurs' locker room. Popovich intercepted him and whispered into his ear. When the Spurs' starting lineup was announced, Keith Bogans was starting instead of Finley, who had started at shooting guard in the previous four games.

Popovich likely make a switch that in response to the Blazers' new lineup. Popovich said that inserting another solid point guard would help any offense.

"I think at times, it makes a team a little bit smarter," Popovich said. "Because you have one more guy on the court that can make decisions."

Miller and Blake combined for just six assists, but McMillan said the team's movement on offense was considerably better. The Blazers' 29 first-quarter points was the second-highest total for a quarter this season. And McMillan said that he may use the three-guard offense a little longer.

"Well, I looked at the schedule and the schedule that we’re playing in the next week or two, we could stay with that," McMillan said. "I’m going to look at that lineup and stay with that for a while."

Popovich said he's could steal a page from McMillan's playbook in future games, pairing his own two point guards in a game.

"We gonna do that at times this year, playing (Tony) Parker and George Hill together," Popovich said.

That look will have to wait after Parker sprained his left ankle in the second quarter Friday night. He said after the game that he could miss a week. So Parker should be available when the Blazers play at San Antonio Dec. 23, maybe it will be Parker and Hill on the court together against the Blazers three-guard unit.

 

[bintim]

At least.

Nate said.

Sorry if this has been posted already. I've been in Eastern Oregon all day.

Sounds like a personal problem ABM.

 

[ABM]

Sounds like a personal problem ABM.

Work-related in lovely Boardman.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Work-related in lovely Boardman.

I used to have to go out to Boardman for work... You anywhere near the onion plant or Oregon Hay?

 

[ABM]

I used to have to go out to Boardman for work... You anywhere near the onion plant or Oregon Hay?

Trail Apartments. Windows/doors project. I did eat at the only (Mexican, no less) restaurant in town, near the onion plant, though.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Trail Apartments. Windows/doors project. I did eat at the only (Mexican, no less) restaurant in town, near the onion plant, though.

Yup. Every time I went out there we'd end up eating out there... gotta love Boardman!