It's been only two games....

[illmatic99]

.....this is maybe the worst offensive team in the league.

and with all the talent we have...

 

[Tince]

"You can't just blame the coaches; the players on this team do no want to run." - Kenny Vance

Fire the players!

 

[alex42083]

"You can't just blame the coaches; the players on this team do no want to run." - Kenny Vance

Fire the players!

He's kind of right. We're not going to be a transition team. Other than Andre, no one else on the team can initiate a fast break. We have potential great finishers, but no good initiators for a break.

 

[Nikolokolus]

and with all the talent we have...

OK I'm being guilty of using some pretty over the top hyperbole, but the point stands that relying on perimeter shots with no inside game makes it MUCH harder to get those jumpers off because defenders are rarely collapsing into the paint and do not have as much ground to cover to get back out on a shooter. Secondly, with few fast breaks you aren't tiring out a defense much and no matter how much you swing the ball around the horn if you're pulling the trigger on an 18 footer that is always a poorer shot than a layup or a shot from 10 feet in.

The one saving grace of the Blazers is that they do have a ton of length to generate extra possessions and they are playing decent defense so far, and it doesn't hurt to have a top 3 shooting guard on your side if you need to get a bucket or get to the free throw line, but while this will probably get us 48+ wins a year and will allow us to thump the bottom half of the league and probably a good number of better teams at home I don't think it's going to add up to much success in the post season.

I'm trying my best not to fall into the trap of extrapolating too much out of the first two games of the season when I strongly suspected that the Blazers would be subject to a rocky first couple of months anyways, but so far I'm not seeing a whole lot of imagination and growth from Nate when it comes to integrating these new moving parts in the lineup.

Who knows, maybe all the growth will come despite Nate's "philosophy" and Oden will gradually get more comfortable on offense as a matter of course and maybe LMA will start getting pissed and really take the action inside on his own ... who knows ...

 

[mikeg]

I think we are seeing the ceiling with Nate here. This offense has not improved one iota in three years. Not one. Not a bit of innovation, except for maybe tonight's pointless twin towers joke of a lineup.

He needs an offensive coordinator. A Tex Winter type, so to speak. They need to change the entire offensive philosophy. This team generates fewer easy buckets than any team I've ever seen in the NBA. If Nate (or some outside help) can get this offense going, then it's time for the coaching staff to hit the road.

"The Mike Brown Special"... I loved that... Thanks random Raptor Truther.

 

[B-Roy]

I usually don't harp on Nate. But some of his rotations are (and have been) weird. The Oden/Miller thing at the end of the game was one such instance.

 

[illmatic99]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/postgame_video_denver_97_portl.html

Brandon: "They were tired, but anytime you slow the game down that much, it gives them a chance to recover."

One of my biggest gripes was not taking advantage of DEN being on a second night of b2b by running loose early in the game. But both Miller and Blake seemed plenty happy in plodding down and working in the halfcourt. We had 3 fast break points all game. Now even BRoy (who supposedly doesn't like uptempo according to some posters and Kenny Vance) is acknowledging the fact that we didn't capitalize.

 

[Nikolokolus]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/postgame_video_denver_97_portl.html

Brandon: "They were tired, but anytime you slow the game down that much, it gives them a chance to recover."

One of my biggest gripes was not taking advantage of DEN being on a second night of b2b by running loose early in the game. But both Miller and Blake seemed plenty happy in plodding down and working in the halfcourt. We had 3 fast break points all game. Now even BRoy (who supposedly doesn't like uptempo according to some posters and Kenny Vance) is acknowledging the fact that we didn't capitalize.

The constant trips to the line did get me to wondering about Donaghy tonight and whether or not the refs slowed the game waaaaaay down so it gave the tired Nugs more rest for their weary legs ... but whatever way you slice it, the Blazers did not take care of their business and had it not been for the fact that Denver was on the second of a back to back and that the Blazers got offensive rebounds at a ridiculous rate this game probably should have been a lot more lopsided.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

He's kind of right. We're not going to be a transition team. Other than Andre, no one else on the team can initiate a fast break. We have potential great finishers, but no good initiators for a break.

When does Mills return?

He's the only Blazer I see that has such qualities.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/postgame_video_denver_97_portl.html

Brandon: "They were tired, but anytime you slow the game down that much, it gives them a chance to recover."

One of my biggest gripes was not taking advantage of DEN being on a second night of b2b by running loose early in the game. But both Miller and Blake seemed plenty happy in plodding down and working in the halfcourt. We had 3 fast break points all game. Now even BRoy (who supposedly doesn't like uptempo according to some posters and Kenny Vance) is acknowledging the fact that we didn't capitalize.

The way I heard BRoy was that the refs slowed the game down and allowed Denver to recover...not the offensive pace of the Blazers.

Did Brandon say Oden was open on the play when Oden got fouled? Looked to me like Brandon barreled in, had nowhere to go with it, dished to a blanketed Oden who kicked the ball out immediately. Wish I could see a replay of that one...

 

[rocketeer]

I think we are seeing the ceiling with Nate here. This offense has not improved one iota in three years. Not one. Not a bit of innovation, except for maybe tonight's pointless twin towers joke of a lineup.

hmmm.

2006-2007 - Offensive Rating: 105.1 (20th of 30)
2007-2008 - Offensive Rating: 107.3 (14th of 30)
2008-2009 - Offensive Rating: 113.9 (1st of 30)

yep, no improvement there. not even one iota.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

hmmm.

2006-2007 - Offensive Rating: 105.1 (20th of 30)
2007-2008 - Offensive Rating: 107.3 (14th of 30)
2008-2009 - Offensive Rating: 113.9 (1st of 30)

yep, no improvement there. not even one iota.

Wait...none of that improvement is due to Nate, it's just the players... (figured I'd make the argument before one of the usual folks did)