John Lund's "Inside Source" on Miller/Winning

[BrianFromWA]

Yeah, I don't understand. He doesn't care about winning, but he cares about playing?

I suppose he could be so self-centered that he just wants to boost his own stats so he plays every game he possibly could, but I find that unlikely.

Ed O.

I'm not saying they're the same, but that was exactly what Wilt's motivation was for 12 years.

 

[ucatchtrout]

John Lund is a piece of shit.

 

[BBert]

I have to say I've quickly tired of Lund's rambling drivel. He's an idiot. And the notion that Andre Miller is content with losing is idiotic. The guy balls to the best of his ability every night. Ask HCP's wife! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

 

[PapaG]

I have to say I've quickly tired of Lund's rambling drivel. He's an idiot. And the notion that Andre Miller is content with losing is idiotic. The guy balls to the best of his ability every night. Ask HCP's wife! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Well, then he's just not good enough to be a key player on a playoff winner. That's not a bad thing, though.

 

[Natebishop3]

Well, then he's just not good enough to be a key player on a playoff winner. That's not a bad thing, though.

But he's perfect for a .500 team that is struggling to make the playoffs

 

[Minstrel]

Well, then he's just not good enough to be a key player on a playoff winner. That's not a bad thing, though.

He's good enough to be a key player on a playoff winner. He's not good enough to create a playoff winner all by himself. That's not a bad thing though, as there are generally only a few players like that in the league at a time.

 

[PapaG]

He's good enough to be a key player on a playoff winner. He's not good enough to create a playoff winner all by himself. That's not a bad thing though, as there are generally only a few players like that in the league at a time.

History says otherwise. Perhaps he'd be a good back-up PG on an elite team, but his lack of shooting and lack of defense get exposed in an extended series. I just don't see any reason to keep him past the trade deadline if something of value can be brought back.

 

[HailBlazers]

Give it a Rest Papa. We would be totally sunk if it wasn't for Dre.

 

[PapaG]

Give it a Rest Papa. We would be totally sunk if it wasn't for Dre.

I think LMA demanding double-teams is the only reason the team is still in the playoff hunt. When Matthews and Rudy hit open shots, the Blazers win. When they aren't hitting, last night happens.

 

[blazerboy30]

"Taunting"

LOL, Sly. I agree, btw. Good edit, although I really posted nothing other than the literal truth.

Could be. Then again, after 11 seasons, I'd think a guy might want to try something new on a team that won 54 games the previous season. Instead, he sulked around and forced his way into the line-up, and a team that should have been a Top 3 seed tied for 6th.

Lol. Methinks you don't know what "literal truth" means.

Look at PapaG! He's the victim again!

 

[HailBlazers]

I think

You shouldn't always trust your thoughts... Dre Miller is Mr. Intangible, his game isn't loud, but it makes a huge impact on the court, whether You see it or not

 

[PapaG]

Lol. Methinks you don't know what "literal truth" means.

Look at PapaG! He's the victim again!

The "literal truth" had nothing to do with what you bolded. It was edited/deleted by Sly, which is why I brought it up, and it had nothing to do with Andre Miller.

DERRRRRRRR

Methinks you don't have a fucking clue what I was even referencing, since it was DELETED, which I agreed with, so that doesn't really make me a victim, does it.?

Try again...

 

[Minstrel]

History says otherwise.

No, history says he can't create playoff winners himself.

Had Roy been fully healthy last playoffs, the Blazers win the first round series easily and Miller would have been a key player on a playoff winner. It's not his fault Roy was hurt.

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

Interesting that you would call filling my gas tank and washing my windows, "Closing a Deal".

You should know by now that anytime a guy who is known by everyone as "Papa" says he's "closing a deal", that in involves Half-and-Half and a cheap motel.

 

[oldguy]

History says otherwise. Perhaps he'd be a good back-up PG on an elite team, but his lack of shooting and lack of defense get exposed in an extended series. I just don't see any reason to keep him past the trade deadline if something of value can be brought back.

So do you still think the team should waive him if they can't get something of value back?

Go Blazers

 

[maxiep]

Shaq doesn't have an outside shot either. How the fuck did he manage to win all those rings? Why didn't opposing coaches make adjustments and make Shaq a jump shooter? Stupid NBA coaches!

Seriously, Alvin Gentry made one adjustment and Nate never countered. He allowed the Suns to get away with putting their worst defender, Steve Nash, on our small forward and their best defender, Grant Hill, on our PG. Allowing you're opponent to put their best defender on your PG totally disrupts your offense. Remember when the Bulls put Pippen on Magic? In game 1 of that series, Jordan guarded Magic and the Bulls lost by 2 points. In game 2, Jackson put Pippen on Magic and the Bulls went on to win four straight and their first NBA title.

Unfortunately, with Roy injured, Rudy sucking and Batum disappearing (no doubt due to Nash's lock down defense), Phoenix was not made to pay for using their best defender on our PG.

BNM

It wasn't that Nate didn't want to counter, it's that he couldn't. It was Batum's shoulder injury that really killed us, almost as much as losing Roy.

 

[MickZagger]

You should know by now that anytime a guy who is known by everyone as "Papa" says he's "closing a deal", that in involves Half-and-Half and a cheap motel.

repped!

 

[Boob-No-More]

It wasn't that Nate didn't want to counter, it's that he couldn't. It was Batum's shoulder injury that really killed us, almost as much as losing Roy.

Disagree. Nate never even tried to feed Batum in the post and admitted it was because he thought Batum wasn't ready.

If Batum was healthy enough to play, he was healthy enough to abuse Nash. It's not like he needed to bang with him and overpower him in the post. All he had to do was catch the ball, turn and shoot over him.

The problem was, after two seasons as the starting small forward, Nate did not have one set play in his playbook for Batum. He was always the bail out option, standing in the corner, on the Roy iso. With Roy injured, and no set plays for Batum he became useless on offense. Nate didn't have the confidence in Batum, to design some plays to exploit Nash on defense.

That, to me, as much as the Roy injury, was the reason the Blazers lost that series. In game 1, both Miller and Batum had great games and the Blazers won without Roy. They scored 105 points in that game.

Gentry reacted by putting Grant Hill on Miller, and both Batum's and Miller's production went down significantly. Gentry got away with putting a poor defending PG on our starting SF, and Nate never even tried to make him pay for it. Over the next five games, the Blazers averaged just 90.6 PPG and made Phoenix, who gave up 105.6 PPG during the regular season, and who was 23rd in the league in team DRtg, look like a great defensive team. Series over.

BNM

 

[B-Roy]

Disagree. Nate never even tried to feed Batum in the post and admitted it was because he thought Batum wasn't ready.

If Batum was healthy enough to play, he was healthy enough to abuse Nash. It's not like he needed to bang with him and overpower him in the post. All he had to do was catch the ball, turn and shoot over him.

IIRC, it was Batum saying he wasn't ready, not Nate.

And I'm pretty sure they tried doing that during games this season. Batum would turn and try shooting bank shots over smaller defenders and wasn't very successful.

 

[Boob-No-More]

IIRC, it was Batum saying he wasn't ready, not Nate.

And I'm pretty sure they tried doing that during games this season. Batum would turn and try shooting bank shots over smaller defenders and wasn't very successful.

Nope, Nate said it, both at the time and later. Batum did say he was going to work on his post game over the summer so his coach would have confidence in giving him the ball in the low post.

Opening night against the Suns, the Blazers ran several set plays for Batum, and he took the ball right at Nash several times and scored with ease. I noticed it immediately, and commented at the time that it only took Nate six months to make the necessary adjustments.

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

Shaq doesn't have an outside shot either. How the fuck did he manage to win all those rings? Why didn't opposing coaches make adjustments and make Shaq a jump shooter? Stupid NBA coaches!

Seriously, Alvin Gentry made one adjustment and Nate never countered. He allowed the Suns to get away with putting their worst defender, Steve Nash, on our small forward and their best defender, Grant Hill, on our PG. Allowing you're opponent to put their best defender on your PG totally disrupts your offense. Remember when the Bulls put Pippen on Magic? In game 1 of that series, Jordan guarded Magic and the Bulls lost by 2 points. In game 2, Jackson put Pippen on Magic and the Bulls went on to win four straight and their first NBA title.

Unfortunately, with Roy injured, Rudy sucking and Batum disappearing (no doubt due to Nash's lock down defense), Phoenix was not made to pay for using their best defender on our PG.

BNM

Don't forget about Pippen guarding John Stockton. That definitely disrupted the Jazz.

 

[KingSpeed]

I have never questions millers ability to win ball games.. He was stellar in the playoffs last year. Pretty much won that first game for us.

He was only stellar in that first game. The rest of the series, he did nothing. That's why we lost the series. It's been Miller's MO for awhile now. Win game 1 on road, lose in 6. Ask the Sixers.

 

[Natebishop3]

He was only stellar in that first game. The rest of the series, he did nothing. That's why we lost the series. It's been Miller's MO for awhile now. Win game 1 on road, lose in 6. Ask the Sixers.

They focused their defense on him and the Blazers weren't able to adjust. Miller isn't quick enough or strong enough to score on Grant Hill.

 

[oldguy]

So, exactly who DID play well enough to win that series with the Suns? You guys want to blame Dre, but nobody played well in that series. Go back and look at the box scores.

I think Blazer fans lead the league in back-biting.

Go Blazers

 

[PapaG]

They focused their defense on him and the Blazers weren't able to adjust. Miller isn't quick enough or strong enough to score on Grant Hill.

That's because Hill didn't have to worry about Miller shooting the ball, so he sagged off and used his length to stop Miller's penetration. Miller is plenty strong enough compared to Grant Hill, but when you can't shoot, and a guy with length is defending your penetration, you're not going to be effective.

If Miller could shoot the ball, Grant Hill would not have been defending him. It's Miller's major weakness on offense, and the reason he's never been considered an elite PG.

 

[oldguy]

Miller shoots 46%. That's pretty damned good for a PG. He can't shoot the three ball. But feel free to making shit up.

Go Blazers

 

[Boob-No-More]

So, exactly who DID play well enough to win that series with the Suns? You guys want to blame Dre, but nobody played well in that series. Go back and look at the box scores.

I think Blazer fans lead the league in back-biting.

Go Blazers

Repped!

No shit. People around here are fucking idiots. First, basketball is a team sport. Some posters continually FAIL to realize that very basic fact. Saying shit like Miller most to Orlando in six games, or Miller lost to Phoenix is just plain retarded. The 76ers lost to Orlando and the Blazers lost to Phoenix. In the Orlando series, Miller was the best player on his TEAM, but the rest of his TEAM wasn't good enough to beat a much better, much higher seeded Orlando team that went to the finals that year. Surprise, the 6th seeded 41-41 76ers lost to the 3rd seeded 59-23 Magic.

Last year against Phoenix, again, it was Miller's TEAM that was not good enough to beat the other TEAM. And, once again, the 6th seed lost to the 3rd seed. Gee, that never fucking happens. Who could have predicted that - ESPECIALLY WHEN PORTLAND'S BEST PLAYER MISSED HALF THE SERIES AND PLAYED LIKE SHIT (PER = 4.5) IN THE OTHER HALF. Yeah, but Miller can't shoot from the outside, therefore it must be his fault, and his fault alone, that the Blazers lost to the Suns. Give me a fucking break.

The haters will continue to hate. Meanwhile, Miller is the second best player on our current active roster and continues to show up to play every night, while our "good" players continue to sit on the sidelines in street clothes. He is the 5th highest paid player on the team (and will be the 6th highest next year if he's still here). Is he an elite" PG? No. Did anyone ever claim he was? No (can you say "Strawman"?). Is he paid like an "elite" PG? No. I still fail to understand the hatred this guy has gotten from his own fanbase since the day he arrived in town. No matter what he does, he's ALWAYS the scape goat when the Blazers lose, but never gets any credit when they win. Shit, he's not even my favorite Blazer, not even close, but he is a Blazer, and therefore I defend him against the constant attacks. It's not like the guy isn't trying. It's not like he totally sucks (18.9 PER, 37.2 AST%, 4.1 WS, 0.134 WS/48). Yet, he constantly gets dumped on by his own fanbase. I have no idea why.

BNM

 

[PapaG]

Miller shoots 46%. That's pretty damned good for a PG. He can't shoot the three ball. But feel free to making shit up.

Go Blazers

Nobody respects Miller's outside shot. Do you even watch the games?

He has an eFG% of 41% for jump shots, yet those are 77% of his shots. That eFG number goes up to 64% for close shots, yet those account for only 23% of his attempts.

http://www.82games.com/0910/09POR4.HTM

His TS% also stinks (52%) because he is settling more for shooting outside shots this season.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/millean02.html

The guy isn't a good outside shooter. He has a decent (?) overall FG% because he is so good close to the rim. The problem for him becomes getting to the rim when a player with length plays off of him.

Don't get mad at me because Andre Miller doesn't have a 20' game that opponents have to respect when defending him. If you want to dispute the meaning of Miller's stats, I welcome it, but accusing me of making things up seems incorrect.

You seem to be the poster making things up.

 

[oldguy]

Unfortunately, I have to find some other fans to rep before I can rep you again, Boob.

Go Blazers

 

[PapaG]

Unfortunately, I have to find some other fans to rep before I can rep you again, Boob.

Go Blazers

Repping circles are awesome, so I repped you.

Let's rep the guy who thinks that Miller is a good outside shooter!