Kerry Eggers on Miller Signing

[KingSpeed]

I see nothing wrong with what you posted. Miller isn't a "been there, done that" guy who has been a proven winner in the playoffs. That said, he is a player with great court awareness, and he does have experience in that he knows how to prepare for games and how to involve his teammates.

Like you, however, I find the "experience" argument for Miller a bit disingenuous considering that he has not won even a playoff series in his career. If the Blazers were looking for a veteran PG who has won a major title in his career, they already had one in Steve Blake. Not that Blake was leading the Blazers to a title, either, but let's discuss Miller on his merits, not on playoff "experience" that he lacks, just like every other player on the team.

Who would you rather have on our team? Andre Miller or Derek Fisher?

 

[KingSpeed]

of course. miller should be judged on his merits just like ever other player on the team.

but several times i've seen miller's experience mentioned as a positive. it isn't(even if you think experience is important). he has no more experience than steve blake, \

Andre Miller has FOUR MORE YEARS of experience than Steve Blake. And Miller has the current record for most consecutive games played. At like 530!

Andre Miller has suited up, tied his shoes, taken the ball, and run the point for a total of 815 games in this league. He shows up every night and competes and his teammates like him. Now, in Portland, he finally has teammates that he can take deep into the playoffs.

Games played in NBA:

Andre Miller 815
Steve Blake 419

Minutes played in the NBA:

Andre Miller 28,462
Steve Blake 10,658

Career Assists in the NBA:

Andre Miller 6,020
Steve Blake 1,753

Andre Miller has FAR more experience in this league than Steve Blake.

 

[KingSpeed]

Also you can't compare Houston and Orlando based on how they played against the Lakers. The Houston-LA series was in the second round where the Lakers had focus issues. They had trouble getting up for the games they were supposed to win so that they could get to the Finals. They got better as the playoffs went on, really taking off during Game 5 of the WCF and then steamrolled Orlando because they were so fired up to get the job done. Think of the Houston series as the 2nd quarter of a game and the Orlando series as the 4th quarter. The great teams turn it up during the 4th.

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

just means he's older.

and he hasn't really made a big splash on his teams, has he?

 

[KingSpeed]

Hey rocketeer. Question: Who has had more experience in the NBA? Tony Parker or John Stockton?

 

[KingSpeed]

just means he's older.

and he hasn't really made a big splash on his teams, has he?

You don't get to play 10 years in the NBA merely because you show up. The average career of an NBA player is 5 years. He has been effective enough in this league (and as a starter the whole way) to last twice that. He's done fine with his teams. He hasn't had great teammates up this point in his career. And hell, in Cleveland, with no one on his team, he still managed to get 10 assists per game. Portland will be the best team he's ever played on. He will have more people to pass to than he has ever had in his career. Welcome him with open arms, Blazers fans.

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

"effective enough" doesn't put us in the NBA elite. we're still dark horses with Miller.....only thing that can propel us to NBA elite is if Oden just dominates.

 

[rocketeer]

Hey rocketeer. Question: Who has had more experience in the NBA? Tony Parker or John Stockton?

stockton has played more games. do you think him having more experience means anything relevant?

 

[rocketeer]

You don't get to play 10 years in the NBA merely because you show up. The average career of an NBA player is 5 years. He has been effective enough in this league (and as a starter the whole way) to last twice that. He's done fine with his teams. He hasn't had great teammates up this point in his career. And hell, in Cleveland, with no one on his team, he still managed to get 10 assists per game. Portland will be the best team he's ever played on. He will have more people to pass to than he has ever had in his career. Welcome him with open arms, Blazers fans.

thinking it's a bad move and that he won't improve the team is different than wanting it to be a bad move and wanting it to not improve the team.

 

[KingSpeed]

"effective enough" doesn't put us in the NBA elite. we're still dark horses with Miller.....only thing that can propel us to NBA elite is if Oden just dominates.

Oden may dominate because of Miller. Look at Billups' career. He put in a lot of time in this league before having real playoff success and then he won Finals MVP. Billups' best season, statistically, was his 10th.

 

[KingSpeed]

And as for putting us in the "elite," there were only 4 teams with better records than us last season. Adding an experienced true point guard puts us in the "elite" if we weren't there already.

 

[KingSpeed]

stockton has played more games. do you think him having more experience means anything relevant?

Yes. My point is that a player with tons of experience who hasn't won a championship can be better than a player with less experience and three championship rings.

 

[KingSpeed]

thinking it's a bad move and that he won't improve the team is different than wanting it to be a bad move and wanting it to not improve the team.

Relax. He's gonna be great for our team. We traded Sergio for Andre Fucking Miller! What a steal!

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Kind of like Phil Jackson making his players play the triangle. That never worked out either.

Wow--that's an absolutely horrendous comparison.

Phil Jackson won a title in his second year as a head coach. I don't see how you can compare Jackson's successful implementation of the effective, motion-and-ball-movement-based triangle to Nate's questionable adherence to an often-stagnant isolation/pick-and-roll based offense.

 

[oldmangrouch]

And as for putting us in the "elite," there were only 4 teams with better records than us last season. Adding an experienced true point guard puts us in the "elite" if we weren't there already.

Honestly, I don't think some people care. They don't want "upgrades" - they are dreaming of a savior. Anything less than a first-ballot-HOF-superstar was going to disappoint them.

It is OK to dream big.....but you have to understand the difference between a "dream" and a "plan."

 

[hasoos]

the rockets were down 1-2 with yao. they went 2-2 without him. of course the two losses with yao both included artest being ejected unfairly(though one of the games was already basically out of reach when it happened). and the two wins without yao came in houston when the lakers really didn't bother to even show up to the game and let the rockets build 15+ point leads immediately(17-4 in the first win without yao and 17-1 in the second).

The main thing being, the series wasn't really without Yao. That is my point. Yao played part of the series. He made a difference.

 

[PapaG]

The main thing being, the series wasn't really without Yao. That is my point. Yao played part of the series. He made a difference.

A negative difference if you look at record with/without him.

 

[PapaG]

Who would you rather have on our team? Andre Miller or Derek Fisher?

I think I answered the question in my post. Miller, but not for his "experience" in the playoffs.