Knee Jerk Reaction: Start Oden.

[handiman]

I agree, Oden should start. But alongside Joel, not in place of him.

Batum is undoubtedly our best perimeter defender, but he lacks the physical strength to do much with Artest. Move him to the bench and slide LMA to the 3. He won't have the issues of guarding a quick, slashing 3 off the dribble, as that isn't Artest's game...

Everyone knows, playing Yao straight up from behind isn't going to work. I don't care how good the defender is, you can lean against a tree all you want and it isn't going to topple. Joel didn't play bad defense, it was just a bad scheme. Put him and Oden inside to sandwich Yao, plus LMA's length to drop down and help on Scola as needed, and I think you've got a winning formula. (Or at least not a 30 point loss formula.) Don't worry about fouls on the bigs. Having them with fouls to spare didn't much help at the end of game 1.

Oh, and I would start Bayless. After watching Blake once again get run ragged by a quick point guard, I don't need to see the re-airing of that episode. Bayless at least showed some pride when he got on the court.

Red Hot & Rolling became Red Hot & Swollen ... it takes some thinking outside the box to fix something that broken.

 

[blazerboy30]

Start Greg? No.

After one bad game, you want to go away from what we used to absolutely demolish teams in the last 3 weeks of the season?

Yes, we got blown out. But that same lineup and rotation was on the giving end of those blowouts for the last 3 weeks.


PS...
Before you get all excited about Oden's offense last night, keep in mind that, not only was he going against 43-year old Mutumbo, but several of Oden's scores came after he traveled, but it wasn't called. In a close game, those would have been called, and would have been turnovers.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Start Greg? No.

After one bad game, you want to go away from what we used to absolutely demolish teams in the last 3 weeks of the season?

Yes, we got blown out. But that same lineup and rotation was on the giving end of those blowouts for the last 3 weeks.


PS...
Before you get all excited about Oden's offense last night, keep in mind that, not only was he going against 43-year old Mutumbo, but several of Oden's scores came after he traveled, but it wasn't called. In a close game, those would have been called, and would have been turnovers.

That's actually what the playoffs are all about; constant adjustments in the face of a single opponent night after night, not adapting or saying "hey this is what we did in the regular season" is good as far as maintaining an identity (eg. "we play hard nosed defense", "We are a drive and kick team" or "we rely on shooters to space the floor for our drivers and post players") but adjusting lineups and rotations to maximize strengths or exploit an opponents weaknesses is precisely playoff basketball -- you do whatever it takes to win.

As for starting Oden over Przybilla specifically, I agree that I'm not 100% sure it would make much difference, but don't be surprised to see Nate utilize the seldom seen and totally unorthodox twin towers lineup (Joel at center, Greg at PF, Travis, Brandon and Blake (or Rudy)).

 

[blazerboy30]

That's actually what the playoffs are all about; constant adjustments in the face of a single opponent night after night, not adapting or saying "hey this is what we did in the regular season" is good as far as maintaining an identity (eg. "we play hard nosed defense", "We are a drive and kick team" or "we rely on shooters to space the floor for our drivers and post players") but adjusting lineups and rotations to maximize strengths or exploit an opponents weaknesses is precisely playoff basketball -- you do whatever it takes to win.

As for starting Oden over Przybilla specifically, I agree that I'm not 100% sure it would make much difference, but don't be surprised to see Nate utilize the seldom seen and totally unorthodox twin towers lineup (Joel at center, Greg at PF, Travis, Brandon and Blake (or Rudy)).

Sure, we should change our defensive schemes, front Yao, change the tempo, and those types of adjustments. But I would be surprised if many teams change their starting lineups based on the opposition.

I believe that Oden is a better player than Joel. But I don't think he makes enough difference, at this point in his career, to change from what we know was clicking very well.

 

[Natebishop3]

Sure, we should change our defensive schemes, front Yao, change the tempo, and those types of adjustments. But I would be surprised if many teams change their starting lineups based on the opposition.

I believe that Oden is a better player than Joel. But I don't think he makes enough difference, at this point in his career, to change from what we know was clicking very well.

The Blazers did it against Dallas in the first round six years ago. We were getting our asses kicked, so we moved Pippen to the one, Bonzi to the two, Sheed to the three, ZBo to the four, and I think Sabonis to the five spot.