McMillan: Giving the team back to Roy

[RoyIsClutch07]

I kind of think after the abysmal evening on friday against the Warriors, Kp told Nate enough with the experiencing and to go back to the way it was last year.

 

[PapaG]

I'd like them to at least try playing together for a reasonable amount of time (as a regular backcourt, not as part of a three-guard gimmick) before concluding that they are fatally mismatched.

I just don't see how that matters, because it's not like Blake actually demands the ball to be effective (when he is effective).

I think Miller just doesn't fit. I was hoping he would adjust his game, and was excited to see how he would do that to make this team better considering his Vegas dinner where he "wowed" Nate and KP on how he would fit into the offense. Instead, I'm seeing the Blazers franchise players (yes, all three of them) get less shots as Miller does exactly what he did in Philly, but worse.

 

[PapaG]

I kind of think after the abysmal evening on friday against the Warriors, Kp told Nate enough with the experiencing and to go back to the way it was last year.

When your veteran PG has 7 turnovers and fouls out in 18 minutes while getting abused by Monta Ellis (yes, I know Blake got abused as well), what other choice is there? The offensive efficiency has been decreasing on an almost game by game basis.

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

I just don't see how that matters, because it's not like Blake actually demands the ball to be effective (when he is effective).

I think Miller just doesn't fit. I was hoping he would adjust his game, and was excited to see how he would do that to make this team better considering his Vegas dinner where he "wowed" Nate and KP on how he would fit into the offense. Instead, I'm seeing the Blazers franchise players (yes, all three of them) get loss shots as Miller does exactly what he did in Philly, but worse.

Well, Nate just had to have him. He has a semi-responsibility to see to it that Andre Miller in Portland sticks. And that the impact Andre makes is equailable to the amount they signed him for.

 

[Minstrel]

I just don't see how that matters, because it's not like Blake actually demands the ball to be effective (when he is effective).

It slots Roy in at small forward, a position he doesn't like to play. It also hurts the team defense, which isn't relevant to offensive fit but is relevant to how good the team will be.

I think Miller just doesn't fit.

That's possible, but I don't think it's a given and there hasn't been enough chance to actually see if the team could actually mesh with Miller. I think Miller would be a natural fit if the team adopted a more up-tempo game...something that I think would be to the strengths of Aldridge, Oden, Webster, Fernandez and, when they're back, Batum and Outlaw.

Clearly, Roy is not a natural for getting out on the break, but even an up-tempo team plays most of the game in the half-court, where Roy could be the leader and get lots and lots of chances to handle the ball and make plays.

I think Miller pushing the ball, when possible, with all the athletic scorers the team has would be a good fit. Or, at least, could be. So far, it's been tried to little to know.

 

[toutlaw25]

When your veteran PG has 7 turnovers and fouls out in 18 minutes while getting abused by Monta Ellis (yes, I know Blake got abused as well), what other choice is there? The offensive efficiency has been decreasing on an almost game by game basis.

Um, Ellis was busy abusing Roy the entire game. Did you even watch it? Maybe you should watch it again.

 

[PapaG]

Um, Ellis was busy abusing Roy the entire game. Did you even watch it? Maybe you should watch it again.

Right, because Miller was on the bench with either foul trouble or because he fouled out of the game. Why should Roy defend Ellis?

Back to ignore...

 

[RoyToy]

None of the Blazers guards are good defenders, who cares.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

Because Roy is a SG and Ellis is a SG? That's.. probably why he should defend Ellis.

 

[PapaG]

Because Roy is a SG and Ellis is a SG? That's.. probably why he should defend Ellis.

Ellis is the PG for Golden State and initiates the offense.

Am I missing something here? Curry plays off of Ellis, at least from what I've seen.

 

[RoyToy]

Ellis is a combo guard, much like Roy.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

Ellis is the PG for Golden State and initiates the offense.

Am I missing something here? Curry plays off of Ellis, at least from what I've seen.

Both teams were playing Curry and Blake on each other on defense. Roy has the body to defend Ellis where Blake was more suited for Curry.

 

[PapaG]

Ellis is a combo guard, much like Roy.

Roy was a combo guard. Then he became a small forward.

 

[PapaG]

Both teams were playing Curry and Blake on each other on defense. Roy has the body to defend Ellis where Blake was more suited for Curry.

Who was Miller suited to defend?

 

[RoyToy]

Roy was a combo guard. Then he became a small forward.

So that means he completely forgets how to defend guards? Besides, small forward is just a label. At no point was he strictly a small forward. It was called a 3 guard lineup, right?

Roy got burned. It's OK. It's actually nothing new.

 

[PapaG]

So that means he completely forgets how to defend guards? Besides, small forward is just a label. At no point was he strictly a small forward. It was called a 3 guard lineup, right?

Roy got burned. It's OK. It's actually nothing new.

I saw Blake get burned more by Ellis than Roy. And Miller fouled out because of him.

 

[RoyToy]

I saw Blake get burned more by Ellis than Roy. And Miller fouled out because of him.

So we agree - they all got burned.

 

[The Sebastian Express]

Who was Miller suited to defend?

Miller was on Ellis when he was in the game, but as you pointed out he had foul problems. That doesn't mysteriously make Roy incapable of defending Ellis, though, because he was Roy's man.

Roy gets burnt a bit on defense unless it's at the end of close games; infact if you watch you'll see Roy turn his head quite a bit and his man cut to the basket for an alley-oop.

I've never had a problem with it in the past because he's had to carry so much of our offense, but we're becoming a more balanced team and he needs to be putting some more effort into defense. He's shown he can be a spectacular defender (his defense against Johnson a few years ago was amazing) when he wants to be, and now that our team is progressing he should at least make himself an average defender.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I love Roy being the man. What I hate is when Roy feels he needs to be too much of the man and misses Oden inside.

 

[PapaG]

I love Roy being the man. What I hate is when Roy feels he needs to be too much of the man and misses Oden inside.

That's a reasonable point, IMO. That said, Oden was given the ball a lot last night, and Miller was not in the game. Perhaps Roy is adjusting his game, and he's better at adjusting to the strengths of the team than Miller?

 

[illmatic99]

Jaynes grills Nate: http://www.dwightjaynes.com/tossing-andre-miller-under-the-bus

And I’d offer this piece of free advice to Nate McMillan: It may be “Brandon Roy’s team” but if that team doesn’t win, Brandon Roy won’t get fired, you will. This is the same mistake that so many coaches make with superstars.

Yes, keep the guy happy. Yes, build the team around him. But that doesn’t mean he knows what’s best for the team and even himself at all times. You see this kind of stuff all the time in the NBA. Yes, it’s a players league. But guess what? Most of these players don’t have a chance to win until the right coach comes along.

And the great coaches know full well that all decisions aren’t easy. And they better remember that they’re hired to coach the players — and not let the players coach them.

 

[PapaG]

Jaynes grills Nate: http://www.dwightjaynes.com/tossing-andre-miller-under-the-bus

Dwight Jaynes is obviously reading this board and writing in kind to get hits on his otherwise pathetic blog.

He's sacrifriced much of his solid credibility in doing so, IMO. That said, I don't see where Jaynes is grilling Nate as much as he's offering a counterpoint.

 

[RoyToy]

Good article imo

 

[RoyToy]

I sort of feel silly for saying I'd keep Roy over Paul 2 years ago.

2 years later and after seeing how the team has progressed, I feel like Paul would be a much better "fit" along side Aldridge and Oden. Chris Paul made Tyson Chandler not look like Tyson Chandler for a year. Imagine him and Oden.

 

[PapaG]

I sort of feel silly for saying I'd keep Roy over Paul 2 years ago.

2 years later and after seeing how the team has progressed, I feel like Paul would be a much better "fit" along side Aldridge and Oden. Chris Paul made Tyson Chandler not look like Tyson Chandler for a year. Imagine him and Oden.

Tyson Chandler's career high in PER is lower than Oden's last year as a foul-plagued rookie.

Chandler had a PER of 13.4 with Paul last season until he was traded. What do you fell silly about?

 

[RoyToy]

Tyson Chandler's career high in PER is lower than Oden's last year as a foul-plagued rookie.

Chandler had a PER of 13.4 with Paul last season until he was traded. What do you fell silly about?

That's because Oden in general is a better player than Chandler.

But for a couple years, Paul made Chandler not look like Chandler. Now that he's in Charlotte his PER has been cut in half.

I feel silly because Paul is a better player than Roy, and I think he'd fit better with the Blazers.

 

[PapaG]

Possibly, but a healthy Paul is doing nothing right now for a New Orleans team that has three former All-Stars on it.

and I think he'd fit better with the Blazers.

Debatable. Roy has a better playoff average at PER than Paul, and he was playing with much younger players.

Paul is a very unique talent. A short PG who gambles on defense yet has been a huge plus offensively.

 

[RoyToy]

Possibly, but a healthy Paul is doing nothing right now for a New Orleans team that has three former All-Stars on it.

Paul is playing with a bunch a stiffs minus West. Not a good argument.

Debatable. Roy has a better playoff average at PER than Paul, and he was playing with much younger players.

Paul's playoff PER - 26.4
Roy - 25.9

What stats are you looking at?

And as far as Roy's play goes in the playoffs, he had 17 assists in 6 games. So much for getting others involved I guess.

Paul is a very unique talent. A short PG who gambles on defense yet has been a huge plus offensively.

I agree. He's a top 5 player.

 

[PapaG]

Paul is playing with a bunch a stiffs minus West. Not a good argument.





Paul's playoff PER - 26.4
Roy - 25.9

What stats are you looking at?

And as far as Roy's play goes in the playoffs, he had 17 assists in 6 games. So much for getting others involved I guess.



I agree. He's a top 5 player.

Yes, dump Roy. He's terrible.

 

[Minstrel]

Yes, dump Roy. He's terrible.

Pretty extreme opinion. Maybe we should just start by bringing him off the bench and see how he responds?