Mr. Cliffy on O-live made a really good point

[magnifier661]

I am going to quote him.

Watching some of the numerous Brandon Roy tribute videos that have surfaced in recent days (some very good), got me to thinking.

Roy in any capacity, has been the heart of this team. The tribute videos are full of moments the past 5 years when Brandon Roy finished a game for this team, usually in victory. Hitting the big last moment shot, leading the comeback, or stemming the tide of the opponents attack. Who was at the heart of most of those moments? Brandon Roy.

No doubt Aldridge improved. No doubt last season he took much more of the mantle of leadership than he has in the past.

But now with Brandon gone? We need more.

Who's going to become the next heart of The Blazers? Who's Mr. Clutch now? Who is going to make you believe The Blazer are going to win, when The Blazers are down 1 with less than 2 seconds left in a game?

Can it be Aldridge? He's our best player now. It should be Aldridge. But can he rise up and fill that role?

The hardest things to replace with Brandon Roy, won't IMO be his scoring, or his rebounding or anything that you can point to on a box score or stat sheet. What will be the most missed and the hardest to replace will be the leadership intangibles, the heart and attitude Brandon envoked on the court FOR The Blazers.

To be honest? I'm not sure who or what fills that void yet.

Personally I don't think Aldridge has that fire in him. He doesn't seem like one that will demand the ball; or get on players that aren't doing their job. Who do we have or can get that may be that player?

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Aldridge, Wallace, and Batum will fill that role.

 

[magnifier661]

Aldridge, Wallace, and Batum will fill that role.

You need one player that wants the ball when the Blazers are down. Someone that demands it. Wallace and Aldridge didn't do that last year. Both haven't done it their entire career. What would change now?

 

[magnifier661]

Although I could see Batum wanting that role. He seems like the type that could demand the ball. Someone that has similar drive as Roy.

 

[Sedatedfork]

Batum has the skills to be that guy, but not the demeanor. He seems to be very unselfish -- not the kind of guy that puts the entire team on his back.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

You need one player that wants the ball when the Blazers are down. Someone that demands it. Wallace and Aldridge didn't do that last year. Both haven't done it their entire career. What would change now?

Aldridge has improved every year and Wallace will be more comfortable this year.
Drive and Dish with Felton.

 

[magnifier661]

Aldridge has improved every year and Wallace will be more comfortable this year.
Drive and Dish with Felton.

No I get you man. Of course Aldridge will be the #1 guy. I am talking about the guy saying "I want the dam ball!" Something that sets a superstar from a allstar. A player that rises to carry a team. Someone that is a true leader. A person not afraid to speak his mind, even if it hurts people's feelings.

 

[mook]

Big men have a tough time being the go-to-guy in late game situations. Defenses can just crowd the paint and deny him the opportunity to get the ball. It comes down to your PG, SG or SF having the nads to go out and take advantage of open shots created by the imbalance. They can even be role players. Guys like Robery Horry and Derek Fisher don't choke in those situations, while Batum and Matthews have in the past. (Both are really young, so take it fwiw.) Gerald Wallace is a guy teams can sag off on and force a perimeter shot in those circumstances, so it's always been tough for him to consistently be that guy.

So a lot of our success in those situations is going to rely on Matthews, Batum and Felton not choking when the chips are down. Matthews and Batum, in particular, have had the luxury of passing to better players in the past. This is the year they have to really take it on themselves to start taking those big shots.

 

[Nikolokolus]

It's incredibly difficult for big guys with a mostly traditional big guy game to be "last shot guy" It works for guys like Dirk because he's got a handle and game more reminiscent of a small-forward, but Aldridge has to rely on a point guard to get him the ball and put him in a position where he can score, because he doesn't have much of a handle. Even the Duncan Spurs mostly used Ginobli and Parker as their last second guys and it will be up to the Blazers to find or cultivate such a player with Brandon now gone.

So fuck all the "heart" and "killer instinct" talk with LaMarcus, it's more about a lack of certain skills that it takes to be a final shot guy.

 

[mook]

Just to add--I'm really splitting out the role of "team leader" from "end-of-game-scorer," since they don't always have to be the same guy. Team leader is clearly Aldridge. He's spoken to that fact himself in interviews earlier this month. I see that continuing to evolve. He'll probably always be more on the low-key/sleepy Tim Duncan end of the spectrum (as opposed to the vocal/assholish Garnett), but that's ok. It's worked for San Antonio.

 

[magnifier661]

Just to add--I'm really splitting out the role of "team leader" from "end-of-game-scorer," since they don't always have to be the same guy. Team leader is clearly Aldridge. He's spoken to that fact himself in interviews earlier this month. I see that continuing to evolve. He'll probably always be more on the low-key/sleepy Tim Duncan end of the spectrum (as opposed to the vocal/assholish Garnett), but that's ok. It's worked for San Antonio.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I'm hoping Aldridge can be that 3.5 quarters guy, like Shaq was in L.A.; then we had a player (s) to step up in the 4th to finish the game. If Aldridge can dominate all the time; we won't have to worry about having that guy until the playoffs.

 

[BBert]

What mook and nik said.

 

[bigbailes]

yep mook and nic nailed it on this one. i will say having roy i got to the point where i no longer hoped he would make that shot, but began to expect him to make that shot. it was a good feeling, one we hadn't experienced in awhile.

 

[Natebishop3]

Guys like Roy don't come along very often. You can count the ones currently in the NBA on two hands maybe.

 

[magnifier661]

yep mook and nic nailed it on this one. i will say having roy i got to the point where i no longer hoped he would make that shot, but began to expect him to make that shot. it was a good feeling, one we hadn't experienced in awhile.

And the funny thing was Drexler really wasn't that guy. It was Porter.

 

[BBert]

Honestly, I think Roy was the most reliable clutch player I've ever seen; certainly on the Blazers.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Unfortunately the only option I see is Felton. IMO it has to be a guard (or a wing with very good handles) It rarely is a big man. The guy has to be able to attack the basket AND be able to pull up for a jumper. Big men are easier to double when the game is on the line.

I have seen Felton win some games for Charlotte. Obviouly he is no Roy though. LMA will certainly be a factor, and Batum has potential, but my guess is it will be the guy who can always get a decent shot off and in our case that will be Felton.

Porter in 90's and Damon 10 years later often took the last shot. They had the best chance of getting open.

 

[bigbailes]

exactly ... that's why it doesn't always have to be your superstar but it seems like it is more often than not. maybe it's because i was young, but roy is the only guy i really felt like that with the blazers. sad that porter was the one we had before roy.

 

[Further]

An End-of-game player does not always need to be the scorer, but they do need a couple things. 1) They need to be a threat to create for themselves, this includes handles and FG% or ability to draw fouls, 2) They need to be able to pass to the open man if they draw multiple defenders. Chris Paul is one of the best end of game players because he can score from deep if they sag off him, drive and score if they play him tight, and pass to the open man if he garners too much attention.

The Blazers don't have a good option for that, but Felton is most likely to try and fill that role because he has handles and will more than likely have the ball in his hands. The only real chance that the Blazers have of being a good finishing team is if there is good team movement, pics, slashing, and Felton is able to find the best option of Batum, Crash or Aldridge.

 

[magnifier661]

An End-of-game player does not always need to be the scorer, but they do need a couple things. 1) They need to be a threat to create for themselves, this includes handles and FG% or ability to draw fouls, 2) They need to be able to pass to the open man if they draw multiple defenders. Chris Paul is one of the best end of game players because he can score from deep if they sag off him, drive and score if they play him tight, and pass to the open man if he garners too much attention.

The Blazers don't have a good option for that, but Felton is most likely to try and fill that role because he has handles and will more than likely have the ball in his hands. The only real chance that the Blazers have of being a good finishing team is if there is good team movement, pics, slashing, and Felton is able to find the best option of Batum, Crash or Aldridge.

What have you been drinking lately brother? You're posts have been really good. You should keep this up man! "Repped"

 

[BlazerCaravan]

And the funny thing was Drexler really wasn't that guy. It was Porter.

Similarly, when Roy was out, that dude was Andre.

I think Matthews has the fire (and hopefully the ankles now) to be that guy.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

This is why I've been on the CP3/Portland bandwagon, even with his knee issue.

Right now it's LMA surrounded by complementary pieces.

 

[BrianFromWA]

well, package something for Steve Nash, then.

 

[magnifier661]

This is why I've been on the CP3/Portland bandwagon, even with his knee issue.

Right now it's LMA surrounded by complementary pieces.

I would love nothing more than to land CP3; even with knee issues. Just remember the NO good years. They had Chandler and West. Paul works really well with big men.

 

[Further]

What have you been drinking lately brother? You're posts have been really good. You should keep this up man! "Repped"

Thanks! I changed my avatar to show what I've been drinking.

 

[magnifier661]

Thanks! I changed my avatar to show what I've been drinking.

LOL, well keep drinking it buddy. Remember this when the games start. Don't go all ape shit and want the team blown up after each loss. Drives me crazy! HAHAHAHAHA

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Early reports from camp indicate that Elliot Williams has MJ-level swagger; if he demonstrates that he can play at this level, I wouldn't be shocked to see him become the type of guy that not only wants but demands the ball in clutch situations. But honestly, there's something about Nolan Smith that gives me a "keep your head when all around you are losing theirs" vibe.

Yes, I know I'm pointing to two rookies, and I don't expect them to take that mantle this season. But if I had to put my money down on someone on the current roster to develop into "the man" in crunch time, those are who I'd go with.

 

[maxiep]

Allow me to settle the question with two words: Luke. Babbitt.

You're welcome.

 

[Ed O]

I don't know that I am too concerned about who was the "heart" of the team... even with Roy, we were unable to secure home court advantage and we were unable to win a single playoff series.

Is that his fault? No.

Should the team expect to, in the span of five years, win at least one playoff series? Yes.

Portland is one of four western conference teams NOT to win a playoff series since Roy entered the NBA... we join Minnesota, the Clippers and the Kings as the lucky ones.

Was Roy good? Yes. Did his play lift us above mediocrity? Unfortunately no.

Maybe we should be less concerned about replacing Roy than in getting a better team overall.

Ed O.

 

[Nikolokolus]

As an aside, I just want to talk about something for a second. Why in the holy hell is that people always want to attribute some "moral" failing to players when the real problem is a failing of skill and talent?

It doesn't make LA heartless or gutless if he lacks the necessary skill and talent to be a closer. Now certainly there are guys with a ton of talent but not much heart, but we know what that looks like and Aldridge aint that guy (Vinsanity, T-Mac, etc. might qualify).