Nate from today's shoot around

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SlyPokerDog

SlyPokerDog

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Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan spoke with the media following a Saturday morning shootaround at the team's practice facility in Tualatin, Ore.

On what he told the team before the shootaround:

I wanted to show them what we did last night and talk to our guys about where we are. So, it's not a punishment as opposed to — I think we need to look at some things here as quick as possible and communicate what I'm thinking and listen to what they're thinking.

On the specifics of the conversation:

That's what we're thinking or where I'm at, what I see. And last night. So, it was a game that we felt — we had an unbelievable first quarter and then things just fell apart. And we've seen that in the last couple games. So, let's talk about that.

On what the team said to him:

That's with us. But we're doing some good things, and then we are not finishing. And that's part of winning games is being able to finish.

On turnovers leading to easy points:

It's been a little bit of both. But mainly the turnovers has started a lot of it, which has led to easy baskets and easy points. Which puts a lot of pressure on you to have to stay in the game or get that momentum back when you're giving — last night, we had 23 turnovers; that's 23 extra possessions. And they may have capitalized on, I know, half of them. Which, in the first half, I think all of their fast-break points came from our turnovers. So we've got to take care of the ball. And I think we have to kind of limit who's handling the ball. We've got a lot of guys who we've allowed to play with the ball. And maybe we need to cut that down, where we did a couple of years ago. They're just not able to make those plays right now, and that's putting us in a hole.

On which players are handling the ball and who could have their ability to do so limited:

Martell (Webster), Rudy (Fernandez), Greg (Oden), LaMarcus (Aldridge), (Jerryd) Bayless. All those guys have played with the ball.

It's not just brining the ball up the floor. You're running plays. And close outs. And transition. So, it's a combination of that. But, as a unit — it's not just you want to single out certain individuals — but, as a unit, we've got to do a better job. We've been in the top five the last couple years in taking care of the ball. And, right now, we've had 20 turnovers a few times this year.

On the team's energy and focus:

Execution is a 48-minute thing. You've got to execute both ways for 48 minutes to win games. And we've had moments this year where that hasn't happened. And that's where we've got to get to, that's what we're building towards. I think with the group we have now, without Travis (Outlaw) and Nicolas (Batum) — a starter and sixth man — your margin is even smaller. Because you lose 10-12 points from Travis. Scoring with our second group, we've got to find a way to score the ball. Last night, I think only Rudy was scoring. So, that has been kind of the drop off, has been being able to score with the second group when we make our substitution, and taking care of the ball.

On lack of scoring production from second-unit players such as Webster, Joel Przybilla and Juwan Howard:

We need to get scoring off our bench. Our bench last year was one of the top scorers in the league. And we've always been a team that both units needed to play well. And we're not getting a lot of scoring with that. Because most of our power is in the first group.

On playing without Batum and Outlaw:

It's a different team. With Nicolas being out of the lineup. With, now, Travis being out of the lineup. And Greg (Oden) being in the lineup. We're playing a little different than we have in the past, where we need to get Brandon (Roy) the ball and still be able to get Greg and LaMarcus involved.

On talking with the team:

If you're doing it, it's good. (Laughs.) Whether you agree or what. (Laughs.) If you're doing it, it's good. They responded.

On lack of energy:

To play at this level, you should have it. That's not — that's expected. That's just expected.

Scrapping. We need to scrap. I think the sense of urgency; showing that hunger to win by scrapping. And so that has been something we've done, and we need to see more of it.
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http://columbian.com/article/20091121/BLOGS05/911219996/-1/blazerbanter
 
On which players are handling the ball and who could have their ability to do so limited:

Martell (Webster), Rudy (Fernandez), Greg (Oden), LaMarcus (Aldridge), (Jerryd) Bayless. All those guys have played with the ball.
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It's Blakey's ball, and he'll share it with Roy, but none of the other boys. So there.

barfo
 
right and he didnt talk about his terrible "plan" to "teach" oden by letting the team lose while sitting him?

he is so full of himself and loves to talk out of both sides of his mouth.....he its grating one me like a valley girl that wont stop talking about her fake tan and "bad" hair day.
 
There is zero accountability here. Not even one pressing question about why Blake is playing so much and why Oden is being babied.

It's really sad that the media gives this guy a free pass.
 
So we've got to take care of the ball. And I think we have to kind of limit who's handling the ball. We've got a lot of guys who we've allowed to play with the ball. And maybe we need to cut that down, where we did a couple of years ago. They're just not able to make those plays right now, and that's putting us in a hole.

Miller is the turnover king for the Blazers.
 
The only thing that I'm frustrated by is his list of who is "playing" with the ball... Martell and Bayless barely have been playing, but THEY are the reason the team is not winning? Aldridge (with the lowest turnover percentage on the team other than Cunningham) is to blame?

Miller turned it over like a mother last night, and Roy hasn't done a good job of taking care of the ball, either. I'm all for limiting team turnovers, but not by scapegoating the wrong guys...

Ed O.
 
Astounding that his response to the team's anemic offense is to limit the use of depth and limit creativity.

Nate thinks the court is a one-way street.

You can defend admirably, you can eliminate most of your misteps, but you still have to score to win the game.
 
He always uses the term "Scrap". Damn Nate, there is more to gaming and playing than "scrapping". Do you every use any other words to teach and instruct your team than the word "scrap"?
 
I wonder when the local media besides Jaynes will call Nate out for his short comings. It'd be a nice change of pace, especially considering the guy himself has no problems throwing his players under the bus.
 
yeah he has been doing a lot of throwing lately since the playoff loss....how long do the players stand that?
 
Man that interview is like a whole lot of nothing.

Considering in these last games it's been Miller, Roy, Blake and Rudy turning the ball over, I'm confused who Nate thinks should be handling the ball? :dunno:
 
RoyIsClutch07 said:
He always uses the term "Scrap". Damn Nate, there is more to gaming and playing than "scrapping". Do you every use any other words to teach and instruct your team than the word "scrap"?
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Yeah. He says "connected" a lot.
 
Perhaps he has in mind to connect the scraps.

89.jpg


barfo
 
BBert said:
Man that interview is like a whole lot of nothing.

Considering in these last games it's been Miller, Roy, Blake and Rudy turning the ball over, I'm confused who Nate thinks should be handling the ball? :dunno:
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Miller, Roy, Blake and Rudy are the primary ball handlers (in that order) on this team, and by turn-over percentage, Roy's is very low, Blake is good, Miller is slightly below average and Rudy is way too much. When you actually look at their assist% - Roy is again looking great, Steve is average, Miller is actually above-average, and Rudy is just brutal. His TOV% is higher than his AST%

I can understand why Rudy is singled out for his turnovers - his turn-over rate is much higher than what Jarret Jack had when people were going crazy about his turn-overs - and JJ was creating much more for his team-mates than Rudy is.

I am not sure why Nate has mentioned Bayless - maybe he is referring to stuff he sees in practice - but in the games, JB has actually had a better AST% to TOV% than anyone other than Roy.
 
andalusian said:
I can understand why Rudy is singled out for his turnovers - his turn-over rate is much higher than what Jarret Jack had when people were going crazy about his turn-overs - and JJ was creating much more for his team-mates than Rudy is.

I am not sure why Nate has mentioned Bayless - maybe he is referring to stuff he sees in practice - but in the games, JB has actually had a better AST% to TOV% than anyone other than Roy.
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I agree... Rudy HAS made a lot of mistakes, and while many of us might argue that the mistakes are worth it, given the good things he does, I don't think Nate is crazy for disagreeing with us.

Martell, though? Aldridge?

Maybe he just was trying NOT to single out Rudy, so he threw out a few other names to go with Rudy's ... ?

Ed O.
 
That sounded like a big pile of crap. The players listed who "won't handle the ball", barely do and aren't really the reason why they turned it over a lot.

That just sounds like someone who is playing favorites and trying to blame the Jews for why the country is in a recession.

Er, I mean, blaming the wrong players who he knows can't do anything about his accusations. Of the players listed, LaMarcus might be the only one who has any clout and it wouldn't surprise me if he's not that upset about not having to bring the ball up court or handle it often.

Nate, as it seems to be usual, is blaming the wrong group of players. But at least Miller seems to have joined the popular kids table.

I swear, Blake could take a huge runny shit on the middle of the court, wipe his ass with Nate's shirt (while he's still wearing it) and Nate would blame the stink on his shirt on the fact that Jerryd farted 10 minutes later.
 
julius said:
That sounded like a big pile of crap. The players listed who "won't handle the ball", barely do and aren't really the reason why they turned it over a lot.
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Yes, I am horribly confused too. None of the players he stated (except maybe Rudy) ever handle the ball. Is it possible that Nate is blind?
 
B-Roy said:
Yes, I am horribly confused too. None of the players he stated (except maybe Rudy) ever handle the ball. Is it possible that Nate is blind?
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Well, Oden DOES have some very visible turnovers... and I thought, "Hmm, Webster's been playing poorly. Maybe he's turning it over a lot lately?"

But nope. Two turnovers in the last FIVE GAMES... 59 minutes.

How much better could he handle the ball?

Maybe Nate's not talking about turnovers, though... :dunno:

Ed O.
 
Ed O said:
Maybe Nate's not talking about turnovers, though... :dunno:

Ed O.
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He seems to be talking about turnovers. He used the word turnovers.

barfo
 
Bayless has handled the ball? Really? I must have missed those five minutes.
 
Ed O said:
Well, Oden DOES have some very visible turnovers... and I thought, "Hmm, Webster's been playing poorly. Maybe he's turning it over a lot lately?"

But nope. Two turnovers in the last FIVE GAMES... 59 minutes.

How much better could he handle the ball?

Maybe Nate's not talking about turnovers, though... :dunno:

Ed O.
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I suppose Nate is only trying to protect his own health.

I mean, god knows he has a heart attack whenever the person holding the basketball isn't named Blake, Roy, or Miller.
 
Ed O said:
Martell, though? Aldridge?
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Don't know about Aldridge - but Martell's turn-overs/bad shots from the last couple of games seem to be from him dribbling the ball into the post and going for a shot/pass - which I am thinking he is just not able to do. I am going to guess that's what he is referring to - because I have seen him make these moves against Atlanta and the Pistons (did not see the GSW game) where I am yelling at the screen wondering what he thinks he is doing.

My gut feeling is that with Martell it is not the number of turn-overs - but the fact that he gets in there doing things I do not think Nate believes he can or should try. Maybe I am wrong.
 
Yes, it's not just turnovers, it's who's responsible for the loss against the Warriors, it's not the turnovers that lost us the game, it's apathy by some players.
 
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