Nate has a message for some of youIf you don't have a fork and knife

[Sug]

"If you don't have a fork and knife, you can use your hands."
Consider this the Blazers Harvest Meal Part II​

 

[B-Roy]

I'm not eating crow. I still hate the lineup and think it will fail if he keeps using it.

 

[Wheels]

I'm not eating crow. I still hate the lineup and think it will fail if he keeps using it.

of our line-up what starting 5 do you think is best?

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I'm not eating crow. I still hate the lineup and think it will fail if he keeps using it.

It's not good (yet) in a halfcourt set. In the halfcourt sets, Miller needs to play the SG and let Blake play the PG. They got it right after two horrible iterations of it in the 4th (the third time being when Blake hit the big three).

Once the wrinkles are ironed out, I think it's pretty strong, especially if the opposing team is a little slower and shorter, like SA is. You're trading SF defense for offensive punch and running.

Plus, any lineup that lets Bayless play Main Offensive Threat off the bench is fine by me.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think he got four out of five of the right players on the floor, but if the Blazers play a team with any length whatsover (especially at the wing) there's no way this group will continue to make hay with Steve Blake at shooting guard and Brandon at small forward.

But hey, it seemed to work OK and it gave the team some pop. Personally I thought the second unit with Bayless and Rudy at the guard spots was pretty entertaining.

 

[B-Roy]

of our line-up what starting 5 do you think is best?

Take out Miller or Blake and put in Webster.

 

[Idog1976]

PG Miller
SG Roy
SF Martell
PF LMA
C Oden

2nd unit

PG Bayless/Blake
SG Rudy/Roy
SF Outlaw/Rudy
PF LMA/Outlaw
C Przybilla

Edit: And I definitely eat some crow in that I thought the lineup would be an instant disaster. Personally I think the win has more to do with Miller and Oden in the starting lineup then the genius of a 3 guard line up.

 

[B-Roy]

The only good coming out of this is Bayless gets to play a little and hopefully carves out a niche or becomes impressive enough to be traded to another team where he can shine.

 

[Minstrel]

PG Miller
SG Roy
SF Martell
PF LMA
C Oden

This is what I want to see. If Portland is going to go three-guard, I'd rather see units of Miller/Rudy/Roy or Miller/Bayless/Roy.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

This is what I want to see. If Portland is going to go three-guard, I'd rather see units of Miller/Rudy/Roy or Miller/Bayless/Roy.

Once Blake and Outlaw are traded for a protected 1st rounder and an old vet to stash on the bench, you probably will.

 

[Idog1976]

I like both of those as well. Blake and Miller = yuck. Actually just Blake equals yuck. How many blown fast breaks? Oh well we got the W, that's what matters.

 

[Nikolokolus]

The only good coming out of this is Bayless gets to play a little and hopefully carves out a niche or becomes impressive enough to be traded to another team where he can shine.

I thought he looked like he knew what he was doing when he was out there, he really didn't force anything and aside from some jitters and the Spurs surprising him a little with a press I think you'd have to be moderately encouraged by what we saw from him -- albeit, the minuscule sample that it was.

 

[B-Roy]

I thought he looked like he knew what he was doing when he was out there, he really didn't force anything and aside from some jitters and the Spurs surprising him a little with a press I think you'd have to be moderately encouraged by what we saw from him -- albeit, the minuscule sample that it was.

Yup. I'm a big Bayless supporter, and his talent is being suffocated on the bench.

 

[Minstrel]

Once Blake and Outlaw are traded for a protected 1st rounder and an old vet to stash on the bench, you probably will.

Well, leaving aside what trade involving them should be pursued, I should note that I don't think Blake should have zero role or needs to be traded. I think he's a fine back-up point guard. He does bring a value that Fernandez and Bayless (currently) don't: ability to bring the ball down the court against pressure and the ability to set players up off the bounce. So he's a good reserve to spell Miller.

I just don't think he brings value in a lineup with Miller and Roy...those two have passing covered. He doesn't penetrate and draw fouls like Bayless does and he's not as adept at shooting contested jumpers as Fernandez. So as an "off-guard," he's not valuable...so no point using him in a three-guard lineup, IMO.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I thought Bayless looked a little sloppy with the ball, but it was nice to see him attacking the rim.

Marty is a frickin' stud.

Greg showed up on National TV with an excellent performance against a first-ballot unanimous Hall-of-Famer.

 

[Public Defender]

I didn't see much of the game, but I think this is a very promising lineup, actually. Are we worried about Brandon Roy not being big enough to play the 3? He's 6'6" and a pretty strong guy. I'm not that worried, especially since the Blazers' next best option - Martell Webster is only 6'7". My feeling is that by the time Batum comes back, hopefully Miller and Roy will have figured out how to make the backcourt work with the two of them, so that Blake can quietly head to the bench, to make room for Nic.

 

[barfo]

This is just a way-station on the road to benching Blakey. First you put him at SG, then you need to go big, so Roy starts at SG. That way you don't have to tell Blake he's demoted. Blake certainly can't complain if Roy takes his starting spot.

barfo

 

[Nate McBoneHead]

blah, blah, blah...

What is there to eat crow about? The haters have been saying for months that Nate needs to start Miller. Nate finally does that and the team has their best outing. It seems the "haters" were correct and Nate and his supporters are the ones that need to eat crow.

 

[Minstrel]

This is just a way-station on the road to benching Blakey. First you put him at SG, then you need to go big, so Roy starts at SG. That way you don't have to tell Blake he's demoted. Blake certainly can't complain if Roy takes his starting spot.

Kind of the reverse Bubby Brister (no, not the sexual position). When John Elway retired, Shanahan had Brian Griese in mind as his quarterback of the future. But instead of starting Griese immediately, he started Bubby Brister. Then, when Brister sucked, he replaced Brister with Griese. That way, Griese didn't have the pressure of taking over for a legend...he had the much lower stress (notionally, anyway) job of replacing Bubby Brister.

In this case, shift Blake to a position where he can't complain when he's replaced, since at shooting guard, he'll be replaced by the franchise player. That way, Miller doesn't "take Blake's job." Roy does. And no one can object to that.

Shenanigans FTW.

 

[ebott]

We eek out a victory against a meh San Antonio team on the second night of a back to back that lost Tony Parker and everyone should eat crow? I think not.

It's not like any of our problems were fixed. We just happened to win the game against a team that didn't do very well.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

PG Miller
SG Roy
SF Martell
PF LMA
C Oden

That's the starting lineup I think will work best.

 

[magnifier661]

"If you don't have a fork and knife, you can use your hands."
Consider this the Blazers Harvest Meal Part II​

I will be happy to eat that crow, but Nates gotta string together a few more games just like this one before I do. I sure hope he does keep our team focused enough.

 

[MARIS61]

I imagine Rudy is not happy at all at being ignored even more this year than last.

Especially after Nate telling him they were going to use him more with the ball in his hands as a playmaker...

I think him, Blake and Miller should all get 24 mins, Brandon 36, and the SF's lose 12 mins collectively.

 

[WillG]

No Crow eating here.
The win has more to do with Odens increased level of play, and less to do with Nate's incompetence as a Head Coach.

 

[alex42083]

It's very unorthodox.. especially when 'Blakey' was our team leader in minutes with 38. It'll be interesting to see what happens when we do play a team with a big SF, and which of Blake and Miller sits. I'd like to see Rudy get some of Blake's minutes, since he only played 12 but getting the win was nice. We really needed it.

 

[PHXBlazer1]

It's not good (yet) in a halfcourt set. In the halfcourt sets, Miller needs to play the SG and let Blake play the PG. They got it right after two horrible iterations of it in the 4th (the third time being when Blake hit the big three).

Once the wrinkles are ironed out, I think it's pretty strong, especially if the opposing team is a little slower and shorter, like SA is. You're trading SF defense for offensive punch and running.

Plus, any lineup that lets Bayless play Main Offensive Threat off the bench is fine by me.

Really? Blake's only value in this lineup is his outside shooting. Miller is a career 21% 3-pt assasin and has the 4th highest career assist avg. in NBA history. (I think thats what they said tonight, if I'm wrong forgive me but I don't feel like lookin it up right now) You don't want the better shooter playing SHOOTING guard, and the better passer playing PG?

 

[hasoos]

The only good coming out of this is Bayless gets to play a little and hopefully carves out a niche or becomes impressive enough to be traded to another team where he can shine.

Actually I would prefer it if he would shine here.

 

[hasoos]

I imagine Rudy is not happy at all at being ignored even more this year than last.

Especially after Nate telling him they were going to use him more with the ball in his hands as a playmaker...

I think him, Blake and Miller should all get 24 mins, Brandon 36, and the SF's lose 12 mins collectively.

You know as well as I do what solves that problem. Playing better. If the players on the team would just play well enough to separate themselves from the rest, they would get the bulk of the minutes. Rudy outside of one game this season, has not played well, has not defended well, and looks to me to be laboring a bit. I am wondering if not taking any time off in the summer might have really been a bad move for him.

 

[Sug]

"If you don't have a fork and knife, you can use your hands."
Consider this the Blazers Harvest Meal Part II​

We have seen some great coaching this road trip.

There are leftovers if there are still Nate haters out there.