Nate Has Given Miller The "Keys" To Running The Team

[ABM]

From: The O - BBB

Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan did more than insert Andre Miller into the starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs -- he handed over the keys to his offense and took away Miller's learner's permit.

For the first time in his coaching career, McMillan allowed his point guard to call most of the plays as the Blazers defeated the Spurs 96-84 at the Rose Garden on Friday. After McMillan yelled out the first set of the game, Miller essentially took over from there.

"I was a point guard who called my own plays ... so I'm OK with that," McMillan said, referring to his days as a player with the Seattle SuperSonics. "If you know the reads and you have a feel, I don't have a problem with that. There will be times when I will call some sets, but I thought 'Dre did a nice job ... observing what the defense was doing, figuring out who's on who and getting (guys) involved.".....

......Miller arrived in Portland with a reputation for being an astute floor leader who is as adept at reading defenses and finding mismatches as he is in being cognizant of getting all of his touches. During his NBA career, including stops at Denver and Philadelphia, Miller was at times responsible for calling sets on the fly.

"I feel comfortable doing that," Miller said. "The main thing is that we don't want to get caught running sets all the time. You want to mix tempo and break with halfcourt sets. I think as the season goes on, this team can do that."

Miller had just four assists against the Spurs and there were times when the Blazers' offense lacked cohesion. But for the most part, McMillan said, he liked the ball movement, flow and rhythm that was stimulated under Miller's direction as part of a new-look starting lineup that featured Brandon Roy, Steve Blake, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden and Miller.

"I knew he could do it because that's what he does," McMillan said. "And I think he can do even more."....

 

[ABM]

Bye Bye Blakey. This move sent a major message.

 

[SpanishFly]

From: The O - BBB

Yep, I posted that yesterday as the "most important" think from the game, it is muy importante.

 

[ABM]

Yep, I posted that yesterday as the "most important" think from the game, it is muy importante.

Sorry, didn't mean to repost. Good on ya!

 

[ABM]

One other positive thing from the Spurs game was the Blazers balancing act in scoring.

 

[azsun67]

Yep, bye bye Blakey. Good thing to since I am driving my wife crazy calling out how much I dislike Blake during the games. I did the same thing last year except Sergio was my target then.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I did the same thing last year except Sergio was my target then.

LOL! That was me last year too!

"Who just came in?"

"Sergio."

"Ohhh, right... he's the one you hate?"

"With a fiery passion."

"You're psycho."

 

[ABM]

I gotta give Nate some credit for at least "trying" some different options. Many in here, and elsewhere, have sometimes criticized McMillan for being too rigid, overbearing, controlling, and the like.

Clearly, that's not the case here.

 

[Shooter]

I have no problem with Miller running the team, but I'd hate to lose Blake. Andre Miller can't hit a jump shot to save his life, and I'm already tired of watching him miss shot after shot.

Say what you will about Blake, at least he can shoot.

 

[ABM]

I have no problem with Miller running the team, but I'd hate to lose Blake. Andre Miller can't hit a jump shot to save his life, and I'm already tired of watching him miss shot after shot.

Say what you will about Blake, at least he can shoot.

True.

That said, I'd still trade Blake, Travis, AND Rudy for Gerald Wallace.

 

[yakbladder]

I have no problem with Miller running the team, but I'd hate to lose Blake. Andre Miller can't hit a jump shot to save his life, and I'm already tired of watching him miss shot after shot.

Say what you will about Blake, at least he can shoot.

+1

I like Miller and I think he's good running the team. Blake is everybody's favorite scapegoat right now. If we had won five games people would be complaining that we didn't win by a bigger margin. The guy has had to prove himself each and every year and outlasted many of the favorite PGs of posters in here.

But hey, I guess teams were just trying to sign Blake out of pity.

 

[SpanishFly]

Yep, bye bye Blakey. Good thing to since I am driving my wife crazy calling out how much I dislike Blake during the games. I did the same thing last year except Sergio was my target then.

well thats' debateable since Blakey playing time increased to 38 minutes against SA! will be interesting to see how that goes in the next few games

 

[Nikolokolus]

It may be a day late (figuratively speaking) but this move is what I envisioned when they signed Dre in the first place; for all the talk at the time about him being a coach on the floor and the way Nate (supposedly) gushed about his IQ, playmaking ability and point guard abilities I figured it was almost a fait accompli that Miller would be the starter and would have Nate's trust to run the offense when Brandon wasn't creating at the end of the game and at the end of quarters. Then Nate came out with the "Steve Blake is our starter" stuff and I was mystified and more than a little disappointed. Granted I could appreciate Nate's loyalty and wanting to generate competition in training camp, but I could feel trouble coming.

Hopefully, now he really is releasing the reins and this move will bear the kind of fruit we hoped it would when they signed Andre in the first place -- that is, an offense that is less predictable, more fluid and takes more advantage of our bigs and generates some easier buckets for guys leaking out on the break and especially for Roy not having to beat a double or triple team each time he tries to set the offense.

Better late than never.

 

[hasoos]

Give me a break, Nate is never going to sit Blake down. The 38 minutes he played last game should state that enough. The only way Blake will quit getting minutes is either when his contract ends, or he is traded.

 

[oldguy]

"I was a point guard who called my own plays ... so I'm OK with that," McMillan said, referring to his days as a player with the Seattle SuperSonics. "If you know the reads and you have a feel, I don't have a problem with that. There will be times when I will call some sets, but I thought 'Dre did a nice job ... observing what the defense was doing, figuring out who's on who and getting (guys) involved.".....

So what is he saying about Steve, if he called every play when Steve ran point?

 

[ABM]

The only way Blake will quit getting minutes is either when his contract ends, or he is traded.

Kind of what I was alluding to. I'm sensing more and more that Blake will be traded by the deadline. Gut feeling, but nonetheless.

I also think the 3-guard lineup was just an intermediate move towards that conclusion.

 

[ABM]

"I was a point guard who called my own plays ... so I'm OK with that," McMillan said, referring to his days as a player with the Seattle SuperSonics. "If you know the reads and you have a feel, I don't have a problem with that. There will be times when I will call some sets, but I thought 'Dre did a nice job ... observing what the defense was doing, figuring out who's on who and getting (guys) involved.".....

So what is he saying about Steve, if he called every play when Steve ran point?

My point, as well.

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

From: The O - BBB

That's well and good now. Let's wait to see what happens when the teams goes through a turnover drill.

 

[Nikolokolus]

"I was a point guard who called my own plays ... so I'm OK with that," McMillan said, referring to his days as a player with the Seattle SuperSonics. "If you know the reads and you have a feel, I don't have a problem with that. There will be times when I will call some sets, but I thought 'Dre did a nice job ... observing what the defense was doing, figuring out who's on who and getting (guys) involved.".....

So what is he saying about Steve, if he called every play when Steve ran point?

No kidding. Maybe this is why Jerryd thought running the point would be no sweat for Nate ... I mean if Blake never calls a set or a play then why would he ever have to learn that.

 

[mgb]

Nothing wrong with Blake getting mins just off the bench mainly. I agree that this is a temp lineup that will eventually have either Webster or Rudy starting and Blake coming off the bench.

 

[Idog1976]

Well this is great news. Sometimes I think Nate reads message boards. There were a couple of times last year where it was stunning how there would be a big uproar around something and then Nate would address it. Not that every move and dare I say play gets called from the Internets, but rather that he seems to react to net media criticism.

This move is 5 games and a few pre-season games over due. I still think Martell should be in there instead of Blake.

 

[Uther TheGardener]

the song that goes........he will have fun fun fun till nate takes the T-bird away

 

[THE HCP]

I like it! Dre is a proven vet that can run this offense NO PROB! This doesn't mean the end for Blake though. He can still come in a run the 2nd squad.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Well this is great news. Sometimes I think Nate reads message boards. There were a couple of times last year where it was stunning how there would be a big uproar around something and then Nate would address it. Not that every move and dare I say play gets called from the Internets, but rather that he seems to react to net media criticism.

This move is 5 games and a few pre-season games over due. I still think Martell should be in there instead of Blake.

I don't think Nate reads message boards...but I do think the reporters that cover the team do. Then those reporters ask questions based on the "interweb uproar"...so I think he hears about it 2nd hand through reporters and their questions.

So, why is Blake in the starting lineup instead of Webster? Is it D?? Is it because he wants Webster in the 2nd unit??? Does he really want Roy guarding the SF???? Why?????

 

[Nikolokolus]

Well this is great news. Sometimes I think Nate reads message boards. There were a couple of times last year where it was stunning how there would be a big uproar around something and then Nate would address it. Not that every move and dare I say play gets called from the Internets, but rather that he seems to react to net media criticism.

This move is 5 games and a few pre-season games over due. I still think Martell should be in there instead of Blake.

I don't think Nate reads message boards...but I do think the reporters that cover the team do. Then those reporters ask questions based on the "interweb uproar"...so I think he hears about it 2nd hand through reporters and their questions.

So, why is Blake in the starting lineup instead of Webster? Is it D?? Is it because he wants Webster in the 2nd unit??? Does he really want Roy guarding the SF???? Why?????

I'll echo this. Nate doesn't have enough time in a day to read message boards like the rest of us losers killing time at school or at work (or on unemployment?). The move was somewhat inevitable in my opinion. Miller has always been a starter, he's always been a big minute player and he has always been more of a game director than an off-the-bench energy guy who has to come in as a sub and all of sudden fit in as a reserve. Secondly, Steve Blake has been playing very poorly as the starting point guard, not because he all of sudden can't play, but probably more because he's regressing back to the mean after what was for him a career year.

The real reason Blake is starting and will start is that no matter what you may think about Martell coming back and supposedly ready to break out, his 3pt % is a pretty pedestrian 35%, and he's still getting lost a little bit at times on rotations and where he belongs in the offense, Blake on the other hand is managing 44% from beyond the arc and despite the height he gives up between he and Martell he's better able to fit in as an off the ball spot up shooter and probably understands where he fits in better than Webs currently does. Rudy is even worse at 26% ... at this point I'll take Blake's sharper shooting in the starting unit to help create space over our other wings.

 

[oldguy]

I'm miss'n Nic, big time, already.

Go Blazers

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Nate doesn't have enough time in a day to read message boards like the rest of us losers killing time at school or at work (or on unemployment?).

Unemployed... *ding*ding*

 

[Natebishop3]

I think it's funny how some people forget that Andre Miller has kicked the crap out of us in the past with his shooting.

 

[yakbladder]

I think it's funny how some people forget that Andre Miller has kicked the crap out of us in the past with his shooting.

Well so far the only thing his shooting has kicked the crap out of is the air in the ball as it clangs off the rim...

 

[B-Roy]

I think it's funny how some people forget that Andre Miller has kicked the crap out of us in the past with his shooting.

The Blazers ARE the best team in the league at giving wide open jumpers.