Nate wants Miller to be more aggressive...

[B-Roy]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi.../mcmillan_wants_miller_to_be_more_aggressive/

Portland coach Nate McMillan wants to see point guard Andre Miller be more aggressive.

McMillan admitted that Miller is still finding his way as the leader of the team's second unit.

"I want him very involved," the coach told the Columbian. "To the point where I want him pushing and handling the ball probably 90 percent of the time he's in."

McMillan wants Miller to attack the paint more often and find his teammates for open shots.

"I want attacking," he added. "If that means getting to the basket, yeah. If the defense collapses, we have shooters around with that group."

It's funny because that's exactly what we want out of him. Yet if Nate is telling Miller to attack more, could it that Miller just doesn't want to? Let's assume that Nate is telling the truth...

 

[magnifier661]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi.../mcmillan_wants_miller_to_be_more_aggressive/


It's funny because that's exactly what we want out of him. Yet if Nate is telling Miller to attack more, could it that Miller just doesn't want to? Let's assume that Nate is telling the truth...

Key phrase "Let's assume that Nate is telling the truth..." Because I don't think Andre Miller wouldn't have any problem wanting to have the hands 90% of time. That's what he's used to.

 

[RR7]

Why oould you assume Miller wouldn't want to? Seemed to me when he was running the team yesterday, scoring wasn't necessarily a problem.

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

Miller has a noose wrapped around his neck. And it wasn't put there by him.

 

[Schilly]

I think Nate just tosses people under the bus to save his own arse

 

[magnifier661]

Do you think KP would ever have the gonads to come right up to Nate and say "If you don't find a way of making Roy and Miller co-exist, you are fired"?

Personally, I just don't see KP having the Gonads to do this. I think he would rather wait until the team is obviously in a downward spiral, so everyone, fans included will feel justified letting Nate go.

And with that, do you think Nate would accept it and try and make it work, or be more hard headed and say "Fire me then and coach this team yourself!"

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I think Nate just tosses people under the bus to save his own arse

You can say "ass" on this forum. Nate is not, as far as I know, English, so he doesn't have an arse.

I think that's unfair. You can say that Nate is a poor coach, but I don't think he's a dishonorable one. But one thing he could do to help Miller is PUT HIM IN A UNIT WITH A BIG MAN WHO CAN SCORE.

The trouble is:

Miller needs to play with Oden (and vice versa - DEFINITELY vice versa).
Miller doesn't work well with Roy.
Oden deserves to start.
No way you can't start Roy.

How do you solve this problem, short of taking a pipe to somebody's knees?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Y'know, we as fans have a lot to do with the signing of Miller. Remember the big stink because Pritchard didn't use RLEC? (To get whom, exactly, I was never clear.) Then if we came out of THIS offseason without SOME signing, I think Pritchard would seriously have had to fear for his life. But Miller was never really a good fit. If he is to work out, I think it's Brandon who will have to adapt (just as he did - briefly - with Chris Paul in the All-Star game).

 

[magnifier661]

How do you solve this problem, short of taking a pipe to somebody's knees?

We could always hire Tonya Harding to assist the "medical staff"

 

[Reep]

The trouble is:

Miller needs to play with Oden (and vice versa - DEFINITELY vice versa).
Miller doesn't work well with Roy.
Oden deserves to start.
No way you can't start Roy.

How do you solve this problem, short of taking a pipe to somebody's knees?

+1

This is a real problem.

I thought the second unit would flow better with Miller. It has only happened some.

I am now of the view that they should just start Miller, take your lumps, explain to Roy he is a 2/3 and Miller is a 1--so play that way. Shorten the rotation to eight (Starters + Rudy, Joel and Outlaw).

 

[shamelessblazer]

+1

This is a real problem.

I thought the second unit would flow better with Miller. It has only happened some.

I am now of the view that they should just start Miller, take your lumps, explain to Roy he is a 2/3 and Miller is a 1--so play that way. Shorten the rotation to eight (Starters + Rudy, Joel and Outlaw).

+1, they're professionals, figure it the hell out. Superstars make their teammates better and are flexible because they're good at many things, Brandon Roy is a star not a superstar. He's playing like Kobe did right after Shaq left and we're having similiar results, but Brandon is with a tremendously better cast, figure it out guy.

The rotation needs to be shorter, and Blake needs squeezed out, if the guys play together enough they'll figure eah other out, but these fast subs are rediculous. One consolidation move to add some vet IQ and defense and we're set IMO, so long as Outlaw and Blake are gone.

The Move: Outlaw/Blake/pick or whatever for Prince

Only 1 year left after this one, incredibly high IQ, great passer, improved team defense, improved offensive spacing, unselfish, and a true team player. Plus it gets Bayless a little burn even though I don't love him.

Miller/Roy/(Bayless)
Roy/Fernandez
Webster/Prince/(Cunningham)
Aldridge/Prince/(Howard)
Oden/Pryzbilla

That's a very good 8 man rotation with versatile roles and should play good defense (on paper).

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I see a lot blaming Nate . . . maybe Miller isn't as good as many thought?

It's not like he was in high demand.

 

[magnifier661]

I see a lot blaming Nate . . . maybe Miller isn't as good as many thought?

It's not like he was in high demand.

Well much of the "blaming" has been on our terrible perimeter defense, and inability to have good chemistry on the floor. Those two things are why you have a coach. Figure a way to get the most out of your players and design ways to stop the other team.

Of course players determine the outcome, but looking at a team like Houston, with no great players, it kinda proves a lot of our points.

 

[RR7]

I agree about Miller needing to play with Oden. So far, they have played roughly 45 minutes together this season. 9 minutes a night, on average. For someone that was supposed to have a decent effect on Oden, he hsan't even spent half of Oden's time on the court alognside him. I think if Nate wants strict sub patterns, why not start Miller, bring him out when you take Oden out at the 6 minute mark of the first quarter. Within that first 6 minutes, try to establish Oden and Aldridge with easy baskets. Bring Blake and Joel in at that time, to play with Roy, Aldridge, and Webster. Could then sub out Webster to put in Rudy. Take Roy out after 1, and sub in Outlaw. Go another 2-4 minutes, and bring back in Miller and Oden. Etc. Roy would have his 6 minues without Miller to be able to attack and have Blake in as a spot up shooter, but would still be out there wqhile Aldridge and Oden are being established early on. Makes more sense to me. I dunno.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Well much of the "blaming" has been on our terrible perimeter defense, and inability to have good chemistry on the floor. Those two things are why you have a coach. Figure a way to get the most out of your players and design ways to stop the other team.

Of course players determine the outcome, but looking at a team like Houston, with no great players, it kinda proves a lot of our points.

If figuring a way to get the most out of your players is the criteria for a coach, I would say Nate gets an A. The Blazers have been considered over achievers the last 2 years.

My point is that everyone expects Miller to come in and be able to do this and that . . . and it is Nate's fault he hasn't. I'm wondering if he is capable of doing the things everyone expects from him.

 

[RR7]

What isn't Miller doing, though? He' sshooting poorly to begin the season, but otherwise, per 36 is getting to the line 5 times a game, and handing out 7 assists. Sounds like what we expected.

 

[PapaG]

What isn't Miller doing, though? He' sshooting poorly to begin the season, but otherwise, per 36 is getting to the line 5 times a game, and handing out 7 assists. Sounds like what we expected.

I was told he was a much better defender than Blake by those who claimed to watch a lot of Miller.

He isn't.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

What isn't Miller doing, though? He' sshooting poorly to begin the season, but otherwise, per 36 is getting to the line 5 times a game, and handing out 7 assists. Sounds like what we expected.

I thought Miller would take control of the game more. Maybe he doesn't get to because of the system or Roy . . . but I was envisioning someone coming in and handling the ball more and creating an offensive flow. I don't think he has been bad, but not what I was hopin for (yet).

And who doesn't cringe when he shoots the outside shot. I thnik his outside shot will come around a little . . . i don't think you survive in teh NBA this long as a PG shooting from the outside the way Miller has early this season.

 

[RR7]

Well, so far as controlling games, he currently has a 34% assist rate on the season. I know, it's early, but he essentially gets an assist on a third of every basket the team is scoring while he is out there. His career average is 35%. So he's seems to be controlling the game similar to how he usually has. I think some had too lofty of expectations for him, for one, and also, limiting his effectiveness, IMO, is making him a half time player.

 

[yakbladder]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi.../mcmillan_wants_miller_to_be_more_aggressive/


It's funny because that's exactly what we want out of him. Yet if Nate is telling Miller to attack more, could it that Miller just doesn't want to? Let's assume that Nate is telling the truth...

First of all, I think it's stupid to think that Nate would be purposefully lying if anyone is suggesting that. He'd have his own team to answer for and I'd place money that someone on the team would call him out publicly. You telling me Quick wouldn't love a story about "anonymous players" accusing Nate of lying?

Secondly, why is the only option that Miller just doesn't want to? Maybe he can't? Maybe when he's in the opposition is sagging off of everybody because nobody can make an inside shot or maybe the paint is clogged or maybe, maybe, maybe...ACK

 

[PapaG]

He was, but he's lost a step or two the last few years. Still a better defender than Blake, albeit very slightly.

He makes nearly twice the money that Blake makes. I'm beginning to wonder why. Did the Blazers overpay for Miller?

 

[RR7]

He makes nearly twice the money because he's a better player than Blake is.

 

[PapaG]

He makes nearly twice the money because he's a better player than Blake is.

He's not a $7 million player right now. He needs to step up and show he's worth that contract.

 

[RR7]

Everyone needs to step up. Blake's not playing like a 4 million dollar a year player right now. He needs to step up to earn that.

 

[PapaG]

Everyone needs to step up. Blake's not playing like a 4 million dollar a year player right now. He needs to step up to earn that.

Blake's at least a net positive for the team this year. Miller was supposed to be the upgrade, and he's being paid as an upgrade. He isn't an upgrade thus far.

 

[RR7]

Not an upgrade in your opinion.

 

[B-Roy]

He was, but he's lost a step or two the last few years. Still a better defender than Blake, albeit very slightly.

Haha, no. He's even more clueless than Blake on defense. Sometimes he looks like Sergio out there, lost and confused.

 

[MARIS61]

If Miller has the ball 90% of the time and shoots more often than everyone on the team I don't see any bench players being happy with it, or us winning any games that way.

Time to acknowledge the Miller purchase was a poorly researched impulse buy, and trade him while he still has some value.

 

[PapaG]

Not an upgrade in your opinion.

Of course. I've posted before that I didn't expect the preseason leader in shot attempts to be Andre Miller. He has not been as advertised. I thought he bragged about watching all of this tape of the Blazers, and how he could help the team. All I see is a guy unwilling to change what has made him get big paychecks, but no playoff wins, in his career thus far.

33 year-old PGs should be expected to adjust their game when teamed with a young All-Star. It's not the other way around.

 

[MARIS61]

Y'know, we as fans have a lot to do with the signing of Miller. Remember the big stink because Pritchard didn't use RLEC? (To get whom, exactly, I was never clear.) Then if we came out of THIS offseason without SOME signing, I think Pritchard would seriously have had to fear for his life.

If by "we" you mean NOT MARIS61, then yeah.

BAKE IT!