Petteri!

[Rastapopoulos]

A video of Koponen's Italian team's recent blowout win (he's #6, he can already run a break better than Blake - in fact, he is the Bigger Better Blake)(warning: you will want to turn the sound down).

 

[BBert]

Yeah I thought he looked good on the break in summer league when he came over too. His defense looks pretty non-existent in those highlights though. Let's hope it was just a function of the pace of winning in a blow-out.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I was just thinking about Petteri today and wondered how he's looking. Frankly, I'm not really sure I see anything in that video to get all that excited about (do highlight videos ever warrant getting excited? I'm not sure). I'll leave it up to the Blazers braintrust to decide if he's got NBA caliber talent.

My only question is this, I wonder how he'd feel about playing 3rd fiddle behind Andre Miller next year? (Cause we all know "Blankey" has got this bitch locked up for the next 5 years.)

 

[Mediocre Man]

Miller, Oden and me can all run a break better than Blake too, but none of us can beat Blanky out for the starting PG job.

 

[jlprk]

A European point guard would be useful to speed up our playing style and pass more to Oden and others. Speaking of former players, let's check who's #13 in assists per minute...might be Damon Stoudamire or Lionel Hollins or someone...hmm..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/stati...8&qual=false&pos=all&season=2010&seasontype=2

Why, look at that. That's amazing for such a bad player, according to McMillan. I hadn't thought of Sergio. He's #11 in assists per 48 if you don't include the 2 guys above him with 8 and 6 minutes total played. And his efficiency points per minute is excellent this season, 24 eff points per 48 minutes. He's been getting minutes in the last week or two. His PER is 18.3, up 50% from last season. An average NBA player has a 15 PER.

 

[jlprk]

I can't believe my eyes, so I'll click on that again. Surely Sergio must have a lot more turnovers than everyone else, as his detractors say. Hmm...Sergio ranks 2nd best in assist to turnover ratio, out of the 11 players above him (not including the guy with 8 minutes for the whole season and the guy with 6).

What is wrong with statisticians nowadays? Can't they make things as accurate as Nate's talent assessments?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I have long been a fan of Sergio, but he and Petteri have nothing in common. Koponen is much more like Blake (plays good defense, not super-creative, shoots the three). Sergio is much more like Miller, except Miller can score in the post and is "crafty".

Koponen strikes me as much more a Nate type player. If we could bring him over and not re-sign Blake, I wouldn't cry.

 

[jlprk]

Damn. Sergio is now 6th out of the 11 in assists to turnovers, which cancels out my whole Post #6. Well, he's now average among the top assisters per minute, which still shows he isn't terrible at turnovers, as his detractors say.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I know people aren't likely to care right now, but Petteri Koponen had another strong game with 24 points in a 17 point blowout. (High scorer on the losing team - Luke Jackson with 18.)

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Luuuuuuuuuuke!

 

[Nikolokolus]

I know people aren't likely to care right now, but Petteri Koponen had another strong game with 24 points in a 17 point blowout. (High scorer on the losing team - Luke Jackson with 18.)

Like I said above I'll leave it up to the personnel people of the Blazers to decide if he's an NBA talent or not. If he is then that's good, because it means he's a potentially valuable trade asset or a potentially viable rotation player. God knows this team could use a few of those.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I know people aren't likely to care right now, but Petteri Koponen had another strong game with 24 points in a 17 point blowout.

In response to overwhelming demand, here's the video.

 

[Nikolokolus]

In response to overwhelming demand, here's the video.

Maybe they should hire HCP to do their highlight packages, that shit is so weak -- jump shot, jump shot, jump shot, jump shot ...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Maybe they should hire HCP to do their highlight packages, that shit is so weak -- jump shot, jump shot, jump shot, jump shot ...

It might be because
(a) they value the finer things in Italy, including the lost art of the jump shot
(b) zone defenses and handchecking are allowed, so there's a lot MORE jump shooting
(c) nobody cares about Basketball so it's just some temp doing the "highlights".

But hey, at least Koponen can hit the jump shot. As I've said before, I see him as a Better Blake. He's already bigger and younger, he's supposed to be a very good defender, he looked like a perfectly solid creator in Summer League, but if he's going to replace Blake, he has to be able to hit the three. It looks like he's got a lot better at that.

 

[hasoos]

What would be the point of bringing him here. We would bring him over, and even if he was better than Blake, Nate would never play him in front of him. We have guys right now that are better than Blake, and they rarely see the light of day.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

What would be the point of bringing him here. We would bring him over, and even if he was better than Blake, Nate would never play him in front of him. We have guys right now that are better than Blake, and they rarely see the light of day.

Nate's not the one who decides if Blake gets re-signed when his contract runs out at the end of this season.

 

[hasoos]

Nate's not the one who decides if Blake gets re-signed when his contract runs out at the end of this season.

Who are you fooling? KP is going to sign him, and Outlaw to extensions.

 

[maxiep]

A European point guard would be useful to speed up our playing style and pass more to Oden and others. Speaking of former players, let's check who's #13 in assists per minute...might be Damon Stoudamire or Lionel Hollins or someone...hmm..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/stati...8&qual=false&pos=all&season=2010&seasontype=2

Why, look at that. That's amazing for such a bad player, according to McMillan. I hadn't thought of Sergio. He's #11 in assists per 48 if you don't include the 2 guys above him with 8 and 6 minutes total played. And his efficiency points per minute is excellent this season, 24 eff points per 48 minutes. He's been getting minutes in the last week or two. His PER is 18.3, up 50% from last season. An average NBA player has a 15 PER.

I am a big Sergio fan, but I think the issue for him with Nate was more fit than anything else. I couldn't be happier for his success. I know I'll continue to cheer for him.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Who are you fooling? KP is going to sign him, and Outlaw to extensions.

I was assuming that KP would be fired because he's a big fat failure and that you would be hired as GM.

 

[hasoos]

I was assuming that KP would be fired because he's a big fat failure and that you would be hired as GM.

Pull the trigger and I will do my best.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Latest on Koponen:

A week ago, Koponen had to leave the game against Scavolini Pesaro early because of an ankle twist, but he managed to net 10 points (FG 4-5), 1 assist, 2 steals and 1 turnover in only 25 minutes in a 82-80 victory. Last Sunday, Koponen was the MVP of the game when Virtus Bologna destroyed Euroleague team (and Brandon Jennings' old club) Lottomatica Roma 81-61. Koponen had 16 points (FG 6-10), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover and he was clearly the best player on the court when Virtus Bologna went on their decisive 20-0 run in second quarter.

And yet another stat comparison:

Koponen, first 5 games of the season: Min 23,4 Pts 6,2 Reb 2,8 Ast 2,0 Stl 0,6 To 1,8 2p 30,0% 3p 33,3% Ft 80,0%

Koponen, last 8 games of the season: Min 30,1 Pts 13,9 Reb 2,1 Ast 1,6 Stl 2,0 To 1,8 2p 67,9% 3p 46,4% Ft 66,7%

It's also worth noticing, that in Serie A's +/- statistics, Koponen is #8 in the whole league and the first player of the league in that category outside the players in league-leading Siena.

And oh yes, Koponen himself confirms that Portland Trailblazers' scouts have been very active in Italy so far this season. Rumors from Italy are also telling that there are also some others NBA clubs trying to snatch the Finnish Wunderkid. Next weekend Koponen has the possibility to roam against the best of 'em, when last year's Serie A champion, undefeated Montepaschi Siena hosts Virtus Bologna.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Lottomatica? What a great name for the New Jersey Nets!

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The last summer league Petteri played in Dallas was trying to get him. NJ, too.

 

[Nikolokolus]

If he's a player, awesome. But again, where does he fit? and maybe more importantly, when?

 

[STOMP]

obviously he can shoot and has some playmaking ability. His ability to take guys off the dribble and stay in front of PGs on the other end will probably determine how successful his NBA career turns out. If they think he's a player, I've got to imagine that Blake's Blazer days will end this season. Miller and Bayless should be able to handle those minutes next season while PK cuts his teeth.

STOMP

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I can't believe my eyes, so I'll click on that again. Surely Sergio must have a lot more turnovers than everyone else, as his detractors say. Hmm...Sergio ranks 2nd best in assist to turnover ratio, out of the 11 players above him (not including the guy with 8 minutes for the whole season and the guy with 6).

What is wrong with statisticians nowadays? Can't they make things as accurate as Nate's talent assessments?

I don't know if he is injured or not, but Sergio has about 6 straight DNP's. And if Paul Westphal has decided his overall play is a negative, I'm guess Westphal's assessment of his defense is really low.

 

[roydezlaw]

I can't believe my eyes, so I'll click on that again. Surely Sergio must have a lot more turnovers than everyone else, as his detractors say. Hmm...Sergio ranks 2nd best in assist to turnover ratio, out of the 11 players above him (not including the guy with 8 minutes for the whole season and the guy with 6).

What is wrong with statisticians nowadays? Can't they make things as accurate as Nate's talent assessments?

But Sergio is only 19th among point guards in PER.

But then again, Bayless is 31st among point guards in PER.

And Blake is 56th among point guards in PER.

Interesting that Derek Fisher is 65th among point guards in PER.

 

[roydezlaw]

I don't know if he is injured or not, but Sergio has about 6 straight DNP's. And if Paul Westphal has decided his overall play is a negative, I'm guess Westphal's assessment of his defense is really low.

I think with Kevin Martin back, Sergio's the odd man out.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't know if he is injured or not, but Sergio has about 6 straight DNP's. And if Paul Westphal has decided his overall play is a negative, I'm guess Westphal's assessment of his defense is really low.

Just look at Sergio's fellow countryman Calderon; brilliant shooter, high assist rate, low turnover rate, but some of the most "make your eyes bleed" horrific defense you'll ever see an NBA player. The result? Comes off the bench behind Jarret Jack now.

After watching Chacho give Kobe about ten feet of space on a last second shot a couple of weeks ago I literally laughed out loud as Kobe stuck the wing trey for the win. I'm not at all surprised he's getting DNPs now that Martin is back, he's just not good enough to take time away from Udrich and Evans.

 

[BenDavis503]

Yeah, based on that video, it is clear he can run the break better than Blake.