Portland looking to run more

[Mediocre Man]

I know, I know, we have heard this all before. Nate wants to push the ball, but hasn't had the personnel to do it in his 12 years of coaching. The latest excuse apparently is Andre Miller. In this article http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/06/trail_blazers_guard_wesley_mat.html Nate says he has visions of sugar plumbs and Nic, LA and GW filling the lanes on fast breaks. Nothing, and I mean nothing would make me happier than for Nate to get the pace of our team closer to 20th than 30th, and have me look like a bigger ass than I already do. However, I am not ready to say I think that will happen.

Andre Miller has been blamed for causing the slow offense in Portland by both Nate and Brandon, but is he really at fault? Pre Portland Pace numbers for Miller are this (rank out of 30) Philly - 21, 20, 22.....Denver - 2, 2, 4, 1....LAC - 14....CLE - 15, 17, 3. So on the surface it looks like he was just fine at pushing pace everywhere else he has been. His two years in Portland were 30, 30 by the way.

For reference sake, Felton's prior pace numbers are DEN - 2....NY - 3....CHA....26, 27, 14, 13, 3.

If things change, are they forced by upper management, or after 12 years of excuses, will have Nate finally let go of the reigns a bit? I thought Andre Miller's presser was very revealing when he said

Coming back to an offense where George lets you play

 

[Nikolokolus]

So presumably they'll actually practice running a fast break for more than a couple of minutes a week (as I remember being reported prior)?

I get the impression Nate believes that he wants to run (waving his arms like a windmill on the sidelines), but because he spends so little time drilling uptempo and has such a quick hook for guys when they turn the ball over, where's the incentive for players to push the pace?

I don't need to see the team playing at some frenetic pace for 48 minutes a game, but I do want to see some offensive creativity instead of the same high screen and roll (complete with lousy picks) and LaMarcus isolation at the elbow and the block and walking the ball up every damn time they come up the court.

We. Shall. See.

 

[Blazinaway]

sorry I just have to laugh at this and shake my head, I won't believe it till a friggin see it, otherwise it's just spewin BS

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

I believe this is the year we finally see a much more up tempo offense. It's gonna be fun! He has more up tempo guys on the roster than he's ever had.
Didnt Nate's Seattle teams run and gun?

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I believe this is the year we finally see a much more up tempo offense. It's gonna be fun!

I think so too. However, I don't think we're going to be flying around, but making the best of our opportunities. Of course, it is fully dependent on how much Roy plays.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I believe this is the year we finally see a much more up tempo offense. It's gonna be fun! He has more up tempo guys on the roster than he's ever had.
Didnt Nate's Seattle teams run and gun?

Hell no.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I believe this is the year we finally see a much more up tempo offense. It's gonna be fun! He has more up tempo guys on the roster than he's ever had.
Didnt Nate's Seattle teams run and gun?

Please tell me who those guys are? Looking at pace numbers I provided, Miller and Felton look to be pretty comparable in pace on their former teams.

As for Nate's Seattle teams "running and gunning", his teams 24, 27, 15, 27. So only 1 year out of Nate's entire head coaching history has he had a team finish better than 24th in the league in pace. And the year he finished 15th, was a freak thing as well because even though he finished 15th, his Seattle team still only paced at 89.9 which was below the league average

 

[BrianFromWA]

Andre Miller has been blamed for causing the slow offense in Portland by both Nate and Brandon

Pot, this is kettle....over.

 

[LittleAlex]

It must be June since the team is declaring they will increase the tempo next season.

I think the only way the team increases the pace will be via a coaching change.
Otherwise, it's the same old crap.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I know, I know, we have heard this all before. Nate wants to push the ball, but hasn't had the personnel to do it in his 12 years of coaching. The latest excuse apparently is Andre Miller. In this article http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/06/trail_blazers_guard_wesley_mat.html Nate says he has visions of sugar plumbs and Nic, LA and GW filling the lanes on fast breaks. Nothing, and I mean nothing would make me happier than for Nate to get the pace of our team closer to 20th than 30th, and have me look like a bigger ass than I already do. However, I am not ready to say I think that will happen.

Andre Miller has been blamed for causing the slow offense in Portland by both Nate and Brandon, but is he really at fault? Pre Portland Pace numbers for Miller are this (rank out of 30) Philly - 21, 20, 22.....Denver - 2, 2, 4, 1....LAC - 14....CLE - 15, 17, 3. So on the surface it looks like he was just fine at pushing pace everywhere else he has been. His two years in Portland were 30, 30 by the way.

For reference sake, Felton's prior pace numbers are DEN - 2....NY - 3....CHA....26, 27, 14, 13, 3.

If things change, are they forced by upper management, or after 12 years of excuses, will have Nate finally let go of the reigns a bit? I thought Andre Miller's presser was very revealing when he said

Are you backing off of your mantra?

Remember, A Nate coached team will never run and the Blazers will never get out of the first round with Nate coaching.

You've been preaching it daily . . . don't start backing off because of one article.

 

[Denny Crane]

I believe this is the year we finally see a much more up tempo offense. It's gonna be fun! He has more up tempo guys on the roster than he's ever had.
Didnt Nate's Seattle teams run and gun?

If you play a front line of Batum, Wallace, and Aldridge, there won't be two unathletic fossils on the court. It should be easier to run!

 

[HailBlazers]

All Blazers need is some running shorts, and to get back to their roots

 

[Minstrel]

Andre Miller was well-known as a push-the-tempo fast breaking point guard when he came to the Blazers. It's beyond stupid to blame Miller for lack of pace.

I don't think McMillan necessarily needs to push the pace, but eventually he needs to know himself. His teams don't run because he either won't or doesn't know how to coach a team to run. He's had the personnel if he ever had the inclination.

 

[e_blazer]

Andre Miller was well-known as a push-the-tempo fast breaking point guard when he came to the Blazers. It's beyond stupid to blame Miller for lack of pace.

I don't think McMillan necessarily needs to push the pace, but eventually he needs to know himself. His teams don't run because he either won't or doesn't know how to coach a team to run. He's had the personnel if he ever had the inclination.

First, nothing is beyond stupid. When you get to stupid, it just keeps on going to infinity. Second, I don't think that it was Miller who dictated the Blazers play at a slower pace. I think that was Nate's method of dealing with a young roster in trying to reduce turnovers while playing to the strengths of his best player. Roy didn't want to run and his conflicts with Miller are well documented. Third, the way I read it, Nate isn't saying that he's looking to turn the Blazers into Showtime. He knows the roster is now built to be able to run and he's just saying that he's likely going to allow a bit more running while emphasizing pick and roll set offenses. I'm expecting to see a modest increase in the number of Blazers possessions.

 

[Minstrel]

First, nothing is beyond stupid. When you get to stupid, it just keeps on going to infinity.

Apologies, I was imprecise but you are, of course, right.

Second, I don't think that it was Miller who dictated the Blazers play at a slower pace. I think that was Nate's method of dealing with a young roster in trying to reduce turnovers while playing to the strengths of his best player. Roy didn't want to run and his conflicts with Miller are well documented.

A reasonable theory. My theory has always been that McMillan does want to run...he just doesn't want to run more than he wants to limit turnovers and unforced errors. Since the two are often conflicting goals to an extent, his higher priority manifests itself to his players in his coaching and substitution patterns. If your coach says he wants to run, but you get benched and/or chewed out when you throw a pass away on a break attempt, you'll become risk averse and run less.

So I'd be surprised if the team really does run more, but it's possible. I don't think McMillan is bullshitting when he says he wants to run, but I think he places more importance on avoiding things that tend to be the natural consequence of running.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

Minstrel hit it right on the head. Nate does not know who he is as a coach and that is the real problem!

Changing the players wont change the result of a coach that has no clue how to put them together on a court and execute an offense. As an X's and O's coach he's awful!

Nate really is a good assistant coach... he's not head coach material. He's been abused in the playoffs by coaches that understand their systems and play within them.

 

[e_blazer]

Apologies, I was imprecise but you are, of course, right.

Apology accepted, but try to limit this kind of thing in the future.

A reasonable theory. My theory has always been that McMillan does want to run...he just doesn't want to run more than he wants to limit turnovers and unforced errors. Since the two are often conflicting goals to an extent, his higher priority manifests itself to his players in his coaching and substitution patterns. If your coach says he wants to run, but you get benched and/or chewed out when you throw a pass away on a break attempt, you'll become risk averse and run less.

So I'd be surprised if the team really does run more, but it's possible. I don't think McMillan is bullshitting when he says he wants to run, but I think he places more importance on avoiding things that tend to be the natural consequence of running.

The bolded part is my take as well. I think that having more mature players who are capable of running without a dramatic increase in turnovers will make a difference. I also think that having Roy take a lesser role (or perhaps no role) will make a difference. I think they'll look to push it more, but I also think that if they can't do it without a significant increase in turnovers, Nate will tighten the reins again.

I'm looking forward to seeing if I'm right. Frickin' lockout.

 

[e_blazer]

Minstrel hit it right on the head. Nate does not know who he is as a coach and that is the real problem!

Changing the players wont change the result of a coach that has no clue how to put them together on a court and execute an offense. As an X's and O's coach he's awful!

Nate really is a good assistant coach... he's not head coach material. He's been abused in the playoffs by coaches that understand their systems and play within them.

I'm not quite sure how to respond to this post. I pretty much agree that Minstrel hit it right on the head, but everything you say after that isn't consistent with what Minstrel said.

 

[MARIS61]

Anyone who has actually watched the Blazers play games with and without Brandon Roy cannot think for a minute that anyone but Roy is to blame for our slow pace.

When he plays, we crawl.

When he sits, we fly.

Don't matter if it's Miller, Sergio, Nash, Kidd, or Magic Johnson reincarnated, this team will run when Roy is gone, and not a second earlier.

 

[Mediocre Man]

How do you explain the years Nate has coached without Roy?


I agree with you actually as well. Roy slows us down even more

 

[e_blazer]

Anyone who has actually watched the Blazers play games with and without Brandon Roy cannot think for a minute that anyone but Roy is to blame for our slow pace.

When he plays, we crawl.

When he sits, we fly.

Don't matter if it's Miller, Sergio, Nash, Kidd, or Magic Johnson reincarnated, this team will run when Roy is gone, and not a second earlier.

Any of you stat-masters care to take a stab at figuring the Blazers' pace in games with and without Roy playing?

 

[Ed O]

I don't care if the Blazers are slow... I really don't. The team (playoff exits notwithstanding) have been pretty good, and if Nate is a slow-it-down coach, I can live with that as long as it gets results.

I'm less cool with the notion that the team is FINALLY going to run this year.

No they're not. Nate's had over a decade to try to run with a myriad of players across two franchises... and he hasn't. He doesn't.

I therefore believe that he won't.

Ed O.

 

[e_blazer]

I don't care if the Blazers are slow... I really don't. The team (playoff exits notwithstanding) have been pretty good, and if Nate is a slow-it-down coach, I can live with that as long as it gets results.

I'm less cool with the notion that the team is FINALLY going to run this year.

No they're not. Nate's had over a decade to try to run with a myriad of players across two franchises... and he hasn't. He doesn't.

I therefore believe that he won't.

Ed O.

I think pace is vastly overrated by some as a way to improve success in the NBA. Faster paced basketball may be more aesthetically pleasing and fun to watch, but by the time teams get to the playoffs, they'd better be able to play a halfcourt game at a slow-pace or plan their summer vacations. Still, I think indications are that the Blazers plan on running more based upon recent roster decisions and comments from players, Buchanan and Nate. I understand the reluctance to accept that we'll actually see it on the court because of Nate's record, but I still think that we will see a bit more running next year. Unfortunately, we're probably not going to have the chance to see any proof one way or the other until January or so.

 

[HailBlazers]

Felton wants to push the pace, I think with him at PG, Batum 2, Wallace 3, LMA 4, they could run circles around teams. And when they do slow it down into LMA, Felton will keep them honest unlike Miller was unable to do. Stoked on Felton after hearing him speak:

20:00

http://www.nba.com/blazers/tbtv/video.html?videoID=2220

 

[Draco]

I don’t think we need to worry about running more fast breaks. I would like to see the team concentrate on efficiently getting up the floor, having the offense in position, and have the PG make his first pass with more time on the shot clock. I don’t want to see the PG walk up the floor or dribbling the ball for more then a few seconds. Get guys into position and start executing the offense. When the shot clock is at 12 and we are just starting our offense there is a much higher probability we have to settle for a poor shot.

Also, I think we need to play our starters less minutes. If LaMarcus and Wallace are playing 40mpg they won’t be able to run as hard or often as playing 34mpg. Give them some time off, even if we have to sacrifice a few wins.

 

[Draco]

Felton wants to push the pace, I think with him at PG, Batum 2, Wallace 3, LMA 4, they could run circles around teams.

They had the identical lineup last season except with Miller instead of Felton. Miller has pushed the pace just as much or more than Felton in his career. Yet we finished dead last in pace.

Every offseason for 5+ years we've talked about the team running more but by the end of the season we finish dead last in pace. The only change we have to the roster is Felton instead of Miller. They both run the same, so I think it's silly to expect a change.

 

[HailBlazers]

I think 3 first round exits is enough to shake some things up.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

They had the identical lineup last season except with Miller instead of Felton. Miller has pushed the pace just as much or more than Felton in his career. Yet we finished dead last in pace.

We only had that lineup for a couple dozen games tops, and we did run like hell when Miller, Rudy, Batum, Wallace, and LMA were in the game... but it was only 6 or 8 minutes at a time. That's not going to affect your overall pace after 60 games.

I wish I didn't have to work at work today; I'd go Excel jockey and try to determine our pace with Wallace and without Roy.

 

[Ghost Pepper]

What I'm saying is Nate wants to run "IN THEORY" but hamstrings his fastest players with control half court ball. Think when we had Outlaw, Bayless, Martel and LA... that team should have flown up and down the court!! Instead they walked the ball up the court and waited for much older teams to set their defenses up thus killing our strength. We were the youngest team in the NBA then. So once we let other teams defenses set up walking the ball up the court, the great X's and O's of our offense came out, right? NOPE! The clock would run down to almost nothing and Roy would take on the other team by himself on a 1 on 5 clearout. I can't tell you how many times I would see this happen and think, what kind of play is that? Now that Roy can't will the team to win anymore because of his limitations what do we do?

This is where a coach who has a sytem is very important and Nate is not that coach! He's doesn't know how to coach fast, and he doesn't run a X's and O's half court game that is effective.

To get out of the first round of the playoffs he's going to have to master one or the other.... I think he's lost on how to do either well!

 

[Minstrel]

What I'm saying is Nate wants to run "IN THEORY" but hamstrings his fastest players with control half court ball. Think when we had Outlaw, Bayless, Martel and LA... that team should have flown up and down the court!!

No, just having fast athletes doesn't mean a team should be up-tempo. You also need players who are good passers and decision-makers to run successfully. Otherwise, you'll have more turnovers than dunks. Outlaw, Bayless and Webster are not what I'd call good decision-makers and passers. It takes more than speed and athleticism to run.

I think the team could have run more with Miller, Aldridge and Batum. Roy would have been great on the break if he had had any inclination to run. Oden would also have been a nice asset to an up-tempo team, as the kind of guy who could trigger them with a block or rebound and fast enough to run the secondary break. But Oden hasn't been there to help start fast breaks, Roy never did want to run and Batum has been too inconsistent to be built around, in part.

I don't blame McMillan for not wanting to run. I just don't think Felton replacing Miller (Miller is probably the more poised decision-maker on the break) is going to change anything, so we shouldn't expect an increase in pace.