Quick: Players say McMillan not the problem

[illmatic99]

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2010/12/blazers_insider_players_say_mc.html

And I'm honestly floored at the players that are mentioned.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't know if I believe it.... but the fact that Miller is saying that the team isn't tuning him out does carry a lot of weight.

"I've played for coaches where you can get a feel that they have lost the team, and the guys are tuning the coach out," said Miller, in his 12th season. "But not in this case. It's been a tough schedule. Tough trips. And we are still playing hard. So I wouldn't go as far to say that he has lost the team. We've just hit a tough stretch."

 

[illmatic99]

One question I have with these quotes though, is what exactly Quick's question was. No player is going to explicitly agree to the idea that their coach sucks, and has lost the ears of his players.

 

[barfo]

One question I have with these quotes though, is what exactly Quick's question was. No player is going to explicitly agree to the idea that their coach sucks, and has lost the ears of his players.

Yes, exactly. The question matters.

Is Nate McMillan the right coach for this team?
Is Nate McMillan, a rapist and pedophile, the right coach for this team?

Ok, the answer would be "no" in both cases, but you get the idea.

barfo

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

It's the coaching and flawed roster.

*paging Rich Cho!*

 

[illmatic99]

Now Larry Miller backs Nate: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/12/...sident-larry-miller-backs-coach-nate-mcmillan

WTF is going on here? Are they missing the obvious, or is there something we can't see?

 

[BlayZa]

i dunno what else they'd be expected to say on the record.

 

[ehizzy3]

Now Larry Miller backs Nate: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/12/...sident-larry-miller-backs-coach-nate-mcmillan

WTF is going on here? Are they missing the obvious, or is there something we can't see?

why does it surprise you larry miller would back the coach? what else do you think he's going to say? same for the players

 

[illmatic99]

why does it surprise you larry miller would back the coach? what else do you think he's going to say? same for the players

The players, I sorta expected it because they were confronted by Quick. But I didn't expect Miller to go out of his way to come on radio and say that they're backing Nate. If he was supposedly trying to protect his image and was truly thinking something contrary to what he's saying, he wouldn't do any radio interviews.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think Nate needs his own reality tv show on A&E.

 

[RoyToy]

Earn your paycheck, Choad. Everyone is working but you.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Of course the players have his back. He's telling them all the right things (play scappier, make more of your shots). If only the players would just do as he asks, they'd win every game.

BNM

 

[Mediocre Man]

What are they going to say?

"Ya, Nate sucks, and we would be better off with someone else." No player is going to come out against a coach who is currently coaching that team unless it is a superstar

 

[craigehlo]

Now Larry Miller backs Nate: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/12/...sident-larry-miller-backs-coach-nate-mcmillan

WTF is going on here? Are they missing the obvious, or is there something we can't see?

This is the same Larry Miler that said he knew full well about Roy's knees before paying that max extension. He's either a bad liar, or not very business savvy.

 

[julius]

Now Larry Miller backs Nate: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/12/...sident-larry-miller-backs-coach-nate-mcmillan

WTF is going on here? Are they missing the obvious, or is there something we can't see?

Yeah, the team sucks.

 

[hasoos]

Well to be honest I am not sure what some folks expect him to do with that bench unit. There are some players you can't just work miracles with.

 

[craigehlo]

Well to be honest I am not sure what some folks expect him to do with that bench unit. There are some players you can't just work miracles with.

We are losing leads with the starting unit as well. This isn't only a depth issue, it's a style of play issue.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Nate's offense sucks, but like I said before firing him would probably only address about 20% of what ails this team. The bottom line is that its "best" player in Brandon has pretty much fallen off a cliff and they have no identity ... and they probably won't form one until Brandon is benched or shut down.

 

[LittleAlex]

Nate's offense sucks, but like I said before firing him would probably only address about 20% of what ails this team. The bottom line is that its "best" player in Brandon has pretty much fallen off a cliff and they have no identity ... and they probably won't form one until Brandon is benched or shut down.

Or adjusts his game to accept the new reality that he has lost a step and becomes more a spot up shooter/post player.

The team was effective in the first half with him in the post.

Not sure why they went away from that in the second half.


The teams plays pretty much how they need to in the first half then appears to completely forget how to play basketball in the second.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Agree with Nic and Little Alex that Brandon is going to have to accept another role with this team before we can make a step forward.

I am also seeing the light that maybe it is not all Nate's fault.

This team has been built around Brandon Roy. He is not closing out games like we have seen in the past and we have no other players that can fill that roll. Sure, Wes has put up some nice numbers. However, he is not someone we can just give the ball to late in games and let him go.

Someone has to step up and I do not think we have that player on the roster currently. Firing Nate is not going to make Nic Batum turn into Carmelo either.

 

[hasoos]

We are losing leads with the starting unit as well. This isn't only a depth issue, it's a style of play issue.

That is the thing though. The coach can say anything he wants. As long as Roy is out there they aren't going to run. The reason why? The other players defer to him too much, still to this day. Until the team starts treating him different than the star he was, that will never change. The only way to get the team to up tempo more is to get the ball out of Roy's hands.

 

[e_blazer]

We are losing leads with the starting unit as well. This isn't only a depth issue, it's a style of play issue.

Given that we are building large leads with Nate's style of play, I think it's a bit simplistic to lay all of the blame there. The unforced turnovers, missed point blank layups, and a variety of other mental errors, along with some major confidence-killing pucker factor are more to blame, IMO. But Nate is an easy target.

 

[hasoos]

Given that we are building large leads with Nate's style of play, I think it's a bit simplistic to lay all of the blame there. The unforced turnovers, missed point blank layups, and a variety of other mental errors, along with some major confidence-killing pucker factor are more to blame, IMO. But Nate is an easy target.

It's funny you mention that. When ball movement is good, the team plays well. When it stops, everything suffers. It's like the team comes out with adrenaline, works hard, and then it wears off and it's over, and time to grab your ankles if you are a fan.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

It's funny you mention that. When ball movement is good, the team plays well. When it stops, everything suffers. It's like the team comes out with adrenaline, works hard, and then it wears off and it's over, and time to grab your ankles if you are a fan.

Have noticed that as well. Not for sure if we are trying to slow the pace to run off the clock or if it is as you said the team just getting tired. Part of that problem is that we do not have a backup 4 or point that provide consistent production. Patty hit a few shots in the first half, but provided little in the second. Baron was a huge spark off the bench for the Clips. Dante made one rebound in almost 13 minutes and nothing else. We could have used something with LA fouling out in barely over 20 minutes.

 

[HailBlazers]

Roy >>>> Second Unit. For Now, Do it Darn it.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

If they fined Rudy for saying he doesn't want to play here anymore they're going to fine a player for saying something bad about Nate.

With Christmas coming no one is going to speak out.

 

[LittleAlex]

It's funny you mention that. When ball movement is good, the team plays well. When it stops, everything suffers. It's like the team comes out with adrenaline, works hard, and then it wears off and it's over, and time to grab your ankles if you are a fan.

I wonder if it has to do with cooling down during halftime.


I realize that's grasping at straws but seriously the first half team and the second half team appear to be completely different organizations.

For the life of me I can't figure out why the team completely stops doing what works and starts doing what doesn't in such a dramatic way.


And I honestly don't think Nate is telling the guys at halftime "Hey fellas, you know how you were all moving around, passing and scoring and such? Stop that shit right now!"
He isn't my favorite coach but Nate isn't blind either.
In fact, I would say that the first half Blazer team is far closer to what Nate wants then the second half team is.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

In fact, I would say that the first half Blazer team is far closer to what Nate wants then the second half team is.

Like in baseball, maybe we should bring in a relief coach for the second half.

 

[jlprk]

In the first half we depend upon Aldridge. Then he gets tired and quits after the first quarter or two, because his opponents have more energy than him.

He has about the skill level of Camby. He should really be a center, but he refuses to play that close, so he has to be one of the most stiff, wooden forwards in the league.

He looked especially bad lined up against the elastic, flexible Griffin, who moves like a guard. Aldridge is one of the most overpaid players in the league.