Sergio: Fewer minutes than any other distributor

[Iwatas]

Check out http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/stati...lit=0&season=2009&seasontype=2&avg=48&pos=all

Sergio is second in the league in assists/minute. He gets less minutes than any PG in that list until you get to the might Acie Law, at number 19.

In fact, in the TOP 50 assists/minute players in the league, only *3* get fewer minutes than Sergio (and they are at numbers 19, 32, and 35. As in 7 assists/48. Sergio is at 13.4. If Channing Frye could shoot, or Oden could catch, he'd be even higher.

Is Sergio perfect? Absolutely not. Does his shot need to improve? Absolutely.

But I think nobody can reasonably deny that what he does on the basketball court, in limited minutes, is quite extraordinary. Outside of one superstar (Chris Paul), there is no NBA player who helps others score like our very own Sergio.

iWatas

 

[blue32]

I love watching Sergio play this year. I just wish he could learn to finish at the rim. I think he's surprising himself this year with his ability to drive and get easy shots. I don't think he was expecting it! lol

 

[MIXUM]

i dont know why we have an obsession with sergio. i just dont. hes mediorce at best. he cant finish, no consistancy with jumpers and isnt good on defense.

 

[blue32]

Because his passes are pretty damn nifty

 

[MrJayremmie]

i dont know why we have an obsession with sergio. i just dont. hes mediorce at best. he cant finish, no consistancy with jumpers and isnt good on defense.

True, but he is a great passing PG, with excellent court vision, and a great change of pace guard that can aid us in gettin' easy buckets. I really like him for this team at the position he is at right now. And I think he is really helping us.

 

[Iwatas]

I love watching Sergio play this year. I just wish he could learn to finish at the rim. I think he's surprising himself this year with his ability to drive and get easy shots. I don't think he was expecting it! lol

It is interesting -- teams let him drive because they are afraid of the pass. So if he decides to score occasionally when he drives, it'll open up the passing lanes for the Pryz/Oden/Outlaw dunk. So swings the pendulum....

iWatas

 

[Jurassic]

Sergio is great. The only "bad" thing about him is that he is sometimes too unselfish. The announcers were talking about this the other day. He will give up an open shot in an attempt to find Rudy or another teammate. Sometimes trying to force assists when the play is not there. He will be a much better pg once he starts taking those scoring opportunities. But still, he's great.

 

[mook]

It is interesting -- teams let him drive because they are afraid of the pass. So if he decides to score occasionally when he drives, it'll open up the passing lanes for the Pryz/Oden/Outlaw dunk. So swings the pendulum....

iWatas

You're exactly right. His passing opens up his shooting game, and he just doesn't take the shots.

Funny thing is, how many other NBA players have there been that you could describe like that? Andre Miller....hmmm.

Anyway, it's not irrational to have high expectations or to be overly concerned about his career. Very, very few NBA players have his court vision. Most that do are stars.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I'm probably more pro-Sergio than most, so fwiw...

Calling Sergio "mediocre" kind of is a funny way of going around the situation. If you averaged court vision/running an offense, scoring, and defense on a 1-10 scale, he'd be a 9,2,3 for an average of 14 or so, so just under 5. Below average/mediocre, I agree. But guys like Telfair, who I'd say are 3,4,4 are mediocre. Guys like Blake who are 4,7,3 are mediocre. But Sergio is great in one area...one that a lot of other guys can't "learn". And his poorer areas can be jumped up through effort (we're already seeing his shooting get better).

 

[C_note]

I'm probably more pro-Sergio than most, so fwiw...

Calling Sergio "mediocre" kind of is a funny way of going around the situation. If you averaged court vision/running an offense, scoring, and defense on a 1-10 scale, he'd be a 9,2,3 for an average of 14 or so, so just under 5. Below average/mediocre, I agree. But guys like Telfair, who I'd say are 3,4,4 are mediocre. Guys like Blake who are 4,7,3 are mediocre. But Sergio is great in one area...one that a lot of other guys can't "learn". And his poorer areas can be jumped up through effort (we're already seeing his shooting get better).

Nice way to look at it...

 

[mobes23]

Sergio rocks on fast breaks, but I'm still not in love with his passing in a half court offense. In the halfcourt, sometimes he has great passes, but a lot of times he drives semi-uncontrollably to the hoop and then does a messy dish-off to whomever he can. He used to do this a ton, but he seems to be doing it less this year. Still, I can't say I'm 100% convinced he should have more PT.

Also, Blake's A/TO ratio is slightly better and our players are strong enough offensively that we don't necessarily need flashy passing to succeed. (But like I said, I like him a lot more this year than last.)

 

[La Bomba]

I was a big fan of him ever since I saw him play at Estudiantes, and passing the ball and finding open team mates is definably his forte. His defense needs improving, along with his jump shot shooting.

 

[Nikolokolus]

You're exactly right. His passing opens up his shooting game, and he just doesn't take the shots.

Funny thing is, how many other NBA players have there been that you could describe like that? Andre Miller....hmmm.

Anyway, it's not irrational to have high expectations or to be overly concerned about his career. Very, very few NBA players have his court vision. Most that do are stars.

Based on his shooting percentages, I'm not so sure it's a bad thing that he passes up open shots. He does OK in the corner on catch and shoots, and occasionally coming off of screens, but at 36% I'd love to see him do more of what he did tonight -- trying to finish at the rim or learning to dribble drive, then stop and pop, or if he could develop a good 15 foot floater or tear drop since he doesn't seem to have much hops.

 

[RayDavies]

At this point Sergio can't shoot, and everything he does positively on offense he seems to give up on defense. I don't think he fits in well with Portland, and would like to see him traded to a team that plays a running game and runs up the score. I want Rodriguez to flourish if possible, and just don't see it happening in PDX.

Coach Sarge is teaching a grid it out, execution game (which is our best player's specialty) to these young guys, and Sergio is below average in that pace... a pg on this team should be able to hit an open shot and defend.