Some very concerning statements by Roy

[Mediocre Man]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/11/portland_minnesota.html

However, both McMillan and Roy acknowledged that the pairing of Roy and Miller on the same unit was not working, primarily because it was detracting from Roy's game.

"I feel like we tried it (the three-guard lineup), and you could say it worked at times, but me sacrificing hurt the team, so it should get back to me playing full-out and getting some other guys in other areas to sacrifice a little bit," Roy said.

Privately, Roy has been conflicted. He was never happy playing small forward -- particularly on offense -- but he put on his best face for the team. But as a star, and the leader of the team, he felt like he had too much to offer that wasn't being utilized. In turn, his unrest and reduced production was having an effect on the team.

"This team is going to go off my pulse," Roy said. "Even if I'm smiling and trying to make it work, if I seem like I'm not totally comfortable, then Martell won't be. And Rudy (Fernandez) will look like he's in a funk. And L.A. (Aldridge) will look like he's in a funk. They have been playing with me for a couple years and if I'm going well, they have more confidence."

Wow.

 

[SpanishFly]

Not really what I want to hear from Roy, who runs this team? What could get interesting is if we play poorly for the next 10 or 15 games, last night was Minny and they are awful. If Roy gets his way and the team plays worse, then that opens up a can of worms. Could be an interesting season chemistry wise, stay tuned.

 

[ABM]

I think it's safe to say that Roy doesn't play as well alongside Miller......and probably told Nate as much. Otherwise, we probably would have seen a different starting lineup than we saw last night.

 

[BIG Q]

Good teams know who their leader is, and their leader knows he is their leader. There are very few leaders, and even fewer that are worthy of being called a leader and being the shot taker/play maker on a good team.

Roy fills the need that our Rasheed teams never had, a go to leader. Pippen was a good coach on the floor but he could not physically get it done consistently like the leader needs to do. That is why those teams were so disjointed.

The way I see it, we are lucky that our team has a leader. We are lucky that our team wants to be the leader (unlike Rasheed). We are lucky that our leader gets it done in crunch time when the ball is in his hands and he is allowed to make the reads. We are lucky that our players unanimously recognize Roy as the leader of the team. We are lucky that our players are not jealus of Roy's leadership ability.

I can go on, but I am sure the point is made. Roy is not an ego driven player. He wants to win. He knows this team is built around him, not Andre Miller. This is a good thing. All is well in Blazerville except for the injuries to Nic and Travis.

 

[Sedatedfork]

Are you upset with Roy making these statements? It is kind of true, don't you think? He is basically saying play me at SG, because that helps the team more and one of these PG's is going to have to come off the bench. The article doesn't actually quote Roy as saying that him and Andre didn't play well together, but it suggests that. I would like to see Miller start for a stretch with Roy at SG and Webster at SF, but I doubt we see it unless Blake gets injured. I am not too concerned about these statements, except that Nate probably should have realized that Roy was having trouble in that lineup earlier.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Good teams know who their leader is, and their leader knows he is their leader. There are very few leaders, and even fewer that are worthy of being called a leader and being the shot taker/play maker on a good team.

Roy fills the need that our Rasheed teams never had, a go to leader. Pippen was a good coach on the floor but he could not physically get it done consistently like the leader needs to do. That is why those teams were so disjointed.

The way I see it, we are lucky that our team has a leader. We are lucky that our team wants to be the leader (unlike Rasheed). We are lucky that our leader gets it done in crunch time when the ball is in his hands and he is allowed to make the reads. We are lucky that our players unanimously recognize Roy as the leader of the team. We are lucky that our players are not jealus of Roy's leadership ability.

I can go on, but I am sure the point is made. Roy is not an ego driven player. He wants to win. He knows this team is built around him, not Andre Miller. This is a good thing. All is well in Blazerville except for the injuries to Nic and Travis.

Reading this, I couldn't help but think back a couple of years ago to Kobe demanding Bynum be traded.

To use a statement that many like to use in here. The management team for the Blazers gets paid to make those decisions, and it's up to the players to adjust. Kobe did, and they won a title. Bynum will probably be an allstar this year, and it's because Kobe adjusted his game a little bit.

 

[ABM]

.......The management team for the Blazers gets paid to make those decisions, and it's up to the players to adjust. Kobe did, and they won a title. Bynum will probably be an allstar this year, and it's because Kobe adjusted his game a little bit.

As well, PJ made Jordan adjust his game in Chi-town.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Reading this, I couldn't help but think back a couple of years ago to Kobe demanding Bynum be traded.

Then you have absolutely no sense of proportion. But we knew that anyway.

Scene: McDonalds
Guy in front of MM gets his order then says "didn't I ask for onion rings?"
MM dives under a table in panic. When asked why he said: "hearing that, I couldn't help but think back a couple of years ago to when a guy came into a McDonalds and just started shooting everybody!"

 

[ABM]

Then you have absolutely no sense of proportion. But we knew that anyway.

Scene: McDonalds
Guy in front of MM gets his order then says "didn't I ask for onion rings?"
MM dives under a table in panic. When asked why he said: "hearing that, I couldn't help but think back a couple of years ago to when a guy came into a McDonalds and just started shooting everybody!"

Seriously, I don't care who you are, that's signature stuff, right there.

 

[gatorpops]

I think it's safe to say that Roy doesn't play as well alongside Miller......and probably told Nate as much. Otherwise, we probably would have seen a different starting lineup than we saw last night.

Question ABM, Roy doesn't or wouldn't? That's the question.

If Roy is so rigid as to want his group, Blake and Outlaw, etc. how can this team be better than last year?

Will they all just get a little better and that will get them to the next level?

Did Roy really play better last night or did Web and Blake just hit some shots?

doesn't this just make us a jump shooting team ala Barkley's comments?

Just asking as I did not get to see the game, only listened.

 

[ABM]

Question ABM, Roy doesn't or wouldn't? That's the question.

If Roy is so rigid as to want his group, Blake and Outlaw, etc. how can this team be better than last year?

Will they all just get a little better and that will get them to the next level?

Did Roy really play better last night or did Web and Blake just hit some shots?

doesn't this just make us a jump shooting team ala Barkley's comments?

Just asking as I did not get to see the game, only listened.

All good questions. As has been said, Roy's biggest "gripe" is that he's (literally) tired of playing the 3. He's already gone on record as saying he loves to play with Steve. I think Nate just added 1 + 1.

This team's improvements will be from maturity coupled with the fact that Miller is a FAR better backup than Sergio.

That said, I still think Nate will make a move by the td. We shall see, though.

 

[SpanishFly]

Be interesting to see how Oden fares when it's back to Steve and Brandon, if they do a better job of feeding the bigs then that helps a lot, if not then we will not fare as well. Brandon's a big part yes, but getting our C's involved is huge as well.

 

[drexlersdad]

all i think roy is trying to say is that they can win big playing the same guys as last year more or less.miller is the best backup pg in the nba. pryz is the best backup center. pretty good 2nd team bookends imo.

 

[gatorpops]

All good questions. As has been said, Roy's biggest "gripe" is that he's (literally) tired of playing the 3. He's already gone on record as saying he loves to play with Steve. I think Nate just added 1 + 1.

This team's improvements will be from maturity coupled with the fact that Miller is a FAR better backup than Sergio.

That said, I still think Nate will make a move by the td. We shall see, though.

You are no doubt right, you are after all The ABM.

Are we not back to a jump shooting team or will the team see Oden become a major staple in the mix much like Kobe and Shack?

Because we are missing two pieces from last year how does the team change (i.e. get better) this year????? Maybe we get better defensively and Miller will likely add to the second unit. I hope.

 

[drexlersdad]

pryz and oden went for 30 last night. if this is what roy wants to do, im ALL for it.

 

[Hype #9]

Reading this, I couldn't help but think back a couple of years ago to Kobe demanding Bynum be traded.

To use a statement that many like to use in here. The management team for the Blazers gets paid to make those decisions, and it's up to the players to adjust. Kobe did, and they won a title. Bynum will probably be an allstar this year, and it's because Kobe adjusted his game a little bit.

What's your agenda? Roy will never be considered a selfish player. The team is better with Roy handling the ball and creating for others. Period. The offense should go through Roy, like the offense goes through Kobe, Lebron and Wade. I'm not suggesting that Roy is good as those players, but every team runs their offense THROUGH their best player. Roy has in the past made players around him better when he has the ball in his hands. Let him continue to do that.

I can understand why Nate would start Blake over Miller. Playing Roy at small forward took the ball out of his hands, and put him on the perimeter. Also they were getting no production out of Martell, and the rest of the 2nd unit has been playing like shit.

Having shooters around Roy and Oden, such as Blake and Webster, opens up the middle for Oden to work, and for Roy to drive and create. Placing Miller in the 2nd unit will help the production of the bench.

 

[ABM]

You are no doubt right, you are after all The ABM.

Yeah, the "The" ABM who's not good enough to get "THE" billing.

 

[gatorpops]

pryz and oden went for 30 last night. if this is what roy wants to do, im ALL for it.

Good point!

Looks like the players around Roy played much better last night. We have however beaten this team twice before by large numbers so it seems we just have better personnel. I think I will wait and see if we can do it to good teams.

 

[julius]

pryz and oden went for 30 last night. if this is what roy wants to do, im ALL for it.

I think playing Minnesota had a lot to do with that, and not so much who was starting.

 

[SpanishFly]

Good point!

Looks like the players around Roy played much better last night. We have however beaten this team twice before by large numbers so it seems we just have better personnel. I think I will wait and see if we can do it to good teams.

That really is the key, how this lineup will fare against better opposition since advancing further in the playoffs is our real goal then that is what it boils down to. I have my doubts but hope to see them erased. Roy should be at SG but I would have liked to see Miller start and Webs at SF for a few games at least, we'll see how things evolve.

 

[MIXUM]

i know miller is a better pg then blake.... its not close ... but since miller cant hit threes or a jumper consistently.... blake fits better with the guys we start.

miller will be traded .... no way he comes off bench the whole season. nick van exel part 2. member when we traded for him and the team that was suppose to be decent ended up being awful? thats this years version. miller is also having a bad season all teh way around. talk about a nightmare... kp really fucked up

 

[MIXUM]

the bulls will be an excellent test


and the nets scare me because they are desperate for a win.

 

[Mediocre Man]

the bulls will be an excellent test


and the nets scare me because they are desperate for a win.

Please. Portland should destroy both of them.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

According to the article, Blake is starting over Miller because Roy needs the ball in his hands more.

I'm a huge Roy fan, but he is putting a lot of pressure on himself. Like one poster said, what is going to happen if the Blazers go on a losing streak with Roy getting what he wants.

I think the problem is Blazers only have one true PG and he is needed with the second unit or the second unit is not good.(Bayless and Blake can't play PG with Roy on the bench).

But again, if you believe the article and Nate's statements, this move is made because both Roy and Miller need the ball in their hands and their is "only one ball"

 

[andalusian]

I'm a huge Roy fan, but he is putting a lot of pressure on himself. Like one poster said, what is going to happen if the Blazers go on a losing streak with Roy getting what he wants.

Then they know that the problem is Roy's need to play with the ball in his hands...

The statistical data shows that playing with Miller Roy is much more of a jump shooter. It also makes sense that you try to run with your biggest mis-match fully utilized. They tried the other options, and they won, but looked pretty "average" doing it.

I think the problem is Blazers only have one true PG and he is needed with the second unit or the second unit is not good.(Bayless and Blake can't play PG with Roy on the bench).

I think that the problem is that they only have one PG who can shoot the long-ball and space the floor for Roy. If Miller was a better long-ball shooter - the entire issue would not be relevant - because they could alternate handling the ball and spacing it for one another.

But again, if you believe the article and Nate's statements, this move is made because both Roy and Miller need the ball in their hands and their is "only one ball"

Well, it's true. If Roy does not handle the ball - he is reduced to a jump-shooter. If Miller is not handling the ball, he is not effective and he can not space the floor for Roy. It's not that complicated, honestly.

 

[MARIS61]

No brag, just fact.

Since Nate ignores my posts, it was inevitable that Brandon would have to speak up eventually.

KP's deperate attempt to save face by signing someone, anyone, after being rebuked by Hedo and others, has exploded in his face. The team was in danger of flushing 3-4 years of chemistry down the drain simply to satisfy Miller's ego.

Maybe someday I'll tire of always being right, but today is not that day.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Then they know that the problem is Roy's need to play with the ball in his hands...

The statistical data shows that playing with Miller Roy is much more of a jump shooter. It also makes sense that you try to run with your biggest mis-match fully utilized. They tried the other options, and they won, but looked pretty "average" doing it.



I think that the problem is that they only have one PG who can shoot the long-ball and space the floor for Roy. If Miller was a better long-ball shooter - the entire issue would not be relevant - because they could alternate handling the ball and spacing it for one another.



Well, it's true. If Roy does not handle the ball - he is reduced to a jump-shooter. If Miller is not handling the ball, he is not effective and he can not space the floor for Roy. It's not that complicated, honestly.

I'm not trying to make it complicated . . . but I am having a hard time understanding why Miller and Roy can't be effective together. It seems like you get it, but doesn't seem that obvious to me.

Again, it will be interesting to see what happens if the new starting line up does not perform well against good teams . . . meaning Roy will have the ball in his hands.

BTW-I generally agree with your posts and I'm anything but a Blake basher . . . I'm just not big on statemetns where the star is saying he can't play well with a particular player.

 

[PapaG]

Roy is exactly right. Having the rest of the team try to adapt to Andre Miller was insane, and the statistics show it wasn't effective.

I hope we've seen the last of that approach.

 

[PapaG]

I think it's safe to say that Roy doesn't play as well alongside Miller.

I think it's safe to say that Miller doesn't play well alongside Roy.

 

[oldmangrouch]

As I said in the other thread - for a "nice guy", Roy leaves a lot of corpses in his wake.