Starting lineup

[Natebishop3]

Actually... the right chemistry can change everything. Make shots go in. Make players play harder on defense. All of that. It's true. If getting rid of Miller makes certain players happier (Blake, Roy, Bayless), that can change the whole feel of the team and then everyone plays better.

But Oden has publicly said that Miller has been a positive influence on him. Oden has played MUCH better this year. What if getting rid of Miller hurts Oden's game?

 

[KingSpeed]

But Oden has publicly said that Miller has been a positive influence on him. Oden has played MUCH better this year. What if getting rid of Miller hurts Oden's game?

It won't. And we don't know the context of Oden's quote. He may be happy with Blake getting him the ball and then said it was a relief to finally see MILLER getting him the ball as well. Oden's emergence is not because of Miller. I see Roy and Blake getting Oden the ball more than I do Miller. In fact, Miller looks to score himself more than gettting the ball to anyone else.

 

[KingSpeed]

Each and everyone of them should be happy to play with players that can make the team better, not playing with guys that are their buddies.

But what if they don't believe said player can "make the team better?"

 

[KingSpeed]

I agree with this. Miller is not doing a bang job getting GO the ball, either. GO has been getting his mostly on his own. It's ridiculous. Last night GO basically went the whole 4th quarter without getting an entry pass from his teammates. Unfucking believable. Like I said in another post, I don't believe this is just a Roy thing, Blake thing, or Miller thing, it's Nate not designing or practicing the team enough to effectively get GO the ball in good positions.

To be fair, GO isn't quite yet a reliable scorer in the post. He has a high shooting percentage off putback dunks and wide open dunks set up by Steve Blake. If we just threw the ball into him and expected him to throw up those hook shots, his percentages would go down.

 

[Denny Crane]

Maybe Nate should go back to the 3 guard lineup. It would have matched up well against Miami, who played 3 guards.

Or how about something I've not seen talked about... Start Oden and Joel, twin towers.

 

[Natebishop3]

Maybe Nate should go back to the 3 guard lineup. It would have matched up well against Miami, who played 3 guards.

Or how about something I've not seen talked about... Start Oden and Joel, twin towers.

This is the age of Cunningham now Denny. You can't bench Dante. He IS our offense.

 

[Denny Crane]

This is the age of Cunningham now Denny. You can't bench Dante. He IS our offense.

I like what I see of Cunningham, but he's not starting material yet. He reminds me of Tyrus Thomas of the past couple of seasons - he brings energy and is around the ball, but doesn't understand what it takes to be a factor in the NBA.

I imagine Beasley was licking his chops during the opening tip.

 

[Natebishop3]

I like what I see of Cunningham, but he's not starting material yet. He reminds me of Tyrus Thomas of the past couple of seasons - he brings energy and is around the ball, but doesn't understand what it takes to be a factor in the NBA.

I imagine Beasley was licking his chops during the opening tip.

Yeah, I was thinking about how things might have been different if LMA had played.

 

[hasoos]

IMO the starting unit fixes part of it. It is the rotation that needs fixed, and it needs to be shortened. We need players to get used to playing with each other out there, and not swapping so many bodies in and out of the game.

 

[Minstrel]

Brian Smith "tweeted" tonight that Nate has considered inserting Miller in the starting lineup for Steve Blake

That's actually one of the funniest things I've read. In a season on a downward trend, suggesting that some kind of change should be made, McMillan "considers" doing what is almost always the smartest thing: starting your best players. Then he decided against it.

It's like a person who can't swim has fallen into a deep lake but has steadfastly refused a life preserver, feeling that scrappiness will keep him afloat better than an inflated air bladder. After some time of expending all his energy trying to stay afloat, his head is about to sink below the water and he "considers" changing his mind and using the life preserver. And then decides against it.

 

[RoyIsClutch07]

Does changing the starting lineup fix anything at this point? Or do our problems run much deeper than that?

I think the problems run deeper than that. There is problems with the foundation of this team. It's pretty rickety right now. Even if they start to win. This team is going nowhere. And I mean that. This team needs a new head coach and not just any head coach. They need the right head coach.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's actually one of the funniest things I've read. In a season on a downward trend, suggesting that some kind of change should be made, McMillan "considers" doing what is almost always the smartest thing: starting your best players. Then he decided against it.

It's like a person who can't swim has fallen into a deep lake but has steadfastly refused a life preserver, feeling that scrappiness will keep him afloat better than an inflated air bladder. After some time of expending all his energy trying to stay afloat, his head is about to sink below the water and he "considers" changing his mind and using the life preserver. And then decides against it.

Scrappy!!! Blake's scrappy!!!

 

[hasoos]

Scrappy!!! Blake's scrappy!!!

I prefer Type "S" Crappy!

It's kind of like when an angry woman is around and I get a type B itch. Those type of itches are very hard to get rid of.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I prefer Type "S" Crappy!

It's kind of like when an angry woman is around and I get a type B itch. Those type of itches are very hard to get rid of.

SCRAAAAAAA-PPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

 

[hasoos]

Fuck. That looks scary.

Yep that is pretty fargin warped. I'll give you that.

 

[illmatic99]

here's a better attempt: