Teams Blake would start for

[santeesioux]

Atlanta - No

Boston - No

Charlotte - No

Chicago - No

Cleveland - No

Dallas - No

Denver - No

Detroit - No

Golden State - No

Houston - No

Indiana - No

LA Clippers - No

LA L*kers - No

Memphis - Tinsley is starting, maybe? Although he outplayed Blake

Miami - No

Milwaukee - No

Minnesota - No

New Jersey - No

New Orleans - No

New York - Maybe if they abandoned their uptempo offense

Oklahoma City - No

Philadelphia - Not Sure if Holliday or Iverson is starting, so maybe

Portland - Yes, even though we have Miller

Sacramento - I am confident he could start over Beno and Sergio until Martin comes back from injury, then not over Evans

San Antonio - No

Toronto - I'm not sure how well Calderon is playing, maybe

Utah - No

Washington - No

So there you go, including here, he could start in one place temporarily with several maybes, basically our pg situation sucks, and it could be easily fixed with a change of starter.

 

[Natebishop3]

Did you forward this list to Nate McMillan and Kevin Pritchard?

 

[santeesioux]

Did you forward this list to Nate McMillan and Kevin Pritchard?

I'll leave that to you.

 

[Natebishop3]

Kp apparently reads these forums, so I guess our work is done here

 

[Mediocre Man]

I coach a 9th grade boys team that Blake would look really good on. I would start him for sure.

 

[Natebishop3]

Blake has made a career of following around players who are better than him and riding their coattails. He won a national title at Maryland with Juan Dixon. He ended up in Washington with Dixon, followed him here, and then upgraded to Brandon Roy. He's really good at handing the ball off to a talented scorer and then getting out of the way. I guess we can commend him on that.

 

[MrJayremmie]

He wouldn't start over Evans in Sac.

Wouldn't start over Calderon in TOR.

Wouldn't start over Duhon in NY.

That leaves Philly (possible) and Memphis (might be doubtful but still possible). Only way he gets in Sac is if they move Evans to 2 while Martin is out (like you said), but I don't think they do.

But then again, we would have said NO in Philly last year when they had Miller.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Blake has made a career of following around players who are better than him and riding their coattails. He won a national title at Maryland with Juan Dixon...

Oooh - you had to start with the most glaring counterexample to your claim. Kinda ruined it.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Blake has made a career of following around players who are better than him and riding their coattails. He won a national title at Maryland with Juan Dixon. He ended up in Washington with Dixon, followed him here, and then upgraded to Brandon Roy. He's really good at handing the ball off to a talented scorer and then getting out of the way. I guess we can commend him on that.

I know you huge on Miller and anti-Blake, but you really think that Blake is where he is today by riding coattails?

Blake is having a better NBA career than Dixon . . . I think it was Dixon who rode Blake's coattails. And Blake didn't come to Ptd with Dixon and them upgrade to Roy. First he has no control over that and second it didn't even happen that way.

I get all the Blake bashing on this board given the struggles the Blazers are going through . . . but Blake didn't ride anyone coattails to get to where he is . . . he worked hard on his game to get to where he is.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

You could play the same game with Derek Fisher. What would it prove?

 

[maxiep]

In this case, Blake doesn't start because he's better than Miller. He starts because Roy and Miller haven't meshed. I put most of it on Roy. Players play; they don't look for excuses why they can't play with other people. They make it work.

It's time to be a leader, Brandon.

 

[maxiep]

Oooh - you had to start with the most glaring counterexample to your claim. Kinda ruined it.

Juan may have blown as a pro, but as a Terp he was fantastic.

 

[Natebishop3]

I know you huge on Miller and anti-Blake, but you really think that Blake is where he is today by riding coattails?

Blake is having a better NBA career than Dixon . . . I think it was Dixon who rode Blake's coattails. And Blake didn't come to Ptd with Dixon and them upgrade to Roy. First he has no control over that and second it didn't even happen that way.

I get all the Blake bashing on this board given the struggles the Blazers are going through . . . but Blake didn't ride anyone coattails to get to where he is . . . he worked hard on his game to get to where he is.

You mean Dixon didn't sign here first, and then Blake follow him? I'm pretty sure that's exactly how it went down.

Dixon was the catalyst at Maryland for the national title. Not Blake.

And why does everyone always bring up Miller when I'm talking about Blake. Miller was never mentioned in my post. They are not connected. I can talk about Blake without talking about Miller. I thought Blake sucked last year. That was a huge reason for bringing in Miller in the first place. Whether Miller works out or not, we still need to upgrade our point guard spot.

Juan may have blown as a pro, but as a Terp he was fantastic.

This

 

[barfo]

Blake would start for all those teams, for the same reason he starts here. He has pictures of all the coaches and GMs, not just Nate and KP.

barfo

 

[hasoos]

Last time i checked CBS Sportsline point guard rankings Blake was #35. There were 6 rookies ahead of him, and there are only 30 teams, so that means 4 bench guys are ahead of him.

 

[Natebishop3]

Blake would start for all those teams, for the same reason he starts here. He has pictures of all the coaches and GMs, not just Nate and KP.

barfo

Or, he has pictures of David Stern, which would trump all of that.

 

[Natebishop3]

Last time i checked CBS Sportsline point guard rankings Blake was #35. There were 6 rookies ahead of him, and there are only 30 teams, so that means 4 bench guys are ahead of him.

Might as well just go ahead and put him at #36 because he's going to be behind John Wall next season.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

You mean Dixon didn't sign here first, and then Blake follow him? I'm pretty sure that's exactly how it went down.

Dixon was the catalyst at Maryland for the national title. Not Blake.



This

OK so you are saying that Blake choose Ptd to ride Dixon's coattails (Not the smartest decision), then after he gets traded and eventually goes to Denver (playing with Carmello) he decided as a free agent I'm going to go play with Roy over in Ptd so I can ride his coattals.

Is that how you see Blake making his decisions?

 

[hasoos]

Might as well just go ahead and put him at #36 because he's going to be behind John Wall next season.

Doesn't Blakes contract end this year?

 

[Natebishop3]

OK so you are saying that Blake choose Ptd to ride Dixon's coattails (Not the smartest decision), then after he gets traded and eventually goes to Denver (playing with Carmello) he decided as a free agent I'm going to go play with Roy over in Ptd so I can ride his coattals.

Is that how you see Blake making his decisions?

I didn't say anything about Blake making decisions. I said he has made a career of riding other players talent. As a point guard he is subpar. He is a glorified towel boy who brings the ball up the court and hands it off to a star shooting guard.

Maryland - Dixon
Portland - Roy
Denver - Iverson

 

[barfo]

Doesn't Blakes contract end this year?

He got a 5-year, max extension. Hasn't been announced yet.

barfo

 

[hasoos]

He got a 5-year, max extension. Hasn't been announced yet.

barfo

It wouldn't surprise me. I fully expect KP to make Blake and Outlaw Blazers for life just to make my life hell.

 

[hasoos]

Might as well just go ahead and put him at #36 because he's going to be behind John Wall next season.

You mean #41 after the other 5 rookies come in and perform better. That doesn't even count the 10 or so SG who are better PG then him.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I didn't say anything about Blake making decisions. I said he has made a career of riding other players talent. As a point guard he is subpar. He is a glorified towel boy who brings the ball up the court and hands it off to a star shooting guard.

Maryland - Dixon
Portland - Roy
Denver - Iverson

You said he made a career out of following around players (in two different posts). . . I read that as Blake is some calculated person who only succeeds because he follows players that will make him look good. And that just isn't true . . . but I must have read your post wrong.

Many players have played with the likes of Dixon, Roy and Iverson and have not succeeded. I think there is more to Blake than your thought about him being no better than a towel boy.

 

[Natebishop3]

You mean #41 after the other 5 rookies come in and perform better. That doesn't even count the 10 or so SG who are better PG then him.

Maybe they should change Blake's intro at the Rose Garden to:

"Number 35 among point guards...... Number one in our hearts! Steeeeeeeeeve BLAKE!"

 

[hasoos]

Blake=Blanky
Blake=No Choclate

 

[Natebishop3]

You said he made a career out of following around players . . . I read that as Blake is some calculated person who only succeeds because he follows players that will make him look good. And that just isn't true . . . but I must have read your post wrong.

Many players have played with the likes of Dixon, Roy and Iverson and have not succeeded. I think there is more to Blake than your thought about him being no better than a towel boy.

I absolutely think he has put himself in situations where he isn't expected to create with the ball. Do you think Blake could do what Miller does? Do you think he could lead the league in assists? He doesn't have good court vision. He isn't good at creating. Part of the reason why Blake is so bad at distributing is because he can't get by his man, thus he can't get into the paint and kick it out to shooters.

Blake isn't stupid. I've never thought he was a dumb guy. It really wouldn't surprise me if he did choose to play by guys like Roy, Iverson, and Dixon. Dixon just didn't translate well to the NBA. He was too short to be effective at the two, and he wasn't as good as an Iverson.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I absolutely think he has put himself in situations where he isn't expected to create with the ball. Do you think Blake could do what Miller does? Do you think he could lead the league in assists? He doesn't have good court vision. He isn't good at creating. Part of the reason why Blake is so bad at distributing is because he can't get by his man, thus he can't get into the paint and kick it out to shooters.

Blake isn't stupid. I've never thought he was a dumb guy. It really wouldn't surprise me if he did choose to play by guys like Roy, Iverson, and Dixon. Dixon just didn't translate well to the NBA. He was too short to be effective at the two, and he wasn't as good as an Iverson.

I'm confused. I respond to your post because you said Blake follows good players and that is why he is successful. I disputed that (because it's not true ) and then you said you didn't say anything about Blake making decisions. I said OK (I must have read your post in a way you didn't mean) and then now you start comparing him to Miller and saying he does make decisions to ride coattails of good players???

I don't know Nate, we aren't that far apart. I don't put Miller on the pedestal you do and Balke as a towel boy . . . but in general I agree that Miller has better court vision, can create better and get more assists. No one mentions how god awful slow he is for a PG (which is why him and Roy should work together, they both operate in slow mo) . . . but I would like to see Miller start (only because could it be any worse than what is going on)

 

[Natebishop3]

I'm confused. I respond to your post because you said Blake follows good players and that is why he is successful. I disputed that (because it's not true ) and then you said you didn't say anything about Blake making decisions. I said OK (I must have read your post in a way you didn't mean) and then now you start comparing him to Miller and saying he does make decisions to ride coattails of good players???

I don't know Nate, we aren't that far apart. I don't put Miller on the pedestal you do and Balke as a towel boy . . . but in general I agree that Miller has better court vision, can create better and get more assists. No one mentions how god awful slow he is for a PG (which is why him and Roy should work together, they both operate in slow mo) . . . but I would like to see Miller start (only because could it be any worse than what is going on)

let me clarify

The point of my OP was that Blake isn't good and that he has been riding the coattails of better players. Meaning, he has played next to guys like Dixon, Roy, and Iverson. These players cover for his lacking in the point guard department. If Blake was starting next to Martell Webster, he would look even worse then he does now.

With that said, he hasn't really had much of a choice about who he has played with. He was drafted by Washington, so he played with Dixon on the Wizards. He followed Dixon here, probably because he was comfortable playing next to Juan.

He was traded to Milwaukee, and then Denver, so he didn't get to choose to play next to Iverson. I think he did choose to play next to Roy though.

In summation, I'm saying that Blake isn't good enough to play in the NBA unless he's next to a talented scoring, creating, ball dominating guard. Thus, the "riding the coattails" comment.

 

[BBert]

In this case, Blake doesn't start because he's better than Miller. He starts because Roy and Miller haven't meshed. I put most of it on Roy. Players play; they don't look for excuses why they can't play with other people. They make it work.

It's time to be a leader, Brandon.

Right on. I would add that IMO Nate is enabling if not encouraging Brandon's attitude, and is even more culpable in this problem for these and other reasons (i.e. refusing to start Miller at PG with Roy at SG). That does not absolve Roy of his own culpability however. In light of all this, I'd be delighted if the Blazers could make a sweetheart Roy+Miller(or Blake or Bayless)+assets for CP3 deal. The Blazers would be unbelievable with CP/Aldridge/Oden/Batum.