The "Craig Smith" 10 man rotation petition...

[Blazer4ever]

is he good enough to play 10 MPG behind Lamarcus?

 

[illmatic99]

Against certain teams, absolutely. Nate needs to trust the guy.

 

[Sean.ivity]

With the scheduling this season and the age of the front line you have to be able to go 10 deep until late in the season.

 

[julius]

Unless the teams wants to have more games like last night (where they are running with Velcro on their shoes), they should find minutes for him.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Boo on the 10 man rotation

 

[KingSpeed]

Umm he's played the last few games. What's the deal?

 

[Boob-No-More]

In the five games Smith has played in, he's averaging 9.8 MPG. He got DNPs in two (PHI and DEN) of the Blazers first three games. In the last three games (OKC, LAL and PHO), he's played: 11:35, 11:01 and 15:58. So, I'd say Nate is using him about right. Smith is a solid back-up 4 that has proven he can score in the paint. I think he was a great pick-up for the money, but unless there is an injury, I can't see any reason he should be getting any more minutes than he is currently.

BNM

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Boo on the 10 man rotation

Why? We need it with the condensed schedule.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Why? We need it with the condensed schedule.

Nate can't stop himself from going with two units

 

[Blazer4ever]

I was talking to a friend today about Joel Pryzbilla. If he's healthy why not sign him?

 

[Nikolokolus]

I was talking to a friend today about Joel Pryzbilla. If he's healthy why not sign him?

The very I little heard about Joel before the preseason was from LaMarcus in an interview and from what I heard it sounded like Przybilla is probably retired. If a guy doesn't want to play any more, not much reason to sign him.

 

[Blazer4ever]

I thought he's just unsigned. If he signs for the minimum which we can offer to anyone why not sign him? if healthy or even healthy enough he's worth more than the minimum.

 

[magnifier661]

I was talking to a friend today about Joel Pryzbilla. If he's healthy why not sign him?

That's the question... Is he really healthy?

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's the question... Is he really healthy?

I don't think so ... He had some pretty significant injuries the past couple of years. Add those to his age and I just think he's probably happier to be sitting at home in Minnesota with his family.

 

[magnifier661]

I don't think so ... He had some pretty significant injuries the past couple of years. Add those to his age and I just think he's probably happier to be sitting at home in Minnesota with his family.

As he should. I mean he knows how healthy he really is. It could be he could still play and risk more damaging injury (insert Roy's decision to medically retire). I wish him the best too! Always a fan of that stud!

 

[magnifier661]

I don't think so ... He had some pretty significant injuries the past couple of years. Add those to his age and I just think he's probably happier to be sitting at home in Minnesota with his family.

As he should. I mean he knows how healthy he really is. It could be he could still play and risk more damaging injury (insert Roy's decision to medically retire). I wish him the best too! Always a fan of that stud!

 

[jlprk]

I kept reading that he said he planned to sign after Christmas so he could spend Christmas with his family. This sounded ridiculous to me but no one else doubted it.

He's turning down a million a year after a $42M career full of injuries, assuming that a team would have signed him, which isn't a sure thing at all.

 

[magnifier661]

I would like to see Craig Smith get about 10-15 minutes a game. Playing a "Mark Bryant" type role on the team. He obviously isn't "The Answer"; but could give us extra help in the low post.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Caveat for small sample sizes and all that stuff, but:

.680 TS%, .600 FG%, Rebound rate 14%, Assist Rate 18% PER 17.17. Maybe more importantly he doesn't look too bad out there. Not bad.

 

[magnifier661]

Caveat for small sample sizes and all that stuff, but:

.680 TS%, .600 FG%, Rebound rate 14%, Assist Rate 18% PER 17.17. Maybe more importantly he doesn't look too bad out there. Not bad.

Yeah it just seems like he does good, when he's on the floor. I remembered we were having such a touch time against Bynum; then Rhino came in and really made it hard for Bynum to get position. And he's got some decent post moves. But even more important; was his ability to get the offensive rebound or tip after a missed shot.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Nate can't stop himself from going with two units

This is a complete fallacy. Go to 82games.com and look at Top Five-Man Floor Units. Our starting five has played played 120.4 minutes together. The top five man unit that doesn't contain at least one starter has played a whopping total of 8.3 minutes together this season. The top five man unit that doesn't have at least two starters has played 12.5 minutes. Note those numbers are total minutes for the season, not minutes per game.

If you look at least year's top five man floor units, you will see a similar trend. Other than garbage time, Nate almost always leaves at least one starter on the floor, usually two, with the second unit. Other than 5-on-5 scrimmage during practice, there is absolutely no evidence to remotely suggest that "Nate can't stop himself from going with two units".

BNM

 

[Mediocre Man]

This is a complete fallacy. Go to 82games.com and look at Top Five-Man Floor Units. Our starting five has played played 120.4 minutes together. The top five man unit that doesn't contain at least one starter has played a whopping total of 8.3 minutes together this season. The top five man unit that doesn't have at least two starters has played 12.5 minutes. Note those numbers are total minutes for the season, not minutes per game.

If you look at least year's top five man floor units, you will see a similar trend. Other than garbage time, Nate almost always leaves at least one starter on the floor, usually two, with the second unit. Other than 5-on-5 scrimmage during practice, there is absolutely no evidence to remotely suggest that "Nate can't stop himself from going with two units".

BNM

Just going off past years. This year he has really narrowed that rotation down.

 

[magnifier661]

Just going off past years. This year he has really narrowed that rotation down.

It's a good thing too. I think the tighter you have the rotation, the more tighter the offense.

 

[Mediocre Man]

It's a good thing too. I think the tighter you have the rotation, the more tighter the offense.

I have always agreed with this philosophy. This year might be the one exception.

 

[magnifier661]

I have always agreed with this philosophy. This year might be the one exception.

You can argue that because of the tighten schedule. But that spurs team that won it the last time we had a condensed schedule had a very similar tight rotation. They started out bad, then kicked it in high gear at the midway point.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Just going off past years. This year he has really narrowed that rotation down.

OK, look it up on 82games.com and show me in past seasons which five man units, that didn't include a single starter, played a significant number of minutes (and please remember guys like Juwan Howard and Dante Cunningham started a lot of games due to injuries, so don't just automatically consider them non-starters). Other than garbage time, Nate has always left at least one starter, often two, on the court with the "second unit". It's one of the reasons Roy, and especially Aldridge, have always played so many minutes.

You're going off myth (a myth you created and continue to perpetuate), not facts. There are things I don't like about Nate, but this criticism simply isn't supported by the actual data provided at 82games.com.

BNM