TRob = Captain Crunch?

[Boob-No-More]

Yea it's been a very welcome improvement. But still very annoying. Rudy Gay the other night was ridiculous, crashing in with no control and getting FT's.

The rule is very simple and easy to call. The rec league I play in has had a video call the Principle of Verticality on their web site for a couple years. Basically, if a defensive player jumps straight up, and keeps his arms extended straight upward, he is not the one initiating contact and not responsible for a foul. Freeland showed this improvement in summer league and preseason. It has become second nature to him. Leonard has also been going straight up a lot more. It looks like he still has to think about it, but hopefully it will become second nature to him as well. Blocking or altering a shot in this way isn't as spectacular as swatting the ball into the 10th row, but it's more effective (fewer fouls, more likely for the defense to recover the blocked ball, etc.)

BNM

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

He's supposed to be 6'9.

Only if Wes is 6'7.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

My favorite and least favorite part about all this is Clownzano's video take on Robinson last night calling last nights performance the BEST of the season.

If he's going to write about the Blazers, it would be cool if he remembered more than the current game and didn't try so hard to pander to an already turned-off fan base from his incredulity and garble.

Robinson vs Phx @ the Rose Garden

Team high 15 pts, along with 8 rebounds (4 offensive), 1 stl, 1 blk in a 1 point victory

 

[Boob-No-More]

Only if Wes is 6'7.

Yeah, Wes doesn't have exceptional height for a SG, but he has a lot of upper body strength. I really like the way he's been posting up lately.

BNM

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

The rule is very simple and easy to call. The rec league I play in has had a video call the Principle of Verticality on their web site for a couple years. Basically, if a defensive player jumps straight up, and keeps his arms extended straight upward, he is not the one initiating contact and not responsible for a foul. Freeland showed this improvement in summer league and preseason. It has become second nature to him. Leonard has also been going straight up a lot more. It looks like he still has to think about it, but hopefully it will become second nature to him as well. Blocking or altering a shot in this way isn't as spectacular as swatting the ball into the 10th row, but it's more effective (fewer fouls, more likely for the defense to recover the blocked ball, etc.)

BNM

It's not as sexy (see E-Spin highlights) but it is far more effective. I really am blown away by the improvement of Freeland, and of course the addition of Lopez, and even LA in that respect. Fewer fouls and hgh chance to create a turnover.

 

[riverman]

I'm not a fan of calling any player on the team "crunch"....it sounds too much like something's breaking.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Yeah, Wes doesn't have exceptional height for a SG, but he has a lot of upper body strength. I really like the way he's been posting up lately.

BNM

I love Wes. He knows his strengths and improves his weaknesses every year. Robinson is very interesting to me. 6 feet whatever doesn't matter if you have talent and a motor. He has both, just needs a little refinement.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I love Wes. He knows his strengths and improves his weaknesses every year. Robinson is very interesting to me. 6 feet whatever doesn't matter if you have talent and a motor. He has both, just needs a little refinement.

Yep, Roninson needs to harness that energy and cut down on the mistakes at both ends. That was the best part about his game last night - all of the energy, none of the mistakes.

BNM

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

I'm not a fan of calling any player on the team "crunch"....it sounds too much like something's breaking.

Yes, there is nothing good in NBA basketball that has ever come from the nickname "crunch". It's easily one of the dumbest, and most extraneous names I've ever heard.

No surprise, Clownzano didn't bother to Google "NBA" and "crunch" and "nickname"

BASKETBAWFUL

The All-time Worst Basketball Nicknames

Captain Crunch: Jalen Rose got this nickname when he was leading the 2004-05 Toronto Raptors to a 33-win season. How many games would they have won without his crunch-time heroics? Probably around 27, which is how many they won after he was traded during the 2005-06 season. The name is also synonymous with a cereal that turns to goop in milk and tastes like soggy cardboard. Blech.

 

[blue9]

I much prefer "raisin bran"

How about the nickname Raisin Brain until he improves his BBIQ?

 

[BBert]

Turrible nickname.

He played like he must have had his Wheaties, so....

Just turrible.

SMH

 

[MickZagger]

How about the sniper. Since he's from DC and all.

 

[riverman]

I heard some of his teammates refer to him as Truck during a practice report I think.

 

[Natebishop3]

I heard some of his teammates refer to him as Truck during a practice report I think.

Yup. That's his nicname.

 

[Public Defender]

Best line in the column had nothing to do with T-Rob:

Again, Matthews played angry, like the Magic stole his bicycle.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Yup. That's his nicname.

His teammates call him "Truck"? That would be fine if there wasn't already an NBA player called Truck Robinson.

Yeah we have to help them out with something better.

 

[Drttimmy]

He was in at crunch time last night and won the Phoenix game in crunch time. He loves the cereal too.

As Nate might have said if his tenure was longer, "Robinson's going to win us 4 games this year." Halfway there.

The bench is definitely a work in progress, but I'm less worried if a starter goes down (for a short stretch) than I was at the start of the season. I think we'd weather the storm okay.