Wes Matthews Tonight
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Shooter
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What's interesting to me is that this unheralded, almost unheard-of player (who was not drafted) came in and led the team in scoring last night with 20 points. That's more than Roy and Aldridge and Miller and Batum. Watch out, he could be something special.
THE HCP
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This is what worries me. I wouldn't expect anything near what we saw from him last night scoring wise during the reg season. I don't want peoples expectations to get out of wack because It was just one preseason game.
Wizard Mentor
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If everyone's healthy our 2nd unit is Bayless, Rudy, Wes, either Dante or Joel and Camby. A team with these players in it's starting-lineup could be playoff-bound, IMO.
BlazerCaravan
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Bayless, Rudy, Wes, Dante and Camby is a sick-ass lineup. I think also that we'll see a 10-man rotation in the regular season since we seem to have more guys off the bench who can make good decisions (and keep the offensive flow going) than we had two years ago (last year, we often didn't have ten guys, so it doesn't really count).
VanillaGorilla
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If we have this second unit and a 10 man rotation how many minutes will Matthews and Batum be playing?
Pinwheel1
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I agreee with the point I think you are making. Not enough. I would love for Rudy to stay and give us more depth. If you know my history, I am not a "consolidation" guy who believes that you go out of your way to make the bench happy. Injuries occur. But I don't think Rudy will be around to take minutes away from Matthews, which means Matthews will not take too many minutes away from Batum. They both will get 25 minutes a game. I would love to keep Rudy too, but I don't see how. Either way I loved the Matthews acquisition at the time and I stil do.
BlazerCaravan
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the first part of the If will not last; Rudy will lose minutes to Wes, either some or all. Therefore, I can't speculate on the second part of your If, which loads the question in preparation for a "Wesley Matthews/Nic Batum won't be happy with so few minutes." Nice try, but I won't fall for your trap.
VanillaGorilla
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What trap? I don't care right now if they will be happy or not. I don't want Rudy to play more than he should just because he whines. Matthews and Batum are obviously a lot better than him and there is no reason for Rudy to play at all when everyone is healthy.
BlazerCaravan
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Then why ask the question in the first place? Why not just say "I think Rudy shouldn't play because he'll be taking minutes away from Batum and Matthews." Why the snide questions? Seriously, in this forum, how could I not think you were just trying to exert superiority in a passive agressive manner? You certainly didn't ask the question expecting two numbers back. You wanted to prove me wrong in some roundabout manner. Just disagree with me and move on. I don't need your sarcastic Socratic silliness.
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The_Lillard_King
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It was interesting last night that in the second half Matthews came in for Andre. It was Roy, Matthews and Batum out there if my beer memory is correct.
BlazerCaravan
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Yep, but only for a few plays; Bayless went to the table as soon as Matthews came in (before a play had even formed). I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of that lineup.
VanillaGorilla
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I wasn't trying to be snide and I actually did and still do wonder how many minutes you think they will and/or should play. I didn't want to prove you wrong because I can't prove you wrong, I just wanted your opinion. Sorry I came off as passive aggressive, I really didn't mean to.
BlazerCaravan
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Well... don't I just feel silly. 
Sorry for acting like I haven't taken my meds yet.
Anyway, while I do think Nate will/should use a 10-man lineup, I think the backup 1/2/3 situation will end up like this:
Andre - 28 minutes (older, needs to be fresh for the 4th)
Roy - 32 minutes (especially pre-All Star break; let the man rest more!)
Batum - 28 minutes (he's clearly the starter, but I'm of the unpopular opinion that he shouldn't play rough NBA basketball for 36 minutes unless it's the playoffs)
Bayless - 20 minutes (he's earning his minutes more and more this year; Armon won't play unless a PG ahead of him is hurt)
Rudy - 12 minutes (as needed for spark, lots of 2nd quarter action)
Matthews - 24 minutes (20 minutes at SF, 4 at SG - if Rudy gets traded, this changes to 26 minutes, 14/12 split)
Dante - 6 minutes at SF (only after Rudy is gone)
Sorry for acting like I haven't taken my meds yet.
Anyway, while I do think Nate will/should use a 10-man lineup, I think the backup 1/2/3 situation will end up like this:
Andre - 28 minutes (older, needs to be fresh for the 4th)
Roy - 32 minutes (especially pre-All Star break; let the man rest more!)
Batum - 28 minutes (he's clearly the starter, but I'm of the unpopular opinion that he shouldn't play rough NBA basketball for 36 minutes unless it's the playoffs)
Bayless - 20 minutes (he's earning his minutes more and more this year; Armon won't play unless a PG ahead of him is hurt)
Rudy - 12 minutes (as needed for spark, lots of 2nd quarter action)
Matthews - 24 minutes (20 minutes at SF, 4 at SG - if Rudy gets traded, this changes to 26 minutes, 14/12 split)
Dante - 6 minutes at SF (only after Rudy is gone)
axs88
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I sure hope so. It just seems like Nate has always had a soft spot for Rudy ever since the Beijing Olympics. I could see him averaging 20 minutes and Batum being held to under 30. Just a funny feeling me and Mediocre Man share.
VanillaGorilla
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Well... don't I just feel silly.
Sorry for acting like I haven't taken my meds yet.
Anyway, while I do think Nate will/should use a 10-man lineup, I think the backup 1/2/3 situation will end up like this:
Andre - 28 minutes (older, needs to be fresh for the 4th)
Roy - 32 minutes (especially pre-All Star break; let the man rest more!)
Batum - 28 minutes (he's clearly the starter, but I'm of the unpopular opinion that he shouldn't play rough NBA basketball for 36 minutes unless it's the playoffs)
Bayless - 20 minutes (he's earning his minutes more and more this year; Armon won't play unless a PG ahead of him is hurt)
Rudy - 12 minutes (as needed for spark, lots of 2nd quarter action)
Matthews - 24 minutes (20 minutes at SF, 4 at SG - if Rudy gets traded, this changes to 26 minutes, 14/12 split)
Dante - 6 minutes at SF (only after Rudy is gone)
I can see that. And Andre only played 26 minutes a game last year so I could see him playing 24 or so. I realized that if Rudy is playing well (making 3s) then he should get some minutes to be a spark off the bench. I just don't feel confident that he will keep playing well if he is playing 10 or so minutes a game. Anyways, with Rudy, I'd go with this:
PG: Miller 26, Bayless 22
SG: Roy 34, Fernandez 8, Matthews 6
SF: Batum 30, Matthews 18
Without Rudy, which I think I would prefer, I'd do this:
Pg: Miller 26, Bayless 22
SG: Roy 34, Matthews 14
SF: Batum 32, Matthews 16
VanillaGorilla
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I share that feeling as well.
BlazerCaravan
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I see it happening (a 28/20 split with Matthews), but I don't think that's bad. Batum is skinny, and relies on being slim and fast. But in an 82-game season against big buff SF's every night, his risk of injury is high. I say it's a good thing to play him less than 30 minutes a game until the playoffs. I also think Roy should play less, as well as Andre, and LMA once Camby and Oden are both back. We should be able to play our starters no more than 32 minutes a night and still win a lot of games if we're healthy.
BlazerCaravan
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I really like your w/o Rudy splits; if Matthews can hack being a short SF (he certainly seems strong enough) then he can make hay as our 30mpg SuperSub. In fact, I'd be he'd be up for 6th Man Of The Year with that minute split.
Andre averaged over 30mpg last year. He wasn't happy as a 26mpg bench player, and got nearly 32mpg as a starter.
STOMP
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I share that feeling but don't think its a bad thing. Especially early on to profile him for a trade, it makes sense to play Rudy. If relatively healthy, this Portland club is absolutely loaded and will be killing teams regardless of whether Nic plays 25 or 30 MPG... I want him playing 30 MPG when the rotation is shortened in the postseasonaxs88 said:
STOMP
BlazerCaravan
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I think it was more that he wasn't happy as a bench player period. As a starter, he spent much of the season without solid play from his backups (Blake stunk it up off the bench, and Bayless was B-Rex). IF (I know, big if) Bayless can create well with Wes Matthews here, I think that takes some stress off of Andre. I would prefer our starters shed about 4 minutes a game this season. If that drops Andre to 28 minutes, so be it.
Further
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The big IFis if Wes can continue to shoot the ball from distance at a good clip. His D and energy are solid and his style of play, so I expect to see that every night. IF he can be consistent at knocking down 2+ three-pointers per game then I really think he will force Nate to give him near-starter minutes. IF..., then Rudy and his abilities are negated and regardless of a trade or not, he will not get minutes.
However, IF... does not pan out, and his shooting is sporadic or too slow of a release or something like that, then all the other SG/SF will have a shot at getting the minutes. This team as designed needs to hit corner 3's consistently to open up lanes for Roy and space for the bigs.
One of the things that made me happy was that it looks like Roy has been working on his 3-ball. Roy, Bayless and Fernandez were all excellent last night from downtown, and Wes was good but not great. I think if these men can keep it up, it will prove to be an excellent season.
However, IF... does not pan out, and his shooting is sporadic or too slow of a release or something like that, then all the other SG/SF will have a shot at getting the minutes. This team as designed needs to hit corner 3's consistently to open up lanes for Roy and space for the bigs.
One of the things that made me happy was that it looks like Roy has been working on his 3-ball. Roy, Bayless and Fernandez were all excellent last night from downtown, and Wes was good but not great. I think if these men can keep it up, it will prove to be an excellent season.
BlazerCaravan
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What was Wes from 3 last night? NBA.com is giving me the runaround.
BlazerCaravan
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38%... that's definitely good. One thing I noticed that caught me by surprise because I didn't watch him before the fanfest... he's really aggressive offensively, especially for a guy pinned as a "defensive player". A (very small) part of me worries about this, but hey, if he's The Man in the 2nd Unit, then that's perfectly fair. I don't know what Nate has given him the green light to do.
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