Tough position for McMillan to be in...

Up until this season, it was easy for Nate to point this team in one direction. He had Roy, Roy was his All-Star. Easy to choose who would get the ball. Easy to choose who to run the offense through. Easy to pick a lineup.

This season he's facing a dilemma.

Oden or Roy. This is really what it all boils down to. Does he run the team through Oden, or does he stick with what he thinks has been working, and go with Roy?

Oden was injured for his rookie season, and he was a rookie learning the game last season, but now he's actually playing like a #1 pick and earning some respect. He needs touches. He needs players around him who can get him the ball.

Running the team for Oden means more entry passes. Means Andre Miller needs to be in there.

Running the team for Roy means Steve Blake. Means Roy is running the point and Blake is spotting up for three.

Roy is used to being the center of the offense. With Oden in there, he's no longer the center of the offense, and is forced to adjust.

It's obvious that McMillan is forced to choose between keeping Roy happy and maximizing Oden's talent. This is why we've seen the team flip flop. This is why we've seen guys confused. I think McMillan wants to bring along Oden, but he's torn between his star center and his star guard.

Any coach we bring in will have this same problem

 

You're probably right, but some of this could be ameliorated if the team didn't play at such a glacial pace; fewer possessions means fewer shot attempts to spread around and with a roster this loaded with guys who really seem to be at their best when they are getting lots of touches it's bound to create tension.

What a fucking mess.

 

Nate - best analysis so far.

Why can't we be like the 80s Lakers - Kareem, Magic, and Worthy - everyone knew their role, had a defined role, and accepted it.

 

Everyone there got their shots. The Lakers were run-n-gun. It's not that easy with McMillan's pace.

 

Having a dominant big man and a great guard is a blessing, not a curse.

The Lakers 3-peated with Shaq and Kobe. The Heat won a title with Wade and Shaq. The Spurs won multiple titles with Duncan/Parker/Ginobili. The Celtics won a title with KG and Pierce/Allen.

No, Oden isn't Shaq, Duncan or KG, but his development is being hindered by the way Nate is misusing him.

BNM

 

McHale looked great as MN's coach. I think he'd be great for Greg.

 

Shaq and Kobe hated each other. They didn't get along, and eventually Kobe ran Shaq out of town.

Wade and Shaq were good together for only one year. Even then, Shaq was on the downside of his career and Wade was the star.

Duncan had already won titles without Parker or Ginobili.

Celtics won with three aging stars who had already earned their stripes.

These are not good examples BNM. Really, the only good example was Shaq and Kobe, and that's actually a bad sign. Two guys who want/should be featured in the offense. A deep rift eventually leading to a bad breakup.

None of those other teams featured two young stars entering their primes.

 

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Mike Dunleavy. That guy knew how to use multiple weapons. He got his teams prepared by having them learn lots of different looks, and then he went with the most favorable matchups. You could say he did that to an extreme - and played too often based on the opponent, and not enough on simply having the Blazers exert their will - but the result was a star-studded team getting within a hair's breadth of a championship.

Back then it was a case of... OK, does the team have a slow-footed point guard? We're going to let Damon Stoudamire attack him off the dribble, and either shoot or create. Does the team lack a really physical player inside? OK, we'll go to Sabas, again and again. Small shooting guard? Great - watch out for Steve Smith or Bonzi Wells. A power forward who's weak on defense? Rasheed Wallace will eat him alive.

You could substitute in "Andre Miller" for Damon Stoudamire, "Greg Oden" for Sabas, "Brandon Roy" for Smitty and Bonzi, and "LaMarcus Aldridge" for Rasheed Wallace. With the exception of Dre/Damon, you could argue that the new Blazers are far less experienced than the 2000/2001 teams that I'm comparing them with, but they're every bit as talented.

 

Greg and Roy don't hate each other. And, even if they did, if we get three titles out of them, I'll be happy.

I don't think Greg has Shaq's ego and NEEDS to be THE man. Greg is a quiteter, more modest person than Shaq. He doesn't crave the spotlight and attention nearly as much. He also doesn't need 20 shots a game. Hell, I'd be happy if he got 10 this year and maybe 15 during his prime.

The big difference is those Lakers teams had an offense (triangle) that allowed both Shaq and Kobe to average about 20 FGA/G during their three championship seasons. Nate's current offense is getting Roy 14.9 FGA/G and Greg 7.3 FGA/G. This isn't an issue of Roy vs. Oden - they are both being underused.

BNM

 

But Blanky needs his 10 or 12 shots per game!

 

He takes 7.

 

/sarcasm

 

Don't know what the point of it was though. It's not a cheap shot at Blake if it isn't even close to true.

 

it's not right if Flake is shooting the ball almost as much as Oden.

 

We need the triangle.

 

From what I read about the Clippers, he'll be on the list soon, along with Kevin McHale and Lawrence Frank.

 

/facepalm

 

...no thank you to all three

 

I think everybody who posted in this thread should coach the team.

It's obvious how to make them better, right?

 

6.7 shots per game for BLANKY.

Miller takes 8.2.

BLANKY is at 4 A/G. Miller is at 4.7 A/G.

BLANKY is 1.5 TO/G. Miller is at 2.1 A/G.

Let's start bringing some objectivity to the table.