Shaq doesn't have an outside shot either. How the fuck did he manage to win all those rings? Why didn't opposing coaches make adjustments and make Shaq a jump shooter? Stupid NBA coaches! Seriously, Alvin Gentry made one adjustment and Nate never countered. He allowed the Suns to get away with putting their worst defender, Steve Nash, on our small forward and their best defender, Grant Hill, on our PG. Allowing you're opponent to put their best defender on your PG totally disrupts your offense. Remember when the Bulls put Pippen on Magic? In game 1 of that series, Jordan guarded Magic and the Bulls lost by 2 points. In game 2, Jackson put Pippen on Magic and the Bulls went on to win four straight and their first NBA title. Unfortunately, with Roy injured, Rudy sucking and Batum disappearing (no doubt due to Nash's lock down defense), Phoenix was not made to pay for using their best defender on our PG. BNM
Comparing Shaq and Andre Miller, and then Magic Johnson to Miller? Really, that's the basis of your post??? You're better than that.
No shit. Nate got out coached by Alvin Gentry and Roy had a PER of 4.5 for the series, but yet again, it's Miller's fault the Blazers lost. How predictable. BNM
Old Grant Hill = prime Scottie Pippen? I'm not saying Miller is solely to blame for that series, but the only reason Hill was effective was because Miller CAN'T SHOOT. Hill wouldn't have been able to defend a PG with a jump shot.
"Taunting" LOL, Sly. I agree, btw. Good edit, although I really posted nothing other than the literal truth.
Who said Portland should've beaten Phoenix last year? Phoenix swept the Spurs didn't they? And reached the Western Finals.
Anyhow, back to the point of the thread. Miller was up 2-1 against Orlando with a home Game 4, and he choked. He was tied 1-1 against PHX with a home game, and he choked. The guy is not a proven winner at PG. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to win, though. It just means he doesn't win.
1. It's not a quote. It's hearsay with an unidentified (fictional?) source. 2. Of course I think he would make it up. Why would any Blazers employee high enough up the ladder to voice such an opinion risk losing his high-paying job to give Lund a "story" that would decrease Miller's trade value? 3. Seeing as how this is a very public smearing of Miller's character I suspect there's bad blood between the 2 from Miller's college days.
Thank You. A different PG and a different coach were not going to change the winner of that series or probably the winner of the individual games. You don't even have to watch the game to know if the Blazers lose, this board will be jumping on Miller and Nate with those posters having such conviction they will outtype with argument. I just don't think every loss can really be pinned on the same person every game . . . sometimes the other team is just better. Phx last year was more talented than Blazers.
No, it's because Roy was injured. A fully healthy Roy, and the Suns can't focus their defensive efforts on Miller. A fully healthy Roy and the Blazers win that series easily. The team pushed the Suns to 6 without Roy or Oden (arguably their two most talented players...Roy definitely at the time, Oden probably). Miller has never been a superstar who could carry a team to victory. He's been a top-ten point guard most of his career and a borderline All-Star. It isn't like it would take a cosmic fluke for a good, not great, player who cares about winning to play his entire career for teams not talented enough to make noise in the playoffs. While there's a simplistic satisfaction to evaluate players by the team accomplishments (it kind of sounds like "bottom line" even if it's illogical), playoff wins are determined by the whole roster.
PJ just announced he's done at the end of this season, though. Translation: Jedi Mind Tricks for fear of Spurs.
I think the criticism is unwarranted. It's not Miller's fault that he can't shoot. That's just the way it is. It has nothing to do with being content on a team that is not winning in the playoffs.
