Not really sure how Batum only gets 17 minutes. Blake was shooting hot, but it's not like he was brilliant at distributing. Portland ran up the big score with Batum in the game, and it was pretty much downhill whenever they took him out. Shocking, really, how he had such an impact on the game without really padding many stats. He just played smart, annoying defense and got some tough offensive boards.
I can't watch the game because of Comcast, but I notice that Roy again is struggling and the LMA has 2 REBOUNDS for the game. But let's blame Outlaw for being efficient on offense, which is his role, and for outrebouding LMA, which isn't his role.
Well if Nate would have taken out Blake and went big with Batum, Roy, Rudy/Outlaw..we would have been fine. Outside of the 1st half, Blake was a non factor. I don't like Blake in at crunch time, we have too many better options on the bench.
I'm willing to get Nate the benefit of the doubt without Oden, but if this crap keeps happening, he needs to be on the hot seat. Our sets simply do not allow for attacking the basket and our D is sub-par.
i was thoroughly underwhelmed by the lineups down the stretch. i'm tired of the excuses for blake. he is bringing so little to the table at this point late in games. he doesn't handle the ball (roy does), he's not a good defender (i think batum has earned a much bigger role at this point), and is not even hitting spot up shots... so what exactly is he doing out there? i like the guy, and am fine with him starting, but this "small" lineup in the 4th was bad. you go small to get quick, easy shots. instead, our small ball tried to grind it out and settle for shots late in the clock.
Stat of the game: Utah 16-17 at the line in the 4th 5-5 the rest of the game. It's like clockwork - Utah trailing at home late, Utah lives at the free throw line.
Re: Stat of the game: Utah 16-17 at the line in the 4th My stat of the game is LMA having only 2 rebounds yet 6 fouls. He is regressing.
LMA has simply GOT to pull down more than 2 rebounds in a game. He's not looking like the All Star I hoped he'd become someday. I think what we see is what we get.
I hate Nate's stubbornness. He keeps believing his veterans will pull through for him. Newsflash, play the players who are playing well and making a difference in the game. Some of the lineups just dumbfounded me.
ZERO rebounds in 20 minutes for Frye..man, shouldn't Ike have been a perfect for this role against a physical Utah team? Where was the Channing we saw at the tail end of last year?
IF LMA was doing a better job on the boards, we could have gone Roy/Rudy/Batum/Outlaw/LMA. But LMA was sucking so much on the glass that we had to have Joel in there.
Nate McMillan is just another reason why taking Kevin Pritchard's words seriously is not smart. Now, Pritchard may be the best GM in the NBA, but he clearly sugarcoats whatever he is talking about and is just hyping things up. Numerous times he has said McMillan is the best young coach in the league, but when you watch the Blazers play you just don't see it. Same thing with Oden. Earlier in the summer Pritchard said Oden has all of his athleticism and explosiveness back. After watching pre-season of Oden, Oden's not even close to his old athleticism. I'm tired of the hype machine. I want results.
Which lineup do you believe should've been in there at the end of the game. I keep hearing people say Put so and so in, put so and so in, but we can only have 5 guys out there! What 5 do you put out there?
The sets are fine, but everybody with a "boo" in their voice hated Jarrett Jack, which is ironic since many of the same people are now calling the team soft (which Jack wasn't) and unable to get to the rim (Jack's specialty, even if he turned it over). I'm not saying you were in this camp, BTW, but I love the armchair complainers who post similar things.
There's enough talent on the team to see results. Anything else is just excuses. You have an all star in Roy and borderline all star in Aldridge, with good complimentary players like Rudy/Przy/Outlaw. I'm tired of excuses. Show me something or stop hyping it up.
Man... 1-3 is really disappointing.. hopefully this brutal start doesn't demoralize us the rest of the year with a big road trip coming up.. yikes.
Yep, as one of the FEW Jack supporters, I knew what he brought to the table and knew he would be missed. Jerry can attack, but stubborn Nate thinks Blake is better...whatever
