Yes, Nate is a good motivator, disciplinarian, etc etc. But he continually chances the game with his retarded substitution patterns. Lets see, how about I take out a hot Sergio and put in a cold Blake in crunch time when there's 3 fucking minutes left? Oops, changed my mind. Nope, just kidding. Game. Thanks again Nate!
He usually leaves player's who have been playing well, in. According to him at least. Nate (On the Celtics game, being asked about why he kept with the bench): They were the ones who got us there, so I left them in.
I guess, occasionally. But how many times have we seen Batum go off in the first 5 minutes of the game, only to be subbed out just because it's midway through the first and that's what the sarge pre-determined before the game? How many times has Sergio been yanked after dropping some dimes and wetting a three? KP has masked Nate's inability to insert the correct lineup in at the correct time by taking away most of our bad players (read: Jack), but it's a frustrating and re-occuring theme. Anyone who's been watching him for more than a few games has to agree.
I don't buy that subbing Blake in for Sergio lost us this game. Sergio was playing great for most of the 3rd and into the 4th quarter -he was getting A LOT more burn than he normally does and rightfully so b/c he was playing well. But he might have been getting winded and you also need Blake in the game in those late game, free throw shooting situations because he's a 90%+ FT shooter and is accustomed to those late game FT situations - Sergio not so much. Several errors in the last minute lost us the game - Nate substituting Blake for Sergio didn't kill the game for us.
Other than the BOSTON game, which was a blowout that he clearly stopped actively coaching at halftime, I've NEVER seen him do it. He certainly didn't tonight. Blake for Sergio defied all reason at that point. This was Blake's worst game I've seen him play. He probably didn't even want to go back in.
Those errors that lost us the game were committed by a cold, foul-laden Blake, and did you even watch the game?
My favorite Nate coaching sub this year was actually just in the Toronto game. He takes out Joel in the 4th (admittedly Joel was getting abused by O'Neal all game) and instead of putting in Oden (this was around the 7 minute mark I believe) he puts in Travis and goes small! This was when Oden had been having a great defensive game and really controlling the boards by either getting the rebound or tapping it out to a teammate. It almost cost us the game.
It wasn't just a 2-3 zone that leaves the elbow 3's open....it was a 1-2-2 that leaves the corners open. And guess where the rain was coming from???
Yeah, I watched the game - from the cold start in the first quarter through the hot shooting of the third/fourth to the agony of the last minute. Blake didn't single handedly lose the game for us - you still need him in the game for his free throw shooting in those situations. I'd love to see all the ape-shit craziness that would've been this forum had Sergio been left in there and made even one mistake. Nate played the percentages and went with his more seasoned vet and the better free throw shooter. So it didn't work out - but you don't/can't win them all. You DID see that Hedo BANKED in a three pointer, right? I'm fairly sure he didn't call bank on it.
What, don't you know the old saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 6258 times, WTF are you thinking. I never thought any defense should be illegal, but I wish zone was illegal just to keep Nate from doing this shit.
Man, I just love this place. We lose a game that we should've won because of a miracle shot. That shot could've just as easily missed. And after just about every loss, even an impropable one like this one, you got people shitting on the coach and Blake. Shit, what has Blake done for us lately besides hit that game winning three vs. Toronto just two nights ago? I guess nothing. The guy's going to make some and he's going to miss some - that's why they keep shooting stats. And people bitching about McMillan's sub-patterns - which I understand is a recurring theme around here - but since the team has won about 2/3rd of their games, I guess he's just been lucky 2/3rd of the time and is coaching the team to wins in spite of himself? It's a tough loss that should've been a win. We got two or three that went in our favor already this season (Rockets, Spurs and Sacto) so you lose some. Can't win them all.
People have been discussing Nate's bad coaching substitutions and defensive/offensive sets for year. It's only getting louder now as more people realize it.
I could coach this team to a good record. Let me keep the assistant coaches so I would know what I was talking about and this team would still win. I am sorry but pro sports franchises baffle me sometimes. Here are two examples in the NFL....Norv Turner and Wade Phillips. HORRIBLE, just HORRIBLE.
Did you just make a mistake? Sergio and Blake on Rashard? Does someone on the Blazers want to make it seem like Lewis is worth his contract? I am kinda happy I missed the end of this game. YIKES!
According to just about every fan here, they all can coach better than Nate . . . and probably wheel and deal better than KP. And have fatter wallets than PA. For us to sit around posting our thoughts after the fact is pretty easy to do. Put yourself in a suit trying to manage/coach 10-12 multi-millionaire 20-somethings on TV, in front of 20,000 screaming fans and the ever present media - then we'll see how you really do. Must be how you explain the fact that we all know the answers to Jeopardy when watching at home - but the people actually on the show sometimes have those deer in headlights look? It's the effect of the spotlight.
I don't actually know all of the answers to Jeopardy, even at home. I do believe McMillan is making millions of dollars coaching this team. I would say someone who makes that money might need to prove that they are exceptional at what they are doing. As for Jeopardy, I think that Ken Jennings guy (I think that is his name off the top of my head..me=genius) would be a better coach. I bet my wallet is fatter than Allen's. It isn't loaded with cash but I recently bought one at Ross that is way too thick. I was in a hurry. I think KP is a genius, I just wish I could read his mind after games like this one. I would bet good money that ridding the team of McMillan is in his plans. Patience is a virtue that I just don't generally display.
nope you are right, i could not coach this team as well as Nate does, but i know a bunch of guys that could. I've said it for the last two years, when this team gets to the elite level and is challenging for championships, nate will not be our coach.
Have you read this forum? We all watch the games but we disagree about everything under the sun and this isn't a rare exception. STOMP
