I'm convinced Sergio has dirt on Nate

Yes, it's a well established fact that Sergio can't shoot, can't play defense and dribbles around pointlessly. I'll take the raw "combo" guard over the "established' Sergio any day.

The simple fact is Nate hates change - especially mid-season. He prefers consistency and comfort. He likes to establish player roles and rotations early in the season and then stick with them. It took him 50 games two years ago to get LaMarcus Aldridge in the line-up ahead of Jamaal Magloire. The fact is, Sergio came into the season as the back-up PG and that's likely where he will stay for the rest of the season.

Bayless will get an opportunity to beat out Sergio, but it won't likely come until training camp (or until Sergio is traded).

Look for the same thing to happen next year between Blake and Bayless. Blake will begin the season as the starting PG, and Bayless the back-up. Even if Bayless outplays him, Blake will remain the starter until Bayless beats him out in the following season's training camp.

I'm not bashing Nate for this. There is some advantage to consistency and well established roles, especially on a team this young. Even though I think Bayless is a better player right now, than Sergio, the guys on the second unit are used to playing with Sergio. That allows them to relax and play within their comfort zone. They know their roles and what to expect from Sergio (poor shooting, no defense and lots of dribbling).

BNM

 

And obviously a far better grasp of team defense than many posters on this board.

 

I suppose you think this is a damning - stop the discussion - point.

It is not.

Nate choosing to play Sergio over Bayless is ASSUMED.

The rest follows from that. You pointing out the obvious is just so much hot air to no effect.

As for "blowhards" posting their opinions on a message board for christsakes, isn't that the point of this exercise?

It's like going to a nusery and complaining about all the damn plants everywhere. Dude. We know.

 

So you obviously supported Nate playing JJ over him last year, right?

And you will be first in line to agree when they ship Sergio out this summer and hand the backup minutes to Bayless...

 

Patently absurd.

He's got talent, but you guys are man-crushing him to death.

Give him a few years to develop into the player he can be.

 

I wouldn't read too much out of it either, though.

The couple of times Bayless has had a + it has been compared here to Moses parting the Red Sea.

 

Bayless = Robert Pack at this stage of his career.

 

Where have you been for the last month?

He got quite an extended opportunity, showed some promise but didn't measure up yet to Sergio or Steve in Nate's eyes, mostly on the defensive end according to Nate.

 

I'd rate the Packman much higher, and certainly higher at PG and defense.

 

Does anyone else notice the irony here??!!

 

Most posters seem to think the fact that we're consistently outplaying nearly every team we meet is the result of some evil conspiracy to disappoint fans by putting certain players on the court just because they keep winning games.

I shudder to think the anguish they will experience should we win the Title.

 

Link?

Like I said, Nate doesn't like to rock the boat. He assigns players roles and sticks with those roles. Steve is the starter and Sergio is the back-up. Steve goes out and Sergio moves up to starter and Bayless moves up to back-up. Steve comes back and Sergio is back to 2nd and Bayless 3rd on the depth chart.

I'd love to see a quote from Nate where he says specifically that Bayless doesn't measure up to Sergio in his eyes. I know he said Sergio has a better "grasp" of team defense than Balyless. But that's damning with faint praise. He never said Sergio plays better defense than Bayless. And if it's Sergio's defense that's winning him minutes, that'll be a first. That's kind of like putting Michael Ruffin in with the game on the line for his FT shooting (or should I say his grasp of the FT shooting concept).

BNM

 

WE Have a man-crush?

 

It boggles my mind how anyone can watch Sergio and think he's a good player, let alone a good point guard. I watched all of the first half last night, and some of the second half. In the first quarter, Blake showed what a true point guard can do with this offense. I've been critical of Blake's passing this season, but last night he was in the zone. He was finding people, he was getting Aldridge involved, it was a thing of beauty. Blake almost looked like Chris Paul out there. It was such a stark contrast to what Sergio brings, and how so many people overestimate Sergio's passing abilities. I don't think I've seen Rodriguez run the offense that well all season, despite the fact that he's a "pure point guard" and has "great court vision." Sergio is a waste of space. He can't shoot, he can't defend, and his passing is average at best.

 

Sergio had a pretty good 4th QTR in garbage time I thought. I'm still amazed by how little he passes unless he can get the assist. I don't like the flow with him in there.

 

All I have to say is thank GOD Blake is back.