Merged: Miller & Blake: who should start?

No, and I didn't.

 

Blake is one of the best backup points in the league.
Miller is a top-15 starting PG.

Starters, by position:
PG: Top 15 (Miller)
SG: Top 3
SF: Based on last year, bottom quartile. If Batum improves, could be average.
PF: Top 10 for sure, maybe Top 5.
C: Top 10 (in rebound rate, Top 3).

That is a pretty amazing lineup. It should contend by 2011, and maybe even this year. I don't think any other team has a lineup this strong.

iWatas

 

I haven't taken the time to read this thread. Miller should start, but I am curious as to who will see the 4th quarter minutes at PG. Miller or Blake, or will Rudy play point the 4th? I will be interested to see what Nate does this season.

 

Off the top of my my head I'd wager you'll see Andre, Rudy, Roy, Aldridge and Oden in the end of games, that gives you two creators/facilitators in Brandon and Andre, 4 scorers, 3 shooters (Brandon, Rudy, Aldridge) 2 guys with great size and length ... and no more "dribble, dribble, pull-up 21 foot crazy jump shot" action from Travis

 

Re: Miller Best As The Backup

Andre, Rudy, Webster, _____, Pryzbilla

But I essentially agree, the reason you might put Dre in with the second unit, is because those guys might have trouble creating their own shots. Blake does not create, but Miller could create.

 

I agree, except I wouldn't put Aldridge in with Roy and Rudy, he cannot hit a long ball and until he does consistently don't assume he can. Andre shoots about the same range as Aldridge.

That is seriously a vicious lineup at the end!

 

LMA started adding the long ball to his arsenal late last season; I wouldn't be surprised if he started hitting those a little more, kind of like Rasheed adding that to his game after his 4th season.

 

Re: Miller & Blake: who should start?

Go ahead and throw out all the stats you want. Go team by team, bring up their starting PG and tell me they aren't better.

Lets go through them shall we?

Golden State-Monta Ellis, definitly better.
LA Clippers-Baron Davis, definitly better.
LA Lakers-Derek Fisher, definitly better.
Utah Jazz-Deron Williams. Do I even have to say anything here?
Oklahoma City-Westbrook, already better and with upside.
New Orleans-Chris Paul. Enough said.
Denver Nuggets-Chauncey Billups, Enough said.
Dallas Mavericks-Jason Kidd. Duh.
Phoenix Suns-Steve Nash. Hmm do we even need to think about that one?
Houston Rockets-Aaron Brooks. Better. Period.
San Antonio Spurs-Tony Parker
Minnesota Timberwolves-Bassy (worst).

You can argue stats until you are blue in the face. Those guys, all except Bassy are better and I would take any of them over Steve Blake any day of the week, any team, any time.

 

No doubt that Outlaw has hit some game winners, but I think Rudy can still perform better under pressure. Silver medal anyone?

 

Re: Miller & Blake: who should start?

Sebastian was traded to the Clips. Minny has Flynn and maybe Rubio eventually.

 

Who knew that Steve Blake was the main reason that POR won 54 games last year?

and he was so clutch in the playoffs...totally owning Aaron Brooks....oh wait a minute....

Uh....checkmate?

 

Dre. Not even thinking about it. We'll create more matchup problems with him on the court.

Plus it makes our 2nd unit more flexible with Rudy getting to handle the ball more.

 

Well here is what the coach said.

Last years lineup won fifty four games.

I'm not going to change that.

 

Heaven forbid, we exceed that win total and perform better in the playoffs.

 

Wasn't Nate just quoted saying that going into this offseason Miller was his #1 UFA and that he sees his game as akin to Andre's? Miller is generally perceived as superior to Blake, he's going to be paid almost double, and posters are still freaking out that Blake might start over him?

we have so little to stress on yet it continues on at about the same volume as ever

STOMP

 

Re: Miller & Blake: who should start?

Monta Ellis 3.7 apg 2.7 tpg: better PG than Blake? Not even close
Westbrook 5.3 apg 3.3 tpg

Playoff Stats:
Steve Blake 6.2 apg, 1.5 tpg 41% 3 pt shooting; held Brooks to 10 of 36 FG shooting in Games 3 through 5;
Aaron Brooke 3.2 apg, 2.2 tpg 42% 3pt shooting
Derek Fisher 2.2 apg, 1.1 tpg, 28% three point shooting

So how is Fisher definitely a better PG than Blake? 2.2 apg??? 28% three point shooting??? How is Brooks better period? Look at Brooks' stats in the last month of the season as starting PG? 4 games less than 10 points. And only 20 assists total. That makes him a better PG than Blake??

How is Ellis a better "PG" than Blake? 3.7 apg and 2.7 turnovers per game??? Is that what you want at the PG position. Even Westbrook, who will ultimately be a better PG than Blake, didn't come close to Blake in assist to turnover ratio.

 

Brooks shot 10 of 36 from the field in Games 3 through 5. Basically, after Game one, Blake shut Brooks down. A lot of Brooks' points in Game 2 were scored after the game was decided. Blake had a better assist to turnover ratio.

Checkmate.

 

Rudy had several opportunities to hit big shots for us at the end of games and he missed them all. I think specifically of the game against Utah where we went to him wide open to tie the game and he missed.

 

So if we trade for somoene like Prince then he would come off the bench? If Lebron suddenly wanted to come to Portland then he too would come off the bench? Apparently Hedo would have been a 50 million dollar bench player? We inquired about Nash, but apparently as a back up?

 

By the way... at no point have I said who should start. I'm just defending Blake who is one of our own and is getting bashed for no good reason.