"It's going to be hard to keep Greg out of the starting lineup," team leader Brandon Roy said before the first preseason game. "He is playing really good. That's not to say Joel (Przybilla) is not, but Greg is playing at a really high level." Hey Nate, are you listening?
You and Nate and some others may think that way, but ask Greg about starting and see Roy's comments about it as well. All the team stuff is well and good, but if a guy has obviously "earned" a starting position IMO it's going to eventually create problems if he does not start, especially when he was a No 1 pick with all the pressure that comes with that.
I hope everyone knows how Nate operates. I think his comments about the starting line-up were to set a fire under the bellies of the players he knew would want to start. I think Nate will do what's best.
Listen, Joel was brought here as a low-priced backup originally. It's a testament to the guy's determination and heart that he's played this well this long on a team that's on the rise to do big things like the Blazers. Joel also is smart enough to realize that he can't keep Greg out of the spotlight and starting lineup forever. I think that Joel will welcome the move to the bench in favor of Greg because I think that Joel understands that it's a team game, he gets paid the same whether he starts or not, and he wants to win a championship. He's the perfect backup. He works hard, he scraps, he's a good locker room guy, and he's a fantastic insurance policy against Greg's foul trouble or, heaven forbid, injury. I just don't see what all of this manufactured controversy is all about.
oden has to start.... joel knows it... we know it... nate knows it...etc the bad news.... joels leaving us next summer which really sucks and i have a feeling blake will be following him
As much as I would hate to see them go, it could be a blessing in disguise. Honestly, I think a 10 man rotation during the regular season, that trims down to a 8 man rotation during the playoffs will be great. Players aren't complaining about "playing time" ect. Regardless, as long as we keep Roy, Aldridge, Oden and Fernandez, I will be fine with whomever decides to leave.
Sorry, but this is B.S. on Roy's part. I wish he'd shut up and let McMillan make the coaching decisions. All he has to do when asked about Oden starting is say, "That's up to Nate."
Roy wants to win as many games as he can. He was shocked when Nate told him, this summer, that Andre and Greg were going to come off the bench. Greg and Andre BOTH, make it easier for the Blazers to win.
I disagree and applaud Roy. He is the leader of this ball club and saying something like that shows he will speak for the team. Sorry, but sometimes your "Leader" needs to show why he is the "Leader"
I'll be a little sad to see Joel or Blake go. But let's face it--most championships boil down to the two, three or four best players on a team. If they are elite and healthy, the role players become fairly interchangeable. If Joel leaves because he can't get any minutes behind a 35 mpg All Star center, well, let's just say that this is the kind of problem I welcome.
Nate said the players will tell him who starts. I think Roy is a player. I do not see the problem, honestly.
about the deadline as the grizzlies spiral into full-money saving mode, conley struggles to feed 4 ball hogs, and we are comfortable with Miller as our full-time PG: Blake/Outlaw/Bayless for Conley/Gasol/Jaric... not sure if that would ever get pulled off, but it would be some nice consolidation. to finish out the year: Miller/Conley Roy/Fernandez Batum/Webster Aldridge/Gasol (who is lighter) Oden/Pryzbilla then next year if you re-sign Pryz (for cheap, we'd have leverage) you keep playing Gasol at 4 (he's quicker this year and while we'd be kinda slow that's a lot of good bigs, not a bad thing and our rebounding would kill), if not you have a three big rotation of Gasol/Oden/LMA. long-term 8 man rotation (after Miller and Pryz expire/retire and our guys develop) Roy/Conley/Fernandez Webster/Batum Oden/LMA/Gasol plug in a few cheap vets each year.
Didn't we use like the full MLE to lure him away form Atlanta and come START immediately for us? Or am I forgetting someone/something.
All I know is that Miller and Oden are making strong cases for their inclusion in the starting rotation (and certainly for getting the lion's share of the minutes). When the Blazers came out of halftime last night they put Miller, Roy, Webster, LMA and Oden on the floor and they started to take over ... at the end of the day the players will decide with their play. All this talk about having two balanced units just seems like crap to me anyway, even last year with a fairly stacked team it wasn't like Nate would sub five guys in for the starters all at once; these players all have to play with each other in a variety of combinations and lineups and overall talent wins out over some set unit. Screw balance -- put your most dominant players on the floor to start games, let them step on the opponent's throat and bring in subs to at least hold the lead. To hell with with having the starters hold their own and then letting the subs take over games, that shit isn't going to work in the playoffs at all.
No, I'm pretty sure we had Theo starting for us at the time, and John Nash gave him a very modest contract for only two seasons. Not many people wanted Joel after his rookie contract. He was plagued by fouls (sound like anyone we know?) and he had very little offensive game.
Oh, and Roy was only speaking the truth. He's our number one pick. He should be starting. You don't see Blake Griffin coming off the bench.
No the question is how is the unit playing that you are with. The starting unit has consistently had slow start problems over the last few years. Part of that reason is, because outside of Roy and Aldridge you don't have any other scorers out there. The Blazers cannot compete against teams with high level defense at the start of the game and build themselves a hole, and end up losing. I cannot help but think that it is not a coincidence that the Blazers have not won a lot of games against good teams in the western conference the last several years. So go ahead and keep your head in the sand if you want. I want the Blazers to win.
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. Anybody ever wonder why we had 18 games where we had to overcome a double digit deficit to win? Not enough fire power in the starting lineup.
