But he just won the Nobel Prize for Coaching. About Nate... this is an interesting piece of the puzzle; remember, he took a one-year-at-a-time contract over the summer (either this year or last year). How much you wanna bet that if Miller and Roy don't gel that he bails under the auspices of trying to make it work (but getting fired for caring too much)? ...and then take a nice coushy job running a team of adults?
If Nate can't make a team work that he's helped build from nothing he's not going to find a cushier job anywhere else in the NBA.
I will feel bad if we lose Nate, but I will get over it. I wonder if he is just a good teacher only and not a champion type of coach.
Say what you will about Nate, but he knows who he is and he knows what he wants ... I take this as a pretty clear (and well placed) shot across Andre's bow. I like Miller's game and I think eventually all this bruhaha will sort itself out on the court, but I'm glad Nate is taking the approach he is -- firm and clear, but not calling anybody to the carpet by name.
Agreed, but maybe he should just talk to Miller directly? Seems like that would be more effective than relaying parables via the press. barfo
Well perhaps he's had a direct conversation with Miller, addressing Miller by name in the media would not be "direct." That would be the ultimate in an indirect method and pretty disrespectful.
Agreed, I don't think he should do that. Just that I had the sense that they haven't talked in person, since Nate said that his door was open, and no one had come to talk. barfo
It's fucking preseason and we're already having bitching about playing time, bitching about starting, and bitching about touches. Greaaaaaaaaaat. Consolidation trade!
Translation: 1. I will start Blake and Joel 2. We will never push the ball 3. Ime will be the starting SF 4. I will play Travis way more than he deserves
His comments don't say much of anything about Oden. I have resigned myself to Blake starting and the team trailing at the end of every first quarter all season long just like last year. Oden should start, though. He has outplayed Joel in every single facet of the game. Having him come off the bench would be very foolish. Portland will never be a real running team with Roy as the main guy. Not that big a deal as long as they win. Ime will not play barring injury. Playing Travis one second is more then he deserves.
If Oden should start because he has outplayed Joel, Miller should start as well because he has outplayed Blake. You have to earn it. That's what Mr Sonic says. Miller has earned it, just as Oden has earned it. It's up to the offensive genious, that is nate, to figure out how to best use our best players at the same time.
I have gone over the game log of last season on basketball-reference.com and we were trailing last year after the first quarter in about 45 games, with about 4 tied and the rest we were ahead. However, most of the times we were behind - we were behind only by a point of two. The place where we lost most of last year's game because we fell too deep in a hole - was the 2nd quarter when our 2nd unit stunk the place (don't believe me? Go do that exercise yourself). If you consider that Roy had to conserve energy in the first quarter because he knew he will have to play like crazy in the 3rd and 4th to fix the 2nd quarter issues - it is not a surprise we were behind more than ahead after that - but a strong 2nd unit will actually allow him to go like gangbusters all the time. It's a shame that there is so much vitriol spewed that does not really match the real data that is out there for everyone to see - if they actually paid attention...
We have seen exactly one game with Miller in the 1st unit - and they started the game like shit. It is not a real surprise that Miller plays better with the faster unit - Rudy, Travis and Webster - so at this point - what exactly did he earn? He is a better player - but so far, not as good with the starting unit... When he and the rest of the team get in the groove in the half-court offense next to Roy - that's when he will earn it...
