You can read the play-by-play, and it'll tell you about who was in the game...but not if there was a switch or something (like when Roy got out-strengthed after the runout). Gimme a few.
Webster started and played until Outlaw came in at 3:59. Melo: 3/3, 1/1 3pt, 7pts, 1 foul. Outlaw played until 9:49 of the 2nd, when Webster came back in, though Melo went out at 10:12 of the second: 1/1, 3/3 FT, 5pts. Melo came back in at 7:05 of the 2nd. Both Outlaw and Webster were in the game, though I think Webster was doing the defense on Melo until Webs went out at 3:08. 0/2, 2TO, 2/2FT, 4pts. Outlaw played Melo for the rest of the quarter. 1/1, 1 TO, 2/2FT, 4pts 3rd quarter--Webs played from the start until both went out with 1:23 left. Melo: 1/6, 2pts. 9:48 in the 4th both came back. Martell plays until taken out at 6:20. Melo 2/3, 4pts. Roy and Miller take turns guarding Melo. 3/4, 7/8 FT, 13 pts. Martell reinserted at 1:39. Melo 0/1, with the 2/2FTs at the end of the game. 2pts. Martell- Melo was 6/15, 4/4 FT (including the 2/2 at the end) for 17 pts in 28 min. Outlaw- Melo was 2/2, 7/7 FT for 11 pts in 8 min Roy/Miller - Melo was 3/4, 7/8FT, 13 pts in 5 min. One could make the observation that it was 81-78 when Webster came out, after playing decent D on Melo all night, and it was Melo outscoring the Blazers 13-10 over the next 5 minutes that led to us being behind at the end.
Interesting stats. So it seems that although no one was stopping Melo, or even slowing him a whole lot, that Webster made him work for his offense, whereas Outlaw/Roy/Miller put little real resistance and resorting to fouling as a form of "defense". That makes my puzzlement during the game over why Martel didn't get back in in the 4th all the more intense? Why did Nate hold him out?
you don't think holding Carmelo Anthony to 40% shooting and 2 FTs (I'm deliberately not counting the 2 at the end that were deliberate) for 17pts in 28 minutes is "stopping, or even slowing him down a whole lot"? Holding him to 1.1 pps? Man, tough crowd.
Nice stats BrianFromWA, appreciate that. I really think Webs should have been in there at the end, with Rudy and Roy. Miller guarding Melo is ridiculous!
Nice job, Brian. Definitely seemed like Webster was doing a nice job on him. Well, as good as can be expected. If you could get an honest answer from Nate, I'd bet it'd be, "We made a mistake." And really, it's the kind of mistake you can understand. Webster's been out a full season. Even back when he was healthy, he was usually on the bench in crunch time. Nate went with guys who are more used to playing in those minutes. Besides, Webster has traditionally been a pretty mentally fragile player. Nate might have been gun shy about putting him in a position so early in the year where he's got to make a pressure shot or pair of free throws. I'm sure that now that he's had some time to look over the tape, he'd probably do it differently and leave Webster in there. Long-term, it's really encouraging to have a guy like Webster who can go in and play against the beefier swing men. Batum has always had a problem with them. Maybe we eventually choose our starting SF situationally, using Batum on guys like Hamilton, Wade, Granger and Durant, and Webster on LeBron, Carmello and Artest.
No, it won't. You've been around long enough to know that a cloudly lining can be pulled from a silver cloud around this place.
