It did, the game turned after Nate McMoron benched Oden, though we can't possibly put all the blame for a 31-2 run on that fact. Roy and Blake were just letting guys blow past them. Blake, we all know he sucks, but Roy just isn't giving that effort on defense. Once the got down, they got frustrated and weren't executing at all. In the meantime, the Grizzlies were making shot after shot. A real leader would have put an end to that shit. But we don't have that this year. It seems that Roy is of the mindset that he just wants to dominate on offense, going 1 on 1 all the time, like Allen Iverson.
While he's missing some shots he usually makes I think the rest of that comes down to Miller. He's obviously just not used to playing with a PG that handles the ball as much as Miller does. I think he's trying his hardest not step on Miller's toes and let Miller do what he does, but that just means less of Brandon doing what he does best, which is what you explained up top.
You would think the weight loss would make him quicker and more explosive - haven't seen that. The local radio guys said he took the summer off from "basketball related activity" to let his knee tendinitis heal. I'm wondering if the weight loss is just inactivity - sat around and lost muscle. Portland is such an average team with him playing like this. If this is what we get from Brandon all year - look for about 40-45 wins. Funny, he was the last guy I would have worried about.
I mostly agree. I think with the addition of Oden down low and Miller being a true playmaker I wonder if there isn't a seed of doubt in Brandon's mind about how aggressive he should be. Last year Nate gave him the greenlight to go out and dominate -- in fact he almost had to goad him into demanding more shots -- and now with more moving parts and frankly too many offensive minded players who seem to only be thriving when they are getting shots it's muddled what it is that Roy is supposed to be doing out there. This is one of the big reasons I thought it was so important for KP to consolidate this roster and start to round out spots 7-11 with role-players, defensive specialists and guys who make a living off of hustle plays. If anything I think the play of LaMarcus and Roy is being dilluted by the fact that their teammates don't recognize that they need to be given the ball early, late and often (throw Oden into that mix too). Our bench should be filling in the gaps, hitting an open shot and flying around on defense and going after loose balls. And lastly, it probably wouldn't hurt if we had a coach who could integrate more than 2 moving parts in an offensive system.
I think we may be starting towards the tune out of Nate. Edit: Also I like him throwing his team under the bus again.
So...back to the 3-guard starting unit? I hope not. Besides, Martell looked great to start the game. And Blake was crap to start the game. Then Martell and Greg came out. Then...crap happened. I know...maybe if Nate tried starting Miller instead of Blake? Nah, too crazy.
How fucking hard is it to figure out that Miller, Roy, Martell, Aldridge and Oden is our best starting unit? Play these motherfuckers 35+ a game, bring in Bayless to give you some hustle (and frankly is he really worse than Steve at this point?) Rudy to hit some open shots and make some steals, Joel to spell Oden as needed (like 15 minutes, not 20+) and possibly Dante to come in and play some D, take the occasional open shot and fly around going after loose balls. Fuck this 1st team, 2nd team bullshit, I'm so tired of it.
I don't think this was on Nate actually. The players showed a lack of effort and Nate tried every substitution possible to try and get something going.
We lost cause Brandon didn't have time to ask God for a win, because he was too busy listening to the dumbass national anthem.
I'm going to laugh ... then cry ... then laugh again and finally just give up and concede that Steve must have pics of Nate doing unspeakable things to animals or children.
I put this at 50/50 Nate and the team as a whole, really. But Nate must take some blame for his rigid substitutions of game changers, his inability to bring Oden back in when Joel was just not getting it done in the first half, and him basically going back on his word about Greg getting a chance to play until 3 fouls in the first. The other team knows what Nate is thinking because he lays it out there so clearly, so defined, and so stubbornly.
If Nate is going to 'shake up' the lineup, perhaps he could consider benching the worst player on the starting five? Oh, there I go again. Maybe I should lay off the sauce? I'm just a clueless fan. I'll just keep paying my money and shut up and watch.
Oden came back with 10 minutes left in the 2nd, and the Grizzlies still extended their lead. Not saying it was Greg's fault, but the team (Greg included) just looked lost. Oden missed his first three shots by the way, two of which were right under the rim. Funny stat. Blake leaves when the Grizz were up 4. By the time he came back, the Grizz were up 23.
a-freaking-men... i don't understand why nate makes coaching this team so labor intensive. this is a pretty veteran group, has been playing together for a few years... and yet he treats every training camp like it's his team's first, acts as if he's still trying to figure out what "works" on the floor, and generally micromanages every single aspect of this team's play. and yet, i don't think we are any better for his efforts. all this tweaking, all the odd lineups, all the tough love... i just don't think it's needed. a big time coach would have these guys running like a well oiled machine. i'd love to see this roster with someone like Pop or Adelman or JVG at the helm.
It all comes back to Nate wanting to balance his two units. He wants the first unit to execute half-court, 2nd unit to run. I sort of find this ridiculous, but w/e.
