I think we'll have a better idea of whether or not this team has tuned Nate out at the end of December. We go from one of the easiest schedules in the league to one of the hardest, there's the potential for real adversity and things unraveling. If they hold together and can start to find their rhythm and get everybody clicking then I think Nate earns the right to keep his job, if they falter and collapse I think there's a chance for some real cracks to start showing in this team, and the easiest (though not usually all that effective) method of "fixing" such a problem is to give the coach the axe and see if somebody else can put it back together. Nate's frustrating the hell out of me with his use/mis-use of Oden and Miller, but KP frustrates me even more for not consolidating this roster and starting the process of surrounding his core with complimentary players (ps. if you're going to sign a starting point guard and pay him starting point guard money, but refuse to trade your now superfluous "career year," average at best, point guard to make it clear what your vision is for the team then expect muddled roles and substitutions)
I don't think it should be necessary to trade Blake to get him out of the starting spot. Joel, for example, was a starter in the past and now isn't. Blake would make a perfectly ok backup PG. barfo
That is the frustrating part for me too. You know that KP has a built in excuse if the team falters this season - Batum and Outlaw are out. He'll argue those guys are invaluable cogs, and that with them in the line-up the Blazers are a different team.
Yep... exactly. And I guess maybe it is fair to blame KP for this situation, in the sense that he knows the nature of Nate's nonsensical need to start Blake, so he should modify his strategy accordingly. But it probably isn't fair to blame KP more than Nate. barfo
If Blake was actually the backup I'd have far fewer issues with him being on the roster (even though I think his minutes might be better spent on Jerryd; seeing if he's actually shown enough improvement from last year to be either a long term solution at the position or whether they need to cut bait).
Blake's ideal role with the team we have now would be the guy to come in for maybe a few minutes a game if the team isn't hitting anything from long range to see if he has it that night. He really doesn't contribute much beyond his occasional hot shooting, and the occasional go of the patented Nate S word.
Miller doesn't fit, will never fit longterm, and is the only problem with the team. That means it's KP's fault, 'cause you can't blame Miller for being himself and even I saw he wouldn't fit last year when people were mentioning him. This has little to do with Nate, it's a personnel issue.
So Andre is the reason LA puts out no effort on d, if you disagree with that check his d on boozer tonight, or roys lack of d, you are crazy. Miller would fit but Roy and Nate won't give him the oppourtunity to play with just him. Blake contributes nothing to the team, and continues to play starter minutes. His horrid play and Nates shitty coaching are what's wrong with the team.
Does being dead allow you to see things the rest of us can't? How else could you KNOW that Miller and Roy can't coexist in our starting backcourt? The rest of us have never even seen it. BNM
Give it up guys, this is MARIS' new meme for the season; figure out the point-guard hot button topic and milk it until you piss everybody off. Surprisingly effective.
