Time for Rudy to show he is a starting NBA SG

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Blaze01, Apr 16, 2010.

  1. Blaze01

    Blaze01 JBB JustBBall Member

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    I wanted to create a thread to talk about this because I really think Rudy stepping his play up (Aldridge delivering like an All-Star\go-to-guy being the other) is one of the top two storylines of this series.


    http://www.dwightjaynes.com/



    http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/04/trail_blazers_will_rudy_be_rea.html


    I believe that the coaching staff has misused Rudy's abilities...I also think that Rudy could be a starting level SG in the NBA...but I am not nearly as confident in that opinion as I once was.

    Now is the time where he has to show what he can be as a starting NBA SG, there is no better opportunity than this...put up or shut up IMO...

    He has complained about his role, his minutes and now he is going to be starting in the biggest, most important games of the entire season, playing meaningful and likely lengthy minutes...he has to be a player that PHX must account for and he is going to have to show that he can overcome that and still produce...

    As a fan of his game and abilities, I have been dissapointed with his play this year...he too often settles for 3pt shots, has not shown the ability to create offense for himself or others in a 1v1 situation, and too often defers to pass instead of taking the shot, several times in fact where he has had a good look at the basket (scoring opportunity)...

    Will Nate run Rudy off more screens to generate offense for him and likely opportunities for other players (making good use of Rudy's court vision & passing abilities)?

    Will Rudy look to shoot\score more in those situations? Come off that screen, get the pass and SHOOT...not dribble, or look to pass it to someone else..SHOOT THE DAMM BALL...

    He is going to have to if he TRULY wants to excel in the playoffs...b\c relying on 3-pointers isn't going to get it done...Nor is trying to go 1v1...that just isn't his strongsuit...He is a guy who needs to use his fitness to run defenders off screens and use his strong shooting and playmaking ability to either score himself or create easy opportunities for his teamates...BUT for POR to advance in this series IMO, he is going to have to be a little more selfish and look to score himself in those opportunities because outside of Aldridge who WILL be the focus of PHX defensive schemes & Miller, Rudy provides the next best opportunity to generate offfense, which this team is going to desperately need.....

    I am fan of Rudy's game, but the bottom line is he needs to step up and show he can deliver a "big performance" when his team needs it.....
     
  2. hasoos

    hasoos Well-Known Member

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    I don't agree that the coaching staff has misused his abilities. In fact, I think many times they have gone out of their way to accomodate him, and he hasn't produced. The coaches have nothing to do with Rudy missing a ton of wide open 3's, and the ton of other open looks he has had. He is a shooting guard. His job is to take and make shots, and possibly set up team mates.

    Field Goal percentage of .378 is fucking sad. Like out of the NBA bad.

    I would remind you that many people said the same about Sergio. Sergio is heading back to Europe because he can't even play in the D'Antoni system.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2010
  3. Nikolokolus

    Nikolokolus There's always next year

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    Rudy is not a starting shooting guard ... I don't care how much Dwight thinks he's bound to be a star.
     
  4. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    I think the coaching staff's plays for Rudy suck. Agree to Disagree hasoos

    Blaze is correct, Rudy and LMA must step up for us to have a chance
     
  5. MIXUM

    MIXUM Suspended

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    if we are counting on 1 truck pony rudy.... its already over. no chance in hell
     
  6. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    You can only hope, huh?
     
  7. blazerboy30

    blazerboy30 Well-Known Member

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    Rudy isn't a starting NBA level SG. Why do people think he can just turn it on now that Roy is down? Rudy is what he is.

    Rudy shoots about 60% of his shots as 3-pointers. That just isn't going to get it done in the playoffs. He doesn't have the skills required to do much else.

    I wouldn't be surprised to see Rudy start shooting a little better from downtown, which could help a lot. But I definitely don't expect him to have some breakout performance where he totally changes how he plays the game.
     
  8. hasoos

    hasoos Well-Known Member

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    The main thing with Phoenix is we can't have a chucker out there throwing up 3 attempts and missing. They love for you to do that. If you watch their games over this stretch where they have played well, they have implemented a zone defense. If we have Rudy and Bayless out there missing 3's, we are fucked. They have to nut up and hit their shots.
     
  9. hasoos

    hasoos Well-Known Member

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    Ok so say the plays for Rudy do suck. It still doesn't explain him missing a ton of open looks. An open look is an open look. There are no excuses for not nutting up and hitting those shots.
     
  10. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    Wrong. Rudy has the ability to thread the needle and to find the open man. They need to run plays for him that get him open enough to drive and kick, or drive and dish. His passing skills are off the hook
     
  11. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    "Rudy stepping up."

    Right. That will happen just after Elvis sings the "America the Beautiful" while standing naked on Dwight Jayne's head.
     
  12. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    :confused: Rudy is a good enough stationary passer....but he doesn't have the handles for what you are suggesting.
     
  13. blazerboy30

    blazerboy30 Well-Known Member

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    I'm wrong because he threads the needle every once in awhile, but usually results in turnovers? If we turn the ball over against the Suns, they are going to run, and run, and run us out of the building.

    He doesn't have the required skills to drive consistently. Otherwise he wouldn't be shooting 60% of his shots from 3-point land. Nate and his play calling can't be blamed for EVERYTHING.

    They are decent. He makes some great passes, but he also makes some incredibly bad passes.
     
  14. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    He does if they run a play for him to get him a step ahead of the defense!
     
  15. Luther

    Luther Member

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    Good players don't need plays called for them. If he is good enough to be a starter in the league then he better be able to create a shot for himself or one of his teammates. While Rudy can create for others at times...he can't create for himself. I agree the way we run him off screens is not very effective...That being said if he was "starter" material....He would be able to make it work. Let's just agree Rudy is not the player we all thought he would be. He is atrocious on defense and unless he is knocking down his three he is pretty useless.
     
  16. BoBoBREWSKI

    BoBoBREWSKI BURP!

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    Both Rudy and Martell need to really step it up if we want win.
     
  17. andalusian

    andalusian Season - Restarted

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    JB has been pretty useful against PHX this year. They do not have the dominant shot-blockers that give him so much trouble driving into the paint.

    If JB plays well - we have a very, very good chance of taking this series.
     
  18. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    Yep. They don't have brawn down low, so they want long rebounds. It also allows them to leak a couple of their players for easy baskets.
     
  19. TripTango

    TripTango Quick First Step

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    While we may disagree on Rudy's skill set and overall level of talent, do we all agree that this is something of a watershed moment for the guy? For example, say he does step up and deliver during this starting playoff run. Wouldn't that go a long way towards redemption for his largely mediocre season? Wouldn't that justify a starting spot for him somewhere? On the other hand, if he folds like an unshaven paper towel, I'd say his role as a longterm NBA backup (at best) will be equally established. I'm hoping for the former, obviously.
     
  20. BGrantFan

    BGrantFan Suspended

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    If the Suns primarily play zone, I'd be torn between starting Rudy or Bayless. I think I'd go with Bayless, simply because he can attack the zone with penetration, and Miller can as well. Unless Rudy is going to shoot 45% from 3, I don't see what consistent value he can add over 7 games. Bayless will always be able to attack the zone.
     

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