Bayless, very interesting the conversation he had with Nate

before the scrimmage (10 minute back and forth), he showed he can be more of a pass first point, now was that just a one game aberration? or can (or will) he keep doing this?

 

He better become one fast because Armon Johnson is looking sharp

 

Editors Note: This is not a slam against Nate

Bayless would be a very good PG for a lot of teams, but with Nate's ball control, don't take any chances style of offense, he doesn't fit as well.

 

Well it's a good thing you pointed out you weren't slamming Nate!

 

how do we know this dr hailblazer? have you seen all the practices?

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2010/10/after_pregame_exchange_with_mc.html

 

IT as in YOUR wife! BAM!

 

While I think his offense is garbage, a lot of people point to the efficient way the offense gets us points. I just meant that Bayless would probably do well in an offense that involved more movement and faster paced.

 

I think Bayless would thrive @ NYC or Golden State.

 

So Nate wants our best regular rotation player at getting to the free throw line to set up guys for jump shots? Atta boy, Nate.


I am all for the defense though. Bayless should be a really good defender with his I'd like to kill you attitude.

 

Bayless would thrive in any system that pushed the ball. It wouldn't have to be one of those teams. LAL, OKC, CHI, UTAH, DEN, PHO were all playoff teams that had a higher pace than the league average, while Dallas and Orlando were within a tenth of a point of it. Bayless would do well on any of those teams

 

Your sarcasm makes no sense. It makes plenty of sense that one of the Portland's best players at getting into the paint and drawing help defenders uses that ability to find open guys with passes...you know, those guys that the help defenders were formerly defending.

That has always been where I thought Bayless could succeed as a point guard. Slashing, drawing the defense, kicking out for open jumpers. Batum, Matthews, Roy and even Rudy if he remains with the team could all benefit from that.

 

He wasn't slamming Nate . . . he said a player doesn't fit a offense and a coach who has won 50 games in consecutive seasons. More a rip on Bayless not fitting into a winning system than a rip on Nate.

 

During the scrimage they interviewed Nate who said that Bayless needs to remember what his strong points are... which is attacking and creating... which seems the opposite of what that article said Nate told him pregame. =)

 

Bayless has shown me glimpses of what I considered to be the point guard of the future we need (which was being able to hit a three and being able to attack the basket to create for others, able to take over the game when needed). They were inconsistent glimpses but last season gave me more a feeling that maybe he will turn that inconsistency and turn it into consistency.

 

I'd love to see Bayless develop that three point shot, but it's not absolutely critical for him to develop that shot to turn into the PG of the future. If he develops his drive-and-dish game and continues to work on his defense, he sort of fits in a Tony Parker kind of role.

This team could have a lot of similarities to the Spurs model: Drive-and-dish PG (Parker/Bayless), Star SG (Ginobili/Roy), Defensive 3 with excellent shooting range (Batum/Bowen), all-around PF (Duncan/Aldridge), garbage man defensive center rotation. All organized under a grind-it-out coach.

Different calibers of skills, obviously. (Duncan/Parker are way better than Aldridge/Bayless, but our center rotation/SF look to be better than what the Spurs had. Roy plays a lot more minutes than Ginobili).

You may disagree with my comparisons or that our team could be anywhere as good the Spurs in their hayday, but the basic template is there. And Bayless not hitting three pointers can fit in it, if he develops his passing and defense.

 

“We were talking about some things ... he is asking a lot of questions about what we are looking for,’’ McMillan said.

Said Bayless: “I need to know what I can do to get on the court.’’

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Bayless has been in the league 2 full seasons and NOW he's having a conversation with McMillan about how he can get on the court and what they're looking for? This hasn't happened sooner?