Wasn't quite sure about the trade, and I know it's early in the season, VERY early, but here's how they compare so far.......... MPG PTS REB ASST STL BLK TO Ray 33:00 12.8 3.4 7.0 0.6 0.0 3.2 Dre 28:00 11.0 3.4 6.6 1.6 0.3 1.3
They're playing slightly different roles for their respective teams, but there's another stat worth looking at. Felton: PER - 11.94 Miller : PER - 19.27 Now I know PER has it's flaws and most of the disparity between the two comes down to turnovers, but it needs to be added into the mix if we're going to do a comparison.
If you really want to do a full comparison, I'd also add the following advanced stats: Felton: TS% - .481 Miller : TS% - .515 Felton: AST% - 32.7 Miller : AST% - 35.1 Felton: STL% - 0.9 Miller : STL% - 2.6 Felton: TOV% - 19.4 Miller : TOV% - 10.7 Felton: ORtg - 98 Miller : ORtg - 113 Felton: DRtg - 102 Miller : DRtg - 96 Felton: WS - .3 Miller : WS - .9 Felton: WS/48 - .075 Miller : WS/48 - .202 Usual small sample size disclaimer, but in Miller's case, other than TOV%, DRtg and WS/48 the numbers are very similar to his career averages and also very similar to the numbers he posted in his two seasons with the Blazers. In Felton's case, the steals are down and turnovers up, but other than that, his advanced stats so far this season aren't that much different than his career averages. They both pretty much are what they are. Miller may be significantly older, but he remains incredibly consistent and shows no signs of declining performance. Felton has been in the league long enough that he's unlikely to show significant improvement. BNM
I'm going to do the very non scientific, non statistical "eye test" on this comparison and say that Felton wins on pure 'pace the Blazers are playing at'. Now, I'm not suggesting that Andre Miller couldn't push the ball like Felton has, and not suggesting the team couldn't play the same pace last year as they are this year. Fact of the matter is, that Nate didn't believe they could so they didn't. ....My point, throw out all stats and comparisons between the two. Hands down Felton is the better point guard for this team, based on perception of the head coach alone.
I miss Miller's ball handling and decision making, but I like that Felton is perceived as more of a shooting threat. Doesn't matter if he can't actually hit them any better than Miller, as long as the defense believes they have to honor him.
I like Felton's ability to guard the quicker guards more than any stat. We haven't been scorched yet. It still remains to be seen, since there are so many other quicker guards in the league. But I have more confidence that he can over Miller.
That's a pretty big assumption. I think the pace and the style of offense the Blazers ran during Miller's two seasons in Portland had a LOT more to do with an offense designed around Brandon Roy that is did around Andre Miller's ability to push the pace. Miller has been successful in high paced systems elsewhere, but Nate has to be the slowest coach to adapt to changing situations I have ever seen. That's why he's terrible in the playoffs, It takes him MONTHS to adapt. Last season, he stuck with the snail's pace offense even though Brandon Roy clearly wasn't the same player he had been. It took Roy's retirement before Nate FINALLY decide to come up with an offense that is favorable to the other players on the roster. Aldridge, Wallace, Batum, Matthews are all well suited to a fast paced, open court game and were all hindered by the walk it up isolation offense Nate ran during Roy's time in Portland. He basically had an entire offense designed based on the abilities of one player to the detriment of the rest of the roster. You are right though, the difference between last year's team and this year's is more Nate than Felton or Miller, but I don't agree it's because Nate didn't think Miller could handle the faster pace. It was because Nate's previous offense was too Brandon Roy centric. BNM
I think it has more to do with having the confidence that Felton won't get beat by quicker guards. Also, our players are much faster, so the defense can't bunker down on us. Miller maybe able to run a faster team, but I don't think he could guard a quick guard.
Beer, I didn't see yours, sorry but mine is already better then yours. Mine comes with stats to back up arguments. Move on. Hey why don't you bump your thread and see who's gets more action!
I like the eye test (since I'm really not into studying stats). I see Felton and Miller's uptempo game being completely different. Miller plays an uptempo game in that he is very good at creating some space and making the long pass to get the team running. But coast to coast, you can't count on Miller to do that all game and even in his few bursts of coast to coast, he is more crafty than speed oriented. Felton plays an uptempo game in that he gets the team running by dribbling the ball up court fast. He is young enough and has enough ball handling skills to consitently push the pace. He doesn't have the court vision or imagination of Miller, but he compensates for that in breaking down and beating players off the dribble to help open up teammates. I would love to combine the two and put Miller's knowledge of game and court vision into Felton's current game. But obviously you can't and if I had to pick which one I would want on the Blazer team this year, it would be Felton. Not a Miller hater as he grew on me during his stay in Ptd. I felt like I got to know more of Miller each season and it was fun to watch him become animated as he felt more comfortable with the team, organization and city. But the writing for Miller is clearly on the wall as even in Denver he must take a back seat to a more youthful and faster point guard (which is what happened in Philly but I don't think Miller was ready to relinquish being a starter yet). Miller's stay in Ptd has turned me into a Miller fan, but this team has more potential with Felton running the point, IMO.
