To be honest, I'm going simply on what I heard. Plus I vaguely remember him scoring more when that happened. Where are you getting stats that differentiate depending on position played?
Lillard, Matthews, LMA, Hickson, and Batum An 8-man rotation with Babbit, Leonard, and Price off the bench. I'd play Batum at SG some. You've got development minutes for Leonard, and Freeland - and maybe Barton.
After all this time, I honestly still know nothing about Freeland and Claver or what to expect form them.
Well, I think you should start your best 5 players and try to build up a lead. I'm not a huge fan of Omer Asik, but he was used very well. Maybe you can do the same thing for Freeland.
Thanks! I guess he scored slightly more because he took a LOT more shots. More assists but a LOT more turnovers. More blocks (unsurprisingly, I guess). Still better at SF. But what is asked of the SG and the SF is entirely relative to the coach. For a lot of coaches, those two positions are pretty much interchangeable. And it's not even the case that you defend different people necessarily, because the best wing defender usually defends the best wing player on the other team, whatever position they're assigned. Both Batum and Wesley have taken turns on Kobe, sometimes when the other is in the game. Pretty clear he shouldn't be at PF, though...
We don't know what Claver will be like. He's actually an ideal "Nate" SF: plays solid defense, can hit the three, doesn't demand the ball.
Whose fault is that? There's a TON of video footage out there. Of course, most of it isn't against NBA players, but it still gives you an idea of what their styles of play are. Click here for Freeland. Or lots more here. Here's a tribute video for Claver made by his Spanish team after he signed with the Blazers (classy, eh?) [video=youtube;QuA2jgSK9z8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QuA2jgSK9z8[/video] Here's other stuff.
Other than a minute or two in garbage time with the Spanish team, I've got to see him only once for Valencia and he didn't really impress me, not sure I would have even noticed him if he wasn't already a Blazers pick. He seemed too lethargic and passive. Does have skills, a refined player but I was somewhat disappointed. Freeland I've never seen play. I've always been skeptical about him for some reason but today I've found out he was 3rd in the spanish league and 5th in the euroleague in Rebounds per game last season. That's encouraging.
There's no way that Babbit gets more time than Claver. Price??? Hilarious. That cat is injury insurance nothing more. We have way more interest vested in seeing Nolan at backup.
Nolan Smith is a PG? And I think Babbit is pretty good for a 2nd unit player at this point in his development. Claver and Freeland are going to have a tough time staying out of foul trouble. The NBA game is that much faster than they're used to.
Again, Babbit is GARBAGE. He's never played significant minutes, nor has he shown he is a capable backup. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts he is either traded or option not picked up in the offseason. Whatever you say about Nolan still doesn't mean he won't be the 1st guy to spell Lillard. He IS our backup. Price won't sniff 3-5 mins per. Say what you want about are Euros too (Freeland/Claver) but they will see 10-15 mins per game. Freeland even more since we only have one C. These are my predictions. Chastise me after they don't come true. But watch, they will.
NOW we're startin' to wise up! At first Jeffries will get the most minutes at center. Freeland will equal him later and Leonard never will, this season. As for who starts, who cares, I'm talkin' bout minutes!
I agree with you on Hickson (and Babbitt) but Jeffries will be our most foul-free center with height.
