Andre Miller says he never saw the rim or Batum on the final play (link)

I thought Roy's shot was harder and luckier . . . where as Miller's pass and Batum's basket was a better executed play.

Kind of like a half court shot vs. a well executed pick and roll. I'll take the pick and roll any day when you need a hoop but the half court shot is dramatic and fun when it goes in.

 

Roy wasn't anywhere near half court but I still think Roy's shot was more impressive. If he misses it, we lose. With Batum's play, the game was tied. I actually wasn't all that flabbergasted last night. We're the best alley oop team in the league and there was only 0.9 secs left. I expected an alley oop attempt and liked our odds of finishing especially with absolutely no pressure to make it happen since we'd get overtime if he missed. I'll take Roy's double pump three point shot to send the Denver game into OT as the biggest shot of the year this season. If he misses, we lose the game and the season series. That's a lot more pressure to handle. That said, I definitely give props for Batum hitting his free throws. THAT was the clutch moment of the game last night.

 

I think the 2 plays are classic for showing where this team was and where they are now:

Before-give the ball to Brandon no matter where he is or what the sitaution and let him do his thing.

Now- work as a team to create the best and highest percentage shot possible.

 

Nicely put.

 

Batum gets the glory for the game winning shot, plus the two cold-blooded free throws.

But game ball definitely goes to Miller. He's the one who came up with the steal on Parker to even put them in position, and he's the one with the perfectly placed, perfectly timed lob.

A lot of guys in the NBA could do what Batum did in those possessions. Very, very few could do what Miller did. Miller is rapidly becoming one of my all-time favorite Blazers.

 

Same. I feel like the glory years of the Whitsitt era could have been very different if they had had Miller at point instead of Stoudamire. Miller with Pippen and Smith = rather amazing veteran savvy and basketball IQ.

 

I agree.

 

I rate Miller our best player, Aldridge 2nd. And that's averaged over the whole season, not just recently.

Thanks for those 2 videos of the Houston game, and I'll save them.

 

I just wish we could have gotten Miller when he was younger.

 

anyone ever play putt putt golf? You know the windmill shot where the rotating arms cover and uncover the hole and you have to time when you putt right to hit the window? That was the lucky part of that play/pass. McDyess's jumping up and down waving his arms to block the pass had to be timed right to allow the window for the pass. Obviously it was a great play call by Nate and skill/execution by the team, but the Blazers were also fortunate that the timing of AD's jumping was on the down cycle.

STOMP

 

I think he was just trying to block Miller from seeing rather than block the pass.