Early season crisis averted? Still time left for this to be a good season? .700 ball isn't a bad start to the season, really. Sure, it's disappointing, but even a .700 team should make it into the playoffs and then yaneverknow.
No, this season is still a disaster: Greg's not averaging a double double. Rudy's poutting and will likely go back to Spain soon. Bayless will also demand more minutes. Joel too. Roy's shot is off. He's just all outta whack for whatever reason. LMA doesn't deserve his big-ass contract. Andre just doesn't fit. Blake is still Blake. Outlaw sucks. Juwan Howard isn't as charismatic as Frye was/is. Batum's hurt. Dante's clearly the best player off the bench but isn't getting any burn. Webster . . . he really should be Chris Paul for us. There's not enough PT for Mills and Pendergraph; why hasn't KP traded them? McMillan's an ass-clown. ^^^ does all of that add up for a good season???
Playoffs??? Playoffs? You think this team is going to make the playoffs??? If I'm honest with myself, I have to say that they're wayyyy over-achieving against teams they have no business beating. They will come back to earth with a THUD - sorry, it's the truth! Oh, and Oden's a bust.
So in November (so all but 3 games) these are Greg's stats... 12.1ppg; 8.6rpg; 1.9bpg on 62% shooting. That's really not bad for just the beginning of the year. I do expect him to just get better as we learn how to work him in the offense more effectively and Miller gets more comfortable with him and the team.
Byron Scott has nothing to do with Nate making odd choices. Byron Scott has nothing to do with Blake playing so many minutes, he has nothing to do with tryin to get playing time for 10 guys instead of letting guys set into more of a flow, he has nothing to do with substituting by the clock instead of how someone, or a group is playing, he has nothing to do with refusing to start Andre Miller at the beginning of the season, even though he was obviously the best choice, he has nothing to do with the pace we have played, or being last in the league in fast break points.
....and, despite all the concerns you allude to, has nothing to do with the team continuing to win. If the Blazers begin to lose on a somewhat regular basis then, sure, your gripes might have some relative merit. For now? Meh.
MM, the problem is you just want Nate to change on the spur of the moment. As soon as you want something you say "Change it!" and expect everyone to automatically mold to that fit and run with it. Dre is a perfect example. He was completely new to this team that acts like a family. You bring an outsider in who isn't real personable off the court and is still learning some of the plays - despite what he knew in the off season. Then, as coach, you're trying to mesh him in with one of the units to make everything work and the first unit doesn't seem to have any synch (at first) when he's there. So five games in you make a change. Five games. Whoop-dee. Sit back, relax, get off Nate' jock, and try enjoying the wins while they come.
Your picking up on one thing. It still doesn't justify the substitutions, and lack of a running game. We have had some wins recently, but in reality, we have beat the Spurs with no Parker after an ankle injury, 3 wins over two teams that are 1-8, and a win over a NO team that had just fired their coach, and was without Chris Paul in the 4th after he hurt his ankle. Lets just keep things in perspective.
Yea I am more concerned with breaking the cycle on beating good teams. Right now the Blazers are repeating the cycle, beating bad teams and losing to good teams. Break the cycle, beat some good teams on the road. I am more than happy to take the games against the bad teams and win them until then, but right now the Blazers are kind of doing what they did last year.
