I think you are misquoting me. I would have said 1 in 5 million. But yes there is still a chance. As long as you don't actually think that Nate is the only thing holding us back from winning the title this year. Because that is fucking insane. I think there are a couple other things that need improvement. But hey blame nate and travis if it make some of you feel better. (The coach and a bench player)
You mean the guy who draws up the gameplan, and calls almost all of the plays and substitutions? And the "bench player" who played more minutes than anyone (perhaps deservedly in Game One? Blaming them doesn't make me feel better. Changing them makes me feel better. Which is why I'm happy for Travis right now (based on what I've read/heard).
Yes that would be the guy. Tell me the game plan and different substitution pattern that will win us the title this year. I would love to see this strategy that makes the difference. Becasue I always hear a lot of bitching, but very debatable solutions.
I can't prognosticate this year. (Plus, we're one game in). But, as I said multiple times last year in game threads, take Blake out at the end of the game. Keep Travis in only if it's a last-second shot and defense doesn't need to be involved, and the ball won't be in his hands. Have your inbounder be a tall player, not a small (generally Blake, which is retarded b/c supposedly he's in there b/c of his 3pt and FT shooting, not his passing skills). Don't take Oden out with two quick fouls. There's 4. Off the top of my head. But I'm a clueless fan, so sticking with the strategy that had us lose in the first round with HCA probably is for the best.
I think Nate's refernece to clueless fans are in respect to those who are saying that Oden didn't get enough offensive touches last game. This is the first time I remember Nate coming out and saying something like this. So either he is especially defensive about this issue or he is sick of people making an issue out of a non-issue (in his mind . . . and that is a pretty good basketball mind) Really has Nate ever said anything like this before. If he has even an ounce of credibilty with reagrd to basketball, he is cashing in on that and letting it be known what he thinks of this issue . . . it's stupid and a non-issue. Not the politically correct response respecting the issue, basically calling people out saying I know more than you in this area and you have no idea what you are talking about. Strongest words I rememeber from Nate.
I would not. How often is the best player on a championship team a PG? Not that often. Maybe Billups in Detroit (some would argue that Ben Wallace's defensive output that year would make him that guy) and before that... Isiah Thomas? There were a lot of Small Guards (MJ, Kobe, Wade), one all-time-great PF (Duncan), two hall-of-fame centers (Shaq, Dream) and a combo SF/PF (offense/defense) with PP/KG. I still think we have not seen how good Roy can be when there is a high-level, take it all win on the line. CP3 is great. He really is and he is a better individual player than Roy - but somehow, I am going with Roy as being more capable taking a series down when it is the best player vs. the other team's best player. I might be wrong, I might be emotionally attached to him because he is the face of the team I am a fan of - but there is one player I would not hesitate swapping Roy for - and it's not CP3.
Try to imagine CP3 with depth around him ... I'm not saying I want to trade Roy, but if the opportunity presented itself I'd jump on it in a second. A starting lineup of CP3, Rudy (or maybe Bayless?) Batum/Martell, LMA and Greg backed up by Miller, Travis, et cetera is a monster team that would actually have balanced scoring in the front court and the back court. They would run people off the floor.
Really, that's it? Thats all it will take? Like I said...very debatable. What coach out there will not take a player out with two quick fouls? I agree with getting a tall inbounder that can pass, but he as to be able to pass. Plus many times the guy inbounding the ball, is open for the 3. Bottom line is these little nit picky things don't make the difference. How many times does Phil get criticized for not calling a time out, or leaving Kobe out too long to start the 4th. Fans will always find little things to complain about. I do too. But no matter what coach you get, we will still second guess him. To me as long as the players like playing for Nate, you keep him. Learn from the Adleman fuck up. Fans bitched about him too.
Yeah. It would be a monster team. Just like a team with Blake or Miller or Bayless/Roy and Rudy/Batum and Web/LMA and Travis/Oden and Joel will be. We ran people off the courts in the 2nd half of last year as well. They got a bad mismatch in the playoffs - but you guys seem to forget how dominant that team looked once they jelled. This year's team will be better than that squad. I have no doubts that the this team with CP3 instead of Roy would be great - I still think that Roy is better at taking over a game in the clutch, I think he is a better guy to rally the troops and I would not trade him for anyone not called LeBron. That's just me.
I actually brought him up this summer as our 'missing piece'. He's pretty much unattainable right now. So, that's why I'm on the Michael Beasley bandwagon. Coming into the NBA his ceiling was, and I quote Chad Ford, a "low-post Carmelo Anthony". South Beach is the wrong place for him as he's obviously immature for his age. Getting him out of that environment will only help him succeed. He's only 20 and is nowhere near the player he could be.
Melo is the obvious guy if you added him to the starting lineup, he'd put you over the top. I think quality depth gets you to the playoffs, but having at least 3 superstars gets you to the dance. Beasley has the tools, but seems to be a bit of a head case.
Andre Miller, Travis Outlaw + Rudy Fernandez for A championship ring: Eva Longoria-Parker......I mean, Tony Parker and re-sign Ime for the bench.
Even if Portland could do this trade (and they can't until December at the earliest) and even if San Antonio were prepared to trade one of the most important parts of their team after going all-in for a title by acquiring Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess....that trade isn't even close to being fair. Parker is one of the most valuable players in the game, top-twenty player at minimum. An aging Miller and two average to slightly above-average players isn't equivalent value.
I just remembered two player whom KP tried to get the past two summers that would put us over the top: -Devin Harris -Danny Granger Granger would have made us scary good.
