Blah, blah, Blazers
If you're a Trail Blazer follower in the mood for a large plate of appetizers for the season that's about to begin, here's a l-o-o-o-o-ong review and preview by a TV station web guy down in Medford. He says a lot of things that make sense to me. For example, he thinks Andre Miller should be starting instead of Steve Blake, and he thinks Rudy Fernandez should be starting instead of Nicholas Batum or Travis Outlaw. These are not important issues in October, but by the first of the new year, they will be. I, too, would hope that Miller and Fernandez will indeed be starting with Roy, Aldridge, and Oden, and the sooner the better. That puts the Blazers' best team out on the floor at the start of the game, as everybody but Coach Nate thinks it should be.
Speaking of Coach Nate, the Medford guy also boldly wonders aloud whether he can get the team out of the first round of the playoffs:
Don't misinterpret what I'm saying. McMillan has been nothing but a class act. He always says the right things. He's the consummate professional, respected in the community, respected by his players, by his peers. He was chosen, along with Mike D'Antoni, to serve as an assistant coach to Mike Krzyzewski on the U.S. Basketball Team's trip to the Beijing Olympics. That's no small task. I'm questioning whether the Blazers can win a title with him at the helm. I'd say the answer is no.Parts of his post are painfully long-winded, but he did turn up one fact that I hadn't ever focused on: When the Blazers drafted Martell Webster, they passed on Chris Paul. Ouch.
| Posted at 1:28 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (7)
I find it just plain stupid that Rudy doesn't start on this team, he is just way to talented not to start. I think he would be a perfect starting SF. But I will also say that for now they should rest him because he has looked really tired during the preseason...played way to much international ball over the summer.
As for Miller, I am not sold on him starting yet, BUT I do feel he will be within a month or two...if B-Roy says it is OK, because this is B-Roys team now. lol
Posted by WestsideGuy | October 25, 2009 2:53 AM
So true. Nate's may have his hands full with Roy and Aldridge now that they've gone to the bank, big time. They may be just a wee bit more vocal than in the past.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 25, 2009 3:01 AM
You guys are aware that Rudy and Roy play the same position?
Posted by Justin | October 25, 2009 9:18 AM
Let's also not forget the disastrous 'Rudy at the 3' experiment last year. Yikes.
Posted by Flynn | October 25, 2009 10:01 AM
I think any reviewer who claims that the Houston team that defeated the Blazers in the playoffs was "a vastly inferior team" is suspect.
Sounds like he just has a bone to pick with McMillan.
Posted by D.J. | October 25, 2009 4:36 PM
the disastrous 'Rudy at the 3' experiment
That was before you had Andre Miller.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 25, 2009 4:43 PM
I don't have much to do, so I went to ESPN's "trade machine" -- http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine -- and verified that, under the salary cap rules, it would be permissible for Portland to trade Martell Webster, Steve Blake, and Travis Outlaw to Philly for Elton Brand.
The interesting part was that the "analysis" "by" ESPN NBA guru John Hollinger said that the trade would increase the 76er's projected wins by 37 and the Blazer's projected wins by 24, which could make it the first 60 win fantasy trade in internet history.
Posted by bob whittsitt | October 27, 2009 2:44 PM