Don’t go overboard on that Laker loss
I felt that that Portland home loss to the Lakers Saturday night — after nine straight wins here over the defending champs — seemed to really send some Trail Blazer fans over the edge. Now I realize for a lot of Blazer fans a Laker loss is traumatic, but be reasonable.
That streak had to end, whether Kobe Bryant played or not. The problem right now is that Los Angeles is the one team in the league that is just flat-out too big for the Blazers right now. With those centers on the injured list, Portland doesn’t have enough inside. And with Bryant out of the lineup, you had to know that the Lakers would come out with the express purpose of pounding the ball inside.
Which they did. Constantly.
And there’s too much length in there for Portland to handle. Way too much. As long as the Blazers shot the ball around 60 percent, they could stay in the game but the minute their shooting fell off, so did they. And when you get virtually no offensive rebounds, few fastbreak points, get pounded in the paint — you can’t possibly win.
One thing happened near the end of that game, when the Lakers’ Lamar Odom tried to dunk in the waning seconds. Blazer General Manager Kevin Pritchard, according to Kerry Eggers, got into a bit of a tiff with Odom about it, apparently thinking he was showing the Blazers up.
I had no problem with it. I never worry about the other team — just worry about your own team. I mean, you might try guarding him. For me, the worst thing in the waning moments of Trail Blazers losses lately has been Jerryd Bayless’s relentless pursuit of his own points.
You’ve seen it. Both teams are just playing the game out and that’s when he lowers his head, quits looking for teammates and just tries to steamroll to the basket to get his own points. No thought of looking for a teammate — just a seemingly selfish dash to grab cheap points.
It comes off a little cheesy.
AND ANOTHER THING I JUST THOUGHT OF:
There is one other thing the Trail Blazers do home game after home game that is not classy. Look, it’s fine to allow fans to bring and display signs in your arena that make fun of the visiting team. But to show them on the big screen is, in a way, sanctioning them. The one they showed Saturday on the screen comparing Pau Gasol to the Geico caveman was in poor taste for a franchise, if you ask me. And this sort of thing happens time after time.
It’s cheap and kind of embarrassing that a franchise would sanction signs that feature personal attacks on visiting players. It’s really not “making anything better.”
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | February 8, 2010
Dwight Jaynes, Kevin Pritchard, Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers
I’d be much more worried about my GM getting into “tiffs” with opposing players than zooming in on creative signs. If that’s true about Pritchard, that is ridiculous.
Man that was a downer. Especially if you had annoying fans behind you THE WHOLE GAME!!!
The San Antonio game the Blazers bumped along until a heroic comeback in the 4th quarter. The Laker game, they come out of the opening tip on fire shooting wise and a tough defensive presence, then fizzle the remaining three quarters. Was it the Blazers or the other team in each case? Welcome to the rest of our season… up, down, up, down… Good Blazers or Bad opposing team? It least it will provide plenty of ammunition for fans to expouse their favorite gripe. It looks like the season will play out just like Dwight does for us. Mostly 3/4 happy on TV, 3/4 grumpy on the blog! Don’t worry Dwight, deep down we all love you. That’s why we all end of here!
Dead on today, Dwight. Good post.
Thank you for making the comment about Bayless. Not only is that a poor indicator of his potential vallue to the team, but his inconsistency is getting to be a real problem. You can’t count on him. If we could put him into a trade package to get a decent big guy, I’d do it now.
His T at the end of the game bothered me, he was obviously under the impression he didn’t say anything. But he rides and stares down the officials every time he goes to the hoop and doesn’t get the call. It’s annoying and that, to me is classless.
Ever since watching him at the University of Arizona, Jerryd Bayless has come across as a me-first gunner on the court and a narcissist of off it.
Hell, with regards to Bayless’ time at Arizona, his selfishness and smug behavior caused conflict with then head coach Kevin O’Neill, who’s reportedly known for being a hardass.
It’s bothersome that Bayless didn’t learn much professional during his one year at college, particularly while playing under a tough-minded disciplinarian in O’Neill.
Bayless, unfortunately, will likely continue to have an attitude problem throughout his professional career, which seemingly stems from an undeserved sense of entitlement.
AK1984 the entire Arizona team had problems with Kevin O’Neil, you really don’t know what you are talking about. I was attending college there at that time. Nice to see you bring your Bayless hate to this website once you got banned on the other one.
Kevin O’Neill, who’s a hard-working coach with a keen eye for defense, didn’t deserve the undue flack he received from players and fans down at the University of Arizona.
It’s nice to see that O’Neill has done relatively well thus far at USC, which was in much need of a strong-willed leader with character after Tim Floyd’s loose reign there.
On one more note, USC has the best defense in NCAA Division I men’s basketball so far this season. That, by the way, is according to Ken Pomeroy’s defensive efficiency metric.
http://kenpom.com/stats.php?y=2010&s=12
Inarguably, that shows the kind of positive impact in Los Angeles made by Kevin O’Neill on student athletes who aren’t self-centered, entitled punks like your boy “Jay-Bay” was at Arizona.
Oh, and as a Washington Huskies fan, let me just say that Abdul Gaddy made the right decision to attend the UW.
Hell, Gaddy would’ve been wasting his time backing up that midget point guard, Nic Wise, had he gone to Tuscon, AZ.
this city as a fan base is just manic. this loss to the lakers is and was inevitable. i mean come on, since the blazers have in the past and still do now, own the lakers at the garden, the dissapointment is understandable but lets not fall into a total malaise about this whole thing. the lakers have won a total of 3 games in the last 20 at the rose garden. it was guarenteed that the lakers were gonna break through sooner or later. with brandon out and with no bigs to speak of and the way lamarcus just fell asleep in the final 3 quarters its no wonder that this team just couldnt compete. the needs for a big on this team and a pure shooter is overwhelmingly obvious. if there are not some changes and if brandon is plagued by this hammy throughout the remainder of the year there is no way we will make the playoffs. and thats ok considering the injury situation for this team.
all the talk at the beginning of the year touting our depth was all empty rhetoric. though deep this team is showing glaringly its real needs and deficeincys. if this team wants to make the playoffs this year they have to make some kind of move that will bring a “productive” big and a spot on clutch shooter that can put the ball on the floor and go strong to the hoop as well as hitting the open jumper.
oh yea and the thing that really bothered me was, at least on the tv broadcast, the laker fans in the garden were just about as loud as the blazer fans! what the hell is up with that!!
the Laker fans were no where near as loud as the Blazer fans. Toward the end of the game many of the Blazer fans left…with about 3 minuts remaining and down 18 or so points. While in the RG, this is when I heard the Laker fans. Very little from them before this.
Malaise? No malaise here. I’m thrilled with the team’s performance under the circumstances.
This team has been murdered with injuries (not an excuse, just a fact). The likelihood that we’re going to finish above .500 is a miracle.
Name me a team that could have absorbed the following without falling out of playoff contention:
1. Losing two of main three bigs for the entire season;
2. Having their other main big with a bum ankle for a month;
3. Losing their primary backup 3/4 for most of the season(one of the only players on the team that can always create his own shot);
4. Losing their starting 3 for the first half of the season;
5. Losing their backup 2 for the first half of the season;
6. Losing their superstar 2 for 15 games;
7. Relying on a 6’9″, 37 year old who is playing at the veteran’s minimum and who can’t jump as their primary center.
I mean yeah I’m bummed that they aren’t doing better but let’s face it, we have virtually no chance of being a serious title contender this year, so put me in the camp of “let’s enjoy the journey” – for now, anyway.
greg i totally agree but there are some fans that just about lose their sanity if we lose to the lakers. me ive been a blazer fan since the first hour of the franchise. i guess that i have a little more objectivity about these things than a large percentage of fans. this team is absolutly incredible with what they’ve accomplished this year and i for one couldn’t be prouder. although i will say that i am starting to question nates competence just a tad with changes that need to be made taking so long.
i will always be a blazer fan no ifs ands or buts.
GO BLAZERS!
MAD DOG MEAN! FANGS AND FOAM BABY FANGS AND FOAM!!
Why Bayless starts over Fernandez, now that he’s healthy, is beyond me. Fernandez is the more complete player, and a total professional.
Totally agree on the signs. I just hate the stupid signs anyway. It just makes Portland fans look bush league. Like they just rolled in from the trailer park. It’s one of the reasons our fans are totally ridiculed by almost every other city in the league. We’re not in Utah folks.
Bush League = The Wave…
I cringe every time I see it on TV, especially on the nationally televised games. Totally embarassing!
I doubt Pau Gasol took the sign personally. He’s a young good looking millionaire athlete. I happen to like him as a person…from a public point of view as he’s a friend of Rudy’s. If he is a friend of Rudy’s he probably has a pretty good sense of humor and hopefully either: 1)doesn’t think about it at all 2)thinks nothing of it except that maybe he should get a hair cut/shave. or 3)takes it as a sign that fans notice his play.
I doubt the person who held up the sign meant it maliciously.
I thought it was funny at the time but after reading your post think that probably it’s better not to display signs on the jumbotron that malign a person’s looks.
Wonder if Greg gets signs in other arenas when he starts to dominate again?? I bet he DOES.
Now Greg’s response I WOULD worry about. Pretty sensitive guy.
And do other arenas display this type of sign on their jumbotrons?
Yeah, it’s doubtful that Pau Gasol took any offense to what was nothing more than a relatively tame shot at his facial appearance. All things considered, it was a harmless thing comparing Gasol to one of the GEICO caveman characters.
Besides, some folks prefer that type of scruffy, unkempt look. That, by the way, includes me, as I’ve currently got shaggy hair and previously sported a scraggly beard.
On a slightly related note, I’m disappointed that players such as Sasha Vujacic, Mike Miller, and Dirk Nowitzki have all recently turned in their unique hairstyles for shorter trims. I, however, am biased in my opinion on that matter.
Umm… Dwight and everyone else bagging on the signs is completely wrong. Poor taste, like the person posting above me, is the Wave. Seriously the worst thing that was ever invented, somehow people in Portland find it amusing. It was amusing… in 1997.
Any time someone is creative, and makes the sign well enough (like said Geico Caveman-Gasol), you have to put it up on the big board. As long as they are not hurtful nor misleading, it’s all in fun. I’d sure rather be known for the creative signs and the loud crowd noise than that stupid wave.
Yeah, they could be making “Kobie the rapist” signs, which, while not far removed from the truth, would be lowering ourselves to the Lakers level.
That and the chalupa thing…read Rudy’s blog and he mentioned that no matter how the game went, what plays were made by whom…the fans would remember the GUY WHO MADE THE CHALUPA basket the most.
I cringe every time the score gets near 100…I am sick of the damned 100 point chalupa thing…HOLD THE OTHER TEAM TO UNDER 90 points SHOULD BE THE INCENTIVE FOR THE CHALUPA!!!!
The chalupa chant is what sends me over the edge. Rudy wrote in his blog that no matter how the game was played or who made what kind of play..the person who would be remembered would be the guy who made the CHALUPA BASKET.
I hate it whenever the score nears 100 unless it’s a bigtime blowout…how many minutes do the Blazers go without scoring??? TOO MANY. Rudy runs a play for Mills with a few seconds on the clock to get the crowd their CHALUPA and the team comes across Utahesque…(recall their last second dunk..and LA also…Odum…too bad he MISSED!)
Another idea might be if the team gets a certain number of rebounds or if the other team scores less than…or rebounds less than..or has a FG % LESS than 45…
ps…thought my first post was lost as my computer’s page went down! So reposted and VOILA..2 posts on the same thing!
Yeah, a ton of fans at the Rose Garden overreacting over the possibility of receiving free junk from freakin’ Taco Bell is definitely bush league.
I, without question, would support canceling that asinine promotion, but from a marketability standpoint I’m sure it’s extremely profitable.
That’s life, though, for money makes the world go around.
Mr. Jaynes, on this one you’re batting around .500
Yes: Bayless head down and padding the stats is not good. He should be passing to the bigs and helping them.
Yes: The choice of signs shown on TV and the big screen should be better, and the fan exhibitionism is over the top.
No: Odom is pretty classless on the court and has been that way for a long time. This was just another example. It needed to be called out, and KP doing so at the time was proper. Other options from players in the past got physical, and I wouldn’t think you’d prefer that. That KP didn’t elaborate makes the point without escalating. He was taking care of the team.
No: The homemade signs are a good tradition. Creativity is fine. The caveman look by Gasol actually does deserve some public ridicule. There’s the Euro unshaven look and then there’s wrongheadedness.
Correction – there’s the Euro unshaven look, and then there’s the Gasol, just crawled out from under the Burnside bridge after 2 bottles of Night Train and no sleep look.
2 buck chuck, not night train
What did KP call out? I was at the RG and didn’t see this.
LeMarshmallow surely did not help any with points in the paint, utterly disappearing 1/2 way through the 2nd quarter and never fighting Gasol or Odem for rebounds under the basket, where a POWER forward belongs. The discrepancy on the hustle board for P in P was about 2-1 in the Lakers favor.
As to signs, I don’t know. I thought it was a funny comparison, but perhaps my view is tainted by the utterly rude, boorish Laker fans who were sitting around behind me. I swear one guy was trying to provoke a fight, and very nearly did with several peeved patrons. As to his relentless “how many championships?” taunt, I can only say I’d rather have one with some degree of class, than have all theirs with the classless, childish behavior he & his friends displayed. He made Dennis Rodman look like a class act.
The lag of bigs killed us in that game. The Godfather is wise and prophetic.
No doubt the Lakers bigs were too much for our front line- especially when Odom comes to play
The inconsistent play of the usual suspects is really becoming apparent when facing top talent- Webster, Blake, Bayless, even Rudy. I fear none of these guys will ever be consistent- only streaky.
When the jumpers aren’t falling, the Blazers have no plan B- mostly because nobody can take their man off the dribble (or in Webster’s case, dribble at all without losing it).
Rudy was in a rhythm and hitting 3s. Then he was taken out of the game. When he came back…do not recall exactly when…but most likely he felt more under pressure to hit the 3. He did start to hesistate and wish he would not. I don’t think he is that streaky. He is young.
Bayless is young also and I didn’t see it as trying to pad his stats so much as get some points quickly. Maybe to make the game not such a ROUT. Or to get practice driving to the rim. Who knows. He couldn’t do it as well with Gasol and Odum in there.
I’m tired of Webster’s lack of defense. Could care less if he doesn’t hit the 3 if he was trying on defense. Doesn’t seem all that interested in defending. Seems to like to appreciate it watching the other guys get the 3′s. Does he have ADD or something?
Does his defensive play just look so much worse when I see Batum in there?
Ralphzillo – I agree to a point except for your solution.
Dwight has pointed out that the Blazers really do not need another player who can take his man off the dribble. What they need is an offensive system that is not centered around isolation plays. We finally have some good passers in Miller, Fernandez, Howard, Batum, Cunningham. We also have players who can move without the ball. Let’s have an offense that helps create easier opportunities and uses these player’s strengths. We have a high IQ team – now lets use it.
That would take a coach that has one…
I think Bayless got the green light to take the ball inside and that’s what he did. Perhaps the Blazers should have implemented that strategy a bit earlier. For awhile there in the second half it was missed jumper after missed jumper. In that game Bayless showed that he was the only Blazer capable of getting to the rim.
Bynum only played 10 minutes in that game. So did the Lakers really have a size advantage or did they simply want it more than the Blazers did.
Bynum bruised his knee. Then he left. This was when the Lakers seemed to start to play better.
Get off your high horse old man. Who cares if they show the signs. I highly doubt Pau is severely offended by it.
As for what you should really look into is why the Blazers have had such bad medical advice recently. I mean, Brandon Roy flat out said on Saturday that he did not believe in the treatment he was receiving. The Blazers have become so scared of the next big injury (another Oden) that they refuse to let their players “gut it out”.
How can a guy, Roy, go from out for a week to out for a month (possibly more)? It makes no sense. And KP makes Bill Belichick seem truthful and honest about inuries.
Spoken like a couch potato who has never had a hamstring injury. They can be among the most difficult-to-treat, frustrating in their ability to linger, areas to strain. I can only dream of having access to the kind of care these guys get. But with hammies, there’s no substitute for REST.
Yep, all those 43+ minute games Brandon was playing earlier in the year when Jerryd couldn’t get any playing time sure is paying off now. Run your players into the ground is some really sound coaching. Lamarcus or Juwann will be next.
I don’t understand the bagging on Bayless at all. The Blazers failed to take the ball to the hoop for almost the entire game, then, as soon as one of the one or two players left on the roster that can finally does, he gets criticized for it? Insinuating motives on Bayless’ part that you couldn’t possibly know is pathetic, Dwight.
Dwight doesn’t like him…never has
Again, he has done this 3 losses in a row. 3 minutes or left in the game, with no chance of a comeback… Most of the time, while no opposing defense… Not looking for other open players too.
Where was Bayless from doing this the time he WAS in the game? He was too busy shooting poor jumpers. The injury excuse bugs came out, but seems like he had no problem at the end of the game.
Portland fans can attempt to love the underdog as we always do, but Bayless is Jarret Jack v2.
Barking up the wrong tree. I don’t like Bayless – I think we should trade him. That said, this team sucks at getting cheap points, and that’s what Bayless does. Yeah, let’s just give up and pass to someone who will take yet another jump shot, because the 99% of other shots were jumpshots too, so let’s not break the trend. This is just a silly criticism all around.
As much as I also dislike Jerryd Bayless, you’re absolutely correct that he draws fouls at a high clip. So far this season, Bayless has drawn a foul on 17.5% of his field-goal attempts.
http://www.82games.com/0910/09POR5.HTM
The problem, though, is that skill doesn’t exactly translate to team-oriented basketball that wins ballgames. So, while it’s fine and dandy that Bayless can frequently get to the charity stripe by charging to the hoop with reckless abandon, it’s not an all-important element to victory and success.
Bayless, in essence, is like a marginally taller version of Louis Williams, who’s had similar troubles adjusting to the NBA style of play as an undersized dribble-drive combo guard with a streaky mid-range jumper and relatively poor court vision.
It’s one thing to be a playmaker who can create his own shot out there, but being an effective floor general out there on the court takes an altogether different ability.
Dismayingly, though, being a proficient distributor as a point guard seems to be an inherent talent rather than a learned skill, which doesn’t bode well for Bayless’ future at the 1.
My Bayless take: He seemed to be not trust his ability to get to the rim due to the injury. He played tentative early in the game. It seemed in the 4th, he just went for it, which I thought was a positive sign that he wasn’t thinking about the injury anymore.
Another point to ponder. Does Bayless do this late in the games because he is deferring to his elder teammates earlier? Hopefully as Bayless heals up and Batum is less worried about the shoulder, they both will start heading to the basket. Since Portland doesn’t have a strong inside presence, maybe we can at least get the other teams bigs into some foul trouble and even the playing field a bit.
I am going to DISAGREE on this one Dwight.
I don’t care about the loss to the Lakers or the fact it was the Lakers, I care about the continuing obvious struggles.
1.
Lamar Odom – 22 Rebounds in 37 Minutes
Lamarcus Aldridge – 5 Rebounds in 39 minutes
When Juwan Howard at 27 minutes outrebounds you by having 7 rebounds, something is really, really wrong. It’s not like Bynum was playing or Gasol was tearing down lal these boards. LaMarcus is soft and nobody on the team, including the coach himself has the balls to call him out. The local media has been doing that a bit……
2. When going into Lamarcus with a pass, it’s much like a free throw – as certain routine has to follow. When the Blazers go into Lamarcus or are setting up a play for him, it immediately slows down the offense. Lamarcus shoots a high % of shots, but only averages 17 a game. So a coaching decision needs to be made. He is terrible on defense, terrible on the boards…. So for an average of 37 minutes a game we get a couple bounds and 17 points? Not worth it IMO.
3. Bayless continues to start. What about Rudy? Bayless is undersized, inconsistent, a me first shooter and doesn’t involve the rest of the team. He doesn’t have the experience or upside of Fernandez or Batum. So you can shift the lineup 100 different ways, all of which consistent of Bayless not playing with the starting group.
4. Miller plays better with Batum. Why doesn’t he play with him? The rotations. Why are the player rotations terrible? I don’t know.
5. Why is Batum not starting and playing bigger minutes?
6. More importantly, are there ANY, ANY, ANY set plays for Rudy or Batum? ZERO. “Run off some screens and see if something comes up” ….. “Let’s ignore Rudy on the 3 point line, he was hot in his first 6 minutes in the game, let’s stop going to him… Too hot for his own good.” Batum? “Let’s pretend Batum cannot score and only pass to him as a last option” ….
7. Let’s keep riding Martell (great guy) … but he is a headcase. His confidence is like rolling glass on pavement. His consistency is terrible.. (I have never seen a pure shooter air ball as many 3 pointers as Webster).
8. When nothing else is working, why not switch up the line-up? Patty Mills anyone?
I could go on and on, but those are just the begining of my concerns with this team right now. Wait till Roy get’s back.. Is Bayless going to come right behind Roy? If so, what happens to Rudy? If Rudy comes out… Then I see no time for Bayless….
Howard outrebounding Mr. StaPuff in far fewer minutes says it all. Jordan needed his Pippen to win it all; Bird had a strong supporting cast; ditto Magic; we have burdened B. Roy & the team with Mr. StaPuff at a huge salary in the misguided belief he was going to be our complementary player that would get us over the hump.
As to all the rest – it all comes down to creative coaching, something we utterly lack.
Rudy gets a lot of plays run for him. Down screens and such. Batum not as many, but Artest had him locked up anyways
Artest was all over whoever he was guarding. Also he was not under the impression that the Blazers are unbeatable in the RG. He was probably a HUGE FACTOR in the mind set that brought the play to win.
deftron, you continue to be blind.
You said:
“Rudy gets a lot of plays run for him. Down screens and such.”
Plays are not just screens randomly running across. How about him as a cutter into a finish. How about specific isolations to leave him open for the 3? It is ALL manufactured as “set some screens and hope to find him open on his own” …. Thats not a play.
Pop at the end of the San Antonio game, that was a play.
????
Rudy is cutting all the time and they look for him on the back-cuts quite often. And the 3-point looks that he gets are almost always the result of a play called to get him open. And he was isolated on Bynum which got him an open shot.
Plays usually have more than one option, it would be stupid not to. Sorry it bugs you that there arent more plays ONLY for Rudy with no 2nd option
See Deftron, as opposed to being constructive, you make yourself look like a fool.
So you just admitted, that there are no plays for Rudy.
If you support a coach, that has no plays for a player like Rudy or Batum… you shouldn’t be a coach.
You made no other point other than making no point.
Here is an exact quote from what I said ” And the 3-point looks that he gets are almost always the result of a play called to get him open”
that would suggest that I think there ARE plays run for him. How you concluded otherwise is your own problem.
And unlike yourself and others around here, I dont think I should be a coach. Try coaching a 2nd grade girls team before you blather about your own theories about how to fix the Blazers
dooftron -
LOL, you are a clown.
Playing in the park, with people I have never played with before… you run picks and screens to get open. That is not a PLAY. Do you understand that?
If you are playing schoolyard ball to get someone open, what’s the point of a coach? Just to determine minutes?
Ha ha. thats all you see when the Blazers run their offense?? No wonder you post such ridiculous garbage, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE COURT!
Try watching a little closer, a lot more is happening before that screen that Rudy runs off of. But im not expecting a miracle, some people just see the ball.
I agree with every conclusion, and would ask every question you do. LaMargerine is what you get when you look up ‘soft’ in the dictionary. Bayless isn’t hopeless, but he isn’t worthy of benching Rudy. Batum is still coming back, so I can understand a little hesitancy with him shouldering too much load (sorry for the pun there) but yeah, spot on analysis.
We need Nate to call out LaMarcus and be more flexible with his rotation philosophy. It’s not hard, START YOUR BEST PLAYERS AT EACH POSITION NATE!! Rudy should be starting while Roy is out, and should be the first or second option off the bench when he’s back, period.
Oy what a long season this is!!
BlazerMVP..Dooftron aka Basketball Ambassador for Nate is doing his usual blind eye and takes ANY criticism of players or rotations as a negative relection on Nate’s coaching (which it mostly is) so you are on his Natehater list. Feel fortunate!
Bayless does this late in games because he know defensive resistence is minimal, at best. At that point the defense is just trying not to foul.
Ah, do THAT’s why he shouldn’t do it. Explain to me again what the gripe with Bayless is? I just don’t get this – the last thing he should be criticized for is taking the ball to the rim. You want him to pass off? Is this based on your belief he’s a point guard? Because news flash, he isn’t and he never will be. He’s a terrible decision maker and not a very good passer. He’s good for one thing: charging the rim. Considering how hard of hits and falls he’s taken lately, I can’t say I blame him for being a little gun-shy when the defense is stiffer, but it’s just flat out lame for calling him out for doing what he should be doing.
EXACTLY.
So if you think he is never going to be a PG, you think with his tiny wingspan (t-rex arms), height and defensive challenges he is going to be a 2 guard?!?!?!?!
Would love to see him defend Kobe or take over Roy’s minutes. If he is not going to play as a PG, there is no room for him on this team.
I will also concur that Bayless looks for his own shot all the time and tries to take over during scrap time at the end of the game. Cheap points, makes him look like a stat junkee.
You can take it into the hole down by 20 with nobody guarding you? Great. Highly impressed.
If those stats didn’t add to his FG% and point output of the game, he would look like the future scrub he is going to be.
Bayless will not be dominant in this league, other teams didn’t know how to scout for him. Now that they do, he is turnover/block prone, looks for his own shot first and isn’t focused on being a distributing PG (WHICH IS ALL HE CAN BE IN THIS LEAGUE) … he is too small for SG.
You are right Dwight. The Geico Caveman does not deserve that sort of treatment.
Comon, regardless of how you felt about the sign – this comment was funny.
Must have been Duck fans showing the classless behavior, as that is their typical M.O. ….
Have you heard Wheels go after players and coaches on the radio? Like basically calling Sasha Vujacic a girl? Not very classy either.
As a tall, thin guy who’s also sported long hair in the past, I find it easier to relate to Sasha Vujacic than Brian Wheeler.
In addition, “Wheels” — who must be sporting a fairly hefty BMI number — is in poor position to criticize another dude’s physical appearance.
I actually disagree with you about Bayless and cheap points a bit. I can’t think of any other game besides that Laker game on Saturday where Bayless has done this recently and to be honest, the first thing I thought of when you said that was Brandon Roy.
And the game I thought of was the December game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden where Roy could have easily been accused of doing the same thing at the end of the game. In fact, Knick fans at another board site basically said the same thing about Roy’s play at the end of the game.
Shem -
Bayless has done this in the last 3 gmaes that were losses.
Bayless did barely played in the San Antonio game…he got hurt. He certainly wasn’t padding his stats from the bicycle he was riding to keep loose. I guess you just write anything to support your wrong perceptions.
If you actually *read* my statements. I said in the last 3 games that were losses. Did we lose to San Antonio? No.
Thank you very much, come again.
Brandon Roy’s absence is starting to kill this team.
It sounds like the Blazers training staff & consulted doctors have literally run out of ideas and are now HOPING it heals with little guarantee it WILL HEAL and HOPE IF IT DOES HEAL, he won’t re-tear it.
Either way, since Roy’s absences look permanent, the Blazers better figure out that you need a leader/scorer at ALL TIMES on the floor.
This means they better start grooming Rudy, or Batum to be full-time option #2. Because LMA, Bayless and Webster aren’t there yet. Miller can’t carry the scoring load either.
Do the math. Roy’s 25 point deficit in his absence is not being distributed properly. Guys like Rudy, Webster, Bayless have to score ABOVE their averages, not at or below their averages and when they don’t, we lose.
Brandon’s absence is actually SAVING the team right now.
The rotation is too hard for Nate, but what happens when Roy comes back. You need to cut 36 minutes from players. That will not come from your bigs in Pendagraph, Howard, Dante or LaMarcus.
So, you tell me…. Who are you going to cut 36-41 minutes from?
Batum? Rudy? Bayless? Blake? Webster?
Blake + Webster combined would mean no playing time for Blake or Webster at all. In addition, would leave the limited minutes for Rudy and Batum.
…..Sooo, again Roy is helping the problem by being out. Once he is back, all hell is going to break lose.
We are 4-6 in our last 10. I suspect with Roy back that will go to 3-7.
3-7 with Roy back?
What would you like to bet on that? name your price, I’ll have fun taking your money
Again, “dooftron” as others call you…. you have no point.
Answer the questions posed to you.
Who is going to have minutes cut and how is that NOT going to be a problem?
Probably Bayless, Blake, Fernandez, and maybe Batum. Maybe they get pissy, but they have to deal with it, they are pros.
And there was no question posed to me, so I dont know what you are whining about. I just think you are a fool to say that the Blazers will go 3-7 when Roy comes back and I am willing to bet on that.
And what would your suggestion be?
Trade Roy? Permanently bench Martell? Cut Blake?
Of all your giping to make points, all you are saying is that Hell will break loose when Roy comes back. Wow, hard hitting commentary right there folks.
You heard it here first…..THE BLAZERS WILL FALL APART WHEN ROY COMES BACK. HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE!
ugh
To argue that the Blazers will implode minutes wise due to Roy returning someday is outlandish.
When you have a star player like Roy, everybody has to play less. Everybody including the bigs, rooks, Rudy, Bayless, and Blake.
The reason the minutes were out of whack earlier in the season is because Nate was giving preferential treatment to Blake who was playing close to 40 per some nights.
Solution. Roy is your point guard for large stretches, play him there with Miller. Blake goes to the bench most nights. Sorry.
IF Roy comes back that is he easily could re-aggravate that hamstring and then we’re back to a skeleton crew.
Dooftron -
Still, no response to my questions…
Arvydas -
You don’t think they will implode? Bigs aren’t going to get less minutes because Brandon is back. Those are our only bigs!
Right now, Blake has only been playing about 18 minutes a game. So you still have 21 minutes.
Where you going to strip them from? Rudy and Batum? Meaning they each only get about 10 minutes a game then? For the rest of the season? Really? Thats not a problem?
And we all know, Nate WILL not completely bench Blake.
That’s what Mr. Derfton does. He never acknowledges queries. I really don’t think he has the comprehension skills to do such things.
I did answer your question. But you obviously have a problem reading and connecting the dots. I said the minutes will probably be taken from Bayless, Batum, Rudy, Martell, and Blake. But because they are pros, I expect they will deal with it because Roy is an All-Star and that is what happens.
And no, I dont thinkt that the team will fall apart when Roy comes back.
Happy Now? Did I answer your all-important question?
Clown
Dwight,
All you early stuff about Bayless was wrong and you are wrong again. It is apparent that you don’t like him. Your act is getting old.
You come here to hate on Dwight? Why even read the blog then?
Go read something positive and get mad at everyone. You get mad at negative comments about the Nets too?
Bayless will not be a star in this league. He will be more of a Sebastian Telfair, with a better finish… He will have random games of excellence, but for the most part be mediocre.
Don’t get mad because the underdog is not succeeding to your liking and people aren’t buying into it.
Uh oh,
the dwight defender is in full force. Do you do dwights laundry too?
I wish the Blazers would wake up and hire experts like you and dwight to run the team.
Go root for the Jazz clown
We do know you do Nate’s laundry tho!!! Part of your Ambassador role…now..go finish doing it…
The team needs a center and not a bunch of fans and bloggers bagging on the guys who are trying to keep it together.
Dooftron…as Basketball Ambassador for Nate your not representing your role in a professional manner. Your hostility and sarcasm with the critics here, minimizes your intent. Given this role, you should be above this! Best be careful..or.. you might be fired!
There is just not much point in getting too upset or too excited over anything going on with the team the rest of this year. Even once Roy gets back not much is going to change. Enjoy what ya can. Enjoy the progression of Batum and watching Pendy and Cuny learning the NBA game. But with no inside presence what so ever on either end of the floor this teams options are nil. They are little more than a jump shooting team now and when the shots are falling they will have a chance. When they are not falling their defense is so porous they are going to struggle. They will get smoked.
I don’t get too excited about Bayless late in the game either. Sure it is selfish and he is developing bad habits. But hey. if the coaching staff and KP are going to let him do that crap well, there ya go. I am more bothered with the way he was shooting so many jump shots so early in the clock so early on in the game. Not even drawing rim! It was clear with his bad wing and all early on, Bayless really had nothing to offer last night. But when nearly 1/3rd of your team is PG’s I guess ya gotta play them. Like I said. No point in getting to upset or too excited about anything going on this season. Nothing much to get too invested in. I would not be a bit surprised if they fall back into the lottery again this year. They are just over matched and completely out coached when put up against the best in the west. Just watch the games and enjoy what ya can …. forget the rest. I am invested in NHL this winter. PHX coyotes are battling some pretty steep odds this year too and they are playing well.
I wasn’t going to comment on this cuz it just seemed wacked. But if this stuff about KP from the sideline calling out Odem is true. This just doesn’t sit well. I say again if this is true. IF THIS IS TRUE! This is really bush league. This is really petty on the part of KP. I mean can you imagine if Kupchak had had some sorta sideline exchange with Roy over a late game score with the Blazers comfortably ahead? This just doesn’t happen. I have never heard of a GM getting into it on the sidelines with an opposing team player over an in game situation of any kind. Petty and small. I mean small as in cold and shriveled up beyond belief. This is one thing that bothers me about P town. You can put the sign/scoreboard thing in this category too. PDX, sometimes, too often, has such a small town inferiority complex it is painful and embarrassing to watch. It is just, so, not pro league level to do this kinda stuff. KP, if you have a prob with the opposition smokin your roster why don’t you get off that over sized ego of yours and get them some help? Some relief in the form of some size and defense? You have the assets. Close your mouth and cash them in. Make a trade. If not move your small town ass and big time mouth up into the upper levels so you are not going to embarrass your reaming roster who is doing their level best with what they got. Man, that is so dang small …
Meh, I dislike Kevin Pritchard — albeit from a job performance standpoint rather than a personal one — for a multitude of reasons. Yet, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason to chide Pritchard for yapping vociferously like a li’l Shih Tzu at Lamar Odom over some dumbass showboating.
Was Odom’s showboating an unnecessary pouring of salt in the Portland Trail Blazers wound?
Yes.
Was Pritchard getting all riled up like a petulant child over it an overreaction on his part?
Yes.
In the end, ultimately, everything equaled out nicely in this whole overblown situation. As a result, y’all should just let it slide and move forward with all things red and black.