Three Utah debacles — how can this happen?
It’s not as easy to explain as the Trail Blazers would like to make it seem — you know, just sort of dismissing these games by saying that Utah is the better team and that there’s really nothing they can do to stop the Jazz.
Yes, shooting 60 percent against you from the field three times in the same season is a rather amazing statistic. But just surrendering to the premise that the Jazz are better makes it a little too easy to duck the reasons for this happening. Look, the Trail Blazers have beaten some other teams that are better than they are this season — and have done so with regularity.
But when somebody absolutely annihilates you with their offense three straight times, perhaps it ought to prompt some deeper self analysis than simply dismissing it with an idea along the lines of “there’s nothing we can do.”
Given the Trail Blazers’ injuries, of course the Jazz are better. But that’s no excuse, in a league as competitive as the NBA, for Portland not giving a better showing than what we’ve seen in those three games.
My goodness, learn from what’s happening from game to game! If you absolutely can’t hustle enough to close out on three-point shooters any better than that, if you can’t defend the pick and roll any better than that, if you can’t understand their back-cuts any better than that, get into some other sort of defense sooner.
Changing zone defenses is one possibility. The zone worked a bit last night, although it’s obviously vulnerable over a long period. Why not offer up different sorts of zones, or a matchup? Obviously, defending the Jazz man-to-man is no option you want to stick with through an entire game.
You might also try to get back on defense a little better, too. Or simply commit your man-to-man defense into sinking into the paint — challenging the Jazz to knock down outside shots at the expense of getting inside. My goodness — 62 points in the paint in one game? Allow anything but that. I’d make them prove it from distance all night long rather than give up 62 points in the paint.
There are teams in the league who don’t shoot 60 percent from the field in a single game all season. To allow the same team to do it to you three times in the same season is almost bordering on insanity. There’s one more game left against Utah this season and it will be interesting to see what happens.
I cannot imagine another 60 percent shooting night. It can’t happen. Can it?
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | February 4, 2010
4th in their division. I knew the injuries would get to us eventually.
Oh, and 9th in the West.
3rd in their division.
Just scanning this morning’s recap from Jason Quick, he quoted Andre Miller saying “They’be been running that offense for years. It’s tough to defend.”
Point 1: Credit the Jazz, especially Jerry Sloan, for creating and executing a system that works, and has worked for a long time.
Point 2: Wouldn’t you think the rest of the league might catch on by now, learn how to defend this Sloan offense? Seriously, didn’t Nate PLAY against the same coach’s team, against the same coach’s offensive system, in his time as a Sonic?? And he’s been coaching against it for most of a decade since.
I’m left to remark, as Dwight did a couple days ago, “Now THAT’S how basketball is supposed to be played.”
Good points. The Blazers should absolutely defend better than they have. However, like in football – good offense will over time always beat good defense. I wish the Blazers would learn how to mimic the disciplined, ball moving, good team offense Utah displays.
Portland’s offense has nothing moving toward the basket. It consists of a big man setting a pick (or in LA’s case a fo-pick) and the rest of the team out at the 3 point line. I am also sick of Barret and Rice using the term “pick & roll”. Most of the Blazers have not learned what “roll” means.
Rice made a telling comment last night. At one point Martell did cut down the lane but of course did not get the ball. Rice casually said “the Blazers are just not used to looking for a cutter.” Are you kidding me!!! What are those coaches teaching.
Thanks for letting me rant.
Derftron
Just for a moment lets forget about the injuries and who is playing and watch the Blazer schemes on offense and defense. They are not good and that is coaching.
I am sure you will answer that with “Why are they doing better than expected considering the injuries? Well we can agree to disagree. I think it is because we have better than expected backups overcoming bad coaching. You think it b/c good coaching. (To wich I would refer you to my original commets.)
what makes the schemes bad?
please be specific, because of all the bashing of Nate that goes on here, the only details I hear are very generic baskeball terms. And that is usually because the average fan usually does not know very much about basketball plays.
Yes we have good backups, better than many teams. But that doesnt nullify the fact that we dont have very good starters at this point.
I dont think Nate is the greatest coach in the NBA. But the guys play hard for him, and we have been winning for a few years now with injuries to major players. Talent decides success more often than not in the NBA, not coaching.
If we were losing these same games at full strength, then I can see some reason for wanting Nate gone. But not now.
Derftron – I direct you to my comments right above the one you replied to. The one that talks about Pick & Roll (minus the roll part). You know if you had been reading Dwight’s blog for a while now you would know specifically why he criticizes Nate. No ball movement, too much one on one, limited passing to the post when Greg was in, etc. I could go on an on.
You nailed it!
No ball movement? We move the ball all game, guys arent finishing.
Pick and Roll offense? Guys roll all the time, but often do not finish because Lamarcus is a lousy ball-handler and he is the only threat on the team to finish at the rim off a pick and roll. You think Juwan Howard is rolling hard to the hoop like Amare Stoudamire? Its called talent. You work with what you have. Every team in the NBA runs the pick and roll in some fashion.
Look at the Spurs game tonight. They run pick and roll all the time. Is Popp a lousy coach too since they lost to us?
I’ll agree that GO didnt get the ball enough when he was playing, but our offense is not that different from what a lot of teams in the league run
Jerry Sloan basically runs a modern-day version of John Wooden’s old UCLA high-post offense, with the main difference being that Sloan’s places a large emphasis on various pick-and-roll plays added to the original playbook based mostly on ball movement.
http://www.cybersportsusa.com/hooptactics/freesite/offstrategies/setoffense/ucla.asp
The biggest mismatch between the Jazz and Blazers is the guys who are sitting on the bench in the coaches seats. Jerry Sloan must just lick his chops when he sees a Nate McMillan team coming into the gym.
Then how do you explain what happened last year? We destroyed Utah a few times when we were healthy.
Do you think that Utah team beats us with no D Will, Memo, Ak, and Boozer while we have Brandon, GO, Przy, and healthy Batum?? I seriously doubt it
The Blazers need to get over the temptation to refer to Oden’s injury. He’s NEVER going to come back in a dominant form. If he does come back he’ll be of limited effectiveness, and certainly of limited durability. He is NOT the long term or permanent answer for the Blazers. You just can’t say, “well, if Oden wasn’t hurt we’d be so much better….” because Oden IS hurt, he’s ALWAYS going to be hurt. The Blazers are what they are right now.
That is why they need to get themselves a big man who is GOOD. I’d like to see them target Andrew Bynum, and the only resource they have that MIGHT be of interest to the Lakers is Brandon Roy.
just wow. that’s all I can say on that
Bynum is a step up from Oden healthwise, but he’s still missed plenty of games. Why do you want to add another injury-prone player?
Right. Because Bynum has proven himself to be consistantly dominant, never injured, and obviously a player that LA is willing to part with.
I do agree that we need to prepare for life without Oden. Dude is a bust. Let it go.
The “championship window” was closed as fast as it was opened
The Jazz beat the Blazers who were almost at full strength in November. Oden and Pryz were in the game. Blazers played like they were sleep walking in November. They made more of an effort this last game. They still don’t move on offense. The guy with the ball moves. There is a person setting the screen. Then there are the 3 guys standing in the corners watching.
Kind of like most of us do when we read your posts?
I think it would be more noteworthy if EVERYONE was shooting 60% against the Blazers–the fact that one team (and no other) is able to do it consistently suggests matchup problems.
Okur is the closest thing the league has seen to Bill Laimbeer since Laimbeer retired–a big bruising hulk who is deadly from the outside, and is tall enough that none of the guards or wings are gonna bother his jumper. About the only one who might have a shot at stopping him on the current roster is Aldridge–but then who guards Boozer and Paperboy? The Blazers did fine against the Jazz last year, with Prz and Oden (and Roy) around, but Utah’s one of those clubs that smallball doesn’t work against.
Just remember EngineerScotty — that the Blazers did have Oden, Przybilla and Roy the first time they played them this season.
weak effort defensively last night led to a lot of little problems that just kept snowballing.
jazz are clicking on all cylinders. blazers played scared.
I have to say that was one of the worst defensive efforts I have seen in the NBA in quite sometime. Did you notice how often Utah got easy baskets close to the hoop and not a Portland player within yards? I really don’t get it. Why doesn’t Aldrige become more of a center piece on defense? I’m not piling on the guy, he had a fine offensive game, but if you watch that game again and concentrate on Aldirige you will see really poor defense.
Get used to it Portland. I’ve been saying it for years; if you want mediocrity and a lack of a true gameplan and coaching, stick with Nate McMillan. The man said “we’re not changing things, we’re running the same plays for Jerryd that we run for Brandon.” THAT’S NOT COACHING FOLKS!!!! THAT’S LAZY CRAP!!!! How McMillan gets paid when Jerry Sloan OWNS him so bad like this is beyond me. Seriously, DWIGHT EFFING JAYNES COULD PROBABLY COACH THIS TEAM BETTER THAN WE’VE BEEN SEEING FROM NATE!
Jaynes would crap his pants the first time he actually had to make a coaching decision from the bench versus from his living room…
Don’t be rude to your host, that tactless and rude….not that he can’t take it…and I suspect he’d put in an ok showing. I certainly like HIS ideas better than Nate too late (with any changes).
19-22 from Okur and AK47. Wow, that is layup city.
Webster had the most ineffective 20pts I’ve ever seen.
Howard’s freshness code is getting close to expired date.
The way you stop Utah is to pressure the ball so they can’t make easy passes to cutters. That is the weakest point of Blazer defense, so no wonder they can’t stop them.
Since nobody on the Blazers cuts off screens to the hoop, Miller is often left holding the bag (which is a tough way to get a shot off).
Agreed!
yes difficult to shoot while holding a bag.
Oh here we go again Dwight! Firing up the trolls.
1) Our injuries are a legit excuse. We are without 3 of our 5 best players (and 5 of our top eight), and when you play one of the 3 hottest teams in the league at home it can be tough. Not to mention that two of those players are the ones who defend the paint.
2) UTAH IS BETTER THAN US. I dont think thats the Blazers trying to mask the failures of coach Nate or Martell’s terrible defense, ITS THE TRUTH. Utah has been killing good teams for about a month, and frankly our talent just isnt that good right now. I personally think that Utah would beat most teams in the league outside of the Cavs RIGHT NOW.
If all it took was a new defensive scheme, then im sure one of the other 13 or 14 coaches in the last month would have caught it by now. But Utah has won like 12 of 13 and seem to have an offensive answer for any team they play.
I think J Quick is right. We lost to a better team. Let it go.
Here we go again, Derftron. I’ll just have to stump you again.
Query: If Dwight bothers you so much, why do you even bother to read his blogs?
You havent stumped anybody. You just go along with whatever knee-jerk post Dwight throws up whenever the Blazers lose.
But its a good question! Why bother coming in here scolding everyone you disagree with? Which is almost everyone.
I notice that you never acknowledge my queries to you Mr. Derftron. I still find it amusing that Dwight talked above your head the other day and you still didn’t see it or you would have acknowledged where I pointed out where it went over your head.
BTW, I don’t always agree with everything Dwight says. What I respect from the guy is that he’s honest with his opinion, plus he explains where he is coming from and he’s not afraid if it offends someone. It’s actually refreshing at times.
Now go back to the part where I pointed out that Dwight isn’t afraid that his opinion is going to offend someone. You’re just one of those guys, Mr. Derftron.
The thing is deep down Mr. Derftron, what Dwight says really matters to your little world or you wouldn’t come here.
I dont get offended. I dont take Dwight’s slams on the Blazers personally.
I just find it amusing that he thinks he has all the anwers and knows more than NBA coaches.
And he obviously means more to your little world since you feel the need to constantly defend him.
I just think he is wrong and overreacts to every game that we lose when it is clear that we are operating at about 50% of our talent level. And Dwight isnt talking over anybody’s head, he advocated for starting Nic batum because he is playing so great with no other inside knowledge of the situation. big deal
Mr Derftron? I always thought it was a woman making those comments. I would have bet money Derftron was Nate’s wife.
Shem — totally agree! He has to actually make an effort to get to this site.
just a few keystrokes. nothing major.
Why do you come on here just to agree with dwight? isnt that just as much of a waste? constantly agreeing with somebody every time your team loses?
Is it fun to complain about your team every time they lose to a better team?
Derftron, I just went above your head again. You never once truly acknowledged anything I’ve said and then you turn it around to a bunch of BS instead.
Derftron said: “Why do you come on here just to agree with dwight? isnt that just as much of a waste?”
That has to be one of the dumbest comebacks I’ve seen in a long time and I’ve seen some dumb things said.
A normal person comes here to see what Dwight has to say because they respect his opinion on things and create a discussion out of it.
But in your case you choose to come here just to bash on Dwight because you totally disrespect him. A normal person usually doesn’t stick around if they don’t like what someone has to say.
The problem is you’re messed up. Heck lots of people. So don’t feel bad they’re one of those people, so that is why you come here just to bash. Life must be pretty boring for you if you find it amusing to be a troll because that is exactly what you are being.
If you’re truly a respectful human being that doesn’t like what Dwight says, you’ll quit coming here to read his stuff.
But for some reason you have this illusion of wanting control and you’re on a mission to sway people to your opinion and doesn’t have the comprehension skills to realize that it is a lost cause and all you’re doing is ticking people off. That’s a troll!
To top it all off, it’s easy to talk over your head. If you at least showed some intelligence in your comments, that would be one thing, but again if you did, you wouldn’t be here assuming your opinion of Dwight was the same.
Either way, you have proven you’re not a very intelligent person.
I dont know what your definition of “going over somebody’s head” is, but I think you are wrong.
Not engaging in your petty insults doesnt not equal “going over my head” as you have repeated 30 times.
All I’m doing is disagreeing with what Dwight says. Im not sure why that is sending you into a frenzy.
The party line around here is “blame the coach” and I dont agree with that RIGHT NOW And I dont remember you ever acknowledging anything I have said, so why would I care what you are babbling about?
First you say this:
Derftron Quote: “Oh here we go again Dwight! Firing up the trolls.”
Then you say that:
Derftron Quote: “All I’m doing is disagreeing with what Dwight says. Im not sure why that is sending you into a frenzy.”
You just called people trolls while being a troll yourself.
Anyway…
Derftron Quote: “I dont know what your definition of “going over somebody’s head””
The definition of going over someone’s head is when someone says something and the other people doesn’t get it. You’ve already proven that time and time again by what you say in your comments.
Derftron Quote: “and I dont remember you ever acknowledging anything I have said”
I’m doing it right now as I’ve done in other responses to you. An intelligent person sees this. The difference is you don’t acknowledge key points I make. You just talk off in a bizarre direction.
Derftron Quote: “so why would I care what you are babbling about?”
Yet, you keep responding to me. You must care or you wouldn’t have said anything. Another saying one thing and doing another contradiction by you.
I know you are but what am I?
The outcry for bashing on Dwight is pretty astounding considering this is a blog where 99% of the people bash on Nate.
So bashing on a sportswriter is somehow worse than bashing on a guy who has proven he is fit to coach?
Derftron…99% percent Nate bashing?! C,mon quit your exaggeration. Being “fit” to coach DOES NOT mean being the “right” coach for this team at this point!!!…and…he ISN”T!
point proven
Ummm..not really, go look at previous blog topics, there are plenty of pro Nate’s out there. Insight and criticism of his coaching does not equal bashing! One could apply the same of you as a basher of opposing thought. I absolutely agree we lost to a better team, and there are plenty of them out there that will continue to expose our weaknesses. Many fans see the coach not addressing these issues (let alone last season)and are not blind or satisfied to “just” make it to the first round and out, or 500 win season. Ultimately, this site is for reaction, thought and an OPEN mind to criticism. That’s why your here isn’t it? What would be the point otherwise. Chill!
Sure it can! Let Nate and the players show you the ways!
Only 2 things I have to say about our series against Utah…coaching, coaching, coaching (a seasoned veteran takes a newbie to SCHOOL)…and LaMarshmallows allergic reaction to being a POWER forward instead of a PANSY forward cost us dearly on defense. He must have an allergy to the paint the NBA uses on their courts because he won’t go anywhere near it half the time.
Were lucky to have LA. Your ignorance is showing
Brandon Roy coming back will not magically solve this teams issues-especially on the defensive end of the court.
You get into real trouble assuming that all will be fine when he comes back. This team has issues that teams like Utah will expolit time after time.
I think the Blazers, sans a big man down the stretch, and in the closely contested ,6,7,8 spots, are much closer to a .500 team than anyone would like to believe. Blazers are in a slide even if they manage to eek out some wins to stop losing streaks.
Henry Abbott has his take on the game here.
Great offense by Utah, painfully bad defense by Portland. Coaching is absolutely a big part of the problem, though injuries are a big part also.
Couldn’t help but notice a comment about Jerry Sloan calling every play from the bench during the entire Stockton-Malone era… he must have been a horrible coach???
Utah is better than our bench guys. This I know.
I’ve already chalked up that Jazz game as a loss – got a bottle of Seagrams just for the occassion.
playing at Utah is one of the most notoriously tough games of any team’s season. doing so without your best player is even harder.
No Excuses…got outplayed and outcoached! Those are the facts. Utah does more with a lot less, we do less with a lot more.
Agree, good point.
Simple…
Our coach is not very good.
Our point guard is not as good as theirs.
WE HAVE NO CENTER! It’s kinda weird don’t you think.
And if you folks want to blame someone, blame Paul Allen. If he wanted a championship he could buy one. He can’t take all that money with him. How good would Dallas be if Cuban had Allen’s money? Someone answer me that one!
we tried to buy a ring back in the trader Bob days…didn’t work so well and the team lost millions and suffered cap issues for YEARS because of it
Cuban is a histrionic idiot. I thank the heavens we have an owner with class…
We have a team that has experienced massive injuries as well as growing pains. Yah I guess we could whine about the lack of defense in this game (it was bad), and get all worked up about it.
However I sit here amazed at the number of wins we do have. I am not sure any other team in this league would have won as much as we have if the injuries hit them like they have us.
By all means carry on with the whinefest, but I would suggest you also check to see if your expectations about this season’s Blazers are realistic. Considering all the lousy things that have happened to this ballclub, I would say this team is doing better than expected
“YOU PLAY THE GAMES TO WIN”
and my whinefest is more directed at people like you. Why are you so happy with 7th place?
And you’re also missing my point. Allen has millions to lose! It cost money to win. Ask Yankee fan. But guess what? They won.
Most Blazer fans really don’t care about winning a championship. Like Panama here…
Not happy about the injuries at all, but am realistic about this season. We aren’t winning any rings this season, and there is no need to do desperate trades just so we can make it to the second round. The bigger picture is way beyond this season
What has Cuban ever won? I do enjoy seeing him get fined alot
Whitsitt better than Pritchard? LOL Trader Bob is out of the NBA for good reason. If he was so great, maybe he would still be in the NBA
Reality, it’s what’s for breakfast
Mark Cuban is the best owner in the NBA today, bar none. Now, while Cuban might not be the epitome of “class,” he’s nevertheless a winner.
And, with all due respect, winning > class.
On another note, Kevin Pritchard can’t hold a candle to Bob Whitsitt regarding overall track record. That may seem blasphemous to some folks, but it’s the truth.
Whitsitt, who’s almost never credited by Portland-centric Trail Blazer fans for creating a winning atmosphere with the Seattle SuperSonics from the mid-’80s through mid-’90s, should be more well-respected by y’all down in and around Oregon for almost bringing Portland its second NBA Championship during the late-’90s/early-2000s.
Anyway, you’re right that the Blazers aren’t unlikely to win squat this upcoming post-season; thus, it’s realistic to keep your expectations low at this moment.
In the long run, though, you and others in your position better expect more out of the whole entire organization — which starts from Paul Allen all the way down to the players themselves — otherwise, y’all will be in store for bitter disappointment.
i think dwight brings up a great point and one that i have been talking about for 3 years now… not rotating out on the 3 point shooters. more than any other single thing, not getting out on the wing guys or the pop guys is killing us. teams are shooting incredible from outside on us and we just refuse to get out on those guys. sometimes i wonder if anyone really does watch film cause this problem has never gotten corrected and now its starting to lose us games on a consistant basis. hopefully one of these days this team will learn how to cover the inside and still be able to not leave shooters open from the outside.
does anyone know where i can get one of those troll dolls from the 60′s. i guess if i am a troll then i had better get a troll buddy. any advise would be helpful!
Unless the Blazers make a coaching change, all you can do is say ‘Utah is better and there’s nothing we can do’. I’ve seen many arguments that point to how the record has improved from 21 wins just a few years ago as a measure of McMillan’s ability. But with the quality of players KP has acquired, what coach would not be able to improve the record. I’ve watched the Blazers all season, heard all kinds of theories on ways to play better, but a coaching change is the only solution I can see.
But will that day come when the Blazers do change coaches? Maybe after next season, NOT this one.
are you serious?????
We just beat the Spurs!
Who the hell do you think is the next coach???
1/2 the talent you are bragging about are in street clothes on the bench!
And we KILLED Utah last year! Please explain how that happened since your last statment was that they will ALWAYS be better than us with Sloan vs Nate.
That 1/2 talent on the bench you talk about…we won because of the talent that PLAYED..we actually did some running, and LAM actually played some good defense and made moves inside the paint!
As a true Jazz fan, (I live in Utah), Portland has always been my favorite second team to root for. Trouble is, no team in the west will beat the Lakers this year. Not because of all the talent they have, just because the Hollywood hero’s will always get the questionable calls. We can rant all we want about these other games throughout the year, but, when all is said and done, it’s just another Laker championship. (I hope like hell that Lebron and company tear em’ up in the finals).