tlongII
10-06-2009, 09:57 AM
http://portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=125480853904594100
http://portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/125480899509934100.jpg
Will the Trail Blazers' depth affect the minutes and happiness of reserves such as Jerryd Bayless (right), who is welcomed to the court by All-Star guard Brandon Roy during Sunday's Fan Fest at the Rose Garden?
The Trail Blazers have too many good players, which means Nate McMillan won’t be able to find time for all of them, which means we’ll have some unhappy players in Rip City, right?
McMillan says no. Kevin Pritchard says no. The players are saying all the right things.
But as the Blazers enter the preseason Tuesday night against Sacramento, barring a rash of injuries that thin the roster, a certain amount of discontent seems inevitable.
I know. This is akin to complaining there are too many good items on the buffet line. Eat what you want, and be glad you’ll have so many options at your next meal.
That’s the way McMillan is looking at it as he begins his fifth season at the Blazer helm.
McMillan has spoken to the players about the sacrifices they must make for the good of the team this season. There are only 240 minutes of playing time to dole out every game, and it’s obvious all those deserving major minutes aren’t going to get them.
“Everybody understands we will get to a rotation that works for us, so go out and play your hardest with the minutes you get,” McMillan says. “Everybody will have to sacrifice for the team, because we do have more depth this season. If we play that the way we’re supposed to and take advantage of it, we can be a strong unit, which is what we’re going to be.”
If you include Martell Webster, who missed virtually all of last season with a stress fracture to a foot, Portland has three key new players this season – Webster, point guard Andre Miller and power forward Juwan Howard.
“We didn’t bring Miller to sit him,” McMillan says. “He’s going to play. We need Howard for insurance. He’s not going to play unless something happens. Martell is back, and we know he can play.”
For now, McMillan’s starting five is the same as he ended with last season – LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Joel Przybilla on the front line, Brandon Roy and Steve Blake in the backcourt. The second unit is Webster, Miller, Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden.
McMillan hopes to regularly use 10 players, which is one or two more than the average rotation around the league. Even so, that leaves out Howard, point guard Jerryd Bayless, rookie forward Dante Cunningham and either Ime Udoka or Jarron Collins.
Roy and Aldridge will get their 35 to 38 minutes per game. If Oden can cure his foul problems, he’ll see more than the 21.5 minutes he averaged his rookie season. Fernandez wants more than the 25.6 he got last season, but I don’t see it happening. With Miller aboard, Blake (31.7) is a cinch to play fewer minutes, and I’m going to bet Outlaw (27.7) and Przybilla (23.8) are down from where they were a year ago.
McMillan will sell this on a one-for-all, all-for-one philosophy, and the theory that everyone can give his all in shorter stints on the court.
“You don’t have to pace yourself,” he says. “Now you have to be more efficient and get it done in less minutes. Those guys who are coming in off the bench, go out there and be aggressive.”
With more weapons, McMillan says performance will dictate who gets the minutes from game to game, and even within a game.
“Everybody is going to have opportunities,” the Blazer coach says. “Depending on how a game is going, you may be able to allow the second unit, or some of them, to finish a game as opposed to rotating. If it’s going good, we’re going to ride you. Like, if Martell is hot, you keep him in the game. We can do that this year as opposed to having to have so much pressure on a few guys to get it done for us.”
McMillan is also making clear the initial starting unit isn’t set in stone through the season.
“That lineup that starts the season may not be the lineup you finish the season with,” he says.
Oden says it is important to him to start, and I think he’ll be with the first unit by the regular-season opener against Houston on Oct. 27. He says he won’t be a problem if that’s not the case.
“When you’re a good team, people have to make sacrifices,” Oden says. “Whatever role we get put into, that’s for the team.”
I would expect Miller to become a starter at some point, though it’s possible Blake will hold onto the starting job, with Miller used more as a closer. I asked Miller Monday how important a starting role is to him. He took the good soldier’s position.
“I don’t care,” he said. “I’m here to play basketball. Each day I’ll try to get better regardless. Wherever the team needs me, I’ll try to fit in that way.”
Batum’s versatility and defensive skills fit nicely with the first unit, and though he won’t play big minutes, chances are he’ll continue to start while splitting time with Webster and Outlaw at small forward.
If the Blazers are as good as expected, players will be more willing to accept roles.
“If you’re winning, everybody’s happy,” Blake says. “If you’re losing? Who knows, maybe you could have some problems. But I don’t anticipate that.”
Should Pritchard make a trade? It would only make sense, of course, if it were a two-for-one deal. Otherwise, you are swapping one problem for another. If there’s something out that there that appeals to Pritchard, he’s not saying.
“We don’t have anything in the works,” the Portland general manager says. “We love our team. I really don’t have anything going.
“I’ll take too many good players rather than too few. Guys will have to fit into their roles, but we think we have a chance to be pretty good.”
Pritchard has put together a roster of players with high character. He is banking on the Blazer “culture,” and the opportunity for those players to be on a team with championship potential, to overcome any obstacles regarding playing time.
“We’ve set a precedent here that guys have to act the right way, and they will,” Pritchard says. “I’m not worried about that.”
If the Blazers suffer a couple of injuries to their nucleus, it becomes a moot point, and the depth pays off.
If not, it will be interesting to see how all the players – Miller and Fernandez, for two – handle things through the upcoming campaign.
http://portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/125480899509934100.jpg
Will the Trail Blazers' depth affect the minutes and happiness of reserves such as Jerryd Bayless (right), who is welcomed to the court by All-Star guard Brandon Roy during Sunday's Fan Fest at the Rose Garden?
The Trail Blazers have too many good players, which means Nate McMillan won’t be able to find time for all of them, which means we’ll have some unhappy players in Rip City, right?
McMillan says no. Kevin Pritchard says no. The players are saying all the right things.
But as the Blazers enter the preseason Tuesday night against Sacramento, barring a rash of injuries that thin the roster, a certain amount of discontent seems inevitable.
I know. This is akin to complaining there are too many good items on the buffet line. Eat what you want, and be glad you’ll have so many options at your next meal.
That’s the way McMillan is looking at it as he begins his fifth season at the Blazer helm.
McMillan has spoken to the players about the sacrifices they must make for the good of the team this season. There are only 240 minutes of playing time to dole out every game, and it’s obvious all those deserving major minutes aren’t going to get them.
“Everybody understands we will get to a rotation that works for us, so go out and play your hardest with the minutes you get,” McMillan says. “Everybody will have to sacrifice for the team, because we do have more depth this season. If we play that the way we’re supposed to and take advantage of it, we can be a strong unit, which is what we’re going to be.”
If you include Martell Webster, who missed virtually all of last season with a stress fracture to a foot, Portland has three key new players this season – Webster, point guard Andre Miller and power forward Juwan Howard.
“We didn’t bring Miller to sit him,” McMillan says. “He’s going to play. We need Howard for insurance. He’s not going to play unless something happens. Martell is back, and we know he can play.”
For now, McMillan’s starting five is the same as he ended with last season – LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Joel Przybilla on the front line, Brandon Roy and Steve Blake in the backcourt. The second unit is Webster, Miller, Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez and Greg Oden.
McMillan hopes to regularly use 10 players, which is one or two more than the average rotation around the league. Even so, that leaves out Howard, point guard Jerryd Bayless, rookie forward Dante Cunningham and either Ime Udoka or Jarron Collins.
Roy and Aldridge will get their 35 to 38 minutes per game. If Oden can cure his foul problems, he’ll see more than the 21.5 minutes he averaged his rookie season. Fernandez wants more than the 25.6 he got last season, but I don’t see it happening. With Miller aboard, Blake (31.7) is a cinch to play fewer minutes, and I’m going to bet Outlaw (27.7) and Przybilla (23.8) are down from where they were a year ago.
McMillan will sell this on a one-for-all, all-for-one philosophy, and the theory that everyone can give his all in shorter stints on the court.
“You don’t have to pace yourself,” he says. “Now you have to be more efficient and get it done in less minutes. Those guys who are coming in off the bench, go out there and be aggressive.”
With more weapons, McMillan says performance will dictate who gets the minutes from game to game, and even within a game.
“Everybody is going to have opportunities,” the Blazer coach says. “Depending on how a game is going, you may be able to allow the second unit, or some of them, to finish a game as opposed to rotating. If it’s going good, we’re going to ride you. Like, if Martell is hot, you keep him in the game. We can do that this year as opposed to having to have so much pressure on a few guys to get it done for us.”
McMillan is also making clear the initial starting unit isn’t set in stone through the season.
“That lineup that starts the season may not be the lineup you finish the season with,” he says.
Oden says it is important to him to start, and I think he’ll be with the first unit by the regular-season opener against Houston on Oct. 27. He says he won’t be a problem if that’s not the case.
“When you’re a good team, people have to make sacrifices,” Oden says. “Whatever role we get put into, that’s for the team.”
I would expect Miller to become a starter at some point, though it’s possible Blake will hold onto the starting job, with Miller used more as a closer. I asked Miller Monday how important a starting role is to him. He took the good soldier’s position.
“I don’t care,” he said. “I’m here to play basketball. Each day I’ll try to get better regardless. Wherever the team needs me, I’ll try to fit in that way.”
Batum’s versatility and defensive skills fit nicely with the first unit, and though he won’t play big minutes, chances are he’ll continue to start while splitting time with Webster and Outlaw at small forward.
If the Blazers are as good as expected, players will be more willing to accept roles.
“If you’re winning, everybody’s happy,” Blake says. “If you’re losing? Who knows, maybe you could have some problems. But I don’t anticipate that.”
Should Pritchard make a trade? It would only make sense, of course, if it were a two-for-one deal. Otherwise, you are swapping one problem for another. If there’s something out that there that appeals to Pritchard, he’s not saying.
“We don’t have anything in the works,” the Portland general manager says. “We love our team. I really don’t have anything going.
“I’ll take too many good players rather than too few. Guys will have to fit into their roles, but we think we have a chance to be pretty good.”
Pritchard has put together a roster of players with high character. He is banking on the Blazer “culture,” and the opportunity for those players to be on a team with championship potential, to overcome any obstacles regarding playing time.
“We’ve set a precedent here that guys have to act the right way, and they will,” Pritchard says. “I’m not worried about that.”
If the Blazers suffer a couple of injuries to their nucleus, it becomes a moot point, and the depth pays off.
If not, it will be interesting to see how all the players – Miller and Fernandez, for two – handle things through the upcoming campaign.