tlongII
10-13-2009, 06:37 PM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/inside_the_blazers_roy_adlridg.html
A simmering feeling of unrest among the top two players on the Trail Blazers was put at ease late Friday night by coach Nate McMillan, who assured stars Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge that the bulk of the teams offense would run through them.
McMillan summoned Roy to the front of the team's private jet to tell him that from here on, the preseason will focus less on experimentation and more on the proven offense of last season, when Roy and Aldridge were the dominant players.
Both Roy and Aldridge had privately expressed confusion and unease with the direction of the teams' play in the first three exhibition games, when McMillan experimented liberally with lineups and play calls.
"We have to learn as we go, but it's definitely going to be different for us,'' Aldridge said after the second game in Sacramento, when he scored three points on five attempts in 24 minutes. "There's going to be a learning curve for all of us. There's a lot of talent out there, but not a lot of touches.''
Before Friday night’s conversation, Roy, in particular, was struggling with what appeared to be a drastically different role. With an early emphasis on feeding the ball to center Greg Oden and letting incoming point guard Andre Miller make plays, Roy rarely handled the ball. That took away his specialty — the pick-and-roll — and left him aimlessly roaming the perimeter, where his outside shot has yet to round into shape.
In the first three games, Roy was averaging 9.3 points while shooting 32 percent from the field (8-for-25) in just more than 24 minutes a game.
"It's almost like my rookie year again — trying to figure out where I am in the offense,'' Roy said in Sacramento after the team's second preseason game. "I have gotten used to the ball coming to me, I didn't have to go try and find it. But now I'm in a position where I have to search the ball out and be more aggressive. So, I don't know.''
When asked how he felt about having the ball less, Roy was again put in a new position — unable to put his thoughts into words.
"I don't know yet, honestly. I've thought about it, but I don't know how I feel yet,'' Roy said. "It's definitely not cool, because I feel like I'm still young and there's a lot I can do.
But I don't know how I feel. I have to let it play out a little more. Because, it's the preseason. The minutes aren't there yet, the rotations aren't set yet. So, I'm not getting too caught up in it — yet. But, you know, it's something that's lingering there. For sure.''
All that apprehension was put at ease Friday night when McMillan used what by now has become a common practice — calling Roy to sit with him on the plane to discuss the team's future.
"He said he understands why I have been a little confused at how we've been going,'' Roy said Saturday. "He said he really wanted to use these preseason games for Greg to build his confidence and for Andre to play somewhat free and just make plays. He told me not to worry about the offense. He said there will come a time when he establishes that we will play through me and LaMarcus.''
That time apparently will start on Wednesday in the fourth of the Blazers' eight preseason games. Roy said McMillan is leaning toward starting Miller, Roy, Martell Webster, Aldridge and Oden for the Suns game, during which some, but not as much, experimentation will occur.
When the team plays its sixth and seventh preseason games — Oct. 18 at home against Denver and Oct. 20 at home against Utah — the regular-season plays and rotations will be used. Roy said McMillan told him that he and other prominent starters won't play in the preseason finale Oct. 22 in Vancouver, B.C.
"But he told me not to worry, that the offense is still going to be played through me,'' Roy said. "As much as I need the ball, then that's what the team is going to continue to do."
While the Friday meeting on the plane was a welcomed conversation, it didn't change Roy's assertion that this is the most important preseason in his four years. Never before have the Blazers had so much competition, so many options, and so much diversity. There is a lot to figure out, Roy says, and they better do it in the preseason.
"This is a really important preseason and my job as a captain of this team is I have to start to stress that to the guys,'' Roy said. "We are just kind of flowing right now, and I think we have to take it a little more serious and that is going to start with me and, of course, LaMarcus. We can't keep playing these games to get them over with, we have to start getting something out of them.
"So on Wednesday, I'm going to be aggressive. I can't try to fit in anymore, I got to play to get something out of it,'' Roy said. "Because I don't want to be going into the first game and there be confusion there.''
Probably the biggest question remaining is what teammates are best suited to play with Roy and Aldridge.
In the last game, Miller and Roy started in the backcourt for the first time. It was an awkward pairing. On one play, Roy called for the ball and didn't get it, as Miller opted to pass to a posting Oden on the other side of the court. Another time, when Roy did get the ball, he was stifled when Miller was unable to clear his defender from the area Roy wanted to go.
At any rate, Roy is anxious to give it another go with Miller on Wednesday.
"It's weird, because when I play with (Steve) Blake, I'm used to Blake spacing and stretching the defense. Whereas with Andre, there's gonna be somewhat of a learning curve there,'' Roy said.
"The biggest thing Andre and I are going to have to build on is our spacing, because me and Blake had it. It was like, if I went off a screen, Blake knew where to be. (Friday) night, Andre was kind of in certain positions where he didn't fully know our spacing. But it was also the first time we tried it. I think that's something we are going to have to work on. Once he gets his spacing down,I will be able to make my reads better and he will be able to make his.''
Whether Miller and Roy develop any cohesion in the next two weeks will be the ultimate factor in whether Miller gets his wish to start. But McMillan is sounding more and more like he favors two units that are equally balanced with the ability to run pick-and-rolls, post up and defend. Miller and Roy are the team's two best pick-and-roll players.
Also, the balanced units help alleviate the inevitable pressures that began to worry Roy and Aldridge last week — a lot of talent, not enough touches. By sprinkling the talented offensive players among two units, it better enables players to get more shots. It's why McMillan was experimenting so heavily with lineups in the first three games, often at the expense of Aldridge and Roy.
"So I understand how (Aldridge and Roy) could be sitting there trying to figure out where they are,'' McMillan said after Friday night’ game. "But it's all part of figuring this thing out. Me figuring out a rhythm and a rotation. Me figuring out plays and combinations so we can get guys the ball.
“But the reason you come up with starting units is to try and balance both units so that guys can get touches. That's why your best five may not be the best starting five. But we won't lose Brandon. We won't lose LaMarcus. They are option one and option two.''
A simmering feeling of unrest among the top two players on the Trail Blazers was put at ease late Friday night by coach Nate McMillan, who assured stars Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge that the bulk of the teams offense would run through them.
McMillan summoned Roy to the front of the team's private jet to tell him that from here on, the preseason will focus less on experimentation and more on the proven offense of last season, when Roy and Aldridge were the dominant players.
Both Roy and Aldridge had privately expressed confusion and unease with the direction of the teams' play in the first three exhibition games, when McMillan experimented liberally with lineups and play calls.
"We have to learn as we go, but it's definitely going to be different for us,'' Aldridge said after the second game in Sacramento, when he scored three points on five attempts in 24 minutes. "There's going to be a learning curve for all of us. There's a lot of talent out there, but not a lot of touches.''
Before Friday night’s conversation, Roy, in particular, was struggling with what appeared to be a drastically different role. With an early emphasis on feeding the ball to center Greg Oden and letting incoming point guard Andre Miller make plays, Roy rarely handled the ball. That took away his specialty — the pick-and-roll — and left him aimlessly roaming the perimeter, where his outside shot has yet to round into shape.
In the first three games, Roy was averaging 9.3 points while shooting 32 percent from the field (8-for-25) in just more than 24 minutes a game.
"It's almost like my rookie year again — trying to figure out where I am in the offense,'' Roy said in Sacramento after the team's second preseason game. "I have gotten used to the ball coming to me, I didn't have to go try and find it. But now I'm in a position where I have to search the ball out and be more aggressive. So, I don't know.''
When asked how he felt about having the ball less, Roy was again put in a new position — unable to put his thoughts into words.
"I don't know yet, honestly. I've thought about it, but I don't know how I feel yet,'' Roy said. "It's definitely not cool, because I feel like I'm still young and there's a lot I can do.
But I don't know how I feel. I have to let it play out a little more. Because, it's the preseason. The minutes aren't there yet, the rotations aren't set yet. So, I'm not getting too caught up in it — yet. But, you know, it's something that's lingering there. For sure.''
All that apprehension was put at ease Friday night when McMillan used what by now has become a common practice — calling Roy to sit with him on the plane to discuss the team's future.
"He said he understands why I have been a little confused at how we've been going,'' Roy said Saturday. "He said he really wanted to use these preseason games for Greg to build his confidence and for Andre to play somewhat free and just make plays. He told me not to worry about the offense. He said there will come a time when he establishes that we will play through me and LaMarcus.''
That time apparently will start on Wednesday in the fourth of the Blazers' eight preseason games. Roy said McMillan is leaning toward starting Miller, Roy, Martell Webster, Aldridge and Oden for the Suns game, during which some, but not as much, experimentation will occur.
When the team plays its sixth and seventh preseason games — Oct. 18 at home against Denver and Oct. 20 at home against Utah — the regular-season plays and rotations will be used. Roy said McMillan told him that he and other prominent starters won't play in the preseason finale Oct. 22 in Vancouver, B.C.
"But he told me not to worry, that the offense is still going to be played through me,'' Roy said. "As much as I need the ball, then that's what the team is going to continue to do."
While the Friday meeting on the plane was a welcomed conversation, it didn't change Roy's assertion that this is the most important preseason in his four years. Never before have the Blazers had so much competition, so many options, and so much diversity. There is a lot to figure out, Roy says, and they better do it in the preseason.
"This is a really important preseason and my job as a captain of this team is I have to start to stress that to the guys,'' Roy said. "We are just kind of flowing right now, and I think we have to take it a little more serious and that is going to start with me and, of course, LaMarcus. We can't keep playing these games to get them over with, we have to start getting something out of them.
"So on Wednesday, I'm going to be aggressive. I can't try to fit in anymore, I got to play to get something out of it,'' Roy said. "Because I don't want to be going into the first game and there be confusion there.''
Probably the biggest question remaining is what teammates are best suited to play with Roy and Aldridge.
In the last game, Miller and Roy started in the backcourt for the first time. It was an awkward pairing. On one play, Roy called for the ball and didn't get it, as Miller opted to pass to a posting Oden on the other side of the court. Another time, when Roy did get the ball, he was stifled when Miller was unable to clear his defender from the area Roy wanted to go.
At any rate, Roy is anxious to give it another go with Miller on Wednesday.
"It's weird, because when I play with (Steve) Blake, I'm used to Blake spacing and stretching the defense. Whereas with Andre, there's gonna be somewhat of a learning curve there,'' Roy said.
"The biggest thing Andre and I are going to have to build on is our spacing, because me and Blake had it. It was like, if I went off a screen, Blake knew where to be. (Friday) night, Andre was kind of in certain positions where he didn't fully know our spacing. But it was also the first time we tried it. I think that's something we are going to have to work on. Once he gets his spacing down,I will be able to make my reads better and he will be able to make his.''
Whether Miller and Roy develop any cohesion in the next two weeks will be the ultimate factor in whether Miller gets his wish to start. But McMillan is sounding more and more like he favors two units that are equally balanced with the ability to run pick-and-rolls, post up and defend. Miller and Roy are the team's two best pick-and-roll players.
Also, the balanced units help alleviate the inevitable pressures that began to worry Roy and Aldridge last week — a lot of talent, not enough touches. By sprinkling the talented offensive players among two units, it better enables players to get more shots. It's why McMillan was experimenting so heavily with lineups in the first three games, often at the expense of Aldridge and Roy.
"So I understand how (Aldridge and Roy) could be sitting there trying to figure out where they are,'' McMillan said after Friday night’ game. "But it's all part of figuring this thing out. Me figuring out a rhythm and a rotation. Me figuring out plays and combinations so we can get guys the ball.
“But the reason you come up with starting units is to try and balance both units so that guys can get touches. That's why your best five may not be the best starting five. But we won't lose Brandon. We won't lose LaMarcus. They are option one and option two.''