tlongII
10-24-2009, 10:59 AM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/blazers_andre_miller_turns_his.html
TUALATIN -- Andre Miller said almost all the right things Friday after learning he will start the season coming off the bench for the Trail Blazers.
"I came here to win," Miller said. "I feel that I will get an opportunity to do that here."
Miller said he could read the handwriting on the wall during the exhibition season, when coach Nate McMillan used Steve Blake as the starting point guard. When the decision became final after Thursday's exhibition finale in Vancouver, B.C., Miller simply shrugged his shoulders and looked ahead to Tuesday's season opener against Houston at the Rose Garden.
"I think I've handled it fine," Miller said. "I haven't made a big fuss about it. It hasn't affected how I practice. I mean, it's just different. I didn't think it would happen at this point of my career. I think I'm still peaking. But that's part of the business. I'm not making a big deal about it."
Miller was a big deal in the summer, when the Blazers signed him to a two-year, $14 million deal, with a team option for a third season. A veteran and accomplished point guard, Miller was viewed as a much-needed playmaker who could help alleviate defensive pressure on Brandon Roy.
But despite a solid preseason, during which he clearly outplayed Blake, it became more and more apparent to Miller that McMillan had developed a comfort level with last year's starters, who helped the team win 54 games.
Indeed, the only lineup change McMillan plans to make is to insert second-year center Greg Oden, who started some games last season but finished coming off the bench.
"I think it pretty much comes down to how well the team played last year," said Miller, who averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 assists for Philadelphia last season. "You know, they won 54 games, or however many games they won last year. So if I was a coach, I probably wouldn't want to change that either."
Another factor in the decision was creating offensive balance. Miller and Roy are pick-and-roll specialists, and the two never found a rhythm of when one should have the ball and when the other should defer during the limited time they played together in the preseason.
Roy said he is confident he and Miller will eventually form a chemistry, but as of today, he feels more comfortable with Blake.
"Coming into the season, a lot of people had their doubts about me and Andre, and I wondered too," Roy said. "But I didn't think it would happen right away. And that's why I'm not panicking that it hasn't happened yet, or that we haven't clicked yet. To be honest I expected it. Because we are similar. I've come to realization that I'm better with the basketball, that's my strength. And I'm looking at it, and Andre's strength is with the basketball. So, I think it will work ... I just don't know how soon."
Miller led the Blazers in preseason minutes (207) and was tied for the team lead in scoring average (13.6). He shot 44 percent from the field and had 30 assists and 16 turnovers. Blake averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 36.4 percent. Blake had 25 assists and 21 turnovers.
McMillan was emphatic that Blake's starting nod was by no means an indication of Miller's play, nor does it mean Blake will play more minutes than Miller. McMillan spent much of preseason preaching that the starting lineup doesn't necessarily include the five best players, but rather a combination that best suits both units.
Plus, McMillan pointed out that his lineup can, and often does, change throughout the 82-game season.
"(Miller) is still trying to learn our sets and how we want to attack, and basically playing the style we play," McMillan said after Thursday's exhibition game. "I want the ball in his hands. Him creating with that ball in pick-and-roll situations. He's still getting a feel for how we want to play."
When it was noted to McMillan that Miller appeared to be one of his better players during the preseason, the coach didn't disagree.
"Yeah, he's good. He's a pro," McMillan said. "He can really help us. We want him attacking, being aggressive, and doing the things he does."
McMillan has envisioned a second unit of Miller, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw and Joel Przybilla becoming a multi-faceted force. He likes the pick-and-roll options with Miller and Przybilla, the team's best at setting screens. And he likes the idea of Miller heading a fast-break with Fernandez and Webster -- two athletic and sharp-shooting wings -- spreading the floor.
Miller said that idea is fine, but during the preseason he never felt an emphasis or the ability to run much. Instead, Miller said McMillan "pretty much controls how the game goes from the bench."
"The same type of style they play here, I played in Philly, but we wanted to get the ball out in transition, whereas (in Portland) it's more of a controlled tempo," Miller said. "You know, play late in the shot clock. We can (fast-break) here, but that's not the style they want to play. I played this style in college for four years, so I think I can adjust to any style, it's just going to take a bit. Then everything will be all right."
Miller has played 530 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NBA, and has largely been a starter throughout his 10 NBA seasons. Outside of his rookie season in Cleveland, when he started 36 of 82 games, he has started all but one game in his career.
"Actually, I feel like I'm a rookie right now," Miller said. "I'm still hungry, still motivated. Just a different situation. They have a way they want to play, and I feel I can play that way. You know, Coach has made a decision and I have to roll with it."
Miller called his preseason play "decent," mainly because he felt he should be in better shape. And he said he is already over the oddity of not being an opening-night starter.
"If anything, I'm going to play," Miller said. "If I don't play, I guess there is something wrong with me, or I'm not good enough. But I'm here to contribute and help the team. I'm not here to cause conflict."
Note:Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge said he feels "blessed" after signing a five-year, $65 million contract extension with the team Thursday. "I've always tried to focus on the season, but now that it's over with, I can focus on what I need to do for this team," he said. Aldridge is under contract with the Blazers through the 2012-13 season.
TUALATIN -- Andre Miller said almost all the right things Friday after learning he will start the season coming off the bench for the Trail Blazers.
"I came here to win," Miller said. "I feel that I will get an opportunity to do that here."
Miller said he could read the handwriting on the wall during the exhibition season, when coach Nate McMillan used Steve Blake as the starting point guard. When the decision became final after Thursday's exhibition finale in Vancouver, B.C., Miller simply shrugged his shoulders and looked ahead to Tuesday's season opener against Houston at the Rose Garden.
"I think I've handled it fine," Miller said. "I haven't made a big fuss about it. It hasn't affected how I practice. I mean, it's just different. I didn't think it would happen at this point of my career. I think I'm still peaking. But that's part of the business. I'm not making a big deal about it."
Miller was a big deal in the summer, when the Blazers signed him to a two-year, $14 million deal, with a team option for a third season. A veteran and accomplished point guard, Miller was viewed as a much-needed playmaker who could help alleviate defensive pressure on Brandon Roy.
But despite a solid preseason, during which he clearly outplayed Blake, it became more and more apparent to Miller that McMillan had developed a comfort level with last year's starters, who helped the team win 54 games.
Indeed, the only lineup change McMillan plans to make is to insert second-year center Greg Oden, who started some games last season but finished coming off the bench.
"I think it pretty much comes down to how well the team played last year," said Miller, who averaged 16.3 points and 6.5 assists for Philadelphia last season. "You know, they won 54 games, or however many games they won last year. So if I was a coach, I probably wouldn't want to change that either."
Another factor in the decision was creating offensive balance. Miller and Roy are pick-and-roll specialists, and the two never found a rhythm of when one should have the ball and when the other should defer during the limited time they played together in the preseason.
Roy said he is confident he and Miller will eventually form a chemistry, but as of today, he feels more comfortable with Blake.
"Coming into the season, a lot of people had their doubts about me and Andre, and I wondered too," Roy said. "But I didn't think it would happen right away. And that's why I'm not panicking that it hasn't happened yet, or that we haven't clicked yet. To be honest I expected it. Because we are similar. I've come to realization that I'm better with the basketball, that's my strength. And I'm looking at it, and Andre's strength is with the basketball. So, I think it will work ... I just don't know how soon."
Miller led the Blazers in preseason minutes (207) and was tied for the team lead in scoring average (13.6). He shot 44 percent from the field and had 30 assists and 16 turnovers. Blake averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 assists while shooting 36.4 percent. Blake had 25 assists and 21 turnovers.
McMillan was emphatic that Blake's starting nod was by no means an indication of Miller's play, nor does it mean Blake will play more minutes than Miller. McMillan spent much of preseason preaching that the starting lineup doesn't necessarily include the five best players, but rather a combination that best suits both units.
Plus, McMillan pointed out that his lineup can, and often does, change throughout the 82-game season.
"(Miller) is still trying to learn our sets and how we want to attack, and basically playing the style we play," McMillan said after Thursday's exhibition game. "I want the ball in his hands. Him creating with that ball in pick-and-roll situations. He's still getting a feel for how we want to play."
When it was noted to McMillan that Miller appeared to be one of his better players during the preseason, the coach didn't disagree.
"Yeah, he's good. He's a pro," McMillan said. "He can really help us. We want him attacking, being aggressive, and doing the things he does."
McMillan has envisioned a second unit of Miller, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw and Joel Przybilla becoming a multi-faceted force. He likes the pick-and-roll options with Miller and Przybilla, the team's best at setting screens. And he likes the idea of Miller heading a fast-break with Fernandez and Webster -- two athletic and sharp-shooting wings -- spreading the floor.
Miller said that idea is fine, but during the preseason he never felt an emphasis or the ability to run much. Instead, Miller said McMillan "pretty much controls how the game goes from the bench."
"The same type of style they play here, I played in Philly, but we wanted to get the ball out in transition, whereas (in Portland) it's more of a controlled tempo," Miller said. "You know, play late in the shot clock. We can (fast-break) here, but that's not the style they want to play. I played this style in college for four years, so I think I can adjust to any style, it's just going to take a bit. Then everything will be all right."
Miller has played 530 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NBA, and has largely been a starter throughout his 10 NBA seasons. Outside of his rookie season in Cleveland, when he started 36 of 82 games, he has started all but one game in his career.
"Actually, I feel like I'm a rookie right now," Miller said. "I'm still hungry, still motivated. Just a different situation. They have a way they want to play, and I feel I can play that way. You know, Coach has made a decision and I have to roll with it."
Miller called his preseason play "decent," mainly because he felt he should be in better shape. And he said he is already over the oddity of not being an opening-night starter.
"If anything, I'm going to play," Miller said. "If I don't play, I guess there is something wrong with me, or I'm not good enough. But I'm here to contribute and help the team. I'm not here to cause conflict."
Note:Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge said he feels "blessed" after signing a five-year, $65 million contract extension with the team Thursday. "I've always tried to focus on the season, but now that it's over with, I can focus on what I need to do for this team," he said. Aldridge is under contract with the Blazers through the 2012-13 season.