Heated exchange in Blazers practice

[Lars]

http://www.columbian.com/weblogs/blazerbanter/2010/jan/07/tempers-flare-todays-blazer-practice/

The Portland Trail Blazers' practice Thursday at the team's workout facility in Tualatin, Ore., came to a screeching halt after an hour.
At 11 a.m., a heated, expletive-filled exchange occurred between Blazers coach Nate McMillan and guard Andre Miller. The tirade lasted until 11:25 a.m.
Miller was not on the court when the media was allowed into practice.
Miller loudly disagreed with McMillan, at one point stating, "I ain't going to take this (stuff)."
McMillan later fired back: "You don't play the way we want to play."
More to follow ...

[z0sa]

Non issue

[The Gemini Method]

Better be careful, don't want to pull a jaw muscle or anything...

[Lars]

Its seriously like everytime Tllong posts some of his propaganda, a series of meltdowns are in store for the Blazers. I kinda feel bad =/

[Allanon]

Hide the gunz.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

this sounds bogus... like someone told someone who told the reporter and the details got blurry...

1) If this reporter has the scoop, why didn't he say what the issue WAS that they were arguing about?

2) What NBA coach would stop practice because a player mouthed off? That's ridiculous. You toss the player OUT of practice and keep going. There must be something more to the story, or it didn't happen the way it was described.

[lil_penny]

I don't blame andre one bit.. he is probably still furious about not being in the game the final mins to help close out the game against the grizz... it cost us the game imo.

[Spursmania]

Again...:sleep

Lots of drama queens on that team. :dramaquee

[The Franchise]

McMillan should shut the hell up. Had Andre be playing "his way" they would have lost about five more games this season than they already have. I have seen most of there games this year, and Miller has been there saviour on many nights that Roy and Aldridge (and everyone else), were bogged down in a slump. He has a lot bigger problems than Andre Miller to worry about.

[hater]

this shit happens all the time in non-conteding teams.

[DPG21920]

They are still better than the Spurs.

[JoeTait75]

To quote Vlade Divac, "We play hard, we argue, don't worry about it."

[2Cleva]

Andre Miller erupts at Blazers practice in confrontation with Nate McMillan
By Jason Quick, The Oregonian
January 07, 2010, 11:30AM


Trail Blazers practice on Thursday was halted nearly 60 minutes into the workout when veteran point guard Andre Miller and coach Nate McMillan engaged in a shouting match that lasted for nearly 30 minutes.

Miller shouted throughout the exchange, and McMillan mostly listened, but at times broke in with shouting of his own.

One of the topics discussed was an incident late in Tuesday's game with Memphis, when Miller told Jerryd Bayless to make his second free throw with 4.3 seconds left and the Blazers trailing by two. The coaching staff and team captain Brandon Roy told Bayless to miss the free throw so the Blazers could attempt to rebound and make a tying basket.

When practice was opened to the media, Miller and McMillan were not on the court.

UPDATED: General manager Kevin Pritchard was on hand for the incident and said he was hopeful that it could result in a positive.

"I encourage open and honest dialogue, I think that is always good,'' Pritchard said. "I think it can be (healthy). We have the ability to take it one of two ways and I believe in the character of this team, and you know, I think we can come together.''

Pritchard said the exchange was "normal".

"On every team I have ever been on ... guys have opportunity to speak what they feel. That's OK. The question is, can we become better because of it. Either you can or you can't. I'm hoping we can.''

Pritchard and McMillan both said there would be no punishment forthcoming.

"Absolutely not,'' Pritchard said. "We don't muzzle people. It's like being in a marriage. If you don't say something it builds and builds, then it's said, and when it is and it is honest and open, you can get better from it.''

McMillan was sharp when asked about the exchange between he and Miller.

"I'm not going to comment on my talk with the team. It wasn't with Andre, it was with the team,'' McMillan said. "We talked as a group.''

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/01/breaking_news_miller_erupts_at.html

[mogrovejo]

Miller is done in Portland. The spark was Miller telling Bayless to make a FT with the Blazers bench telling him to miss it. Plus, obviously, McMillan benching him the entire 4th quarter because he wasn't getting back on defence.