tlongII
11-15-2014, 02:41 PM
http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/240689-107451-steve-smith-on-blazers-good-enough-for-nba
Steve Smith is a studio analyst for NBA TV, but once upon a time was a member of the Trail Blazers. Smith, who spent 14 years in the NBA, was starting shooting guard in Portland during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons. The first year, the Mike Dunleavy-coached Blazers won 59 regular-season games and advanced to the Western Conference finals, losing in seven games in the ill-fated series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Smith played in Portland during a turbulent era of opulence under owner Paul Allen and general manager Bob Whitsitt, who put together the roster as if it were a fantasy team, with a payroll that topped out at more than $100 million, a league record at the time. The team chemistry was not good, in part due to the start of the "Jail Blazers" era that included such players as Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells, Stacey Augmon and Gary Grant.
Now 45, Smith came to Portland in October for NBA TV's "Real Training Camp" series, watching the Blazers practice and interviewing coach Terry Stotts and several players. Smith spoke via phone from Atlanta with the Portland Tribune about this Blazer team.
Tribune: How was your visit to Portland?
Smith: Excellent. It was good to see the team's entire practice, to see some familiar faces and visit the practice facility. They've added to it. We didn't have a barber shop when I played there.
Tribune: What did you think of the way Terry and his coaching staff ran practice?
Smith: Things are a little different than when I was there, with all the chaos and things going on in practice. I love what they do. I love the teaching, the individual workouts. I like the rapport he has with the players. I loved the way Terry was able to command the guys' attention. He has their respect. The guys like their coach. You can tell by the players' body language, by how they pay attention. Everybody was all eyes, all ears, all tuned in, all ready to go.
Tribune: What do you think of the Blazers' team this season?
Smith: The last couple of years, you could put their starting five up with anybody in the NBA. The only thing they lacked was the experience of playing together. They have had no identity on their bench, though. But Neil (Olshey, the team's GM) has done a good job acquiring talent in Chris Kaman and Steve Blake. Chris can be a force, drawing the double-team and playing like a smart veteran. With Chris and the toughness and leadership of Steve, it will make it easier for all the other guys off the bench. I like C.J. McCollum, and I love Will Barton's enthusiasm and the way he approaches the game.
Tribune: Kaman has bounced around. This is his fifth team in five years. Why?
Smith: Kaman has had a rocky go of it lately. Some of it is injuries. Every stop has been a rough go. He and Mike D'Antoni didn't hit it off (with the Lakers). But it seems like physically Chris is in better shape than he's ever been. With some guys, some cities are a bad fit. I know Chris is from Michigan, but he fits the city. He looks like a guy from Portland, Oregon. That's a perfect team for him. He can come off the bench and be who he is.
Tribune: What do you see from Damian Lillard?
Smith: His first two years, he was a young point guard, but he's past that now. He proved it last year in the playoffs. Not just with hitting the big shot (to win Game 6 and the first-round series with Houston), but playing against a guy like Patrick Beverley, who can knock a player off stride. Damian handled himself extremely well. We saw throughout the season he can make big shots.
Tribune: Is LaMarcus Aldridge the type of player who can lead a team to the NBA finals?
Smith: I think he can. The output he had in the Houston series last year was eye-opening. That was the first time I saw him demanding the ball and having the team go through him. You always saw the talent. When he was playing with Brandon Roy, it was almost like, "I don't want to be a center of attention." Now he's finally comfortable in that role.
There was always the question around the league about whether he was happy in Portland. But it looks like his contract situation is going to get taken care of, and he's happy with the city, his role, the coach. We even asked him, "Who's the best power forward in the game?" He said, "I am." I don't think he'd have said that two or three years ago. That's not being cocky. That's showing self-confidence.
Tribune: Where do the Blazers need to improve?
Smith: I think they still need to develop consistency, and improve their defense. They have some individual defenders in (Nicolas) Batum and (Wesley) Matthews, but they struggle just a little in transition. We know they can shoot the 3-ball. I'd like to see them be a little more physical offensively and not rely on the 3. I'd like to see LaMarcus attack and Damian go to the basket more. And even Nic and Wesley -- show us that when the 3-ball is not going, we can beat you another way.
Tribune: Can the Blazers get to the NBA finals this year?
Smith: They can, but seven or eight teams could get to the conference finals. The Spurs could win another title; they could get knocked out in the first round. If the Blazers get beat in the first round, I wouldn't necessarily consider it an unsuccessful year, even though I'm sure they would. I'll just say I think they could win the West. I also think they could lose in the first round, like a whole lot of other teams.
Steve Smith is a studio analyst for NBA TV, but once upon a time was a member of the Trail Blazers. Smith, who spent 14 years in the NBA, was starting shooting guard in Portland during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons. The first year, the Mike Dunleavy-coached Blazers won 59 regular-season games and advanced to the Western Conference finals, losing in seven games in the ill-fated series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Smith played in Portland during a turbulent era of opulence under owner Paul Allen and general manager Bob Whitsitt, who put together the roster as if it were a fantasy team, with a payroll that topped out at more than $100 million, a league record at the time. The team chemistry was not good, in part due to the start of the "Jail Blazers" era that included such players as Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells, Stacey Augmon and Gary Grant.
Now 45, Smith came to Portland in October for NBA TV's "Real Training Camp" series, watching the Blazers practice and interviewing coach Terry Stotts and several players. Smith spoke via phone from Atlanta with the Portland Tribune about this Blazer team.
Tribune: How was your visit to Portland?
Smith: Excellent. It was good to see the team's entire practice, to see some familiar faces and visit the practice facility. They've added to it. We didn't have a barber shop when I played there.
Tribune: What did you think of the way Terry and his coaching staff ran practice?
Smith: Things are a little different than when I was there, with all the chaos and things going on in practice. I love what they do. I love the teaching, the individual workouts. I like the rapport he has with the players. I loved the way Terry was able to command the guys' attention. He has their respect. The guys like their coach. You can tell by the players' body language, by how they pay attention. Everybody was all eyes, all ears, all tuned in, all ready to go.
Tribune: What do you think of the Blazers' team this season?
Smith: The last couple of years, you could put their starting five up with anybody in the NBA. The only thing they lacked was the experience of playing together. They have had no identity on their bench, though. But Neil (Olshey, the team's GM) has done a good job acquiring talent in Chris Kaman and Steve Blake. Chris can be a force, drawing the double-team and playing like a smart veteran. With Chris and the toughness and leadership of Steve, it will make it easier for all the other guys off the bench. I like C.J. McCollum, and I love Will Barton's enthusiasm and the way he approaches the game.
Tribune: Kaman has bounced around. This is his fifth team in five years. Why?
Smith: Kaman has had a rocky go of it lately. Some of it is injuries. Every stop has been a rough go. He and Mike D'Antoni didn't hit it off (with the Lakers). But it seems like physically Chris is in better shape than he's ever been. With some guys, some cities are a bad fit. I know Chris is from Michigan, but he fits the city. He looks like a guy from Portland, Oregon. That's a perfect team for him. He can come off the bench and be who he is.
Tribune: What do you see from Damian Lillard?
Smith: His first two years, he was a young point guard, but he's past that now. He proved it last year in the playoffs. Not just with hitting the big shot (to win Game 6 and the first-round series with Houston), but playing against a guy like Patrick Beverley, who can knock a player off stride. Damian handled himself extremely well. We saw throughout the season he can make big shots.
Tribune: Is LaMarcus Aldridge the type of player who can lead a team to the NBA finals?
Smith: I think he can. The output he had in the Houston series last year was eye-opening. That was the first time I saw him demanding the ball and having the team go through him. You always saw the talent. When he was playing with Brandon Roy, it was almost like, "I don't want to be a center of attention." Now he's finally comfortable in that role.
There was always the question around the league about whether he was happy in Portland. But it looks like his contract situation is going to get taken care of, and he's happy with the city, his role, the coach. We even asked him, "Who's the best power forward in the game?" He said, "I am." I don't think he'd have said that two or three years ago. That's not being cocky. That's showing self-confidence.
Tribune: Where do the Blazers need to improve?
Smith: I think they still need to develop consistency, and improve their defense. They have some individual defenders in (Nicolas) Batum and (Wesley) Matthews, but they struggle just a little in transition. We know they can shoot the 3-ball. I'd like to see them be a little more physical offensively and not rely on the 3. I'd like to see LaMarcus attack and Damian go to the basket more. And even Nic and Wesley -- show us that when the 3-ball is not going, we can beat you another way.
Tribune: Can the Blazers get to the NBA finals this year?
Smith: They can, but seven or eight teams could get to the conference finals. The Spurs could win another title; they could get knocked out in the first round. If the Blazers get beat in the first round, I wouldn't necessarily consider it an unsuccessful year, even though I'm sure they would. I'll just say I think they could win the West. I also think they could lose in the first round, like a whole lot of other teams.