ducks
11-15-2005, 09:56 AM
Przybilla, Ratliff provide stability inside for young Blazers team
Coach Nate McMillan says center has become Portland's most dependable position
Monday, November 14, 2005
MIKE TOKITO
The Oregonian
When Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan substitutes players, he might fret about lack of experience among the guards or forwards playing out of position. But when he puts Theo Ratliff in for Joel Przybilla, or vice versa, he feels confident that the center position will remain in steady hands.
"Theo's been good; Joel's been good," McMillan said. "That position's been great."
McMillan says center has become the Blazers' most dependable position, one featuring two players with similar skills splitting time. Either could probably start for most NBA teams, so the situation relies on them remaining good team players, but so far it has worked well.
"They both give you very similar work on the floor," McMillan said. "The team's comfortable with either guy out there."
Przybilla has started all five games, but Ratliff, who with 10 years in the NBA is the Blazers' most experienced player, has come on strong in the last two.
Against New York on Wednesday, he played 35 minutes and had seven rebounds and two blocks and scored two key baskets down the stretch. Against Detroit on Friday, he played 26 minutes and had 14 rebounds.
The performances recalled Ratliff's play in 2004 after he came to Portland from Atlanta and became an active, shot-blocking force who sent incumbent center Dale Davis to the bench.
"It feels good going out there, competing, having fun," Ratliff said.
Ratliff said the injured left shoulder that slowed him much of last season and in training camp is starting to feel better, letting him play more aggressively.
"I'm still rehabbing it, but it's feeling pretty good," Ratliff said. "It still bothers me every now and then, but it's just something I'm going to continue to rehab."
The playing time opened up against New York because Przybilla picked up four quick fouls and was limited to 13 minutes. Early in his career, Przybilla had a reputation of being able to pick up three fouls before he broke a sweat, but he had hoped he was beyond that.
"Last year when I first started, I thought it was worse than it's been this year," Przybilla said. "But as the season progressed, officials started recognizing what I can do, and they gave me a lot more respect. By the end of last year, I was getting one, two fouls a game. I just think it's the whole process again. When the season goes on, it will get better. It can't get any worse."
McMillan said the main thing for Przybilla is to keep playing hard.
"I don't want those guys to be concerned about getting into the foul trouble, because we do have another guy back there that can play," McMillan said. "I want them to be physical and aggressive in the paint, defending the basket."
Przybilla has been aggressive, with a team-high 11 blocks, including five against Denver on Nov. 4.
With two capable players sharing the position, McMillan says he's not foolish enough to think playing time might not become an issue. But he says the centers have put the team's needs first.
"They have been, but that could change -- I hope not," McMillan said. "The bottom line is everybody wants to play. . . . I would hope that they would support each other and buy into not having to playing certain minutes."
McMillan says his general rotation involves the centers alternating quarters, with Przybilla starting and Ratliff finishing, with changes made to accommodate foul trouble and game-by-game effectiveness. Both players say they are fine with the rotation.
"I have no problem with it, and I don't think Theo does, either," Przybilla said. "On any given night, either of us can step in."
One potential issue involves contracts. Ratliff is the team's highest-paid player this season, making more than $11 million (Zach Randolph's annual take will surpass Ratliff's next season), and Przybilla is in the final year of his contract. The team cannot re-sign Przybilla until after the season, and then only at the mid-level exception, although he has indicated that he intends to re-sign.
McMillan is no stranger to the situation. Last season, when he coached Seattle, he had seven players whose contracts ran out at the end of the season. He said he realizes that contractual considerations come up in discussions of playing time all the time in the NBA, but he never has run a team with that in mind.
"I don't coach that way -- I really don't," McMillan said. "I really could care less about contracts."
Notes:
Darius Miles (both knees, back) and Ruben Patterson (knee) were kept out of most live drills during Sunday's practice because of injuries. . . . One of McMillan's biggest concerns is free throw shooting. The Blazers are last in the NBA at 60.2 percent. "It's huge," he said.
Mike Tokito: 503-294-7603; [email protected]
Coach Nate McMillan says center has become Portland's most dependable position
Monday, November 14, 2005
MIKE TOKITO
The Oregonian
When Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan substitutes players, he might fret about lack of experience among the guards or forwards playing out of position. But when he puts Theo Ratliff in for Joel Przybilla, or vice versa, he feels confident that the center position will remain in steady hands.
"Theo's been good; Joel's been good," McMillan said. "That position's been great."
McMillan says center has become the Blazers' most dependable position, one featuring two players with similar skills splitting time. Either could probably start for most NBA teams, so the situation relies on them remaining good team players, but so far it has worked well.
"They both give you very similar work on the floor," McMillan said. "The team's comfortable with either guy out there."
Przybilla has started all five games, but Ratliff, who with 10 years in the NBA is the Blazers' most experienced player, has come on strong in the last two.
Against New York on Wednesday, he played 35 minutes and had seven rebounds and two blocks and scored two key baskets down the stretch. Against Detroit on Friday, he played 26 minutes and had 14 rebounds.
The performances recalled Ratliff's play in 2004 after he came to Portland from Atlanta and became an active, shot-blocking force who sent incumbent center Dale Davis to the bench.
"It feels good going out there, competing, having fun," Ratliff said.
Ratliff said the injured left shoulder that slowed him much of last season and in training camp is starting to feel better, letting him play more aggressively.
"I'm still rehabbing it, but it's feeling pretty good," Ratliff said. "It still bothers me every now and then, but it's just something I'm going to continue to rehab."
The playing time opened up against New York because Przybilla picked up four quick fouls and was limited to 13 minutes. Early in his career, Przybilla had a reputation of being able to pick up three fouls before he broke a sweat, but he had hoped he was beyond that.
"Last year when I first started, I thought it was worse than it's been this year," Przybilla said. "But as the season progressed, officials started recognizing what I can do, and they gave me a lot more respect. By the end of last year, I was getting one, two fouls a game. I just think it's the whole process again. When the season goes on, it will get better. It can't get any worse."
McMillan said the main thing for Przybilla is to keep playing hard.
"I don't want those guys to be concerned about getting into the foul trouble, because we do have another guy back there that can play," McMillan said. "I want them to be physical and aggressive in the paint, defending the basket."
Przybilla has been aggressive, with a team-high 11 blocks, including five against Denver on Nov. 4.
With two capable players sharing the position, McMillan says he's not foolish enough to think playing time might not become an issue. But he says the centers have put the team's needs first.
"They have been, but that could change -- I hope not," McMillan said. "The bottom line is everybody wants to play. . . . I would hope that they would support each other and buy into not having to playing certain minutes."
McMillan says his general rotation involves the centers alternating quarters, with Przybilla starting and Ratliff finishing, with changes made to accommodate foul trouble and game-by-game effectiveness. Both players say they are fine with the rotation.
"I have no problem with it, and I don't think Theo does, either," Przybilla said. "On any given night, either of us can step in."
One potential issue involves contracts. Ratliff is the team's highest-paid player this season, making more than $11 million (Zach Randolph's annual take will surpass Ratliff's next season), and Przybilla is in the final year of his contract. The team cannot re-sign Przybilla until after the season, and then only at the mid-level exception, although he has indicated that he intends to re-sign.
McMillan is no stranger to the situation. Last season, when he coached Seattle, he had seven players whose contracts ran out at the end of the season. He said he realizes that contractual considerations come up in discussions of playing time all the time in the NBA, but he never has run a team with that in mind.
"I don't coach that way -- I really don't," McMillan said. "I really could care less about contracts."
Notes:
Darius Miles (both knees, back) and Ruben Patterson (knee) were kept out of most live drills during Sunday's practice because of injuries. . . . One of McMillan's biggest concerns is free throw shooting. The Blazers are last in the NBA at 60.2 percent. "It's huge," he said.
Mike Tokito: 503-294-7603; [email protected]