McMillan's mantra for Blazers: Show, don't tell

[tlongII]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbla..._dont_tel.html


Brandon Roy, returning All-Star.

Greg Oden, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, who is bigger and stronger than ever.

LaMarcus Aldridge, a 17.8-point, 7.6-rebound player entering his third season.

Rudy Fernandez, one of Europe's top players.

Jerryd Bayless, the NBA Summer League Most Valuable Player.

Travis Outlaw ...

OK, stop.

Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan has heard enough.


Yes, the Blazers are better, McMillan agrees. And yes, even his expectations for this season have escalated to the point where he doesn't shy away from the word "playoffs."

But as next week's training camp nears, the no-nonsense coach does not want to hear anything more about how great his team is, or will be.

"I know what everybody is saying," McMillan said. "And we can't get caught up in that trap of thinking that we are really good, or great, or that we have arrived. I have never been one to talk about what we are going to do and I won't start now. We have to show what we are going to do out on the floor."


"We can't get caught up in that trap of thinking that we are really good, or great, or that we have arrived," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said.
The Blazers' opportunity to "show" will start on Tuesday, when the team begins a week's worth of two-a-day practices. But for McMillan, the real start will be Monday night's team dinner, during which he plans to address what could be one of the biggest topics this season for him, and the team:

Playing time.

Last season, when the Blazers finished 41-41, McMillan played nine players regularly. Two of those nine have departed (Jarrett Jack, James Jones), but three high-caliber players (Oden, Fernandez and Bayless) have been added.
"This year we have two of everything," McMillan said.

Depending on how one looks at it, the roster is either crowded or compe ive.

McMillan's job, he says, is to convince his players of the latter. And he said he doesn't think it will be that tough of a sell, mainly because the players control their own destiny.

"The bottom line is they will get opportunities in exhibition games and in practices to show what they can do," McMillan said. "And they will know if they deserve to be out there. It really won't be up to me, it will be up to them."

Still, McMillan said four starting jobs have been determined: Steve Blake will be the team's point guard; Roy the shooting guard; Aldridge the power forward and Oden the center. He said he envisions Martell Webster being the starting small forward, but said he has yet to rule out Travis Outlaw.

The second unit figures to be Bayless or Sergio Rodriguez at point, Fernandez at shooting guard, Outlaw or Webster at small forward, and last year's starter, Joel Przybilla at center. McMillan said he will begin camp with newcomer Ike Diogu (acquired in a draft night trade with Indiana) as the backup power forward while Channing Frye recovers from ankle surgery.

That's 12 players, and McMillan said he can't ever imagine playing more than 10.

"Look, I understand somebody is not going to play," McMillan said without a hint of remorse. "And I'm sure there will be guys who are not happy with that."

That's where his opening speech to the team will come into play. He said he will stress that practices are the place to earn playing time, and that his office door is always open to talk about his personnel decisions.

And he will likely point out Frye, who last season never complained and kept working despite see-sawing in and out of the lineup. Frye's biggest call to duty came in December, when he started five games in place of Aldridge, who was nursing a foot injury. Because Frye was ready to play, the team didn't miss a beat, and the Blazers won all five games as part of their 13-game winning streak.

McMillan said Monday's "stay prepared" speech probably won't be the last.

"It won't be just one time. That will be something that happens throughout the season," McMillan said. "There is always a guy who is not playing, and maybe the guy at his position isn't playing well, so he is asking 'Why am I not getting a chance?' So one of the big things I will communicate is to have yourselves ready."

Notes: The Blazers decided not to pursue free agent point guard Shaun Livingston, who is attempting a comeback after a major left knee injury that caused him to miss all of last season. "Shaun is a heckuva player, and I know he is going to have a successful season, but at this time, we are going to stick with what we've got," general manager Kevin Pritchard said. The Blazers will invite free agent Shavlik Randolph to training camp to compete for the 15th and final roster spot. Randolph, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward, played in nine games with Philadelphia last season before suffering a season-ending injury to his left ankle. The former Duke player has played in 79 NBA games, averaging 2.5 points. He will be one of four free agents competing for the Blazers' final roster spot, joining small forward Luke Jackson, center Steven Hill and guard Jamaal Tatum...

The first chance to see Oden and the 2008-09 Blazers in action will be Oct. 3 at the Wells Fargo Fan Fest at the Rose Garden. The free event will include an intra-squad scrimmage and interactive events with the Blazers players. Doors open at 5 p.m. Passes are available at all Wells Fargo branches in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Fans can also enter for free by showing their Wells Fargo credit card at the door. Parking is also free.

[duncan228]

Even tlong's Blazers craziness can't turn me away from McMillan. I was in Seattle his entire reign as the Sonics coach and I like the guy. I had the opportunity to see him speak at the Sonics summer camp a few times and he was great. He was well spoken, he knew his audience and got through to them. As long as the Blazers aren't playing the Spurs I wish McMillan all the best.

[lefty]

I agree with Nate

Terrific coach