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What can I say, I love me some Rudy

I love the guy.....Steve Blake is the man. Goofyness aside, the dude is my homie. I'm in the camp where I think Steve Blake should begin the year as the Blazers starter....

....but like every one else, I dont feel he's our point guard of the future.,

So my question is, is he really good enough to keep Rudy out of the starting line up. It seems to me, why not put the ball in the hands of our best playmaker to start the game. Let Roy run the point in the 1st and the 4th. That way, he can set the tone, and finish it out...I think putting Roy and Rudy out there would be like throwing a quick blow in a boxing match...and unless the other team is on their toes, they're gonna be realing to recover.

My thoughts...Throw out a lineup of Roy Rudy Martell Lamarcus and Oden. When we start to lose steam, swap Martell for Outlaw, or Bayless for Rudy/Roy to give us another offensive look.. But if Bayless isnt up to handling the point guard spot, bring in Blake,as i feel  the ship is steady with him at the helm.....

Maybe a combo of Blake Rudy Travis. That way we got a distributor and two scorers. Though i feel very comfortable with Rudy's ability to distribute, so Bayless is interchangeable with Blake........

In certain cases, I think we can go to a 3 guard zone. Maybe Blake, Roy, Rudy. Along with both Oden and Pryzbilla fortifying. That's a pretty intimidating back line. Either way they drive the ball, theyre gonna be meeting a shot blocking presence.

That's just one man's opinion though...What are your guys takes?

What can I say? I love the guy...

6-20-2003

Outlaws Sportcenter #1 Highlight

Such a Humble Dude

I love how he matches up with Kobe. He actually looks like he has an athletic advantage..

 

People talk down on his defense, but theres no denying his ability to help defend the middle......... in highschool he averaged 6 blocks per game

Another Great Block

And there's just not that many guys in the leage that can do this

As far as the Webster/Outlaw debate: who do you want at the end of the game more, webster or outlaw?……….im as big a Webster fan as anybody, but he’s not as important as Outlaw….sure we got a lot of other clutch players(Roy, Rudy,soon to be Bayless), but we’re likely not goin to a 3 guard set to end the game………when the game is on the line, we’re going to need outlaw on the wing for Brandon to kick it to, Rudy also (though i see more of Rudy cutting to the basket)..Also, his athleticism would be missed. There are so few guys with his combination of physical atributes. He truly is a matchup nightmare……….with Webster in the game theres more pressure for Roy to create, cuz when the shot clock is winding down, Martell struggles at creating his own high percentage shot.

Basically I REALLY dont want us to trade Outlaw unless it’s for a point forward like Tmac…or somebody with the Defensive and physical skills of a Shawn Marion………that element of athleticism is one aspect of the game we do not want to lose, and Travis gives us that.

He also matches up with Kobe really nicely, which is important in the upcoming years. Few people of his length have the quickness to stay with Kobe.

Really, there's a lot of things I like about Trout. Maybe what I like most about Travis is his sense of genuinship, and the fact that on the team he's Roy's best friend. Not to mention his willingness to come off the bench, and how important he is to our team chemistry. People posting trade rumors around Travis hit on a touchy subject because so few realize his potential..Come playoff time, I want Travis in the 4th Quarter.

 

Ohio State vs. Penn State Basketball 2007 Ohio State vs. Michigan Basketball 2007 Ohio State vs. C Conn Basketball 2007 Ohio State vs. Tennessee NCAA Tournament 2007 Ohio State vs. Xavier 2007 NCAA Tournament Ohio State vs. Memphis Greg Oden practice 8-12-08 It's clear, Greg Oden is a man among boys....Him playing in the paint is like a father son game.... There's been a lot of prediction threads going around..A lot of people, it seems, have tempered expectations..Some people don't even think he's gonna average a double double his rookie season......Seems crazy, when a guy he dominated (Hortford), pretty much accomplished that feat. My expectation for Greg, is to become THE premiere center in the league..Stats are irrelevant. What I expect of him is to own the paint on both sides of the court... When it's all said and done I believe that will translate to 18ppg, 12 reb, 3 blocks, and 2 ass...Career wise, his numbers should only improve from there..I hope he shows as much effort and determination on the boards as Dwight Howard displays. ....and his offensive game is underrated. My guess is he'll have more than a few 20 and 30 point games before the season is out. We'll see...hopefully he dominates from our first opening tip. My guess is after a couple games, he'll start seeing there is nobody who can hang with him physically, then the sky is the limit..... Teams will be afraid to go the middle when he is in the game. We will own the offensive boards. Lamarcus will benefit. Brandon will benefit. I think its entirely possible for us to win 55+ games.... Enjoy the links  Ohio State Vs. Minnesota Basketball 2007

First off, every one watch this....then think of Oden playing on this level..

I bring this up only because Hakeem is my favorite center ever. If Oden could approach this level, nothing could stop us.....remember physically they are very similar

A look at some stats: Shaq got 23.4 points and 13.9 rebounds his rookie season, Hakeem got 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds,and Duncan got 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.5 blocks per game…...My guess is Oden, in his rookie year, puts up 16-18 points and 10-12 rebounds

At first take, Oden is more of a power center than Hakeem, but his offense is underrated. Even Hakeem was a little raw offensivley in college.

Here's my impression looking back on his Ohio State games: It’s not like his offensive game is completely undeveloped. He will command double teams...The reason, there are few who can physically match up with him..Combo PF/C’s will get eaten up…guys like runner up ROY last year Al Hortford..A big guy in his own right, cant match up with him…He’s too strong, and can back his way to the rim for either a dunk, or a soft layup/hook shot which i’ve seen he can make with either hand, and he can shoot free throws….

All I know is he’s gonna be a load to handle, and it seems hard to expect any guy to do it by himself…the jury is still out on how he will match up with elite centers….one thing I am sure of is that his defense will cause problems, but his offense does remain the question…....the thing is, what he does, can’t be stopped. Not unless you match up physically… and after yao and shaq dissappear, the only one left to do so will be howard...

Going back to my hakeem comparison.... To me Oden looks more like David Robinson then Hakeem…his size though compares with Shaq when he entered the league…but i hope he finds a little hakeem in him, and something tells me he has that potential…........

Most likely scenario is Oden becomes a Shaq/Duncan combo….....that seems like a more realistic comparison, and i do believe he has that potential…..........In time hopefully he steps up in a leadership role…..I mean, this is Brandon’s team. But with Oden’s size, if his play and demeanor sets him on roys level in terms of leadership, we have nothing to worry about for years to come…

My hopes for next season

My hope is that Oden brings us to the NBA Finals this year....... As the eighth seed we can knock out the Lakers in the first round…Oden will average 18 and 12 with 3 blocks that series…Bynum wont be able to do anything

Second round we find a way to make it past New Orleans and CP3….Brandon finally begins being touted as highly as CP3

Third round we face the always contending San Antonio Spurs…..Oden shuts down Duncan, Rudy outplays Ginobli…and Brandon and Trav put us ontheir backs on the way to the finals…...

In the finals…...Boston tries to challenge….but Garnet gets eaten up by Oden…Roy outplays Allen, and Pierce Cant guard Travis….. it goes to game seven, and Boston barely pulls it out…..

The bitter taste of a championship lost, gives the blazers extra incentive in the offseason…and we come back to win 8 of the next ten championships….. Oden becomes a perrenial allstar in just his second year…Lamarcus snags a couple alltar appearances as well.....

alas.....i'm just a dreamer

As a team: My guess is we struggle at the beginning of the season. Then we start kicking it into gear midway through the season. This allows us to snag a final playoff spot just as we are gelling........teams at the top will try to lose games so they dont have to match up with us............ 

As for Oden: I hope Oden breaks the backboard, his first possession in the NBA. Even if he has to charge through Andrew Bynum to do it….There couldnt be any greater statement signifying his dominance in the game…

My hope is that time brings forth all these things....... 

I almost cant believe im saying this as a blazer fan.....

what if the blazers picked up kobe bryant as a free agent next summer? pretty sure he's got a player option...

i know, i know....its kobe bryant....probably one of the most hated on around these parts...and for the record, i dont like him much either..... but there's no denying, he is kobe frickin bryant.....

For this to happen, certain things would need to fall into place...should our players start playing to their potential...outlaw improves, bayless kills it, Rudy brings entangibles and quicks, and Oden dominates....should we become a top 4 seed in the west, or in the playoffs knock off the lakers themselves, i could see kobe jumping ship...

Right now Kobe's got one thing on his mind. Cementing his legacy.....Don't think he didn't hear Shaq's freestyle. He knows eyes are watching him....and all he needs is a couple of championships to solidify it.... If Aldridge and Oden outplay Pau and Bynum, don't be surprised.... kobe has already gone on record saying he thinks the blazers this year will be a top 4 seed in the west. so clearly he is impressed by us...kinda all depends how oden pans out. but he is a big magnet...

There's no denying that a backcourt of him and Roy would probly dominate all opponents they face. It'd be like pick your poison....

and yea, i hate kobe too. I really do. But its not out of the relm of possibilities  

Alright, so spain got blown out....big woop.

Rudy is still the man....A couple careless turnovers, but also a couple great plays. For every careless turnover, he came with a heady defensive play. Either drawing a charge on Kobe, or stealing it outright..... i also saw the refs hit him up with a couple questionable calls that pushed USA's momentum....but he played through it.

And he did knock down a couple threes and also had a few great entry passes......

From what i saw, in the early parts of the game, Rudy kept them in it....Then as soon as he went out, USA pushed the lead... pretty sure he had their first three, then an assist right away on the next play.

Clearly, in this game (like the rest), Rudy hustles. He got his hands on a lot of rebounds. Either snatching them himself, or making tips to a teammate. He's active. Not his greatest shooting performance, but was still able to put down a couple tres......seems like he comes out of nowhere for rebounds....and the way he floats defensively makes passing difficult for the opposing offense. His D on Kobe, was pretty darn good. Got no complaints...he only got beat a couple times, both of which, he forced his man to help side....fine with me, that's what oden is gonna be for (to clean up the mess). yea kobe, im talking about you......

Besides that, in the third quarter, he showed that bumps and bruises come with his style of play......same with Roy's though, which makes him that much more important as a backup.....if Roy ever goes out for an extended period due to injury. Rudy is an amazing insurance policy...My guess is after a year, he would start on a lot of teams....

And yea, he looked better than Calderon. which i think says something, cuz calderon is pretty proven NBA wise....he had more assists, and a greater overall impact on the game.....don't get carried away though, their style of play is vastly different....

But yea, I have extremely high hopes for Rudy.

Time to let it out...All you Rudy lovers it's time to step forward. What is is that gets us all so excited about Rudy? What do you expect from him next season? Is he the type of player who can change the complection of games? And is any one else already stoked imagining the roar of the Rose Garden crowd yelling....Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!?

Personally, I'm more than already sold...Rudy is the man...granted, i didnt see his sub par performance the other night, 3 or 4 points or so (sounded more like a rest). But from what ive seen in the pre-olympics, and his outings against greece and china, I'm more than convinced he is ready for NBA ball....21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, in 34 minutes while shooting 50% field goal shooting versus China..Talk about a guy who does everything. Pretty sure he also had a block and a couple steals... and yea, he can D up.

So while Naysayers seem concerned over our shooting guard query and where he'll find minutes, I'm willing to make the claim, he already has his nitche. Rudy is an energy guy, coming to a team that lacks energy guys having subtracted Jarret Jack this offseason. He is clearly a team player...Look at his entry passes to the post, or his ability to lead the fast break....What he is, is another shooting guard that plays like a point guard. Watching him even briefly, its clear he brings that mentality to the game.....Except he also carries himself with more energy than Brandon.

Thats maybe the most obvious part about his game. Rudy is constant energy in motion..watch him back door cut his man. or float on defense looking for steals, than quickly recover. watch him come in from out of nowhere for an offensive putback...the dude is legit.....and he's always moving......why stand around when theres points to be scored?that's his mentality....and his handles are better than most think...He's got the stutter dribble down, and often uses it to put defenses on edge..opposing defenders than have to respect it cuz his shot is built on such a lightning release.

Defensively, he has even left me impressed. Especially with all the anti-hype going around over this part of his game....People talk up Rubio and his quick feet defending the point position, but from what ive seen Rudy almost does it more effectively..That guy from greece, he torched Rubio with his strength every time he put it on the floor. Couldnt do that against Rudy though.... and while people question his risk taking, going for steals, leaving him out of position..that's one facet of the game the blazers desperately need. Someone to pressure the passing lanes on the perimeter..like how boston does. He's shown me he can do it.....We need guys to create steals that lead to easy transition....And should he get overambitous, there's a couple big guys foritifying our back line that should give him time to get back in position...........And he's wirey on defense, kinda like Ginobli. We've been missing that type of intensity on that side of the ball..

I'm one to believe that Rudy Fernandez future is bright.......And i cant wait to see his light shine in Portland! Viva Rudy!

This is the way I see it

Brandon-1

Rudy-2

Travis-3

Lamarcus-4

Oden-5

I trust Brandon, Rudy, and Travis all to make the big shot.....and with both Oden and Aldridge on the court, I expect one to be able to exploit their matchup.

I also trust that Nate will also make decisions based on matchups, and if Bayless has been killing it the whole game, he'll ride the hot hand...but yea, thats a lineup i feel comfortable with..... 

 

Any other takes....pretty much 4 positions are set in stone..rudy being the only question mark....but i gotta say, thats probably our most talented line up

how crazy is it?.........really?.................

A lot of the talk here around the blazers edge is about how and where rudy fernadez will find his minutes...

I say, why not point guard?

people who have only seen his youtube clips might not give any value to this...seeing as most of those clips are alley oops or come in transition. And of course comes the argument, will he be able to D up on opposing point guards....

But lets step back for a second...invision a Roy/Rudy backcourt. This will be easier for those of you who have actually watched some of his full games....

besides shooting, probably the biggest thing he brings to the table is his court vision...he sees things before they happens..he's a playmaker...he can make the deep outlet pass or throw the alley oops..he can feed the post, and lead the break...and he's quick...how quick? his lateral quickness times marked better than any one in this years draft class, even derrick rose...not that that means anything or translates to defense.

I'm willing to bet though that he is as quick as steve nash and he has greater length...and not that Nash's defense is anything to be proud of, but his team does occasionally find ways to win games....why, because offensively he makes his team better...more so than most other point guards can duplicate...i think this could be the case with Rudy, especially if the opposing point is forced to guard him.

Look, the CP3s, Deron Williams, and those alike are gonna be able to do what they want. Their gonna get to where they want to get to..the key to beating them is not one on one defense..it's team defense..and Rudy is an extremely smart player..his Bball IQ is rediculously high...all he has to do is push his man towards help side..Oden and Aldridge will defend the back line just fine...even Joel and Channing coming off the bench, theyll do the same. It seems to me the whole point guard game this past year has just become overrated. Though no doubt its important..But the fact is, this is still a big man's game. And we got a couple very big things going for us...

As tominhawaii in another thread pointed out.... 

Rudy + Roy = A lot of Offense
Bayless + Roy = Defense (I didn’t say a lot)

Rudy and Roy will do great things.......