SB Nation User Blog: LaoTzu

Teh Blazerz R St00pid

LaoTzu — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:23:01 -0000

The boob tube told me the internet (series of tubes that it is) will hammer n00bs down with web-speak. Blogosphere hell BE is not. Blogosphere 0, literate Portland 1. But I guess there's a time and myspace for everything.

I am sitting here after the thrashing handed our home town heros last night in Madison Garden Garden with one take-away: Dave's comment that, while we were listless overall, at times the team did play with some energy.

Enough!

"I am the focus of our offense ... where I go, the team goes ... I am tired of being the one who has to sacrifice my game the most ... the superstar should not be the one having to sacrifice ..."

Do you remember this character? Once upon a time, the Blazers had an extremely effective young player they gave a max deal. That player then demanded the ball on every possession, was the team leader in points and minutes with the ball in his hands, and started to disaffect the members of his team who were not interested in his personal vision.

Who are we talking about? The loved B-Roy or the hated Z-Bo?

When I heard a comparison of these two players on BE the first time earlier this season, I thought, 'Never in the same sentence!' Now I not only pair them, I ask the musical question!

I recall when T-Bob gave Z-Bo his max deal. Never again would our NBA hobo score 20 a night from weak-side put-backs. No, it was his team, and the sets would now run through him. Were you watching when B-Roy, who, with the entire Knick team collapsed in the paint waiting on him, decided to penetrate 1-on-5, got stripped (naturally) and watched as the ball headed the other way? That is st00pid.

B-Roy has to have his Blakey. Even when Miller comes in, Miller has to play Blake's role, standing around for Roy's pass out of the inevitable double-team for a three that Miller might hit at 25% if he's lucky. And for you Bayless fans (he is looking good!), Bayless can't play his role as penetrator alongside Roy when we are investing in Roy-ball. We have two of our three PGs, good players in this league, who -- for the commitment to one player -- don't have a home for their game on this roster. And that is st00pid.

Shot Clock not Blazers' Friend!

We got a superstar SG who can't use screens and cut off the ball. The coaches have the rest of the team standing around watching. No wonder the opponent's have figured us out. Not only are they stifling our offense, they are saving energy to run our and pound us down at the other end. Not being able or willing to utilize screens, move defenders to create mis matches, involving everyone in the offense, and make the opposing team work on D is ... surprising.

Play Basketball 'Little Bit', Squish Like Bug!

Play basketball yes? Okay. Play basketball, no? Okay. Play basketball "Little Bit" ... Please realize, regardless of what Nate is telling us about effort ... okay, I'll say it, I think that's just a cop-out. If effort was all it took, George Foreman would have left Ali on the canvass in Zaire and not the other way around. It takes intelligence to beat the other guy. A group of people, especially. But in team sports, intelligence is often subbed out for The Plan. Nate's plan has stifled this team's offense. We need to find the answers on the floor, and we won't do that sticking to the sets we do that pose so few challenges. We need to play more intelligently, learn how to play fluid, full-on basketball. (Joel, for instance, should learn how to catch a basketball. There must be drills. Once he's got the ball, he's fine. Hands, Joel!) Play Basketball Yes!

Coach Nate

Nate lost the Seattle players for working them into the ground. He wore our players out last year during that stretch run into the playoffs. He has a poor track record keeping players healthy. The ultimate irony in Nate's coaching style is that he even injured himself recently in a scrimmage. (Heres to a speedy recovery. He is a good man.) Don't expect Sarge to go changin'.

Not St00pid

Okay, Mr. Smartypants, here we are, the walking wounded, way to kick us when we're down! And what would you suggest, then? Well ...

Play. Freaking. Basketball.

Got it? Weird idea to involve all of your players to defeat all of their players, I know. Hardly seemed fair at all, going into the year with all the talent we could put on the court. That's what had Andre Miller following the team around Vegas last summer like a little barky dog who's family's come home from a long vacation without him.

Instead, our brain trust is investing in a superstar concept which might get enough whistles to drag us to 54+ regular season wins. (Not in MSG, though. Thank you for not whistling!) Even our coaches weren't willing to leave behind Greg Oden, though. And boy did Roy let us know about that! [That's the kind of honesty that so endeared us to Rasheed Wallace.]

We got Andre Miller not because he fit Nate's limited concept. No. He is that veteran floor general Nate had been asking for, though. [But where is my banger 4/5 I was asking for KP? Do NOT think you're off the hook, even though you tried to bring me an Andre Miller.]

Even though Miller is 6-1 as a starter, Nate refuses to consider starting at PG. Because Andre Miller wants to, get this, Play Fluid Basketball. He isn't mentally invested in our junior high offense. Miller knows that when you move defenders, you create mismatches. He sees what we have been missing. He wants to help this team play smarter.

Earlier on, it must have been killing him every day a little more on the inside to see everything going to waste on this team. Then Nate told him in no uncertain terms that he would not be playing beautiful, fluid basketball with our players, no way!

Now? With Oden out, Miller's marginally better than useless. No one left is crazy enough to buy into his style of real, full-on basketball without the support of the coaches. And we are talking coaches who won't even insist that Roy fill the lanes on the break. But Miller's a professional. If you don't want to play basketball the right way, that is really sad, given what this team could be. But Miller knows it is just not his call. And if no one wants to hear him talk about it, either, that's fine, too. If there's one thing Miller knows how to do it's shut up. He'll play Santa, and let us get what we ask for.

Play. Freaking. Defense.

Please play those players willing to D up. Simple, I know.

Don't automatically flash to cutters, because ... see ... the other teams know how to play bas-ket-ball. They know to drive to create double teams. And they know that if you are alone, you cut to the rim and the other team knows to look for that. Knowing all that, they must be freakin' geniuses! With Greg out, Joel will need his fouls (count on Howard using up his pretty fast). It is time to play hard perimeter D or to sit. And it will be hard, too, with how rested the other team will be from watching Roy operate for 20 seconds.

Get Healthy and Host Big Parties!!!

I had intended to call Blazerfan out for thinking that the NBA higher-ups would let the Blazers ever win a title again. But, if you haven't noticed yet, I am st00pid, too. Here's to BIG PARTIES, with Greg and Rudy and Nic drenched in (Andre) champagne, in 2011-12-13-...

POLL: Do the readers of BlazersEdge want The Oregonian and 95.5 to fire John Canzano?

LaoTzu — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:25:07 -0000

Canzano's yellow journalism has hit a new low in fostering hatred for the Blazers' star player Brandon Roy. Is it time to call for an end to Canzano's tenure as a paid sports writer and radio personality in Portland?

Canzano has reached a new low in showing his willingness to call out Roy in a way that is coloring his actions with the national sports media. These are not jail blazers and should not be treated that way. Are we going to let trash stand as journalism in Portland? Are we going to stand by as the local paper drags these stellar young men through the mud until they've had enough of trying to play in this town?

I have had enough. I don't want to switch on 95.5 and find myself listening to hate radio against the team I love instead of the pre-game show I want. And I am done buying The Oregonian ever again until Canzano's brand of yellow journalism is no longer tolerated on its pages. Please let your voice be heard.

Poll

As a reader of The Blazers Edge, do you want The Oregonian and 95.5 to fire John Canzano?

Yes

192 votes

No

89 votes

281 votes | Poll has closed

How the Blazers Get LeBron James!

LaoTzu — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:52:35 -0000

Everybody knows that we have NO chance to get King James in the Free Agent Sweepstakes of 2010. Or do they?

KP is stocking up on expensive talent. People are saying that KP has this team loaded with starter quality backups at every position but PF. Some of that talent just resigned for a ton, and some will be restricted free agents in 2010.

Let's say James doesn't win the championship this season. If I am the Cavaliers, do I want James to walk and get nothing? Or do I want to do a sign and trade with a franchise out West? Hmm ... let's think about that.

Mix and match the contracts as you like. Throw in one from Column A and two from Column B and you got yourself a deal. If we take one of their deadwood guys, all the better if you're Cleveland.

Poll

Is KP setting up a huge sign and trade deal for LeBron James in the Summer of 2010?

Duh, and we can get him with three non-starters

11 votes

Obv, N00b, and it will only cost us LMA, Roy OR Oden

13 votes

We don't have the cap space (did you read this post?)

6 votes

No, KP is going after some other big name (James won't play in po-dunk Portland)

22 votes

I don't want LeBron in Blazers gear

35 votes

The L*kers will get him for the retiring D Fisher, Odom and a pack of used chewing gum

29 votes

116 votes | Poll has closed

5-0: Andre Miller is Magical!

LaoTzu — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:17:31 -0000

The PTBs were a struggling mess. They lost home games and had not showed any ability to contain the opponent.

Then Nate started Andre. Voila!

The Blazers went on a five game win streak and are now tied with Denver atop the Northwest Division.

How does Miller do it?

Let's hope it's not through the use of the dark forces. There is always a price to pay. Maybe Miller knows the Dim Mak, the death touch whispered of in the East.

Evidence of something weird going on:

In Game 1 of the Miller Streak, Tony Parker plays 11 minutes then goes out with an injury and the Blazers get back on the winning track.

Games 2-4, a team that has struggled against all comers is winning by double digits. (How did Andre conjure up such creampuffs?)

Game 5 of The Streak, Chris Paul is fighting to bring his team back when he goes out with a high ankle sprain. News is CP3 will miss games.

The most compelling evidence of mystical forces during The Streak to date? Nate McMillan starts two PGs in every contest, and Bayless plays well off the bench.

Spooky times, my friends.

Poll

What do you make of Andre Miller's Magical Mystery Tour?

79-3, Just Sayin'

42 votes

Weak Sauce

5 votes

Bench Miller

1 votes

Bench Blake, start Marty

26 votes

Bench Blake, start Rudy

58 votes

Miller played in Utah, right? Not prime voodoo country, is it?

3 votes

McMillan has channeled his mad genius

5 votes

McMillan needed to channel something

4 votes

Let's start this talk after we beat Atlanta

77 votes

221 votes | Poll has closed

"Get Rid of Outlaw": Are You Crazy?

LaoTzu — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:06:50 -0000

AP (Allen, Paul "Do I own that?") -- Travis Outlaw's unconscious shooting off the bench gave the Portland Trail Blazers the big push they needed tonight to win their home opener 96-87 against the Houston Rockets.

Outlaw came into the game when Aldridge, the leading scorer to that point, had to sit with early foul trouble. With the separation Outlaw and newly acquired back-up veteran point guard Andre Miller provided in the second quarter, Portland built a lead it never relinquished in winning their home opener.

The depleted Houston Rockets showed heart in the road loss, clawing their way within six points in the fourth quarter. Outlaw's buoyed his leadership in heading the Blazers in the scoring column by opportunistic play on defense and two key rebounds late as Coach Nate McMillan kept Outlaw in the game down the stretch.

During the preseason, Portland area websites and local sports talk programs had been clogged with demands that the franchise rid itself of Outlaw. Perhaps seeking revenge for an ousting by the Rockets from last year's playoffs, "Trout" would not be denied.

Outlaw spoke with this reporter after the contest. "Travis, some folks out there questioned your ability to help this team win. Was this a statement game to set the record straight?"

"Nah. It ain't even like that. Portland fans are smart. B-Roy says they know I hit nine game winners for them last season. I keep winning games for them, Coach Nate says they gotta come round to me."

"Some question your role on this team. You have few starts in your years here in Portland. The lineup is clogged with wing players. You looked to be behind both Webster and Batum at small spot before his injury. Nate came out before the season and said you would be backing up Aldridge at power forward. But with your build you seem out of position there. Where do you see your yourself fitting with this team, at the three or the four?"

"Well, you know, I'm a scorer. I don't see myself as having so much a position except to come in and score. I guess, you know, I a sixth man type player."

Travis Outlaw is certainly a scorer. Going 9-14 from the field, hitting shots from everywhere on the floor, Outlaw led his team with 23 points in the victory. If the Blazers ever trade him, Portland fans can rest assured that young gun Portland GM Kevin Pritchard will demand someone very special in return.

Batum's Shoulder: Death of the "Units" Theory, in come the Twin Towers

LaoTzu — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:02:22 -0000

Batum is out. Half the season or more out. There goes the whole two units theory. Nate will be scrabbling to find groups he has confidence in. Travis will play behind Martell at SF. This leaves Howard playing big minutes. Unless ...

How about, when LMA comes out, Joel comes in and we go Twin Towers?

C and PF have 96 minutes a night. LMA gets 33, Greg might get 30 and Joel another 30, with Howard subbing in a little, more when there's foul trouble. With Batum out, the twin towers could be the answer to some lineups with tremendous interior defense. They would gobble up tons of boards. Joel won't take touches away from Greg, but he will be there on the opposite block to collect easy buckets on put backs and when GO draws the double-team.

Alternately, if Travis does see time at PF, then that opens up a spot for Rudy to play alongside Roy. Those three formed one of our most productive combinations from last season.

We might even get to see if Cunningham can play at this level (at the 3 spot, please, unless we are going small).

While Batum's injury requiring surgery is dreadful news, it should force Nate to think more creatively. I am looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.

PAX PORTLANDICUS!

Which is it, Nate? 'May the Best Man Win' or 'I'm going with the starters from last season'

LaoTzu — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:07:30 -0000

Sometimes people aren't very logical. Say you have a logjam at SF, your championship window is just starting to open and you decide to risk the future of the franchise going all-in for $50M on a pizza-addicted, aging guy from Turkey who would need to take the ball out of Roy's hands to have any effectiveness. Just say.

There is little doubt many decisions humans make lack logical consistency. It's been shown that the big decisions we make and the tiny decisions we make are usually equally horrible.

Studies show that people make very sound decisions when the decisions are 1) important enough for them to think about and 2) the decisions concern values they commonly deal with and are comfortable with. For instance, a corporate board commonly charged with making decisions with money ranging from $20K to $5M is usually skilled in making decisions within that range. Ask them how to spend $100 and they won't see the point in responding. More interesting, faced with a $50M decision, they won't know how to analyze the situation. They will start to dream, go on gut, or take existing data at face value. The decision isn't in their wheelhouse. If they get a hit, it will be more luck or perhaps talent than skill, though boardrooms tends to squelch talent.

But I'm not here to talk about He-dos and He-donuts. Instead, I want to talk about he saids and he saids.

It is no surprise to me that Andre Miller is confused with his role on this team. One interview quotes Nate as saying there is open competition at the 1, 3 and 5. The next time he's quoted as saying the starting unit he used last year is what he's going with this season. That kind of logical inconsistency is hard to resolve unless you understand how power works.

I am a Nate fan. I think he is great for this young team. But left with the freedom most coaches are a cult of personality naturally develops where your thoughts are right because they're your thoughts, not because they're sound, well-thought out, or based on the data. And might isn't necessarily right.

I doubt that Nate is playing Phil Jackson in this scenario. But maybe he is sending Miller a message. 'This is my team. Players on this team follow my rules. If you want to play, you have to pay your dues and earn your spot.'

This makes some sense. More sense maybe if it was a battlefield and not a basketball team. Where this sort of messaging really starts to break down is when Miller is not given credit for the dues he's already paid in a long and productive career with the league. This guy is not a rookie. He knows how to play. Early evidence suggests that he knows the Blazers offensive sets and defensive schemes better than many players who were here last year. Miller wasn't hired for his athletic dominance. He was hired for his basketball IQ.

Maybe it's time for Nate to show more flexibility and respect -- and maybe to demonstrate a better understanding regarding the power of his words. I am not saying he should necessarily start Miller. There might be sound basketball reasons to bring him off the bench. Though, like many here, I think the idea that Nate will ever platoon players like Dunleavy did is not proven out by Nate's history as a bench coach -- another logical inconsistency.

What I would like is for the team to step forward and openly support Miller as a player, a man, and for what he could mean to the franchise. I would like Nate to consider again whether his thinking is sound.

In three years, with so many great players in mid-career under longterm contracts, I don't think Nate's current approach will be the right one to lead these men. And I don't think it's fair to Miller right now.

Who would Andre Miller Start?

LaoTzu — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:03:43 -0000

Why ask Andre Miller who he would start? Miller is a veteran. He admittedly has as high a basketball IQ as any player on the team. He is a point guard who led a weak Philadelphia squad into the playoffs. And he led that team to a 2-and-0 record over the Blazers last season.

Andre Miller was asked if he expects to start. He said he has always started. I presume if asked whether he would start himself, he would say "Yes."

Miller would start by filling out the starting roster with our big pieces. At shooting guard, I have little doubt. He'd chose Roy. You start All-Star, Second Team NBA players. And do we have a viable option to starting LaMarcus Aldridge at power forward? (For those BEdgers who think KP's done, tell me what you do if LMA has to sit out a month.)

Miller has had a look at our small forwards. While Martell has more experience , Batum gave the Blazers equal stats last year in blocks, rebs, steals, and assists in half the minutes that Martell played in 07-08 when last he was healthy. Martell might get the nod from deep, but Nic shoots very well, too, has a game growing by leaps and bounds, and plays lock down D.

Some say that we need to stretch the court. "With Miller in there, you have got to surround him with shooters because he has trouble shooting from the outside and the opponent will clog the middle and double Roy."

I disagree. Miller is a creator on offense. Miller isn't paid because he's a lock-down defender. He's paid because he makes everyone around him a better scorer. In the starting line-up so far, you have Roy and LMA, both excellent scorers.

It's a guess, but I'm guessing Miller wants to start the overall better player here, and Miller thinks that's Batum.

"But if I start Nic, I gotta have another scorer."

And that answer is obvious. At center, Miller starts Oden. People want to blame our bigs for failing to get on the low blocks and hammer the middle. The same people probably blamed Z-Bo for being a black hole. (OK, everybody blamed Z-Bo for being a black hole.)

If I am Miller, I know I play better with Oden -- Pryzbilla can score but he will not be dominant. I know I make Oden better. I make everyone on the court a viable threat in the offense. And that is how I stretch the defense, by making every player a legitimate scorer. "If my offense is different, sorry. Will we have trouble scoring? If I thought that, I wouldn't have been pushing to come here."

Miller's Starters?

PG - Andre Miller

SG - B.Roy

SF - Batum

PF - LMA

C - Greg Oden

Why should we listen to Andre Miller? The starting lineup of Blake-Roy-Batum-LMA-Pryzbilla was one of the more efficient offense teams in the league last year. They played credible defense. And with Joel in the middle, they were a fine rebounding team. But they were the same starting five that put us in a hole coming out of the gates time and again last season. The same starting five that Nate stuck with until too late in the first round against Houston -- the team that had shooters. The Blazers had home court and were ousted in 6 -- because the first team couldn't create shot opportunities for those shooters.

Maybe we shouldn't listen to Andre Miller. The Blazers won 54 games last year without him.

But we got Miller for a reason. Because of his basketball IQ. Because he makes those around him better. I say, let him earn his money. Start these guys and see if he's right.

'77

Pick the Next Big Free Agent Here

LaoTzu — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:43:23 -0000

Pick the Next Big Free Agent Here

You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but KP can't pick his free agent.

So pick away!

Welcome to KP's Slapfest '09

LaoTzu — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:31:14 -0000

People, people! All this talk and it simply does not matter. It is so cool we have one of, maybe the most savvy GM in the NBA. Draft Day is coming. KP will answer our questions in ways that will likely surprise us all. Welcome to KP's Slapfest '09.

Since we do have KP, anything stated as fact below, such as a high likelihood of having to keep such and such player, assumes that KP will not intervene with his Supernormal Powers and get the team some giant upgrade.

It is fine to talk, fun to speculate. But several factors are missing from most if not all of the analyses I have read to date.

Regarding one Trout

Travis Outlaw is a role player. He is not a back-up PF. He is not a natural starter at any position. He has too many holes in his defense. He is not reliable (goofy). Travis is hot and cold. He brings potentially unstoppable scoring and a high level of activity off the bench. He is special enough in that role to merit keeping. This is how he should be viewed. Put him on the depth chart with an asterisk, as a rover.

Regarding the Back-Up PF

Okay, yes, Channing is all but gone. (And the forgettable bigs we acquired during '08 training camp don't effect any equations. Ugh.) If we spend another year without a banger, an enforcer and defensive rebounder, who can body other bigs, and maybe present a back-to-the-basket low post threat, we will have missed the boat. This need is screaming! KP, get us a game-changer back-up to LMA!

Regarding the PG Situation

Yes, Sergio does not fit Nate's system (and he bounces the ball around way too much, reminding me of Damon's bad college-shot-clock eating habit). But Bayless as yet does not fit Nate's system either! Jerryd is not a true PG and would get posted up by most shooting guards. But he might fit with Roy. Jerryd can guard other 1's. But we need him to improve his shooting so he presents a credible threat to sink outside shots. BOTH Sergio and Bayless could go. But since Bayless still has upside here, keeping him is worth the risk of losing perceived trade value. Sergio, as many have said, has no upside under Nate. That leaves Blake, and he could go, too.

Oft villified, Steve brings a lot. He is a fine if not brilliant passer with a great Assist-to-TO ratio. He does not use much shot clock, getting the ball to the next option very quickly. He shoots the 3 VERY WELL. He is a little slight. His defense could be better. And he is not much at pushing the tempo in the open court. He reminds me of Steve Kerr, also not a jumper. If I remember right, Kerr did alright playing alongside an incredible 2-guard they had in Chicago a while back. They won some titles, right? With the 2-guard handling the ball alot on offense, especially in crunch time.

So: Whatever your analyses, if you have us selling out for a PG who needs the ball, please help us understand where that leaves BRoy. Do we trade Brandon, since he won't be having the ball much on offense? Or do we start Rudy, and bring Brandon off the bench in the sort of role his friend Travis has now? Don't just quote from FantasyBob.com. Let us know how the player fits the team, the existing personnel, and makes us better, not just different.

Besides youth, what needs fixing in this group is defense and the ability to score going full court. If Bayless is truly an upgrade at the defensive end (we should not burden our bigs, especially Greg, with picking up so much of the slack), then maybe he is the PG of the future.

Regarding the Need to Trade Now or Lose Value

This is a myth. I don't believe it. In fact, I think it could not be more untrue.

Here is why. Look at the trade posts. They try to match salaries, right? Well, the young talent we have is relatively under paid. That is the effect of the rookie salary scale. We have rights to sign these players to contracts matching their abilities. Besides the luxury tax and any reticence from PA, there is nothing stopping that. If we have Martell and Travis and Batum at the 3, and in talent level they are worth a ton, but we have to match salaries to make a trade work, we need to give someone a two- or three-for-one on the talent scale for a probable slight upgrade at one position ... think a second, does this in any way sound like a KP move? No. It does not.

What would KP do? He would wait until his chips reflected their actual value or better before trading them. He would wait for his players to get paid what they are worth before he matches salaries with other teams in trading talent. In this regard, standing pat is waiting until your security matures so you don't pay a penalty for early withdrawal.

The Likelihood of Trading Injured Blazers

Martell missed a year with multiple foot surgeries. Blake just underwent shoulder surgery. Oden is not yet 100% after micro-fracture knee surgery. How likely is it that we can get near-full-value value for these players in a trade? Please consider this is your analysis of trades involving these players before they have demonstrated a full recovery, meaning after they've played at least some pre-season games. That timing seems to be a real problem for many trade scenarios I have seen discussed.

Like everyone else, I would like to see upgrades in personnel. In KP I trust. And it is a truism that it does not matter how deep your bench is if your starters can't compete with the opposing starters. And I will entertain the idea that we should make the move now to acquire that key player so that we can get settled into the team we will become as we start our series of championship runs.

However, think about this: If we make a big move now, trading two- or three-for-one, we lose flexibility AND we lose value. We need to know if Martell will pan out. We need more time to evaluate how good Oden and LMA will get to understand what our needs will be. We need to know what holes need to be filled before we start filling them. (Please consider this when offering Joel in a trade -- I say we keep them both.) The team is closer. Fix what's broken and the maturation of your investment will give you the value you need to get any missing pieces at the least cost in talent.

Unless you are KP. Then do whatever you want.

Have a great Draft Day '09!