SB Nation User Blog: bforsythe

Should Brandon Roy start at PG?

bforsythe — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:08:12 -0000

First of all let me tell you how much I love Brandon Roy and how completely ecstatic I am that he is a Portland Trailblazer. I believe that he is one of the three best overall players in the league today and is fast on his way to becoming the type of player who automatically gets any team he is on thinking about championships. I believe Brandon's skills and psychological make-up make him the type of all-star who transcends the traditional positions. I also believe that if he needs the ball in his hands to be successful then we need to put it in his hands. He needs to be our starting point guard.

Brandon has made it clear through recent statements to the press that he wants the ball in his hands. He did not feel comfortable deferring to Andre Miller, who is a great point guard. I think it's fine to give Brandon control of the ball and let him control the flow of the game. I think he'll do great - he always has. But if he is going to be that guy, if he is not going to be able to be comfortable playing with a traditional skilled point guard, then I would ask him to do one thing: Be the starting point guard.

"This team is going to go off my pulse." Brandon Roy, The Oregonian 11/21/09

He wants the ball. He wants to control the flow. He wants to get his teammates involved. What it really sounds like to me is that he wants to be the point guard. Now, I realize talking about Brandon as our starting PG around Bedge is nothing new. But since we acquired Andre Miller it has been almost non-existent. From what I remember, the main concern then was burning too much energy guarding quicker opposing point guards. We have also heard Brandon complain about not wanting to guard stronger small forwards either. To that, I would have to challenge Roy: C'mon guy, man up. Superstars don't worry about who they're guarding, they make the opposition worry about them.

I say do it. Start Brandon at the "one". Seeing as we have a talented two-guard in Rudy Fernandez sitting on the bench, it almost seems like a no-brainer. Rudy could handle the ball a little as well, letting Brandon roam free once in a while. Doing this could also free us up for a big trade for a better (maybe all-star quality) small forward utilizing Andre Miller (as much as I'd hate to lose him). He is a great player with plenty left in the tank whose sweet contract means little risk for whomever takes him. What do you think, Bedgeland? Would you like to see a starting back-court of Roy and Rudy? A little R&R? Could we then turn around and make a sick trade? If so, who would you trade and for whom? What would your line-up look like?

Poll

Should Brandon start at PG?

Yes. He needs the ball in his hands to be an all-star so let's make it official and free up playing time for others.

42 votes

No. It would negate why he is able to be an all-star and would cost us W's.

55 votes

97 votes | Poll has closed

Another Pro-Andre Post

bforsythe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:57:26 -0000

I just wanted to address this Andre Miller situation and everyone else who is buying into ESPN's theory (see box 7, scroll down) that we only signed Andre to turn our cap space into a trade-able asset.

That's just a darned shame. Sometimes you just don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. This guy could absolutely help lead our team deep into the playoffs this season. He's one of the best point guards in the league and if we, as a community and fans, can't have some patience and we try to run this guy out of town - shame on us. Also, if our organization and our star player can't figure out how to utilize this guy effectively then we have much bigger problems on our hands.

We've played five games. It can definitely be your opinion that Miller is not working out, but there's no way anyone can tell me five games into the regular season that it's true. Of all people John Canzano provides some food for thought here. And here's a comment I posted on another thread yesterday that might help the doubters reconsider (with photos provided by 92wastheyear).

This can work. It should work. And as fans of this team we should all be pulling for it to work, in my humble opinion. I love Steve Blake. Steve Blake is exactly who you want relieving your starting point guard in a clutch playoff situation. It's time to start Miller. It's time for us to let this team develop chemistry on the court and give them a reasonable amount of time to do so. It's time for us to have a little more faith in our team.

GO BLAZERS!

OT: More Satire - 40,000 Revenge-Seeking Bats Descend Upon Manu Ginobili

bforsythe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:46:16 -0000

OT: More Satire - 40,000 Revenge-Seeking Bats Descend Upon Manu Ginobili

Hunch: Andre Miller starts TONIGHT...

bforsythe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:10:22 -0000

Hunch: Andre Miller starts TONIGHT...

Source: Myself, based on info I'm getting from Twitter-land. Just a hunch.

LOCKER ROOM MATERIAL: "I’m excited. I know by me being undersized, coaches and a lot of players, ...

bforsythe — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:31:02 -0000

LOCKER ROOM MATERIAL:

"I’m excited. I know by me being undersized, coaches and a lot of players, only a couple of them, feel they have an easy bucket going against me. If they try to go to Oden early or go to Aldridge for a basket, they’ve got another thing coming."

Chuck Hayes

VOTE FOR ROY!!!

bforsythe — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:29:52 -0000

VOTE FOR ROY!!!

There is a poll up on the home page for NBA.com asking who will have the best opening night performance. Roy is one of the options and as of right now, he's last (4%).

I say we show the rest of the league who owns the internets: BLAZER FANS!

Go right now, don't wait, and vote for Brandon Roy!

Having Fun with the Suns

bforsythe — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:58:11 -0000

Having Fun with the Suns

Here is a post I made at Phoenix's SBN sight "Bright Side of the Sun". Not getting much play - must not appreciate my sense of humor.

Time for a new nickname?

bforsythe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:50:12 -0000

How about the "Unwanted Sons"?

With the news that Jarron Collins is headed to PHX via POR the Phoenix Suns now employ three of the less-heralded brothers of better, more skilled NBA players Blake Griffin, Brooke Lopez, and Jason Collins (Taylor, Robin, and now Jarron).

Is this savvy positioning from Steve Kerr to position the Sun's to make Phoenix a more attractive place for their future-free agent superstar brother's (excluding Jason, of course).

Steve Kerr was reported as saying "Hey, at least some of the more casual fans might get confused. We're looking at a 0.025% increase in ticket sales here right off the bat. Beat THAT Memphis!!"

YahooSportsNBA Lamarcus Aldridge has agreed to a five year extension worth approximately $70...

bforsythe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:11:30 -0000

YahooSportsNBA Lamarcus Aldridge has agreed to a five year extension worth approximately $70 million with Portland, a league source tells Y! Sports

Yahoo Sports

My POR - GSW Trade Proposal

bforsythe — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:35:54 -0000

My POR - GSW Trade Proposal

Leaving us with a rotation I'd see like this...
(I'm all for starting Rudy)

PG - Miller/Blake
SG - Roy/Morrow/Udoka*
SF - Rudy/Batum/Cunningham
PF - LMA/Biedrins/Howard/Pendergraph*
C - Oden/Przybilla/Collins*
*IR

Looks like we're short at PG, but I think more minutes could be created for Batum, Morrow, and Cunningham here by letting Roy and/or Rudy assume the 'third string' pg duties. What do y'all think? Be gentle!