With the recent lockout bonanza, we as Blazer fans have been bombarded with a variety of stories about how the NBA and the small-market Blazers in particular are operating under a failing business model.  There's just one problem with that logic as it pertains to the Blazers: The Vulcans.

Continue reading this post »

OK, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Rose Garden was freaking rocking tonight at theSuns game!  I've been to roughly 45 games in the last three years, but the energy from the crowd was the loudest I can remember from a non-playoff game at the RG tonight!

I thought the noise the crowd generated was unbeliveable and the atmosphere was electric.  After the Blazers took the lead 94-92 and there was a TV timeout that lasted roughly four-five minutes the crowd sustained its noise and energy throughout the whole timeout which was just awesome!  I noticed that much of the wine-and-cheese crowd was standing for the majority of this as well which is always pleasing to see.  I had a headache, a lost voice, and my hands hurt from all the yelling/screaming/jumping/clapping I was doing during that fourth quarter.  All in all a good night!

And just so I don't get completely off Blazer topic, Jerryd Bayless has just earned himself tons more PT with his last two games of effort.  The kid is electric.  He is the only PG who is currently attacking the basket.  Him and Roy were flawless together tonight and the Suns defense clearly could not account for the two of them on the court at the same time.  I thought it was extremely telling that, as Dave just noted in his recap, Bayless was able to run sets in the second half even with Roy and Blake on the court at the same time.  I hope that this is a sign of things to come because he clearly has the ability, confidence, and backing from his teammates to repeat this output again and again. 

I think that his performance just made Miller absolutely trade-able, you can roast me for that take but I just can't watch Miller and Roy interact on the court.  When I watched Miller wave off Roy on a possession in Milwaukee, I wanted to break my TV.  How can you wave off a two-time All-Star team leader?  Ugh.  I am convinced, Miller doesn't fit, but I know for now he is a nice insurance policy so I won't complain too loudly.

Also, kudos to the man who was clowning hardcore on that halftime act Avery Watts.  Whoever you are, man, you were HILARIOUS.  The guy was sitting in the Rip City Row right above Avery Watts' ridiculous concert thing and he was faux-metal-heading throughout the whole lip-synced set.  I was rolling in the aisles, it was absolutely priceless and they kept showing it on the big screen!  Also, that SAME GUY was the guy who got picked for the Fred Meyer price challenge thingy!!  Absolutely the funniest guy I've seen at a Blazers game in a long time.

There has been some discussion about whether or not Andre Miller will start over Steve Blake.  No more discussion is needed, Miller is your starter no question at all.  All you Blake-o-philes out there need to save your complaints, Miller is superior in nearly every statistical category, and if you believe what the Philly people are saying Miller is high in intensity and spirit as well.  Having had a personal calendar that he marked every game as a W or an L for the 76ers this past season as well as tallying the wins the Sixers would need to make the playoffs each month, Miller clearly cares about winning.  And Miller even guided his team to the NCAA Championship game just like Blake (however Blake did win the game)

Let's compare the career lines and just see how dominant Miller's career per game numbers are compared to Blake's:

Totals are Career per game stats

Andre Miller - Pts: 14.6 Ast: 7.4 Reb: 4.2 Stl: 1.4 TO: 2.7 FT%: 80.2 FG%: 46.0 3FG%: 21.0

Steve Blake - Pts: 7.6  Ast: 4.2 Reb: 2.1 Stl: 0.7 TO: 1.4 FT%: 78.4 FG%: 41.0 3FG%: 39.2

Andre Miller has had a longer career and while he has played almost 18,000 more minutes than Blake, he has done it all while never missing more than 2 games in a season which is simply an astounding statistic.  He has played at least 80 games in all ten years of his career.  This guy clearly is a gamer.

In points, rebounds, and steals he doubles Blake's production per game.  In assists he nearly doubles it, he has a higher FG% (impacted by his greater ability to drive to the rim) and somewhat surprisingly Miller is a better free throw shooter over his career by a couple percentage points.

And what of the complaints about his 3 point shooting?  Well the statistics clearly show that Blake is more competent at the three point line.  In fact, by NBA standards Miller certainly seems lost beyond 22 feet.  However, fear not Blazers fans.  On this front Miller certainly seems to fit McMillan's ideals: he knows he isn't good at shooting three's so he doesn't shoot three's. 

What a novel idea right? An NBA player who is cognizant of an actual weakness?  In Miller's entire career his highest per game average of 3pt FGA is only 1.4, and his career average of attempts per game from three is a very modest 0.7.  That doesn't sound like a guy who hucks up hopeless three ball after hopeless three ball to me does it?  Compare Miller's per game 3 point attempts to Blake's (3.1) and you'll see that Miller doesn't need to be a shooter.

So in conclusion, Andre Miller is your opening day point guard barring unforeseen injury.  There are no if's and's or but's about it.  And I haven't even mentioned the fact that Miller will be making 3 million more dollars than Blake.  Find me another backup PG in the league who makes 3 million dollars less than the starter and we'll discuss benching Miller.  Until then just be happy that the Blazers have (FINALLY!!!!) made a big free agent signing that seals up one of the positions they've been looking to improve (the other being backup PF).

And if you're really cranky and you just love Blake and you wear your #2 jersey that you had to get made at the custom stand to bed every night then just think of this: Steve Blake will now be matched up against weaker point guards every night.  He will be able to direct the Blazers very capable second unit using his sound decision making, passing, and shooting that will slice and dice every other NBA team's second unit. 

Blake will thrive in this situation. Miller will thrive in this situation.  And best of all the Blazers will thrive!

Tentative 2009-2010 Blazers Depth Chart:

PG: Miller, Blake, Bayless

SG: Roy, Rudy, (Webster possibly?)

SF: Webster, Outlaw, Batum (Cunningham?)

PF: Aldridge, Pendergraph, (Cunningham?)

C: Oden, Przybilla

So now we've seen 2 games of summer league, and based on early returns, it looks like we have another candidate to join the logjam at the Trail Blazers small forward position in the form of Dante Cunningham.  According to reports and analysis from those associated with the team it appears Cunningham's size, agility, and playing style seem to best suit him at matching up with NBA 3's as opposed to bigger and stronger NBA 4's.

After watching some highlights of him playing he moves around the court remarkably similar to Martell Webster.  In fact glancing at the screen I thought it could have been Webster even though I knew it wasn't.  He is maybe a good full inch taller than Wesbter, but his game looks like it will translate similarly.  They are both very similar in build and in how they move around the court, again with Cunningham looking slightly longer, but not by much.  Webster of course in a one-on-one comparison would have the edge with 3 (not really 4) NBA seasons under his belt, and I think Cunningham's offensive game overall isn't as polished as Webster.

But also remember that Cunningham is further along in his athletic and basketball development compared to Batum by roughly 3 years, and he is theoretically only a year or so behind Webster and two behind Outlaw if you consider Cunningham's 4 years at Nova.  Now college ball development vs. NBA bench time is very debatable in over all development value, but my point is that Cunningham is no spring chicken, at the very least he isn't Nicolas Batum of last season (remember the horror show that Nic was in summer ball??? thank goodness he matured at lightning speed in the fall). Cunningham was a very strong player on a good Villanova team that upset Pittsburgh (and Dejaun Blair, can we already see the rationalization tactics here for not picking him?) and four years at a near elite college program is worth alot.  Remember Brandon? The fact that he had four years of college experience was not really factored in around draft time it seemed, at least not by the ESPN-group-think.

So here is my question: What the heck will happen with the 3 for the Blazers?  Right now you've got Batum, last year's starter.  You've got Martell, last season's apparent starter before injury, and you've got Travis Outlaw with freakish athleticism and strong 6th man stuff at the 3 position.  And now Cunningham.  It seems clear that there is amazing depth of talent at that position but no clear star, or starter, for that matter (if we consider Martell healthy, of course that may still be up in the air).  What do you think will happen with the 3?  As has been noted Cunningham seems to have some discomfort matching up against the 4 in summer league so far, and his movement and offensive ability seems best suited to a fluid swing man position as opposed to on the blocks or in the paint.  But that is the same for the other three 3's that already have notches in the post in terms of seasons with the Blazers.

I feel someone (maybe 2 someones) has to go, as much as it hurts as we have grown to love our roster.  Who will best help this team by staying and who would hurt it most by leaving?