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Mike Barrett
Television play-by-play voice of the Trail Blazers on KGW-TV 8 and Comcast SportsNet.
Stream Courtside LIVE on Thursdays at 6:00pm on 95.5 The Game.
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Previous Posts:
Bayless Puts Up 29 in Loss
Courtside Tonight
Koponen Strong in Loss
Bayless Sharp in Win
It's Now a Done Deal (Updated)
Waiting On Wednesday
Now it's Official
Blazers Get Their Man (Again)
The Clock is Ticking
James Jones Opts Out
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felix said...
Mike, this is something beautiful you are doing. I've been wondering what will Sergio's feelings be now. I think everyone should keep in mind Sergio is a quality player, that he single handedly led the spanish team to the World Championship against Ginobili and Scola's Argentina. I'm sure sooner or later Sergio will show out his talent and unique playmaking skills. When he arrived home in Spain, I think he was looking forward being traded. I would love to know about his thoughts now.
Dewsta said...
I will be sure to tune in. I dont always make the show because that is right when I get off work and I usually go to the gym but if you guys are talking about sergio then I wont want to miss it. It is amazing how well bayless and koponen have been playing and it will be interesting to see how all this will play out as well as where Koponen will be at next season. Thanks so much for keeping us updated and im so glad the 95.5 is up and going to keep us all updated on local and nation sports!
borjaila said...
Hi Mike, I think Sergio is going to really do well this upcoming season. The only thing I don´t know is in which team. Not being in the national team is giving him a lot of time to improve individually. Also he will get mentally fresh after years without resting. If he plays alongside Rudy for just three minutes per game, you´ll see at least one alley oop. It´s incredible how these two guys understand each other on the court.
Philski said...
Hey MB,
I'm a big fan of Sergio. I like his abilities (court awareness, getting the ball to the right player at the right time, running the fast break, etc .), but his deficiencies are very obvious (no jump shot, inability to finish strong, poor defense, did I mention no jump shot ?).
There are usually three words that almost have to be said when Sergio's name is mentioned ... "style of play". IF (big, big IF) the Blazers White unit is allowed (encouraged ?) to play uptempo, then Sergio is definitely in the mix at Point Guard. However, that's the only way that I see Sergio being able to get any playing time ever for the Blazers.
I see Jerryd being a better version of Jarrett Jack. In a half-court offense, there's no way that Sergio takes minutes away from Jerryd. I see Petteri being a potentially better version of Steve Blake some day. Petteri has a great overall game, and again, I think he is much, much better suited to a half-court game than Sergio.
I see Petteri as the Point Guard of the future for the Blazers. I see Jerryd as the sparkplug off the bench, who could get a lot of crunchtime minutes next to Brandon due to the ability to get to the free throw line, and I see Sergio as the Change-of-Pace Point Guard ... for some team other than the Blazers (a little sad for me to say that).
The biggest complaint that I hear from other fans of Sergio (again, I'm a big fan of his myself), is that he didn't get enough minutes, and he had too much pressure put on him, which prevented him from doing well when he was in the game. The response that I would give is ... "minutes aren't given, they're earned". There's only one thing that kept Sergio off of the floor this past year, and that was Sergio.
You can't even begin to compare the pressure that Petteri is under this Summer League to any pressure that Sergio might have felt this past year, but Petteri is performing under that pressure. Petteri's consistantly played great defense (he moves his feet, keeps his man in front of him, draws charges, get steals, forces bad shots). Petteri finds the open man, and Petteri has been knocking down big shots.
You called it over a month ago when you said not to forget about Petteri. I'd be very disappointed (for both Petteri and the Blazers), if KP decided that he didn't want to add Petteri to the roster this year. However, I don't think that will happen.
As much as I like Sergio, I'll be equally surprised if Sergio is still on the Blazers roster in March. Even if John Townsend has worked miracles with Sergio's jumper (not likely in such a short period of time), I think that Petteri's size and defensive abilities are going to be the difference.
The NBA is tough. Think of the hundreds of thousands of excellent Basketball players all over the world right now. However, there are only 450 spots in the NBA.
My best hope for Sergio is that he's traded to a team that plays a lot more uptempo than the Blazers.
Phil
(still a big fan of "Spanish Chocolate")
Benny said...
It's a long off season but I really hope that when I see Sergio again that he has gained back the confidence which he lost during last season.
He was the only player on the team that I really enjoyed watching. This upcomming season, I will have not one, but 3 players who I'm looking forward to seeing, and they are Oden, Fernandez and Rodriguez.
The other players are great but I just wasn't that excited about what they did on the court.
CosmoPlavix said...
I love Sergio- he is lightning in a bottle. But he will never thrive under Nate, whose sense of what the game is and should be is just too different from Sergio's style and habits.
That's why I hope Kevin will work to find a good home for Mr. R somewhere else- someplace he can be free to create and make mistakes without being micro-managed. Nate is not a bad coach, but his coaching style and punishing intensity got into Sergio's head, took away his confidence, and made it impossible for him to loosen up enough to do what he does best.
Better to end the marriage while the kids are both still young enough to find someone else. Good luck to you, Sergio- I hope to see you shine again.
youch said...
Just throwing this thought out into cyberspace, but would it be a possibility that McMillan would start Pryzbilla over Oden and have Oden come off the bench?
Think about it, last season's starting lineup of Blake, Roy, Webster, Aldridge, Pryzbilla did decent against the other team's starting lineup. But then with a second unit of Bayless (or Koponen), Fernandez, Outlaw, Frye, Oden...
McMillan's going to have to come up with more colored units...Black and White...maybe he needs to add in the Red unit...There's just way too many combinations that he could put on the floor.
thedanman said...
good thinking youch!
go blazers!
Darth_Siles said...
In Spain, our point of view is a little distorted (hope this is the right word) by the press. In the same way as the Raptors seemed to be the bad guy with Garbajosa last years, seems that Nate is doing the same bad thing to Sergio. I still think he didn't recieve the minutes he should had been given, but anyway, the problem is, as some of you had pointed, a different way of thinking about basketball in Nate and Sergio. He's a great player, but not in the style that Nate likes.
This said, i think the only reason why Sergio is still in the roster is Rudy and any kind of worries about his adaptation to the NBA.
Rentasquid said...
Darth...I have to disagree with you that Sergio is a great player. I think he is an ok player with flashes of greatness. A great player doesnt sit on the bench, no matter how draconian the coach is. Maybe someday he will become great, but that remains to be seen.
Youch...I dont see the logic in putting Oden in the second group. I am in the camp that puts your best five on the floor at the start and end of the game, and as much time in between to win. I think that Joel will be a good anchor and stabilizing force for the second unit. No more easy buckets against a forward playing the center position. JMO.
Vlad said...
Mike - It sounds to me like Batum all but made the team. Koponen however, at this point only has a shot. The way I see it Koponen is playing a lot better and deserves a spot on the team more so than Batum. I want to see both guys make the squad but I'm a bit confused. It was assumed that Batum would go back to France for a year and now it's assumed he's on the team. He really didn't show or prove much. Why is he expected to sign all of a sudden? If the Blazers end up signing only 1 of these 2 players I would rather it be Koponen simply because he's a better player at this point. I do hope they sign both of them though. "Batman" is a pretty cool nickname for Batum. They could play the Batman theme song every time he scores in the garden. They could shine a Batman spot light on him in the introductions, and shine that famous bunny spot light on Koponen lol ha ha... too much, I know.
Darth_Siles said...
Another full game and 2 assist. Obviously, here we have a great player but he's not a PG. I must admit i didn't know anything about Bayless before Portland got him in the draft night, but i still think that he's not what the Blazers need. We need a pure PG. A pass first guy, because with Outlaw, Roy, Rudy... we have enough fire power.
I know the summer league is not the best place to see how a player really is (everyone is looking to shine by his own) but let's hope he can develop his passing skills a little more. That's what we really need to have a great team.
cogley said...
so.... i'm really curious now, mb, what you think the starting lineup will be and what the new white unit will be. i can see unlimited possiblities, but i'm sure nate will want to solidify a rotation. i'm just wondering where bayless is going to fit in with roy and rudy and blake and sergio
CelticsB3Noveau said...
PK is one of those guys who is almost invariably expected to fold when exposed to "next level" competition, yet he has so far managed pretty well to keep up his own game at every level tested - I guess it means he must be better (more promising?) than most people think.
Andrew said...
Hey Mike,
Off topic, but there was a rumor at the beginning of last year the Blazers were looking to have some new Uniforms going into the 08-09 season. Anything new with that??
BRoyFTW said...
I notice that Koponen's form is never consistent. It's almost like his arms or body is not strong enough so that he can shoot effortlessly. I wondered if anyone else noticed this. I wonder if bulking up a little could help him shoot more consistently.
Almost every time when Koponen's shot looks good it is good. When it looks bad it's usually is off. I guess I see the Kevin Martin comparison.
Great game by bother these guys. A lot of fun to watch.
Basswood said...
Thanks for your blog, Mike. It's good to see you rooting for my fellow Finn - here's hoping he'll make the cut. About the pronounciation, though: I don't know from where you got the whole KOPE-enan thing, or what's the other way you keep hearing it, but here's how it really goes: KO- (as in KOrea), -PO- (as in POcket), -NEN (as in liNEN).
Joel Weakland said...
Thanks for clearing up the pronunciation for us, my brother and I spent have the night mocking Snapper and the other guys below average commentating abilities!!! Especially, mispronouncing Koponen every 2 min..
I like what I see!! At this point Batum has showed us very little and Koponen and Bayless have exceeded expectations. Passing on Koponen would be a horrible mistake.. from where he has gotten with simply Finish coaching and action.. a decent frame and the ability to become much, much stronger in a few years. I dont think he even owns a shaver!!!! -or has to for that matter. If Batum is signed and Koponen not it would be the first time I questioned KP.
Cannot wait for the season to start! In the mean time check out this optimistic article: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/37925-2008-09-nba-guarantee-portland-finishes-with-the-best-record-in-the-west
Brandon said...
Petteri looks like a stud, and seem like a likable guy off the court as well.
I'd love to say bring him over, but I think it would be more beneficial for him to stay in Europe and go to a premier league like ACB rather than come sit on the bench here.
I don't see us unloading Sergio right now with Rudy coming over, and it would be a battle for Kopo just to get what limited minutes Serg has, let alone anything else.
He's a keeper though, so hopefully KP makes the best decision for us and him.
hg said...
Mike;
Thank you for getting your views out so quickly.
The scoring did not come as easy in the second game,which was good. The Kings guards were much better and our guards had to work much harder and still got the job done.
Can you imagine with Oden, LMA,Broy and Webster what either one of these guys could do to a stingy defense with their ability to brake down the defense.
From what I have been hearing Rudy could do the same, and of course BRoy. I can Feelit.
TO BE OR NOT TO BE A BLAZER THAT IS THE QUESTION, I am all for signing PK to the roster. When LaFranz's contract expires we will have flexibility than, and there is also the issue of Sergio, it may be good to have him because he played with Rudy, but Rudy will eventually have to learn to play with other pt guards.
I think both JB and PK have surpassed Sergio, so I don't see the problem. Make Sergio earn his spot or send him some place else.
I really think Kevin has already decided what to do but he likes not showing his hand to quickly.
I agree with you, He would be hard fixed not to sign PK. One of the bloggers on Oregonlive said that we could slide Jerryd over to shooting guard and then we would be three deep in every position. And Kevin said last night that all our guards, Martell and Outlaw can play many positions. That alone gives us flexibility.
SIGN PK AND LET HIM HAVE HIS DREAM.
hg
RandyMac said...
I was again highly impressed by our starting backcourt. But I really get the feeling that as I look at roster spots, that Koponen is closer to being NBA ready than Batum. My feeling is that if Batum is signed, it will be more of an economics decision than anything. But then if you sign Batum for that reason, I think that you have to give Petteri equal if not greater consideration as he is in a similar situation contract wise.
If we sign both of these guys I'd say that at least Batum must spend some significant time in the NBDL. Although since I get to see the Stampede first hand, I'd love to have both of them spend some time improving their game in the minors.
Thanks for the story MB!
Cic said...
It was a good comeback that fell a bit short, but these young players showed fight.
Batum looks like he will be an active player, but his confidence in his shot is shaky at best. His misses were mostly wide open looks that he will have to knock down if he expects to get any real pt in the pros.
Koponen is very impressive. His handle is not very tight, as he seems to bring the ball out very wide with his long arms. Despite that, Sean Singletary, who is a very pesky defender, had a hard time picking his pocket. He and Bayless are only 20 and have plenty of time to improve. If you ask me, Koponen deserves a roster spot right now rather than losing him for 4 years.
Bayless showed once again that he can get by his defenders seemingly at will. It will be interesting to see his progression as he goes up against the quicker, more talented Western Guards. He will not have as easy a time getting by C. Paul, or D. Williams and will have to adjust to the faster paced NBA game once the real season starts.
I also counted at least 8 passes that he made which led to open looks by his teammates (5 or 6 to Batum alone). He could have easily finished with 7-10 assists in this game, so don't be concerned about his passing stats in the summer league.
Bayless's shot will be just fine even though he is not hitting right now. All you need to know about Jerryd's mindset is this:
In the off-season, most HS basketball players find pick-up games and work on their AND-1 moves. Bayless never has. He spent those hours in a gym by himself working on his fundamentals rather than picking up bad habits on the asphalt.
He is driven to get better every day and he will do whatever it takes to get his shot right. In time you will see that he is a very good outside shooter even if he has not proven it to this point.
BlazerFANATIC said...
Wow, I sure miss you & Rice calling the games. You guys add sugar and spice to your broadcast and when I listen to the summer league broadcasters, it is just boring and almost puts me to sleep. Don't get me wrong I like "Snapper" but it is still pretty boring.
Has anybody else noticed this Hill guy? If he is not the cliche of a lumberjack/turned player, then I don't know what is. That is some funny stuff! On another note, the play of Koponen has been very strong and if he keeps up this kind of consistency then he would make a great addition to our team! Bayless has been an animal out there and it has been great seeing him get to the line. I don't see us settling for all jump shots next year, that in my eyes cost us games. The future is starting! It's an exciting time to be a BLAZER!
Cic said...
...one last comment about Bayless; he is only 19 years old! (turns 20 in three weeks)
I watched Brandon Roy play 60, maybe 75 games in college and was a big fan of his game. Although he was good as a Freshman and good as a Sophomore, his greatest leaps in improvement came between his So-JR and Jr-Sr years. He did not become the dominant ROY/AllStar that you have come to know and love until he was seasoned in the Pac-10 for 4 years.
Dwane Wade was 23 years old when he was drafted and it took HIM a year or so to adjust to the pace of the NBA game.
Unfortunately in today's day-and-age money drives the draft, so you get Bayless as a raw, talented young man who is only one year removed from HS.
Bayless is a hard worker, is coachable and has a drive to be the best. Have patience and you will be surprised at just how good that he can be.
Chad said...
MB, thanks for the updates, I love reading your point of view...........so while you're at it, what's the latest with a Comcast/Satellite deal? I sure would love to see the games this season.
Rentasquid said...
Sign PetKo!!!!!!!
timbo said...
KP needs to sign Petko... If there's a roster spot that needs to be opened, Sergio is only on the books for a little over $800,000 -- and that's almost free in NBA terms. He can be cut or made the object of a "Camby trade."
Letting Petko go back to Europe and expecting to be able to woo him over 4 years from now is not an option. The Blazers lucked out being able to get Rudy to suck it in and play for rookie scale -- it no doubt helping that Phil Knight lives down the road and he's a Nike boy... One can't count on that happening again, particularly given the direction the dollar is headed vis-a-vis the euro.
I'd be a little shocked if KP decides that an empty hole on the roster is better than having Koponen inked and under team guidance.
t
BeaverBoy19 said...
I felt strongly about PK after the last Summer League and the last two games have only confirmed it.
If we let PK go just so Rudy can have a Spanish-speaking buddy escort that has no chance in heaven of getting PT under Nate, then we are stupid, stupid, stupid.
Of course, KP is a genius, so have no fear...PK will be here.
hg said...
Rentasquid, I think PetKo is a terrific nickname, and I can pronounce it and spell it. I for one will use that. thanks
hg
cfppdx said...
People worried about Bayless and his assist numbers - keep it in perspective. They told him to look for his shot. They are trying to make a decision on Kopenen not Bayless, so they need Kop running the point. Bayless can work on his skills at the 1, when he is back in Porltand.
thedanman said...
Another terrific effort by both Bayless and PetKo! Koponen is fun to watch. I thought he did well in the first game but he looked even better in the second. He looked real comfortable handling the point.
Bayless is going to need some work on how to think and play like a point guard but I have faith he'll get there and it won't be a long wait.
Batum on the otherhand; I think we'll be waiting on him for a while before he can contribute.
Go Blazers!
ballsndik said...
I hear from the announcers from summer league, I read a comment on this blog, I hear it from my freinds..."jerryd bayless is good but he needs to distribute the ball more, 2 assists for all of summer league is pretty bad" and i agree. But with how many turnovers portland has been having and how poorly there shooting has been (35% last night) i dont blame bayless for not having any assist...O and this is pretty cool if you go onto espn.com and go to truehoop bayless is listed as MVP of summer league...
heka said...
Thanks Mike for a great blog. It really seems you guys live the blazers and watch these summer league games and all the considerations about the team rosters for the upcoming season.
It was especially funny to listen to Rick Kamla's joking about the international broadcasting and TV-feeds.C'mon, who would stay up for a game that airs at 3am. when you can see these games in web-stream just when you want and have the time for it.. for Rick i'd say, Finland is definitely watching!!(if not maybe live)
I think PetKo has proved himself to be NBA-ready and motivated to work hard in the coming years to become ever better.. It's also nice to hear all the positive comments about him and his game. Hope he JB, and Batum all stay healthy throughout the S-League and each get the deserved chance to show what they can do. Then it's all up to KP to do the right thing, and I believe he knows what he's doing.
stripe57 said...
KO - PO - NEN ...where's the accent?
The majority agree, this guy has a complete game. What I was mostly concerned about was his defense. I've been really impressed with how well he has stayed in front of his man...and I'm thinking he does this better than Sergio....and he's only 19. I would love to see him here this season.
As for JB not being a true point? First off, he's been asked to play the 2 in summer league. Secondly he's been a point his whole life until injuries forced him to play the 2 last year. This team will have the luxury of putting as many as 4 players on the floor at the same time that can create their own shots or opportunities for others. You know how hard it is to defend a team that can do that? When the set play doesn't work, no worries, Bayless, Roy, Rudy, TO...all these guys can create...and all can finish. Can't help but be excited about this season.
Holy Blazermania Batman!
TheKillaPRYZdollaBILLA said...
Yeah Darth Siles,
You dont know anything about the blazers or basketball. stick to star wars bud....
mrblazer said...
I agree, Mike, the outcome of the game really isn't important for this summer league. This summer is about putting the ball in hands of Bayless and Koponen in many different situations and see how they respond. Also, there is getting a look at Batum.
I think PK and Bayless have been fantastic. I find myself wondering if the people who are concerned about Bayless' assist numbers are even watching the game. More than any year i can remember, the Portland summer league roster is rounded off with some of the worst stiffs you can find. That might be a little harsh, but the truth is the talent level is horrible.
Koponen only had 3 assists, but he was finding guys for great looks all night. There's nothing him and Bayless can do about playing with guys that simply can't convert. Sacramento was doubling both guards as soon as they crossed the halfcourt line because our other players just can't score.
I think Koponen is going to get signed. I just don't think KP could come up with a reasonable explaination, at this point, for letting him sign a 4 year deal with another team. The thing is, i just wish he could be a little more supportive. The blazer staff has been gushing over Bayless, as they should be, but all seem to be reluctant to give Koponen the credit he is due.
This kid is under an enormous amount of pressure, and he is coming through in a big way. He has a complete game and has delivered on both ends of the floor. What is not to like? The fans are certainly taking notice, and i couldn't be happier for him.
hg said...
Darth_Siles
If you had watched the game and or listened or read some blogs, you would have discovered that JB was instructed to drive and shot at every opportunity. That may or may not make him a pt guard, but he should get an A for following instructions.
I am sure you know more about what the blazers need than the establishment and the other fans, but we think he will do fine.
hg
BRoyFTW said...
Nice interview with Kevin. I hope we keep Pettri over here this year.
hey mike,
I think it's great that bayless is scoring quite a bit and it looks like koponen is really making some heads turn...I'm actually more excited about him as a prospect of the two players. Do you think that bayless is actually a scoring guard though. The mire if him i see, the more i am convinced that he is not a point-regardless of what kp says. As I watch the summer league games I see him really miss a lot of open men in the corners as he drives to the baseline and the thing that concerns me is his lack of "vision". He reminds me of Damon with a brandon body.
As it related to GO. It was and will always have been the right decision to take him over durant, but IF he isn't able to come back fully then there will be critics, I have a feeling though that this will be a non issue in five years. Not even going to address the miles situation. At least he has a dream still, I guess.
Petteri is a highly intriguing prospect at the 1. He really does seem to have a pretty well rounded game, doing a decent job of keeping his man in front of him, displaying good passing and court vision, and a nice outside shooting touch. His dribble is a little high and seems to have a little trouble beating pressure, but in a couple of years I can easily see him being a rotational player on this roster.
What a difficult decision KP has in front of him, carrying Blake, Sergio, Bayless, and even Roy to an extent at the one and having to weigh the pluses and minuses of adding him to the roster.
I smell a trade this summer, and the most likely to be gone seems to be Sergio who could probably use a change of scenery, despite the recent news that he's working on his shot.
Decisions, decisions.
Hey Mike,
As I look at Bayless play in summer league, I can't help but think that he's not really a point at all. He seems to be a two guard who can handle the ball. Reminds me a bit of a cross between Roy and Damon. I notice that he misses quite a few opportunities to hit the open man in the corner when he drives the baseline. He has a propensity to score but I wonder how much court "vision" he has. I am actually more impressed with Koponen as a prospect. His intangibles are clearly "European". In a game where the fundamentals are missing, it is a breath of fresh air. As far as GO goes, in five years I don't think that this will even be an issue, but IF he's unable to recover, then the clammers of durant will become louder and louder. It was the correct decision to take GO no matter the outcome however.
Not even going to address the miles ordeal. At least he keeps dreaming big. I actually am rooting for him but don't think that he will make it back.
Thank you MB,
the stat I would like to see talked about more, is his rebounds.
The stat keepers for summer league seem to change their numbers each game, but didn't the kid have 6 rebounds in each of the last 2 games?
I love it !
Thank you KP !
MB,
Just curious who finished 1st in the pre-draft overall testing?
Bayless sure seems to have a strong edge to him when answering questions during interviews. Is he always this way? I appreciate his ability to drive and score, but am curious how well he leads the team as he plays more point in the next few games.
This is summer league, and if you haven't noticed that every time Bayless dimes to a big, they MISS! He will have great success in the NBA when Bayless has quality big's surrounding him!
Mike,
Is it just me, or what? Bayless is listed at 6'3", and Koponen is listed at 6'4", but everytime I see them standing next to each other I swear that Koponen is 3 or 4 inches taller than Bayless. What's up with that anyway? Thanks.
David
glide,
The player who finished first, when you average all the catagories of testing, was Joe Alexander, out of West Virginia. He was taken 8th by Milwaukee. He also finished first in the testing at the Orlando pre-draft camp, which involved a lot more players. From what I understand from KP, Koponen would have finished second, behind Alexander in both. I can't tell you how impressive that is to me. Don't forget, Petteri just turned 20.
davidhill,
Koponen is listed at 6-4, but is actually closer to 6-5, and with shoes, is a little bigger than that. Bayless is about 6-3, and that's with shoes. So, it's not surprising that you're noticing a difference.
nick,
I see where you're coming to your conclusions about Sergio, but the Blazers have invested a lot of time in him this summer, and if he was truly being ruled as the odd guy out, I don't think this would be the case. That's why I wanted to get shooting coach John Townsend on the show. He was sent for two weeks to Spain to see Sergio, and to work with him. According to JT, he's looked very, very good, and he's viewing this season as a fresh start.
And, several of you have talked about Bayless and have wondered what his true position will be. The NBA has changed a bit in recent years, and as we saw last season, it doesn't really matter who brings the ball up the floor as the actual "point." Brandon starts the offense on many occasions, and it's clear Bayless can do the same thing. Plus, his ability to defend is what will set him apart. Koponen has shown that as well, by the way. Behind all of the perimeter defenders this year, of course, will be #52, who will be swatting shots into the rafters.
MB
Thanks Mike!
It seems we get a lot of comments from old schoolers who think that a team isn't complete without a point who gets more assists in a game than he does points. If I'm game planning for a team, I'm a lot more worried if they have two guards who can attack or dish than I am with a passer and a scorer. I like the idea of having Bayless and Roy right next to each other cause if I'm the opposing team I have alot more to worry about. That's not even factoring in the big men. Can we please stop worrying so much about the pure point guard issue?!?
*** Summer League Thoughts ***
I would call this year's team as, "Two and a Half Men". Bayless, Koponen, and sometimes Batum are the only real threats so they have had to do a lot of freelancing and one-on-one moves. Bayless looks great in this style, but Petteri has really impressed me with being able to change his game to show his skills. Batum has struggled in this style, but is starting to find ways to help the team. I like his athletic potential a lot. Overall all three have shown enough to put them on the roster and will probably offer a lot more when they have much better talent to work around.
a touch inconsistent ?!?! I am the biggest oden fan in the world. With that said he has been very inconsistent! So has KP. Now kp said he is somewhere near 80% I heard him about a month ago on the fan say he's 90%?!?! and oden is all over the place with this. I will believe greg oden is going to start the season on time when I see it! It's always something with oden, tonsils last summer is a perfect example. So I am holding my breath and literally praying he will be healthy and ready to go.
allen35,
I never heard KP say Greg was 80 percent. Greg said he was in the 80s, one day after saying he was 95. I think Kevin's point was, the numbers are silly. The only thing that matters to me is that Greg said he's dying to go, feels great, and will be going full court in September. The reason we had Kevin on was to say that nothing has happened, nothing has changed, and everything is still ahead of schedule.
MB
I love the news about Sergio's commitment to improving especially his shot. When Oden passes out of that triple team defense, Sergio will need to knock down that 3.
I agree with Kevin's assesment that Greg is trying to minimize the expectations going into the new season but I wonder what the reaction would be if Greg said he was %100 percent? I hope he's working on his free throws - we can't let other teams use the Hack-A-Greg method to win games.
I agree with KP when he talks about Greg deflecting the pressure. Tell the fans who support him how he is feeling. Then to the ESPN media under rate yourself so there aren't the exceptions. I think Greg is staying really low key so there is not so much hype. I can't blame him for wanting to be just one of the guys.
Benny,
You just hit on a great point, your asking "what if" on Greg saying he's 100%. We've got another few months of this, so get used to it.
Unless Portland signs another free agent, before more-than-likely trading LaFrentz a trade deadline for a veteran, I see only 4 new players on this roster from last year. With the departure of McRoberts, Jack, Jones, and more than likely Wafer, that leaves 4 slots: Oden, Bayless, Fernandez, and my pick: Koponen! He is way better than Batum. Make Batum sit overseas a year. Koponen is ready now. Stuff him into the Developmental League. Then you can pull him in when you need him. He will just be inactive, as was McRoberts, whom swapped out back and forth with Taurean Green, before trading him for Wafer. Koponen can swap out with that wannabe pointguard: Rodriquez. I am currently as I type on this laptop, watchng in the foreground, a 1990 Blazers vs. Celtics. The last GREAT team. Watching Drexler slam home, gliding to the hoop, Poter nailing 3's, Kersey just manhandling the defense, Williams rebounding prowess. I MISS THIS TEAM! They up 4 in the middle of the 3rd. haha.
I wish that I could tell you how the players look in summer leauge, however I CAN'T!!!!!!!!! enough is enough, someone in the Blazer orginization please step up for the fans!!!!! Paul Allen could step in and just write a check for the difference and make everything right in Rip City!!! Please get this fixed before the regular season!!!!!!!!!!
Mike,
I've been giving this alot of thought and if the Blazers were to sign both Koponen and Batum, with a little shuffling the roster could look something like this:
PG - Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez, Petteri Koponen
SG - Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless
SF - Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, Channing Frye, Ike Diougu
C - Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, Raef LaFrentz
This team woul be 15 players deep with endless possibilities of roation and match ups. Need to go smaller quicker? A Sergio/Bayless, Roy, Rudy, Outlaw, Aldridge line might be in order. Getting out muscled and need a little size. Just throw Koponen, Roy, Outlaw, Aldridge, Oden on the floor. I can just immagine the coaches comming up with multiple color/units. White, Black, Red, Blue, Olive, Maze.... lol
All I am saying is that we should give the new guys their shot to make it into our rotation, in my estimation they've earned it. Those that stick will fill those roles of bench scoring/defense, depth in case of injury, or become key starters in our line up. Those that don't send the way of trade with LaFrentz for that key veteran Nate has been wanting so bad. With a little patientce we may all get what we want.
Thats just my 2 cents
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