The articles that show up in papers tomorrow morning are going to talk about how much crap this Blazer team went through to get into the playoffs, and then make it to game six against the favored Suns.
Here’s what is probably not going to show up in those papers. Check out the following two stat lines:
*0.89 points per shot (PPS), 1.8 A/TO, 0.72 Steals/0.15 blocks/3.3 rebounds per 36 minutes
*0.89 PPS, 2.15 A/TO, 1.45 steals/0.13 blocks/2.63 rebounds per 36 minutes
Looking at these stats lines, it’s hard to say which is the better (or worse) player, but pretty easy to determine that neither is exactly a gold mine of efficiency. The scary thing is this: the first line is Jerryd Bayless‘ 2009-2010 season, and the second line is Sebastian Telfair‘s final season with Portland in 2005-06.
Here’s something else for you. Bayless played 29 minutes tonight, nearly as many as Rudy and Batum combined. Bayless’ performance was not bad…for Bayless. It was pretty much his regular season MO, which is to say, bad. Meanwhile Rudy and Batum combined to go 6/7 from deep, turning the ball over just once between them.
Nice job, Nate.
Marcus Camby, the catalyst for the Blazers 15-5 stretch to end the regular season, didn’t play during the last 17 minutes of the game. 17 minutes! Don’t tell me it was because of the Suns’ small lineup. That might be a valid point, except that Juwan Howard played 8.5 minutes over those final 17. There is never a case any Blazer fan should want Howard in the game over Camby, unless it’s to foul.
Nice Job Nate.
Roy could have played better, no doubt. Aldridge could have been a little more poised than a shrew cornered by a snake. He took most of his shots off balance and out of rhythm like he felt forced to take them against the double team. At least, that’s what I saw in the second half.
A lot of things go into losing and winning games, so to pin the loss on one player or a coach would be foolish. That being said, I think a monkey could have put better lineups out there in game six for the Trail Blazers.
There’s always next year. And switching sports, CLIFF LEE starts for the Ms tomorrow (Friday) night. YAY!
Reading into the Numbers 
The Telfair comparison is by far the most revealing–and scary. And I think the job Nate does strategically from the bench pretty much leaves Portland being outcoached most nights out. Especially come playoff time, it seems he’s in over his head and it’s difficult for players to win given an inferior game plan night-in, night-out.