While I don't always agree with everything they do, I'm not one of those people that blames coaches for all of a team's problems. The players play. The players win. The players lose. I've generally been positive about Nate McMillan's contributions during his run as the Blazers coach and I feel like he was totally robbed when it came down to Coach of the Year voting (he finished 3rd) with all of the injuries that the team has gone through this year.All that being said, I didn't understand the Blazers strategy in Game 6 and feel that it contributed heavily to the Suns runaway victory. McMillan wanted the Blazers to start the offense earlier than they are used to, to get more out of their offense. They didn't play the tempo that they're used to playing: the methodical half court plan that is usually a winning formula for these Blazers. Here's to hoping for a return to Blazer basketball tonight.
Nate can't rebound the ball for you guys, though.
Game time is 7:30 PDT on TNT. The tip will likely be around 7:45 or 7:50. Go Blazers!
I have said it for years now, Nate is great...as an assistant coach. He is the general that keeps the troops focused, but what he IS NOT is an X's and O's guy. Just look at the architecture of the 2008 Olympic team.
ReplyDeleteI think that Nate comes off looking pretty good because despite all of the injuries this year, the team was so massively talented that they still got 50 wins. That's straight up talent, not his coaching.
You find yourself a top-notch coach to inherit this talent, and I guarantee you he will take this team to a whole other level you can't currently imagine.
All that said, I still think if the Blazers can win tonight...game 7 is anybody's for the taking.