Nate Debacle

I keep telling myself he has a plan, and that he knows what he's doing with this young team, but I'm growing a bit weary. That was a complete debacle last night in every way a coach can possibly screw up a game. Nobody can cool off a hot player quite like Nate and he was at his absolute apex of sitting hot players last night. Observe...

Joel Przybilla finally has started playing like the guy we've seen the last two years. In the first 6 minutes of the game he had 6 points, 3 boards, and a block. He then sat for basically the remainder of the first half even though he wasn't in foul trouble. 16 total minutes for the game, while The All Star played 28. Yes, I know The All Star played decently last night. Playing Joel for 16 minutes when he's playing well is inexcusable.

Brandon Roy was dynamite in the 3rd quarter. He was the entire team on offense in one of Zach's rare off nights. Roy was hitting jumpers, finger rolls, breaking down the D and causing double and triple teams on the outside and then dishing for lay ups. He even hit his temperature check shot, a fading 20 footer with 2 guys on him at the end of the 3rd. What does that get him? The bench of course for the first 7.5 minutes of the 4th quarter. I'm sure he was well rested and ready when they were down 81-72 with 4.5 to play and he was put back in.

Speaking of that horrific 4th quarter, 70-67 to start the quarter, Martell hits a 3 to tie it a few seconds in, and then they proceed to get blown out the next 7 minutes, why, because they had a lineup of Jack (playing poorly all night), Webster (sucks), Dixon (has he ever passed?), Outlaw (struggling with his shot), and The All Star (3rd best center on the team). That lineup was complete crap in the second quarter, has been crap for weeks as the Blazers implode in every second quarter with that bunch on the floor, and now they're playing the majority of fourth quarters too? I seriously think Nate is tanking games.

13-19 and in the last two weeks they've lost to Philly, Toronto, and Boston at home. I didn't see the Philly or Toronto games, but the Boston game last night was just brutal coaching. Oh, and one last thing about Nate, LaMarcus Aldridge - DNP Coach's Decision. Thanks, thanks a lot.