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BlazerFan1
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Post subject: Quick notes from Monday's Blazers practice
 Posted: Nov 03, 2008 - 08:07 PM PST
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The Blazers held practice today after receiving Sunday off. When the media was allowed in to watch the final 15 or 20 minutes we witnessed a very adamant Nate McMillan directing his troops. The Blazers were running inbounds plays with the black and white units. There was a lot of screening, cutting from the baseline and rolling to the top of the key from wing players. The emphasis was to attack the basket, "Don't settle! Go to the hoop!" McMillan instructed.
At one point McMillan, who was handing the ball to Rudy Fernandez under the basket, stopped the team and yelled, "If your teammates are not in position, don't take the ball! If the refs ready to give it to you and your teammates aren't set, don't take it." It was evident from the 15 to 20 minutes we were allowed to view that McMillan was running an extremely tight practice.
Comments from McMillan:
Both Travis Outlaw and Nicolas Batum spent time with the first team at small forward today. When The Oregonian's Joe Freeman asked McMillan about the possibility of staring Batum this week, "I don't know. I might." McMillan repeatedly used the word aggressive. He described today's practice as aggressive. He said he wanted to see his team be more aggressive on both ends of the floor.
When asked about the team's offense, after being forced into jumpers in the loss to Phoenix, McMillan stated the "No. 1 option is always to go inside; work inside-out." As Jason Quick wrote in his game recap the Blazers were finding success in the 3rd quarter against the Suns by running the ball inside to LaMarcus Aldridge before Suns coach Terry Porter moved to a zone defense, altering the Blazers attack.
McMillan was asked about the progress of Greg Oden, "He's getting better." McMillan said while Oden is wearing a protective boot most of the time, he is able to walk around per normal. 95.5 The Game's Jay Allen asked McMillan if he expected Oden back closer to two weeks (from the injury date) than four, McMillan held up his right hand displaying his index and middle fingers crossed, "We hope to get him back as soon as possible."
Asked about the Denver-Detroit trade, McMillan didn't say a ton about it but did wonder aloud how that would effect how the Nuggets play, "Does Denver slow it down?" Adding that we'll have "to wait and see how it works out."
McMillan's preaching physicality to his team definitely has a resounding effect on his players' responses. Brandon Roy talked for a few minutes about "playing tough, physical" more than once. Added Channing Frye, "We just need to get consistent; settle down. We're a great team at home, we just need to get some wins on the road." The Blazers next opponent is a tough (says Roy) Utah team on the road Wednesday.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2008 ... pract.html |
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