MLB Front Page
NBA Front Page
NHL Front Page
NFL Front Page
Portland Trailblazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have just enough healthy players to play 5-on-5 in practice and compete amongst the toughest in the Western Conference. Brandon Roy has led the team to wins in three of their past four games, and has been aided by a thinned, albeit superb supporting cast that has most notably included guards Jerryd Bayless and Andre Miller, forward LaMarcus Aldridge, and center Joel Przybilla. They, as well as the other five available players, sweat profusely, and play with heart and determination in hopes of coming out on top. But it’s not just those donning Blazers jerseys that have an effect on the outcome, that deserve credit for success. It’s also those dressed in finely tailored suits surrounding the ten, the coaches, that make this team playoff-caliber.
Head Coach Nate McMillan began his professional basketball career in 1986, when he was drafted with the 30th pick by the Seattle SuperSonics. There he spent 19 seasons–11 as a player, 3 as an assistant coach, and 5 as a head coach–and was known as Mr. Sonic throughout his tenure with the franchise. He was a excellent point guard who dished 25 assists in a single game during his rookie season, tying the NBA record by a rookie previously set by Ernie DiGregorio.
But he wasn’t just known for his unselfishness. He was just as superb on the defensive end. For his career, he averaged two steals per game, and led the NBA one season, swiping three per contest during the 1993-1994 campaign. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team twice, and to compliment his defensive prowess, the 6′5″ point guard was a leader in every sense of the word. He wasn’t much of a scorer, illustrated by his career average of six points per game, but he compiled four triple doubles and did the little things on a gamely basis in his attempt to put the Sonics into the winner’s circle.
He retired at age 33, and at the young age of 36 was named their head honcho. As their head coach, he took the Sonics to the playoffs twice and compiled a 212-183 record. His final season at the helm was his best, leading Seattle to a 52-30 record and into the Western Conference Semifinals. After that triumph, he traveled 180 miles down to Portland. It was a new opportunity, a challenging one at that.
He was plugged in as the Blazers head coach with one big task: turn the ‘JailBlazers’ into a successful franchise. In 2005, his first season, Portland won only 21 games, primarily because the roster was full of dysfunctional miscreants that he had little control over. Understanding what a messy situation the then-41 year old was thrown into, General Manager Kevin Pritchard made life a bit easier for McMillan through a few draft-day trades in June of 2006.
With Roy and Aldridge plucked from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls, respectively, McMillan had something to work with, two talented hopes for the future. While Pritchard began to weed out of the bad eggs, the reigns were handed over to the young duo and McMillan, and the change in philosophy paid immense dividends.
Portland had an 11-win improvement in McMillan’s second year and reached .500 the following year. In the span of two years, the Blazers had transformed from a franchise in turmoil to a franchise on the brink of the playoffs. The revitalization paid off this past season, as McMillan led the youthful and clean Blazers to a remarkable 54 wins and their first playoff berth since 2003.
This season, he has been heavily criticized by some fans for his substituting pattern and overconfidence in point guard Steve Blake, who started the first 25 games before being demoted in favor of Miller. But though he may have stuck with a struggling Blake too long, and is just now realizing what Bayless can do with extended minutes, McMillan has once again done a tremendous job.
Because of him, the defense has improved. The Blazers allowed 98 points per game in his first season. This season, Portland is among the best defensively, allowing just 92 points per game, good for second in the NBA.
Because of him, the team continues to win. How, given the flurry of injuries? By being unselfish, stifling the opposition, excelling at the intangibles, and doing what is necessary offensively to be victorious. In essence, by playing the way he did in his hey-day.
Loading ...
