Stay Blazed

iTunes

graybeard

Thanks for that pearl of information. Now where the hell is iTunes?

Balian

Download iTunes, install, then search in the iTune store for "Portland Trail blazers."

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

GOD

You can also download it directly from the Blazer site scroll down

you do not need itunes

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Masbee

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/2008.html

Shooting stats 07-08 Season

FG%: Martell: 42%; Travis: 43%
3pt%: Martell: 39%; Travis: 40%
FT%: Martell: 74%; Travis: 74%
End of deceptive stats.

True Shooting Percentage gives credit for getting to the line:
TS%: Martell: 55%; Travis 50%

Effective Field Goal Percentage adjust for 3 pt shots being worth 50% more points.
eFG%: Martel: 52%; Travis 45%

So, Martell and Travis has (more or less) identical shooting percentages from the field, the 3pt line and the free throw line.

Yet, Martell is a more efficient scorer. Why? He draws more fouls, and he takes more 3 point shots.

Travis, has a strange game. He takes a ton of pull-up jumpers a step or two inside the 3pt line. That is a good skill to have. Having a player who can find a hole in the defense and get a shot off is helpful. But, if too many of your shots are long 2 pointers, that is bad news in the long run.

Note, I am not saying that Martell is anything great. Just, that as a complimentary type player, he has a better, more varied, more effiecient offensive game right now. Martell's numbers are not super deluxe right now, as much as Travis has weak offensive numbers. He has become pretty overrated by a lot of Blazer fans. A couple of game winning shots and several hot 4th quarters do a lot to erase the memory of a mixed season.

MrJayremmie

Yea, Martell takes a lot more 3 point shots than Outlaw (317 to 101). So the fact that Travis only has a 1% higher FG% isn't that big of a deal, imo.

They both have their roles on the team, and both do them well.

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PapaG

Remember when Kenny and Colin Cowherd shared a show?

That was good radio until Vance blew up on-air and basically was shoved out the door not too long after that show.

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...it's largely an anonymous bunch. After the 21-year-old Webster torched the Jazz for 24 third-quarter points on Jan. 5, Utah reserve Matt Harpring observed, "It was tough when what's-his-face got hot."

Oldmangrouch

As usual, you make some very good points. In defense of Outlaw, I will say this: I believe he is better at creating his own shot in traffic.

You could argue that Webster's skill set is better with the starting unit, but Outlaw's is better for off-the-bench energy guy.

Perhaps more to the point, who has higher trade value in comparison to their value to us?

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I think we are in Rats' Alley where the dead men lost their bones. (TS Eliot - probably not discussing the curse of the Blazer Centers)

graybeard

Thanks guys for helping me get the download, you're awesome.

darkhelmit54

I completely agree. I think that between the three of Martell, Outlaw, and Frye one of them has to go to leave any playing time left for the others. I like them all a lot, especially personality wise they all seem to be favorites in the locker room, and they all made strides in what they contribute on the court this year, which makes it tough. But I really think Webster and Frye are better complimentary pieces than Outlaw will be. Established teams needing a third option to inject life in them and can go to in iso would love and could use Travis bigtime (Phoenix, San Antonio, and Dallas come to mind). He is a match-up problem, he is entertaining, and at times is unstoppable. However, he doesn't consistently stretch the floor, swing the ball around, and stick with his guy on defense. I really think that next to Brandon, Lamarcus, and Oden, we need more players who will move without the ball and do the dirty work while being good shooters. Say what you will about percentages but Travis shot a lot when hot, and didn't do much else when he wasn't, Martell consistently shot and will develop into the better shooter. Frye was brought in to be the foil to Oden and Pryzbilla, and hasn't gotten the chance to really show what he does best yet. To top it all off, Outlaw has by far the best value of the three and will return the most in a trade.

I totally agree with you about the assets I would move. We don't need more youth and already have two rookies that will be playing minutes next year (Oden, Rudy), Jack is expendable with Rudy in the picture (and may need to go for Rudy to come over), Raef's contract is an asset, and I already explained why I would trade Travis. But I disagree with you about not needing vets, now while next year will be a development year, we still need vets to instill a sense of urgency and challenge our guys to step up. I really think a balance is necessary, look at what Miller did in Philly this year? While deferring to Iggy and letting him develop and not needing to log heavy minutes. He'd also be in a contract year so we wouldn't need to worry about planning the future around him, or him not playing hard. If we could somehow consolidate our pick, Jack, and Blake for a good PG it'd be awesome as far as minutes for Rudy and a streamlined development plan. The type of player I'd want is an unselfish vet PG who does want to "win now", can push the break better than Blake or Jack (who can't), and will pound it into our bigs.

I really think a bunch of comptetive youngsters with Andre Miller, James Jones, and Joel Pryzbilla to push them is ideal if you ask me.

I think you try to take
Jack/Raef/pick and turn it into either a PG or SF

and then you take
Blake/Outlaw and try to turn it into either a PG or SF

darkhelmit54

Webster is 21, Granger is 25.
nuff said

B-Roy

What the hell? I'm sorry, but your logic is just wrong. You can't say X player will become as good as Y player just because X player is younger. It just doesn't work that way. Otherwise, we'd have a league full of superstars. Channing Frye will probably never be as good as Dirk Nowitzky, Brandon Roy will probably never be as good as Kobe Bryant. Same goes for Webster/Granger. Like GOD said, it COULD happen, but it's highly unlikely.

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GOD

I don't agree. Web has been in the league for three years, and will continue to improve, but this was his third year and that is more important than raw age alone. Granger was in the same draft class. I agree that because of his age, Web will improve proportionately a little more than Granger, but I doubt that it will ever be enough to reach him. I don't think there are stats that can prove this one way or another, just my belief. I respect your belief, I just don't agree.

Just cause Josh McRoberts is 21 and Boozer is 26 does not mean that McRoberts will ever be as good as Boozer.

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