Not your average day-before-the-game practice Thursday at the Trail Blazers practice facility in Tualatin.
It's not unusual to hear practice while it's happening in the designated media area at the PF, which resides off court in a room no larger than your living room, separated from the courts by a closed door. Most days you'll hear the squeaks of sneakers, tweets of whistles, the loud buzz of the horn, coaches shouting instructions and players yelling amongst each other as they communicate on defense. Earlier this season during drills in training camp, the team was as vocal as I've heard them through that door.
Today was slightly different. By now you've read the reports from Thursday's practice which featured an exchange between head coach Nate McMillan and a voice that sounded to be that of Andre Miller. The exchange, which lasted nearly 30 minutes, was loud enough to be heard by the media members in the waiting room. I wasn't close enough to hear exactly what was said, so I won't speculate on that, but it was clear this was not a friendly discussion.
Here's the gist of today's airing of grievances ...
Miller shouted throughout the exchange, and McMillan mostly listened, but at times broke in with shouting of his own.One of the topics discussed was an incident late in Tuesday's game with Memphis, when Miller told Jerryd Bayless to make his second free throw with 4.3 seconds left and the Blazers trailing by two. The coaching staff and team captain Brandon Roy told Bayless to miss the free throw so the Blazers could attempt to rebound and make a tying basket.
And Kevin Pritchard, who was in attendance for today's practice:
"I encourage open and honest dialogue, I think that is always good,'' Pritchard said. "I think it can be (healthy). We have the ability to take it one of two ways and I believe in the character of this team, and you know, I think we can come together.''
Pritchard said the exchange was "normal".
"On every team I have ever been on ... guys have opportunity to speak what they feel. That's OK. The question is, can we become better because of it. Either you can or you can't. I'm hoping we can.''
Miller loudly disagreed with McMillan, at one point stating, "I ain't going to take this (stuff)."McMillan later fired back: "You don't play the way we want to play." (More from Smith)
However this exchange evolved, it was likely something that had been brewing for a while for Miller. Emotions run high in sports. Competition is the nature of the game. While Andre Miller may not display his emotions for the rest of us to see, he is undoubtedly a competitor. He wants to play and he wants to win. And there's no fault in that. McMillan, who labeled it as a "team discussion," encourages dialogue and communication from his players as much, if not more, than any coach in the league. Today, he got that communication from the free-agent acquisition.
Arguments happen in every sport on every level. This may not have been the first time this season it has happened and Miller may not be the first Blazer to voice his thoughts/opinions/ideas/displeasure with McMillan or Pritchard or another teammate. The only people who know that are in the Blazers locker room. What made this exchange different is how it carried from the far court (the practice facility has two courts, side by side) into the media room and the length of which it lasted.
.................
McMillan on today's practice:
"It was alright. We didn't have a lot of guys, we had a couple of guys that were out due to injuries and soreness ... so basically some 3-on-3."
"I'm not commenting on our talk with the team. It wasn't with Andre, it was with the team. We talked as a group."
"We had six guys that could practice today. We were limited with what we could do, so it was a short practice and I felt (it was) the time to talk to the group, so that's what it was about today."
"Andre's back is bothering him, so he couldn't practice, it was bothering him in the last game. Brandon had a hamstring, LaMarcus an ankle ... again, the conversation was with the team."
How would you assess his play this season?
"I think he's been doing some good things. He's had to play a lot of minutes here lately with Blake being out and he's been doing some good things."
McMillan said he believes Miller will play Friday against the Lakers and he believes his back began bothering him in the Clippers game.
Steve Blake was at practice Thursday but is listed as "doubtful" for Friday. Roy and Aldridge did not participate in Thursday's practice but McMillan said he expects both to play.
Any concern with Brandon Roy's minutes this season?
"Yeah, he's logging a lot of minutes ... mainly our guards, both he and Miller and Martell, LaMarcus. You know, we'll try to watch that, but it's difficult with the number of guys we have out."
Your team has been a good fourth quarter team this season, but in the last two games you've allowed some game-winning runs by the opponent. Are you concerned about that?
"Well, you've gotta make plays. That's the difference between winning and losing. We regained the lead in our last game and had it going down the stretch and lost it with missing some shots. We had some shots that, you know, when you get those shots you gotta knock those down. We had a turnover or two and a couple of calls that didn't go our way, and that happens. Like you said, we've been a team that executes down the stretch with leads ... and you gotta make shots. And when we do win, we make those shots."
Is there anything you can point your finger to, or just a combination of all those things?
"When you have shots, you gotta knock down those shots. You gotta get stops and we didn't do that. We didn't get free throws ... all the things you need to do to win. I don't think it was so much a lack of execution--maybe a set or two--but (when) we have open shots, we gotta knock those shots down."
I asked Kevin Pritchard about the status of both Nic Batum and Rudy Fernandez and when he thinks they might return.
"If I had to put a date on it, 7 to 10 days for Rudy ... third week of (January) for Nicolas. So they're getting back and it's good to seem them out here. It feels like we're becoming a team--at least in terms of numbers."
Both Rudy and Nic were at the PF today and working postpractice on shooting drills with the coaches. Pritchard also said Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla are taking their rehab "slow and steady" and will both make full recoveries in time for training camp later this year. Lastly, Pritchard said recent Blazers waivee Shavlik Randolph should clear waivers tonight and that Randolph is "still on our radar" for a 10-day contract.
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