Some post-game thoughts (Knick edition)

Here are some thoughts, in no particular order:

• It's going to be a long season.


• Jerryd Bayless should have been in the game much longer than he was tonight.  He had 14 points in 17 minutes and was the only guy playing with energy and hustle.  Blake had 9 points in 38 minutes.  Andre Miller had 4 points in 26 minutes.  I couldn't believe that Bayless was benched for the final 4 minutes of the game after he keyed the only significant Blazer run. 


• In the absence of Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge is the only big on the team even capable of catching a pass in the low post, much less scoring after the catch.  Neither Przybilla nor Howard can be counted on to convert even an open look down low.  That's a problem.  


• Putting the last two observations together, I think Kevin Pritchard is going to have to put together some kind of deal that involves trading one of our point guards for an additional big, preferably someone who has at least modest offensive skills.  I'd prefer that Blake be the guy traded, but if it ends up being Miller, it won't surprise me.  One of the two of them will likely be packaged with some combination of Travis Outlaw, a pick, or an overseas prospect (i.e., Victor Claver).  It wouldn't surprise me of such a trade took place soon after Dec. 15 (when free agents become available for trade).


• I didn't really appreciate until tonight how much better Greg Oden is at defending the pick-and-roll than either LaMarcus Aldridge or Joel Przybilla, particularly the latter.  I lost count of how many times tonight Joel switched on the pick, leaving Steve Blake or Andre Miller guarding David Lee in the post while he stood out by the three point line.  The Knicks could have done that all night long.  I had been under the impression that our pick-and-roll defense had improved significantly this year.  Turns out the difference was that Greg was playing more.  


• What really killed the Blazers offensively tonight was the inability of anyone to hit a three pointer. The Blazers made one three all night.  The Knicks made 13.  It's amazing they didn't lose by 30.  This is where the absence of Fernandez, Outlaw, and Batum really hurts.  You can't win in the modern NBA if nobody is hitting from downtown.


• Speaking of which, maybe Aldridge should try taking a few more threes.  He's only taken 5 this year, but he's made three of them.  And they looked good.  I think that at least earns him the right to take a few more.  With no one else making them, it's worth a shot.


• I really think it's time to take Blake out of the starting lineup and put Miller in.  This was yet another game where the Blazers got off to a slow start.  I'd like to see if Miller can make life a little easier for Aldridge and Webster at the beginning of the game by giving them some easy looks. And with Bayless doing a good job providing energy off the bench, it would make sense to pair him with Blake off the bench.  At this point, with Fernandez out, there is no one on the bench who can hit a three point shot.  Blake's shooting is more needed off the bench than it is in the starting lineup, where Roy, Webster, and Aldridge can all hit threes.