Andre Miller in tryout mode

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

The Portland Trailblazers have rid themselves of the old Jail Blazers moniker and now sport a kiddie corps that needed a veteran presence. They tried to get Hedo Turkoglu, thought they had him, only to watch him sign with Toronto of all teams. They signed Paul Milsap, yeah, Paul who, and the Utah Jazz matched his offer sheet. They inquired about Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, but the answers were no and no.

Finally the Trailblazers began to think that Andre Miller could fit the bill of veteran point guard. Andre met with them and signed thinking he was going to be the starting point guard. It hasn’t worked out that way and Portland is claiming they told Andre when they signed him that he would be backing up Steve Blake.

Andre Miller is known for his heads up team play

Facing that alone would have been fine, because Andre is confident that he would have won the starting job. He has talent. Even his teammates acknowledge that.

“He’s such a talented player,” Blazers All-Star guard Brandon Roy said. “We’re just trying to see where he’s best, because that’s how he’s going to help our team. …We needed him on this team.”

Miller has shown flashes of how he can help the Blazers. He’s a smooth, smart point guard who throws a great lob pass. He should help the Blazers, one of the league’s slowest-paced teams, improve their fast break, even though he’s not exceptionally athletic himself.

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This past year there were many games in Philly that Andre was about all they had. Portland had to be a better deal with all the young talent they have.

But…Suddenly Andre is being vilified by fans and media. He failed a running test in practice and the media got on him about being out of shape. It was said he would not sign an autograph for a young boy and the media got on him about it. Top it off the Blazers are a close team and Andre is pretty much a loner. The media and fans got on him about it.

“I’m sitting on the baseline and I’m hearing fans in the audience say, ‘Sit with the team.’ I just got here. [The fan] said, ‘Sit with the team. Stop acting like that.’

“I was like, ‘Damn.’ They wouldn’t have said that if [the media] didn’t give a false impression. I never have had any problems with any fans. I socialize with fans at appearances and in public.”
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So what happens now? Andre is obviously a better point guard than Steve Blake and the Coach knows it, but stresses that maybe it is who finishes the game that matters, not who starts it. You just have to wonder how well Andre will handle this situation.

Image: Zuma Press

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

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As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.