[外電] Young Blazers still on lookout for talent

[AdamHmc ()]

TUALATIN, Ore. — Even with four rookies seeing playing time last season, youth
never appeared to be a detriment for the Portland Trail Blazers.

即使有四個菜鳥，對拓荒者來講不是問題。

They won 54 games — the most they had recorded in nine years. The Blazers
snapped a six-year playoff drought, and competed for the division title until
the final few days of the regular season.

54場勝利是近九年來的新高，以及六年來重返季後賽，甚至最後幾場還在爭分區冠軍。

But to stay at that level, coach Nate McMillan believes they will need to add
experienced players.

但要維持這水準，Nate說得加些老將。

"We were fortunate to win some games and do some things last year," McMillan
said on Tuesday. "I think for us to stay at that level and continue to win and
get to the playoffs and win in the playoffs, we’re gonna need to add that to
it. Our IQ has got to get higher."

"我們很幸運的偷到些比賽。我想繼續維持並進入季後賽，以及在季後賽獲勝，我們就得加
 些經驗進去。我們的籃球智商得提高些。" Nate說。

So does that mean it’s unlikely the Blazers will use many of their five picks
in next week’s NBA Draft?

所以這代表拓荒者不會在選秀會中用光他們的選秀權嗎？

Well, don’t leap to any conclusions just yet.

恩，可別太快下結論。

Because while McMillan and Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard acknowledge
the value of experience, they quickly steer away from the subject when the
questions become tied to their draft plans.

因為即使高層很強調經驗的重要，他們還是避免討論到他們的選秀計畫。

The Blazers, after all, have four open roster spots to fill for next season.
And their most talented acquisitions in recent years have come through the
draft. Only one starter on last year’s team was acquired through free agency,
and nine of the 15 players on the roster were acquired through the draft in the
last four years.

拓荒者下一季還空著四個空位，而他們大多數的天份都來自近幾年的選秀。去年只有一個先
發來自於自由市場，而且十五名球員中有九名是近四年選進來的。

So when questions started being asked on Tuesday about playing the draft
conservatively in order to start allowing the team to mature, Pritchard and
McMillan turned the question around.

所以當被問到是否在選秀會中保守些來幫助球隊更成熟，KP和Nate都把問題轉了個方向。

As important as experience is, they argued, talent is even more valuable. And
the draft has been the gold mine at the center of the team’s resurgence.

當討論到經驗的重要，他們不大認同，認為天分是更有價值的。而選秀會對於重建中的球隊
更是一座金礦。

"If they’re good, who cares what age they are?" Pritchard said. "And there are
always sleepers in the draft. We always feel that in the 20s you can get a guy
that can help you. Nicolas (Batum) came in last year and helped us and gave us
a boost that we needed and allowed us to win 54 (games). Rudy (Fernandez) the
year before, Sergio (Rodriguez) the year before. I’m not opposed to drafting
if it’s the right guy."

"如果他們夠好，誰會在意他們的年紀？而且總是會人被低估，我們感覺在20順位附近，你
 總是可以找到些能幫助球隊的人。Batum去年被選進來，並幫助我們贏了54場比賽。Rudy前
年被選進來，Sergio大前年。如果有對的人，我不會反對選進來。" KP說。

And youth hasn’t slowed Portland’s ascension in the last two years. The
2007-08 team was the youngest in franchise history at the time, yet it still
won 41 games, ending a streak of four consecutive losing seasons. And after
talking about the need to grow older and more mature last summer, the Blazers
added four rookies to the roster and fielded the league’s second-youngest team.

而且年輕並沒有阻礙拓荒者過去兩年的成長，2007-08年是隊史上最年輕的一次，還贏了41
場比賽，並結束了過去四年失敗的賽季。去年夏天也說過要更成熟些，拓荒者還增加了四名
新秀，並成為聯盟第二年輕的球隊。

The result: A 54-win season and home-court advantage in the first round of the
playoffs.

結果:54勝，並在第一輪有主場優勢。

To continue in that direction, though, McMillan still believes that the Blazers
will have to add experience through a trade or free-agent signing. They’ll
need players who have been to the playoffs and competed in meaningful
situations to take an additional step forward in their competitiveness.

為了繼續維持方針，Nate仍然相信要透過交易或是簽約來增加些經驗。他們需要些打過季後
賽，並能在壓力下競爭的球員來往前邁進，增加他們的競爭力。

But the sense of urgency that Pritchard and McMillan expressed with regard to
maturing the team last summer has lessened, and Pritchard said it is because
the current players have already gained some of the experience for which they
have been searching. Brandon Roy is a two-time All-Star. LaMarcus Aldridge is
closing in on that same level. Joel Przybilla and Steve Blake will each have
more than five years of experience next season, and the younger players have
gained playoff experience.

但是去年夏天KP和Nate認為球隊需要更成熟的急迫性似乎降低了，而且KP認為現有的球員已
經得到一些他們所需要的經驗了。Roy是兩次的全明星，Aldridge也是接近同等級的球員。
Przybilla和Blake各自也有五年以上的經驗，此外年輕的球員也有了季後賽經驗。

So if the best talent is also a young player, Pritchard said, he won’t
hesitate to pluck him in the draft.

所以如果最有天分的球員是菜鳥，KP說，他不會猶豫從選秀會中得到他。

Even if it means making the team younger yet again.

即使這樣會讓這個球隊更年輕。

"Nate talks about bringing in vets, and I understand that," Pritchard said.
"For me personally, it’s about bringing in the right people. With Brandon and
LaMarcus, Joel, Blake, they bring us veteran leadership now. It’s not so
critical that we have that guy that’s a veteran leader."

"Nate講說要加些老將，我可以理解。對我來說，更重要的是帶來對的人。擁有了Roy,
Aldridge, Przybilla, Blake，他們現在已經有老將的領導能力。對於說我們擁有某個老將
已經不是那麼急迫了。" KP說。

Source:
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090617/SPORTS01/706179927/1001/SPORTS01
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PS:有Blake，沒有Outlaw

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※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) 
◆ From: 118.168.103.195
推 Aldridge:如果暑假最後補強到 那我會很可惜去年沒留住Diogu 小古雖
推 knight0123:今年DIOGU上場時間真的超少,不但有LMA.FRYE還有會代打
推 Aldridge:然矮了些 但是好歹籃板抓的不錯 還可以多養一下
→ knight0123:PF的OUTLAW比PG位置更擠,雖然他籃板不錯,但手感要加強
推 jessieptb:我昨天也在想當初為什麼沒留Diogu留了Frye呢？如果把
→ jessieptb:Frye白放掉有點可惜，但留著也不太好用。Diogu好歹很壯
推 Aldridge:Diogu還比較符合我的需求 籃下也較有腳步 反正防守一樣爛
推 BeStronger:Diogu到哪隊都沒有愛不知道是怎麼回事q__q
推 and1018:不該這樣想 那看到KP跟RANKA意見相左 我竟然很高興！！
→ and1018:                  但
→ AdamHmc:Frye真的有夠軟，整天只會被人and1........懷念Diogu
→ Fernandez05:留Frye不留Diogu是因為Diogu稍微有價一點吧XD
→ knight0123:FRYE真的超軟,幾乎沒看到他有什麼灌籃後很殺的樣子~~~
→ BeStronger:說的也是，Diogu比較容易交易出去
→ BeStronger:Frye的成績一年比一年退步...生涯顛峰在新人年XD
→ sneak: 然矮了些 但是好歹籃板 https://noxiv.com
→ muxiv: Diogu到哪隊都沒有 https://moxox.com