Added to the Portland Trailblazers roster during the free agency and former Sixth Man of the Year, Jamal Crawford may finally get a starting spot. Â With the offensive struggles of Raymond Felton, head coach Nate McMillan may finally consider changing the lineup. Â Read more after the jump.
Felton is shooting poorly, 37.3 percent from the field and 20 percent from three-point range. Â But what is most alarming is that Felton is doing nothing to create shots for his teammates.
McMillan is cautious of benching Felton for fear that it will strip the veteran of whatever confidence he has. And the coach is not exactly convinced there is a clear improvement waiting in the wings: Jamal Crawford has also struggled with his shot and turnovers, and rookie Nolan Smith has been tentative in most of his limited minutes.
But at the same time, the Blazers coach can sense a season is slipping away. He gave himself 20 games, he said, to allow his players to work out their kinks, be it lack of conditioning, lack of rhythm, or getting used to new teammates.
The Blazers have played 28 of their 66 games.
“It’s time the play becomes better,” McMillan said Saturday.
So will he consider taking Felton out of the starting lineup in favor of Crawford?
“I have to look at it,” McMillan said.
How much more McMillan needs to see before making a change, I don’t know.
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