August 29, 2008 9:00 am  |  43 Comments

Rudy Fernandez Gave Nate McMillan a Vision of the Future


by Marcel Mutoni

A glorious future, one in which the Portland Trailblazers are a well-oiled machine, defiantly marching through the Western Conference and leaving fallen bodies in their wake.

The Oregonian caught up with the Blazers’ head coach, and he talked about how tough it was to go against Rudy Fernandez - and not cheer for him wildly - in the Gold Medal game of the Olympics:

“I’m sitting there (in the gold medal game) with a straight face, trying not to smile,” McMillan said. ” (Spain) are the guys we have to beat, but I’m caught. That’s my player and I want to (he claps his hands twice) but I gotta (he makes a serious face) because we are going up against him.”

[...]

“I was so impressed with him that it was to the point where after the second time I saw him, I didn’t sleep that night because I was moving my rotations around,” McMillan said. “I swear I did not sleep. I could not sleep thinking about him. Because I’m saying, ‘We can put him here, do this with him, do that with him and Brandon (Roy), and do this… So he’s playing for us. Oh yeah. I see that right now.”

What Nate doesn’t mention, is that he accidentally tried to high-five Dwight Howard after Rudy hammered all over him late in the game.

If injuries don’t spoil the party, Portland could end up being truly frightening next season. On paper, they almost have too much talent. A problem, no doubt, that most teams would kill to have to deal with.

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This story is filed under: NBA, The Wire, Top News

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  • James The Baller Posted: Aug.29 at 9:07 am
    first son

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.29 at 9:07 am
    Rudy to Blazers=Manu to Spurs.

  • TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 9:08 am
    Rudy and Oden in the rotation, with Bayless off the bench. Yes, I WILL be watching some Portland games this season.

  • RolleZed Posted: Aug.29 at 9:16 am
    me too. they gotta be fun to watch. And don’t forget travis outlaw.

  • Chrizz Posted: Aug.29 at 9:16 am
    I think it’s sweet that Nate just can’t seem to stop thinking of rudy…sweet or gay…not quite sure yet… lmao Rudy is pretty sick though

  • mat smith Posted: Aug.29 at 9:17 am
    those rainbow 3’s in the gold game were awesome, he was probably played the best in the gold game, which is crazy if you think who he was up against, in a game with wade kobe and LeBron a spanish guard was the best, and he had the best highlight with that nasty stuff on dwight, im gonna watch alot of portland this year.

  • Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 9:23 am
    How would they start both Fernandez and Roy? Would they make B-Roy run the point, or would Fernandez take the three and keep the Blake (or Sergio) running things?

  • Dr. J-Water Posted: Aug.29 at 9:46 am
    The Blazers are gonna be naaasty this year. Can’t wait to watch the games either. Fernandez has the skill and heart, it will be interesting to see how he integrates himself with his teammates. Chemistry with teammates will be a huge factor on the level of his success.

  • Co Co Posted: Aug.29 at 9:54 am
    Rudy Fernandez became one of my favorite players during that game. I can totally understand why Nate’s so giddy.

  • Corey L Posted: Aug.29 at 9:56 am
    Portland will be an exciting team to watch this year. On paper, you’re right, they do seem to have a bit too much talent and everything. I hope all the good players will realize that they need to put the team before theirselves if they want to win.

  • Yann Blavec Posted: Aug.29 at 10:00 am
    I loved his dunk on Dwight Howard.

  • TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:03 am
    Can you have TOO much talent? Isn’t that an oxymoron?

  • Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 10:15 am
    Oxymoron? Like a TADOne comment that adds something to the conversation?

  • TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:17 am
    Yep, exactly like that.

  • Chrizz Posted: Aug.29 at 10:48 am
    I NEED TO SEE THAT JAM
    I’ve been looking for that dunk and highlights of the spain/usa game on youtube but can’t seem to find a thing.
    is it just me or?

  • a_whiteman Posted: Aug.29 at 10:51 am
    when he threw that dunk down at like 330 am i screamed and woke the entire house up…i hope travis outlaw is prepared to lose out on some pt cuz rudy is the truth!!!!!!!

  • Sparker Posted: Aug.29 at 10:58 am
    aw, everyone dunks on dwight howard. it’s not like it’s a big deal

  • TADOne Posted: Aug.29 at 10:59 am
    I don’t think anyone got any visual evidence of that Rudy dunk on Dwight. Which is a crying shame because it would be Slamadamonth hands down.

  • Jukai Posted: Aug.29 at 10:59 am
    A couple of weeks ago, a few posters were ready to knife me for suggesting that Rudy Fernandez is near Brandon Roy’s level and that they shouldn’t have to worry about B-Roy’s injury. Now people are locking onto his jock strap at record speed. Hohum.

  • Sparker Posted: Aug.29 at 11:02 am
    and i think i just read that bayless was mvp of the summer league and averaged 29 ppg

  • d.Y. Posted: Aug.29 at 11:16 am
    This is another kick in the cajones for the Sonics fans. Watching Portland in the WCF for the next 10 years is gonna suck for everyone in Seattle.

  • John E. Sanford Posted: Aug.29 at 11:21 am
    I don’t know exactly how the 2008-2009 will finish for the Blazers, but they definitely have one of the deepest squads in the L. Rudy is sick.

  • vmcb Posted: Aug.29 at 11:49 am
    the blazers are sick.
    siiiiiick.

  • niQ Posted: Aug.29 at 12:10 pm
    blazers better make the playoffs this year.

  • jdubbs29 Posted: Aug.29 at 1:28 pm
    nbcolympics.com has that video. The Blazers look siiick on paper, but lets see if they can play as a team, always questionable. But i like their chances as the team NOBODY will want to play come playoff time. I can see them winning 50 games this year.

  • vtrobot Posted: Aug.29 at 3:13 pm
    the blazers will play as a team next year. they were all about team this past year and they’ll prolly be more about putting the great good first while they’re winning more games with considerably more talent. they’re gonna be very good for a long time. dang, i think martell webster is pretty solid and he’s far down on the list if you put it in order of all around talent or worth to the team. this does not seem like it will be a good blazers team are far as # of arrests per year.

  • DP Posted: Aug.29 at 3:59 pm
    Yeah they have definetly changed their whole lifestyle as a team since Nate dogg came into the seen. Trailblazbers will make noise for the 8th spot this season and maybe higher depending on how healthy B-roy is. but wilh a force like GO, I don’t know how they won’t make the playoffs.
    Blazers starting line-up: Brandon Roy, Rudy, Oden and two others…

  • LA Huey Posted: Aug.29 at 4:58 pm
    The players that matter on the Blazers have a great attitude so I think they’ll be fine. Can’t wait to play them on NBA 2K9

  • Melo Man TO Posted: Aug.29 at 5:50 pm
    sounds like nate mcmillan has a man crush

  • Visionary Posted: Aug.29 at 6:51 pm
    News Flash… 4 of 5 starters for Portland make NBA all star team in 2010. Center - Oden (First team)
    PForward - Aldridge (Second team)
    SForward - Fernandez (Second team)
    SGuard - Roy (Second team)
    PGuard - Bayless (First team) Of course, I could be just a tad optimistic. Just a tad.

  • LA Greatness Posted: Aug.29 at 6:54 pm
    This Fernandez character had one good game and now he’s next Manu! Common, and wake up. I’ll predict that by the 12 regular season game, Rudy will be another nobody on far end of the bench. That guy Mills from Australia had better games against the USA and nobody’s talking about him! WAKE UP PEOPLE

  • Andrew Posted: Aug.29 at 7:29 pm
    I think that’s actually really awesome. What a nice story. I always liked Nate as a player, this makes me like him even more as a coach.

  • Jose Posted: Aug.30 at 12:05 am
    that dunk was NASTY. i’m lookin forward to portland at orlando.

  • jub_al Posted: Aug.30 at 1:10 am
    i believe Portland has a little too much young talent as well, they should trade for a veteran who can still run with the young’ns and take over in the 4th… as much as i love B.Roy, he’s still learning to fill that role… he needs a mentor who has the killer instinct.. he needs…. ALLEN IVERSON! i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, Portland plus older, more mature AI = contender…

  • GoDLiKe Posted: Aug.30 at 5:04 am
    Rudy Fernandez is a BeAsT!!!
    He posterized Howard on a sick one handed jam.
    Cant wait to see him do that some more.

  • Derek Posted: Aug.31 at 5:06 am
    i am definately looking forward to watching the trailblazers play. Up and coming ready to conquer the league, only thing is if they will be able to hold onto that team.

  • LBJ4Prez Posted: Aug.31 at 8:13 am
    Now ny Cavs can get outlaw for next to nuthin.Theres no way the Blazers can keep all that talent happy.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.31 at 8:18 am
    damm Portland, so much talent on one roster it should just be outlawed. Greg will be back, i guess LaMarcus will play PF, and they got talent everywhere else. That team is boss.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.31 at 8:19 am
    fu(k going to church today, i am gonna sit home and play on dynasty mode.

  • paula Posted: Aug.31 at 9:53 am
    You can find rudy’s move on myspacetv

  • Doc's Sports Picks Guru Posted: Sep.1 at 3:23 am
    Great to see Portland set for a solid season, if that is the case. They have made some solid personnel moves to finally offset some of the pathetic decisions they made prior to 2006. Just wonder if it will be enough to keep them in town.

  • Yassi Posted: Sep.1 at 4:47 pm
    @LAGreatness: Just because you have only seen one great game of Rudy F that doesnt necessarily mean he only had one. See, he had hundreds, as a matter of fact. Maybe you need a EuroTV pass lol Yassi, Germany

  • Gerard Himself Posted: Sep.2 at 8:02 am
    how many games do the Blazers have on national TV scheduled this year?

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