Words almost fail to describe Blazers' defeat

Words almost fail to describe Blazers' defeat: "Words almost fail to describe Blazers' defeat
Coach Nate McMillan questions the effort in the second-worst loss in Rose Garden history
Monday, January 09, 2006
JASON QUICK
Awful. Pitiful. Terrible. Quit.
They were all words used by the Trail Blazers to describe their play Sunday night during a 118-89 loss to Miami, the Blazers' second-worst defeat in Rose Garden history.
A dazed coach Nate McMillan spent much of his postgame meeting with the media struggling to complete his sentences, and when he did, he used the harshest of words that questioned the team's ability, effort and fight. Ultimately, the coach said he will consider changing his starting lineup.
'You have to,' McMillan said. 'We've lost six in a row, and we have to look at trying to find a way to get the spark back and keep competing.'
McMillan went into Sunday's drizzly night wondering if anyone on his team could play defense. The Heat (20-15) ran what center Theo Ratliff called 'a layup drill' against the Blazers, as guards Dwyane Wade (31 points), Jason Williams (20 points) repeatedly drove unimpeded toward the basket, helping the Heat shoot 58.8 percent from the field.
'That's a hard way to play defense, man,' Ratliff said. 'It's putting lot of pressure on everyone on the team when guys are coming down middle of the lane. We don't rotate, we don't scramble, we just concede the shots.'
Meanwhile, most of the second-largest Rose Garden crowd of the season, 18,032, left early, probably wondering if they had just paid money to watch the worst team in the NBA. "