Last nights game against the Lakers was another awesome performance by the Trail Blazers. I am still in shock after these last 2 games, the Blazers look like a totally different team. They are moving the ball to the right spots, shooting good shots… it’s just good basketball.
The Playoff Race
It’s funny… the Blazers win two games in a row, and now everyone’s talking about the playoffs again. Well, we might have a chance if the Blazers continue to play the way they played the last 2 games, but they still have their work cut out for them. According to the standings, it may look like we’re just 2 games back from a playoff spot, but in the end I still think we’re going to have to have a .500 record to even get a chance.
So, since the halfway point I’ve been taking it 5 games at a time. We need to win 3 out of every 5 games and we’ve just finished the 3rd round. The records have been: 3-2, 2-3, and 3-2. This means we are down only 1 game… but it also means that we need to get at least one five game record of 4-1. The point is that hope is still alive for my playoff prophecy to come true!
Goodbye Juan
As I’m sure you all know, Juan Dixon has been traded to Toronto. Blazers, in return, got the 6-2 Portland native, Fred Jones. I’ll talk more about Fred Jones later. Now I’d just like to reminisce about Juan Dixon.
I must say that I will miss Juan. Last year when the Blazers were struggling, Juan emerged as one of our best players. He could actually put the ball in the basket! I started calling him “Big Shot Juan” because he wasn’t afraid to take (and make) big shot’s at the end of games.
But as the team around him got better, Juan had to realize that he wasn’t the best player anymore. But many nights this year, Juan Dixon was the bright spot when the rest of our team was forgettable. He got a bad rap for being inconsistent, but Sergio helped show us that Juan is actually pretty consistent if you deliver the ball to him in rhythm. And being an undersized shooting guard, Juan always had to work harder, and play smarter than most which is very respectable. I’m sure this rubbed off onto our young guys and they are better players and better people for it.
I never blogged much about Juan Dixon, but I’ve always liked him and I liked his game. So on behalf of myself, and all the BlazersTruth readers, I’d just like to say:
--Thank You Juan, we'll miss you!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
(Jazz Game) A Respectable Division Win
The Blazers finally play a good game… and win! For the most part, the ball moved to the right places, guys took pretty good shots, and we looked like a basketball team again. This is in sharp contrast to the last 4 or 5 games that were almost unwatchable.
With the exception of his stint as sole point guard in the 1st quarter, Brandon Roy played a very good game. He played within himself and got his team involved. And contrary to his recent performances, Brandon’s shot selection was surprisingly good… he shot a respectable 11-15. This is the type of game you expect from the Rookie of the Year frontrunner.
There were a few other things that made this a good Blazers performance. No Magloire. Other than the end of the 1st quarter (see above), Nate McMillan had an actual point guard in the game. Heck, even LaMarcus Aldridge stuck to good shots this game (instead of that weak elbow jumper).
The pace of this game was perfect, and you can tell by the fact that we scored over 100 points on almost 50% shooting. This is definitely a game that the Blazers can build on.
Tonight the Blazers face the Lakers. The Lakers lost their last 5 games, so they will be out for blood. But we played good last night, and we didn’t even play our most potent weapon (and I’m not talking about Jamaal Magloire).
With the exception of his stint as sole point guard in the 1st quarter, Brandon Roy played a very good game. He played within himself and got his team involved. And contrary to his recent performances, Brandon’s shot selection was surprisingly good… he shot a respectable 11-15. This is the type of game you expect from the Rookie of the Year frontrunner.
There were a few other things that made this a good Blazers performance. No Magloire. Other than the end of the 1st quarter (see above), Nate McMillan had an actual point guard in the game. Heck, even LaMarcus Aldridge stuck to good shots this game (instead of that weak elbow jumper).
The pace of this game was perfect, and you can tell by the fact that we scored over 100 points on almost 50% shooting. This is definitely a game that the Blazers can build on.
Tonight the Blazers face the Lakers. The Lakers lost their last 5 games, so they will be out for blood. But we played good last night, and we didn’t even play our most potent weapon (and I’m not talking about Jamaal Magloire).
Sunday, February 18, 2007
ROY in the Rookie Game
The Rookie-Sophomore game was last Friday. This was the chance for Brandon Roy, the leading candidate for Rookie Of The Year, to shine on a national stage. His chance to show the world that he is not just hype, and that he is undoubtedly the best rookie in the league. So how many points did he score?? 6 whole points!
Brandon Roy had a disappointing performance, to say the least. He just didn’t really do anything. He should have dominated this game, or at least stood out… but instead it was like he wasn’t even there. I can’t wait for the Blazers media army to downplay this next week. I can just hear it now: “These rookie games don’t really matter”, “It wasn’t Brandon Roy’s kind of game”, “Brandon’s hand was hurting him”, etc. The truth is that these games do matter, and they expose the relative talents among peers.
Anyway, this is undoubtedly a setback in his bid for the Rookie of the Year award, which in turn is a setback for the Blazers. With our playoff birth looking less likely with each passing game, and Zach Randolph not making the All-Star team, the Trail Blazers desperately need Brandon Roy to win the Rookie-of-the-Year…at all costs. Look for this to be the Blazer’s #1 priority for the rest of the season, even higher than winning games. I predict Brandon will get even more playing time (is that possible?), and even more plays called for him.
I must say that I do feel sorry for Brandon Roy. The expectations for him are so high, and he has enormous pressure to be the Blazer’s savoir. Every step along the way is going to be scrutinized by the media (especially by certain blogs). For Brandon Roy, turning out to only be a “Pretty good” player or a “Solid” player will be a failure. He has to turn into an “Elite” player and a “Superstar” to succeed. I hope he can.
Brandon Roy had a disappointing performance, to say the least. He just didn’t really do anything. He should have dominated this game, or at least stood out… but instead it was like he wasn’t even there. I can’t wait for the Blazers media army to downplay this next week. I can just hear it now: “These rookie games don’t really matter”, “It wasn’t Brandon Roy’s kind of game”, “Brandon’s hand was hurting him”, etc. The truth is that these games do matter, and they expose the relative talents among peers.
Anyway, this is undoubtedly a setback in his bid for the Rookie of the Year award, which in turn is a setback for the Blazers. With our playoff birth looking less likely with each passing game, and Zach Randolph not making the All-Star team, the Trail Blazers desperately need Brandon Roy to win the Rookie-of-the-Year…at all costs. Look for this to be the Blazer’s #1 priority for the rest of the season, even higher than winning games. I predict Brandon will get even more playing time (is that possible?), and even more plays called for him.
I must say that I do feel sorry for Brandon Roy. The expectations for him are so high, and he has enormous pressure to be the Blazer’s savoir. Every step along the way is going to be scrutinized by the media (especially by certain blogs). For Brandon Roy, turning out to only be a “Pretty good” player or a “Solid” player will be a failure. He has to turn into an “Elite” player and a “Superstar” to succeed. I hope he can.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Courtside Seats for $34
Now I don’t normally post news, but this is pretty interesting.
PortlandFeed.com reports that a new and interesting line item had to be added to that the City Official’s Report. (This report audits gifts received by City of Portland officials). The line item is: Courtside Seats gifted by Trail Blazers to Mayor Tom Potter, value of $34.
Exerpt from City Official's Report:
That's not fair! Tickets I buy that are 20 rows up cost me over $50... each.
Anyway, I do not personally delve into politics, but I'm interested in any comments that you readers may have.
-Blase31
PortlandFeed.com reports that a new and interesting line item had to be added to that the City Official’s Report. (This report audits gifts received by City of Portland officials). The line item is: Courtside Seats gifted by Trail Blazers to Mayor Tom Potter, value of $34.
Exerpt from City Official's Report:
| Potter, Tom | 11/4/2006 | Unregistered Lobbyist Field - Other | $34.00 | Entry passes to Rose Garden.*Courtside seats gifted by Trailblazers. No assessed value; seat locations never sold to public |
That's not fair! Tickets I buy that are 20 rows up cost me over $50... each.
Anyway, I do not personally delve into politics, but I'm interested in any comments that you readers may have.
-Blase31
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Sergio and LaMarcus cheated out of Rookie Challenge?
As you must know by now, Brandon Roy was the only Trail Blazer rookie named to the Rookie-Sophomore game at this year’s All-Star weekend. This means that our other rookies were left off: Sergio Rodriguez and LaMarcus Aldridge.
Of course, the Trail Blazers organization, Nate McMillan, and many fans are up in arms that the Blazers only got one player into that game. They claim that it’s because our team gets no love and no respect. While this may be true, it is not the reason these rookies were overlooked.
This one is easy: the reason Sergio and LaMarcus didn’t make the team is because Nate McMillan never played them! Look at minutes played through February; the rookies that beat out our players played significantly more minutes.
At the point guard position: Sergio Rodriguez played only 477 minutes, while Jordan Farmar played 725 minutes and Marcus Williams played 923 minutes.
At forward: LaMarcus Aldridge played only 673 total minutes, while Paul Milsap played 738 mins, Andrea Bargnani played 989 minutes, and Adam Morisson played a whopping 1435 minutes.
I will state that our rookies probably have more talent than those others. But honestly, no coach is going to vote for someone they never gotten to see play. Sergio and LaMarcus played good minutes when they got them, but once again, you have to blame Nate for keeping their playing time to a bare minimum.
Please enjoy these quotes from Nate McMillan on this subject of Sergio and LaMarcus not making it into the Rookie game. They are especially funny because Nate McMillan is the main (sole) reason they didn’t make it!
--"I personally think that we got cheated cause we got 2, we got a couple guys that should have been considered… LaMarcus (and) Sergio"
--"I felt like we should have had maybe one more guy on that team, you look at minutes and possibly stats. "
--"Number two pick in the draft is normally there, because he’s the number two pick in the draft."
Of course, the Trail Blazers organization, Nate McMillan, and many fans are up in arms that the Blazers only got one player into that game. They claim that it’s because our team gets no love and no respect. While this may be true, it is not the reason these rookies were overlooked.
This one is easy: the reason Sergio and LaMarcus didn’t make the team is because Nate McMillan never played them! Look at minutes played through February; the rookies that beat out our players played significantly more minutes.
At the point guard position: Sergio Rodriguez played only 477 minutes, while Jordan Farmar played 725 minutes and Marcus Williams played 923 minutes.
At forward: LaMarcus Aldridge played only 673 total minutes, while Paul Milsap played 738 mins, Andrea Bargnani played 989 minutes, and Adam Morisson played a whopping 1435 minutes.
I will state that our rookies probably have more talent than those others. But honestly, no coach is going to vote for someone they never gotten to see play. Sergio and LaMarcus played good minutes when they got them, but once again, you have to blame Nate for keeping their playing time to a bare minimum.
Please enjoy these quotes from Nate McMillan on this subject of Sergio and LaMarcus not making it into the Rookie game. They are especially funny because Nate McMillan is the main (sole) reason they didn’t make it!
--"I personally think that we got cheated cause we got 2, we got a couple guys that should have been considered… LaMarcus (and) Sergio"
--"I felt like we should have had maybe one more guy on that team, you look at minutes and possibly stats. "
--"Number two pick in the draft is normally there, because he’s the number two pick in the draft."
Monday, February 5, 2007
Sergio vs Nash?
Sergio vs Nash?The Trail Blazers face the red-hot Phoenix Suns tomorrow. Unfortunately, Sergio Rodriguez is still out with the ankle sprain and will not play. So I posted this picture so you can all at least imagine what could have been if Sergio was healthy.
Phoenix Preview
Tomorrow's game is really a must-win to continue on our 3 wins out of 5 games goal. But after the Blazer's performance last game against the Bulls, I have my doubts whether we can pull this one off. However, these Blazers never cease to suprise me and so I still have a glimmer of hope.
I believe we may see some Dan Dickau in this game. Brandon Roy's stints at point-guard didn't look to good last game (netting -9 points in 7 minutes). But it's not really his fault, it's just that
Brandon Roy is not a point guard.
Nate McMillan will, of course, once again go with the 'slow the tempo' strategy. But Nate did have an interesting quote on the Oregon Live Blog: "By us being at home, you don't want to totally walk the ball up the floor and put our people to sleep," This is pretty funny because in the middle of the sold-out Chicago game, a lady sitting behind me had actually fallen asleep.
Anyway, Phoenix has proven that they are human by finally losing 2 of the last 3 games. So, well, ummm, we do have a chance.
Tomorrow's game is really a must-win to continue on our 3 wins out of 5 games goal. But after the Blazer's performance last game against the Bulls, I have my doubts whether we can pull this one off. However, these Blazers never cease to suprise me and so I still have a glimmer of hope.
I believe we may see some Dan Dickau in this game. Brandon Roy's stints at point-guard didn't look to good last game (netting -9 points in 7 minutes). But it's not really his fault, it's just that
Brandon Roy is not a point guard.
Nate McMillan will, of course, once again go with the 'slow the tempo' strategy. But Nate did have an interesting quote on the Oregon Live Blog: "By us being at home, you don't want to totally walk the ball up the floor and put our people to sleep," This is pretty funny because in the middle of the sold-out Chicago game, a lady sitting behind me had actually fallen asleep.
Anyway, Phoenix has proven that they are human by finally losing 2 of the last 3 games. So, well, ummm, we do have a chance.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
(Denver Game) Big Division Win
Last night, the Trail Blazers won a HUGE division game against the Denver Nuggets. Ime Udoka put the lock on Carmelo Anthony (contrary to what the box score reads). Plus Zach Randolph did play pretty well.
The Rose Garden was sold out, but the crowd was pretty passive all night. They obviously didn’t realize the importance of this big division game as we scrape for a chance at a playoff birth. At least there wasn’t much cheering for the other team as there usually is when there’s a sell-out.
One reason the crowd was so quiet was because it was kind of a boring game. Sure it was close the whole way, but I swear that the half-time score was like 40-40. Not exactly an exciting game. So naturally, I had written off Chalupas at half-time, but leave it to the Blazers to score 34 points in the 4th quarter to finish the game with a respectable 100 points.
Sergio Rodriguez went down with what looked like a real bad ankle injury. The crowd gasped as he walked off the court. Luckily, the rest of the Blazers roster were able to step up and still get the win even though Sergio was out. Sounds like they’ll have to do that for the next couple of games.
With Sergio out, the point guard situation becomes a ‘situation’ again. There are no real good options for Nate McMillan. He can play Brandon Roy, who is a shooting guard, at point, or he can tap Dan Dickau, or he could do what he seems to always want to do and just play Jarret Jack at point for the whole game. None are great options, but we NEED to win games. I guess that’s why we pay Nate the big bucks. (Note that I do not get paid for commenting on Nates decisions).
Anyway, another HUGE game tomorrow against the same team.
-Blase31
The Rose Garden was sold out, but the crowd was pretty passive all night. They obviously didn’t realize the importance of this big division game as we scrape for a chance at a playoff birth. At least there wasn’t much cheering for the other team as there usually is when there’s a sell-out.
One reason the crowd was so quiet was because it was kind of a boring game. Sure it was close the whole way, but I swear that the half-time score was like 40-40. Not exactly an exciting game. So naturally, I had written off Chalupas at half-time, but leave it to the Blazers to score 34 points in the 4th quarter to finish the game with a respectable 100 points.
Sergio Rodriguez went down with what looked like a real bad ankle injury. The crowd gasped as he walked off the court. Luckily, the rest of the Blazers roster were able to step up and still get the win even though Sergio was out. Sounds like they’ll have to do that for the next couple of games.
With Sergio out, the point guard situation becomes a ‘situation’ again. There are no real good options for Nate McMillan. He can play Brandon Roy, who is a shooting guard, at point, or he can tap Dan Dickau, or he could do what he seems to always want to do and just play Jarret Jack at point for the whole game. None are great options, but we NEED to win games. I guess that’s why we pay Nate the big bucks. (Note that I do not get paid for commenting on Nates decisions).
Anyway, another HUGE game tomorrow against the same team.
-Blase31
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