Here's what Aldridge had to say post-game.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Video: LaMarcus Aldridge post-game
Great win thanks in large part to a nice performance from LaMarcus Aldridge. LA had a rough go of it in the first half, but he came back with a vengeance to finish with 24 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks.
Here's what Aldridge had to say post-game.
Here's what Aldridge had to say post-game.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Audio: Wheeler's call of Roy's shot
Some pretty cool audio courtesy of Brian Wheeler and the folks at 95.5 The Game. Listen to Wheels' call the final possession of last night's game against the Rockets. Keeps this one in the archives.
Download the MP3.
Download the MP3.
Link it up: Trust the Clutch Edition
Along with the links provided below, be sure to check out our new recap page. Lots of news, audio and video all on one page.
Jason Quick, The Oregonian: It is yet another addition to a long list of late-game heroics for Roy, who is in his third NBA season, and this one couldn't have come at a better time. The Blazers (2-3) have been scuffling this early season against top-notch teams like Houston (3-2). The script for their downfall unfolded again on Thursday: play well early, build a double digit lead late, then collapse amid turnovers and poor shots at the finish.
Roy finished with 17 points, but made only 6-of-18 shots. His last two baskets came after he missed four in a row at the end of regulation and in overtime.
"This one shoots to the top. I've made a lot of big ones, but never after a boneheaded mistake," Roy said. "This is definitely the best."
Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune: Brandon Roy beat the Houston Rockets Thursday night at the Rose Garden.
Twice.
Lost the game for the Trail Blazers, too.
All in 1.9 seconds.
When the smoke cleared, Roy’s turnaround 30-foot prayer kissed the net at the buzzer, lifting Portland to an improbable 101-99 overtime victory.
Perhaps never has so much drama – so much swing of emotion – been packed into the final two seconds of a Blazer game.
Brian Hendrickson, The Columbian: The story was starting to look familiar in the Rose Garden on Thursday.
But this time there was an ending few will forget.
After each team traded what it thought would be the game-winning shot in a 1.1-second span, Brandon Roy stepped out to 31 feet and tossed up a contested, fade-away 3-point shot as overtime expired that went straight through to give the Portland Trail Blazers a thrilling — and shocking — 101-99 win over Houston Thursday night at a sold-out Rose Garden.
John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Call it divine intervention. On a night the Blazers honored the late Kevin Duckworth, Brandon Roy's prayer of a shot with 0.8 seconds remaining handed Portland a 101-99 overtime win that capped off one of the best finishes you'll ever see.
If you didn't stay up until 1:45 a.m. ET to see it, shame on you: We got three, count 'em, three lead changes in the final 1.9 seconds of OT, a flurry of scoring capped when Roy's turn-and-shoot 30-footer at the buzzer fell straight through the net to give Portland the victory.
"Big Duck was looking down on us," said Blazers coach Nate McMillan. "He didn't want us to lose on his night."
Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don't Lie: The Rockets probably should have won this one, but they had no real chance with Rudy Fernandez for stretches, and LaMarcus Aldridge (27 points and nine rebounds) is about four inches taller than Luis Scola or Chuck Hayes, and Ron Artest couldn't stop Brandon Roy in transition or on a quick inbounds for a 30-footer shot in .7 of a second. Come on, Ron. Get it together.
There were other issues, a bit too many for a two-point overtime game. Small forward Travis Outlaw pulled in as many rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench (13) as Houston's starting frontcourt combined, and Yao Ming/Scola/Artest played almost 110 minutes. Overall, the team played a fine game, I mean that, but you can see why things didn't go the Rockets' way.
Johnathan Feign, Houston Chronicle: For eight-tenths of a second, the Rockets had every reason to believe the game had been won.
They had spent most of four quarters and almost all but the last fractions of a second chasing the Trail Blazers. They had overcome a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. They even came back after a Brandon Roy turnaround fadeaway from 21 feet with 1.9 seconds left, with Yao Ming hitting a jumper through a foul for a three-point play and a 99-98 lead with just eight-tenths of a second left.
They just left the Blazers too much time.
Dave, Blazer's Edge: Hey Ron Artest, meet Rudy Fernandez. Oops! I can see he’s already gotten by you. That’s OK, you can meet him later. I see Yao Ming waving at him now. Rudy had a couple of crowd-buzzing highlights tonight and played another fantastic offensive game. Most every game I like to talk about something that makes him special…the reasons why he looks different than other players out there. If you see a replay of tonight’s game, watch his hands as he cuts or comes off screens on the offensive end. He is always ready to receive the ball and shoot.
Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: For one fleeting moment, the Rockets appeared to have accomplished the impossible: Not only were they going to win a game they had no business winning, but Yao Ming – who struggled mightily for the second straight game – was going to be the hero. It all seemed too good to be true.
Unfortunately, it was.
Brandon Roy’s 30-foot buzzer-beater capped a wild night at the Rose Garden, giving the Portland Trailblazers a 101-99 overtime victory over Houston (3-2) in a game featuring more twists than a telephone cord.
Jason Quick, The Oregonian: It is yet another addition to a long list of late-game heroics for Roy, who is in his third NBA season, and this one couldn't have come at a better time. The Blazers (2-3) have been scuffling this early season against top-notch teams like Houston (3-2). The script for their downfall unfolded again on Thursday: play well early, build a double digit lead late, then collapse amid turnovers and poor shots at the finish.
Roy finished with 17 points, but made only 6-of-18 shots. His last two baskets came after he missed four in a row at the end of regulation and in overtime.
"This one shoots to the top. I've made a lot of big ones, but never after a boneheaded mistake," Roy said. "This is definitely the best."
Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune: Brandon Roy beat the Houston Rockets Thursday night at the Rose Garden.
Twice.
Lost the game for the Trail Blazers, too.
All in 1.9 seconds.
When the smoke cleared, Roy’s turnaround 30-foot prayer kissed the net at the buzzer, lifting Portland to an improbable 101-99 overtime victory.
Perhaps never has so much drama – so much swing of emotion – been packed into the final two seconds of a Blazer game.
Brian Hendrickson, The Columbian: The story was starting to look familiar in the Rose Garden on Thursday.
But this time there was an ending few will forget.
After each team traded what it thought would be the game-winning shot in a 1.1-second span, Brandon Roy stepped out to 31 feet and tossed up a contested, fade-away 3-point shot as overtime expired that went straight through to give the Portland Trail Blazers a thrilling — and shocking — 101-99 win over Houston Thursday night at a sold-out Rose Garden.
John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Call it divine intervention. On a night the Blazers honored the late Kevin Duckworth, Brandon Roy's prayer of a shot with 0.8 seconds remaining handed Portland a 101-99 overtime win that capped off one of the best finishes you'll ever see.
If you didn't stay up until 1:45 a.m. ET to see it, shame on you: We got three, count 'em, three lead changes in the final 1.9 seconds of OT, a flurry of scoring capped when Roy's turn-and-shoot 30-footer at the buzzer fell straight through the net to give Portland the victory.
"Big Duck was looking down on us," said Blazers coach Nate McMillan. "He didn't want us to lose on his night."
Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don't Lie: The Rockets probably should have won this one, but they had no real chance with Rudy Fernandez for stretches, and LaMarcus Aldridge (27 points and nine rebounds) is about four inches taller than Luis Scola or Chuck Hayes, and Ron Artest couldn't stop Brandon Roy in transition or on a quick inbounds for a 30-footer shot in .7 of a second. Come on, Ron. Get it together.
There were other issues, a bit too many for a two-point overtime game. Small forward Travis Outlaw pulled in as many rebounds in 34 minutes off the bench (13) as Houston's starting frontcourt combined, and Yao Ming/Scola/Artest played almost 110 minutes. Overall, the team played a fine game, I mean that, but you can see why things didn't go the Rockets' way.
Johnathan Feign, Houston Chronicle: For eight-tenths of a second, the Rockets had every reason to believe the game had been won.
They had spent most of four quarters and almost all but the last fractions of a second chasing the Trail Blazers. They had overcome a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. They even came back after a Brandon Roy turnaround fadeaway from 21 feet with 1.9 seconds left, with Yao Ming hitting a jumper through a foul for a three-point play and a 99-98 lead with just eight-tenths of a second left.
They just left the Blazers too much time.
Dave, Blazer's Edge: Hey Ron Artest, meet Rudy Fernandez. Oops! I can see he’s already gotten by you. That’s OK, you can meet him later. I see Yao Ming waving at him now. Rudy had a couple of crowd-buzzing highlights tonight and played another fantastic offensive game. Most every game I like to talk about something that makes him special…the reasons why he looks different than other players out there. If you see a replay of tonight’s game, watch his hands as he cuts or comes off screens on the offensive end. He is always ready to receive the ball and shoot.
Jason Friedman, Rockets.com: For one fleeting moment, the Rockets appeared to have accomplished the impossible: Not only were they going to win a game they had no business winning, but Yao Ming – who struggled mightily for the second straight game – was going to be the hero. It all seemed too good to be true.
Unfortunately, it was.
Brandon Roy’s 30-foot buzzer-beater capped a wild night at the Rose Garden, giving the Portland Trailblazers a 101-99 overtime victory over Houston (3-2) in a game featuring more twists than a telephone cord.
Video: Brandon Roy post-game
And the legend of Brandon Roy continues to grow.
This game will be remembered for a long time thanks to Roy's unbelievable buzzer-beater, but this was truly a team effort. LaMarcus Aldridge was huge, going for 27 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Rudy Fernandez toyed with Ron Artest on the offensive end. Travis Outlaw crashed the boards. Joel Przybilla and Channing Frye held Yao Ming to just 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Everyone did their part.
But man, what a shot by Roy. Sweet, sweet redemption after fouling Ming with just 0.8 seconds to play. Nails.
Here's what Roy had to say post-game.
This game will be remembered for a long time thanks to Roy's unbelievable buzzer-beater, but this was truly a team effort. LaMarcus Aldridge was huge, going for 27 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Rudy Fernandez toyed with Ron Artest on the offensive end. Travis Outlaw crashed the boards. Joel Przybilla and Channing Frye held Yao Ming to just 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Everyone did their part.
But man, what a shot by Roy. Sweet, sweet redemption after fouling Ming with just 0.8 seconds to play. Nails.
Here's what Roy had to say post-game.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Quotes from a shootaround
Probably the smallest media crowd I've seen so far this year for a Trail Blazers shootaround. Just me, Jason Swygard from 1080 The Fan and a cameraman from KGW. those who didn't attend didn't miss much, as the players beat feet as soon as the huddle broke. I'd want to go home and take a five or six hour nap too is I had just got in from Salt Lake City.
Nate McMillan was kind enough to hang out and answer some questions, which I've posted below.
McMillan's general thoughts on the loss to the Jazz
“We are doing some things better, but we’ve got to do things better and be more consistent with it. Last night we had pretty much three pretty good quarters and the fourth quarter we were right there and they outworked us for a few loose balls down the stretch.
"Offensively we turned the ball over: five turnovers in that fourth quarter. And that’s the difference in the ballgame. If we take care of the ball, execute our offense, defensively we don’t put them on the free-throw line, we win that ballgame. So yeah, we are doing some things better but it’s got to be a 48 minute game.”
Were you satisfied with Batum’s performance in the starting lineup?
“I thought he did some good things. It’s a matter of him getting out there and playing some. They double-teamed off him a few times and we didn’t take advantage of that. Our spacing; he has to learn to play with the guys out there and they have to learn to play with him. We need to take advantage of when teams are trying to double-team and take the ball out of Brandon’s and LaMarcus’ hands. We’ve got to punish them for that.”
As far as Brandon getting off to slow starts, is there something you’re seeing as you’re reviewing film, something you think you can change to trigger it?
“I think the thing we’ve got to do is set screens. We’ve got to give up our bodies. Right now, we’re not giving up our bodies out on that floor. This is a very physical game. The NBA is a physical game, a physical sport, and we’ve got to give up our bodies. We’ve got to set screens. We’ve got to use those screens. When teams are bodying us as far as trying to slow down our cut, we’ve got to run through that contact. We’ve got to box out. It’s a very physical game, and you’ve got to give up you body in this game and right now we’re not giving up our bodies enough.”
Is there a sense of urgency for this team to get it going, especially with a big roadtrip hanging over their head?
“Every game we’re trying to come out and be better. Last night we were right there. We had that game, I thought. Down the stretch we didn’t make the plays, we didn’t make the breaks for ourselves. We’ve got Houston sitting right here waiting and we’ve got to play better basketball.”
Do you think the team has played a whole game yet?
“I thought San Antonio was the closest, of course, and that was the one win that we have. Playing a 48 minute game is what we’re trying to get across to our guys, that being aggressive, the hustle plays, the energy for 48 minutes is something we’re going to have to learn to do in order to have a chance to win the game.”
Do you change up the rotation at all on the second night of a back-to-back?
“No, we stay the same way.”
On the difficult schedule
“It is a tough schedule. It’s a challenging schedule for us and we haven’t had a lot of success. The thing is to keep working at it. We see some areas that we’ve got to improve to have a chance to beat these types of teams that we’re playing. It’s not going to change. As we get into the season and you meet these teams in the West, 48 minute game, winning the hustle game, being sharp on your execution, limiting your mistakes, all of that will be the same regardless of who you play in the NBA.”
“It’s a good team. They’ve added Artest to their roster, which gives them another player that will really be an impact on both ends of the floor. He can score offensively in the post, on the perimeter. And defensively he’s one of the top defenders in the league. He has made them a stronger team.”
Of course you’ve got McGrady and Yao. They have a deep team. They have a solid first unit as well as a second unit. For us it really doesn’t make a difference. The energy, the hustle, the scrappiness is going to be needed tonight and it’s going to be needed by both units and everybody for 48 minutes.
Is there anything you’ll do, either go more trap or press, to try and get your team to get in that hustle mode?
“We’ve done that. The thing is: Do it. Do it.”
Who gets the matchup with Artest and how do you try and slow him down?
“We’re going to matchup. They’re probably going to put Artest on Brandon so Brandon will stay there and Nic will probably see some time on McGrady. But I could see Brandon on McGrady and Nic on Artest. Travis will get his opportunity on both guys. So will Rudy. So we will matchup how they matchup against us.”
The Rockets have a lot of speed at the point with Alston and Brooks. How do you go about negating that speed?
“We got to play. You guys have basically mentioned every player on the team that we got to be concerned about. It’s not one guy; it’s everybody. This is a good team and the teams that we’ve faced are good teams. It’s not one guy that’s going to stop or get it done; it’s got to be a team effort.”
Nate McMillan was kind enough to hang out and answer some questions, which I've posted below.
McMillan's general thoughts on the loss to the Jazz
“We are doing some things better, but we’ve got to do things better and be more consistent with it. Last night we had pretty much three pretty good quarters and the fourth quarter we were right there and they outworked us for a few loose balls down the stretch.
"Offensively we turned the ball over: five turnovers in that fourth quarter. And that’s the difference in the ballgame. If we take care of the ball, execute our offense, defensively we don’t put them on the free-throw line, we win that ballgame. So yeah, we are doing some things better but it’s got to be a 48 minute game.”
Were you satisfied with Batum’s performance in the starting lineup?
“I thought he did some good things. It’s a matter of him getting out there and playing some. They double-teamed off him a few times and we didn’t take advantage of that. Our spacing; he has to learn to play with the guys out there and they have to learn to play with him. We need to take advantage of when teams are trying to double-team and take the ball out of Brandon’s and LaMarcus’ hands. We’ve got to punish them for that.”
As far as Brandon getting off to slow starts, is there something you’re seeing as you’re reviewing film, something you think you can change to trigger it?
“I think the thing we’ve got to do is set screens. We’ve got to give up our bodies. Right now, we’re not giving up our bodies out on that floor. This is a very physical game. The NBA is a physical game, a physical sport, and we’ve got to give up our bodies. We’ve got to set screens. We’ve got to use those screens. When teams are bodying us as far as trying to slow down our cut, we’ve got to run through that contact. We’ve got to box out. It’s a very physical game, and you’ve got to give up you body in this game and right now we’re not giving up our bodies enough.”
Is there a sense of urgency for this team to get it going, especially with a big roadtrip hanging over their head?
“Every game we’re trying to come out and be better. Last night we were right there. We had that game, I thought. Down the stretch we didn’t make the plays, we didn’t make the breaks for ourselves. We’ve got Houston sitting right here waiting and we’ve got to play better basketball.”
Do you think the team has played a whole game yet?
“I thought San Antonio was the closest, of course, and that was the one win that we have. Playing a 48 minute game is what we’re trying to get across to our guys, that being aggressive, the hustle plays, the energy for 48 minutes is something we’re going to have to learn to do in order to have a chance to win the game.”
Do you change up the rotation at all on the second night of a back-to-back?
“No, we stay the same way.”
On the difficult schedule
“It is a tough schedule. It’s a challenging schedule for us and we haven’t had a lot of success. The thing is to keep working at it. We see some areas that we’ve got to improve to have a chance to beat these types of teams that we’re playing. It’s not going to change. As we get into the season and you meet these teams in the West, 48 minute game, winning the hustle game, being sharp on your execution, limiting your mistakes, all of that will be the same regardless of who you play in the NBA.”
“It’s a good team. They’ve added Artest to their roster, which gives them another player that will really be an impact on both ends of the floor. He can score offensively in the post, on the perimeter. And defensively he’s one of the top defenders in the league. He has made them a stronger team.”
Of course you’ve got McGrady and Yao. They have a deep team. They have a solid first unit as well as a second unit. For us it really doesn’t make a difference. The energy, the hustle, the scrappiness is going to be needed tonight and it’s going to be needed by both units and everybody for 48 minutes.
Is there anything you’ll do, either go more trap or press, to try and get your team to get in that hustle mode?
“We’ve done that. The thing is: Do it. Do it.”
Who gets the matchup with Artest and how do you try and slow him down?
“We’re going to matchup. They’re probably going to put Artest on Brandon so Brandon will stay there and Nic will probably see some time on McGrady. But I could see Brandon on McGrady and Nic on Artest. Travis will get his opportunity on both guys. So will Rudy. So we will matchup how they matchup against us.”
The Rockets have a lot of speed at the point with Alston and Brooks. How do you go about negating that speed?
“We got to play. You guys have basically mentioned every player on the team that we got to be concerned about. It’s not one guy; it’s everybody. This is a good team and the teams that we’ve faced are good teams. It’s not one guy that’s going to stop or get it done; it’s got to be a team effort.”
Link it up: Thursday
It's games like last night's loss to Utah that make me thankful for back-to-backs. Granted, I prefer if the second night of said back-to-back wasn't against a team that swept us last year, but losers can't be choosers. Am I right?
So we've got McGrady, Yao and Artest, who I'm sure slept comfortably last night in a hotel downtown, coming into the Rose Garden tonight in a game that some would consider a must win. Seems to be a lot of aggravation amongst the fanbase, which I can understand, but we all knew the start of this one wasn't going to be easy. And it hasn't been. So lets all take keep it mellow, shall we?
Onto the links.
• John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Greetings from the Rose City, where I'm guessing they are kind of happy about how the election turned out. Either that or people always set off fireworks on Tuesday nights around here. I'm in town for Thursday night's Rockets-Blazers tilt, as you might have guessed, but in the meantime we have some leftover business to discuss from Wednesday night's Daily Dime item on adjusted game score.
I went over the best results of recent seasons in that piece, but the local basketball club here has a claim on the worst mark. Darius Miles, perhaps the least popular Blazer in recent memory, delivered the worst AGS of the past seven seasons in a game against the Lakers on Feb. 23, 2005. That night, he missed all six shots from the field, had four turnovers and committed five fouls. His only positive contribution was two defensive rebounds; for this he earned a minus-10.7, making him the only player in the period studied to have a negative double-digit AGS."
• ESPN's David Thorpe answering a question about who would win in a fight between Rudy Fernandez and Sasha Vujacic: "Rudy, but Sasha would complain to the ref the whole time."
• Jason Quick, The Oregonian: Outside of the season opener at the Lakers, the Blazers haven't been bad. They beat San Antonio and owned third quarter leads at Phoenix and at Utah. That's some decent stuff.
But Roy and Aldridge are better than decent. And until they show it, the Blazers will still be muttering about playing well, but only coming close.
"Things have changed, you know?" McMillan said. "All this talk about who we are and who we could be, it's just potential, you know? We have to go out here and play. It's a different year. Last year, people didn't really know what to expect. The expectations have changed a little bit, not only for us, but from other teams. They are looking at us a little different. We are not under that radar screen so to speak."
• Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune: Monday was a big day for Nicolas Batum, and it had nothing to do with the Trail Blazers or the NBA.
His mother, Silvie, and younger sister, Pauline, arrived from their native France to live with him at the West Linn house he is renting.
“It’s very exciting,” Batum says. “I haven’t seen them for three months. We’re very close. Pauline will go to Lake Oswego (High). They will be here for the rest of the season.”
So we've got McGrady, Yao and Artest, who I'm sure slept comfortably last night in a hotel downtown, coming into the Rose Garden tonight in a game that some would consider a must win. Seems to be a lot of aggravation amongst the fanbase, which I can understand, but we all knew the start of this one wasn't going to be easy. And it hasn't been. So lets all take keep it mellow, shall we?
Onto the links.
• John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Greetings from the Rose City, where I'm guessing they are kind of happy about how the election turned out. Either that or people always set off fireworks on Tuesday nights around here. I'm in town for Thursday night's Rockets-Blazers tilt, as you might have guessed, but in the meantime we have some leftover business to discuss from Wednesday night's Daily Dime item on adjusted game score.
I went over the best results of recent seasons in that piece, but the local basketball club here has a claim on the worst mark. Darius Miles, perhaps the least popular Blazer in recent memory, delivered the worst AGS of the past seven seasons in a game against the Lakers on Feb. 23, 2005. That night, he missed all six shots from the field, had four turnovers and committed five fouls. His only positive contribution was two defensive rebounds; for this he earned a minus-10.7, making him the only player in the period studied to have a negative double-digit AGS."
• ESPN's David Thorpe answering a question about who would win in a fight between Rudy Fernandez and Sasha Vujacic: "Rudy, but Sasha would complain to the ref the whole time."
• Jason Quick, The Oregonian: Outside of the season opener at the Lakers, the Blazers haven't been bad. They beat San Antonio and owned third quarter leads at Phoenix and at Utah. That's some decent stuff.
But Roy and Aldridge are better than decent. And until they show it, the Blazers will still be muttering about playing well, but only coming close.
"Things have changed, you know?" McMillan said. "All this talk about who we are and who we could be, it's just potential, you know? We have to go out here and play. It's a different year. Last year, people didn't really know what to expect. The expectations have changed a little bit, not only for us, but from other teams. They are looking at us a little different. We are not under that radar screen so to speak."
• Kerry Eggers, Portland Tribune: Monday was a big day for Nicolas Batum, and it had nothing to do with the Trail Blazers or the NBA.
His mother, Silvie, and younger sister, Pauline, arrived from their native France to live with him at the West Linn house he is renting.
“It’s very exciting,” Batum says. “I haven’t seen them for three months. We’re very close. Pauline will go to Lake Oswego (High). They will be here for the rest of the season.”
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
11.05.08 Edition of the Trailblazers.com Podcast
Consider this week's version of the Trailblazers.com Podcast as the "The No-Show Edition." Gavin Dawson, he of 95.5 The Game fame, missed out due to forgetfulness. I hear he's been a bit under the weather as well, so maybe that had something to do with it.
But the real dagger was Martell Webster, who was scheduled to join us to discuss his recovery and newly-signed contract, standing us up with not so much as a call to cancel. That hurts Marty. That really hurts.
But the podcast forges on. This week, Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge and myself, Casey Holdahl, of trailblazers.com discuss tonight's game against Utah, Nicolas Batum's insertion into the starting lineup, the slightly askew feel of the backcourt, Martell Webster's contract and the impact of the Nuggets/Pistons trade. It's some good pre-game listening.
Download the podcast (23.8 MB).
But the real dagger was Martell Webster, who was scheduled to join us to discuss his recovery and newly-signed contract, standing us up with not so much as a call to cancel. That hurts Marty. That really hurts.
But the podcast forges on. This week, Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge and myself, Casey Holdahl, of trailblazers.com discuss tonight's game against Utah, Nicolas Batum's insertion into the starting lineup, the slightly askew feel of the backcourt, Martell Webster's contract and the impact of the Nuggets/Pistons trade. It's some good pre-game listening.
Download the podcast (23.8 MB).
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Batum to start against Utah
First Nicolas Batum was the starting small forward, then Nate McMillan decided to go with Travis Outlaw at the last minute in Los Angeles. And now it has come full circle. According to McMillan, Batum will get the start against the Utah Jazz Wednesday night.
"(Batum) has done a nice job of just guarding his man and weakside help," said McMillan of his reasons for insert Batum into the starting lineup. "If he can stay with that, which is what I want from him, just concentrate on defending, rebounding, going to both boards -- the offensive and defensive boards -- run the floor, if you're open shoot the ball. But don't worry so much about scoring. Make sure you defend, you bring that scrappy play, that weakside help, loose balls, those things. I think if he can do that for us, it'll give that first unit something that we don't have with that group.
"I think he's got three games -- not a lot of games -- but defensively, see if he can come in and give us some of that dirty work on the defensive end."
Travis Outlaw now goes back to the second unit, where, according to McMillan, he'll play both small forward and power forward.
"Travis will still come in at the three," said McMillan. "We may slide him to the four some. I think it just depends on how we want to attack that team that they have in there. So he'll play some four, but he'll be going between the three and four. Mainly the three.
"I think Travis has played OK, but we'll get him coming off the bench."
Batum and Outlaw swapping units might not be the only change to the rotation. According to McMillan, Rudy Fernandez, while not necessarily starting, could get extended minutes with the first unit.
"(Batum) has done a nice job of just guarding his man and weakside help," said McMillan of his reasons for insert Batum into the starting lineup. "If he can stay with that, which is what I want from him, just concentrate on defending, rebounding, going to both boards -- the offensive and defensive boards -- run the floor, if you're open shoot the ball. But don't worry so much about scoring. Make sure you defend, you bring that scrappy play, that weakside help, loose balls, those things. I think if he can do that for us, it'll give that first unit something that we don't have with that group.
"I think he's got three games -- not a lot of games -- but defensively, see if he can come in and give us some of that dirty work on the defensive end."
Travis Outlaw now goes back to the second unit, where, according to McMillan, he'll play both small forward and power forward.
"Travis will still come in at the three," said McMillan. "We may slide him to the four some. I think it just depends on how we want to attack that team that they have in there. So he'll play some four, but he'll be going between the three and four. Mainly the three.
"I think Travis has played OK, but we'll get him coming off the bench."
Batum and Outlaw swapping units might not be the only change to the rotation. According to McMillan, Rudy Fernandez, while not necessarily starting, could get extended minutes with the first unit.
Monday, November 3, 2008
KP on the Iverson/Billups trade: 'This makes Denver a playoff team'
Plenty of talk amongst the media at the practice facility about the Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess trade, but not too many questions put to the players or coaches regarding the move. I guess someone asked Nate McMillan about the trade, but I didn't hear it.
Luckily for me, I was still meandering around the PF after the trade was approved by the NBA, so I had an opportunity to ask Kevin Pritchard about this thoughts on the move.
"I think there’s no doubt that this makes Denver a playoff team," said Pritchard. "No question. They’re going to be a handful in the West now."
Pritchard didn't say which team's playoff spot Denver would be taking, but it stands to reason that it would have to be one of the teams in the 6th, 7th or 8th spot; a spot that, in theory, the Trail Blazers will be fighting for.
So what does Portland do to counter Denver's blockbuster? According to KP, there's not much we can do but keep on keeping on.
"The thing that we lack is experience and the only thing that can make up for experience is playing," said Pritchard. "So our goal is to just get better. We’ve got some really good guys. We’ve got to get healthy, then we need to get out there on the floor and gain some experience."
Luckily for me, I was still meandering around the PF after the trade was approved by the NBA, so I had an opportunity to ask Kevin Pritchard about this thoughts on the move.
"I think there’s no doubt that this makes Denver a playoff team," said Pritchard. "No question. They’re going to be a handful in the West now."
Pritchard didn't say which team's playoff spot Denver would be taking, but it stands to reason that it would have to be one of the teams in the 6th, 7th or 8th spot; a spot that, in theory, the Trail Blazers will be fighting for.
So what does Portland do to counter Denver's blockbuster? According to KP, there's not much we can do but keep on keeping on.
"The thing that we lack is experience and the only thing that can make up for experience is playing," said Pritchard. "So our goal is to just get better. We’ve got some really good guys. We’ve got to get healthy, then we need to get out there on the floor and gain some experience."
Changes coming to the Northwest Division
We're about a week into the regular season and already a blockbuster trade has been made. According to various sources, the Denver Nuggets are trading Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. Nothing official yet, but if it goes down, there may be some changes in store for the Northwest Division.
It seems like a decent trade for both teams, but from where I'm sitting, Denver is getting the better of this one. The Nuggets need a real point guard and a defensive presence, which Chauncey Billups provides, and they also get some toughness inside with McDyess. Iverson is in the last year of his contract, and if the Nuggets thought they couldn't or shouldn't re-sign "The Answer" then this move is a no-brainer for Denver. They get an All-Star point guard and a serviceable power forward for a guy they were going to lose anyway.
For Detroit, they get some scoring punch while paving the way for the Rodney Stuckey point guard era in the Motor City. They've got Rasheed Wallace's contract coming off the books at the end of the season, so if they decide to let Iverson walk as well, they're looking at some serious cap flexibility with no other contracts (save Jason Maxiell) of note coming up for renewal.
But we're all about the Trail Blazers around here, so my interest in this trade goes as far as how it changes the playoff picture in the Western Conference. This move probably isn't good news for Portland fans, as it clearly makes the Nuggets a better team. It might be a rough go initially in the Mile High while the team gets familiarized with each other (four of Denver's regular rotation players from last year are now on different teams), but once they lock it in, this looks like a better team, at least on paper.
What about you? How does this change the race in the Northwest Division? Are the Nuggets a playoff contender again? Where they to begin with? Lets here it.
It seems like a decent trade for both teams, but from where I'm sitting, Denver is getting the better of this one. The Nuggets need a real point guard and a defensive presence, which Chauncey Billups provides, and they also get some toughness inside with McDyess. Iverson is in the last year of his contract, and if the Nuggets thought they couldn't or shouldn't re-sign "The Answer" then this move is a no-brainer for Denver. They get an All-Star point guard and a serviceable power forward for a guy they were going to lose anyway.
For Detroit, they get some scoring punch while paving the way for the Rodney Stuckey point guard era in the Motor City. They've got Rasheed Wallace's contract coming off the books at the end of the season, so if they decide to let Iverson walk as well, they're looking at some serious cap flexibility with no other contracts (save Jason Maxiell) of note coming up for renewal.
But we're all about the Trail Blazers around here, so my interest in this trade goes as far as how it changes the playoff picture in the Western Conference. This move probably isn't good news for Portland fans, as it clearly makes the Nuggets a better team. It might be a rough go initially in the Mile High while the team gets familiarized with each other (four of Denver's regular rotation players from last year are now on different teams), but once they lock it in, this looks like a better team, at least on paper.
What about you? How does this change the race in the Northwest Division? Are the Nuggets a playoff contender again? Where they to begin with? Lets here it.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Video: McMillan, Batum, Roy post-game
It's hard to think of a better way to start the home season than to beat a team that had previously owned you the last 12 games. Good to get that money off our backs while also keeping our own streak of consecutive home opener wins intact. Now we've just got to get it done on the road tomorrow against the Suns.
Here's what Nate McMillan, Nicolas Batum and Brandon Roy had to say after the game. Good times.
Here's what Nate McMillan, Nicolas Batum and Brandon Roy had to say after the game. Good times.
Friday, October 31, 2008
New at the Rose Garden tonight
If you haven't been around the Rose Garden in a while, you might be surprised to know that some changes have been made. If you're coming to the game tonight, you'll certainly know what I'm talking about.
First off, we've got a new "Rise With Us" banner (seen above) just installed on the grain silos off Interstate Blvd. Looks pretty sharp if you ask me.
And while we're on the topic of large images on the side of buildings, there will be a giant Blazers video projected onto the side of Rose Garden where the "Fans" jersey hung last year. Be sure to check that out as well.
Two new places to buy stuff as well. The new fan shop is now complete, providing even more apparel and accessories than ever before. The shop is also now open every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., so you can get a hold of new Trail Blazers gear even on non-game days.
The Widmer Brothers Fan Haus also opens as well. Designed to replicate the Gasthaus Pub, the Fan Haus will serve an array of Widmer Brothers beer, as well as wine and spirits. Directly adjacent, the Fan Haus II concession will serve pub fare to complement the award-winning craft beers.
And especially since it's only in town for the night, be sure to check out the NBA on ESPN RV near the Essential Forces fountain. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's the RV that they used to shoot those commercials with Jeff Van Gundy. That'll be in the Smithsonian someday.
Martell Webster signed to contract extension
News just out of One Center Court that Martell Webster has been signed to a contract extension. Terms, as always, were not disclosed.
No big surprise that Martell was signed given how high the team is on him, but good to hear nonetheless. Below is the press release.
No big surprise that Martell was signed given how high the team is on him, but good to hear nonetheless. Below is the press release.
The Portland Trail Blazers signed guard/forward Martell Webster to a multi-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Martell has worked extremely hard to become the talented player that he is,” said Pritchard. “He’s only 22, so we expect to see even more from him as he gains experience and continues to improve. Martell exhibits all the things we expect from a Trail Blazers player, both on and off the court.”
Webster averaged career highs of 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 28.4 minutes in 75 games (70 starts) last season. He was 123-for-317 (38.8%) from 3-point range in 2007-08, pacing the team in 3-pointers made.
“I’m so excited and honored,” said Webster. “Knowing that I’m going to be a part of the Trail Blazers family for many years to come is very important and special to me.”
Portland selected Webster in the first round (sixth pick overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft out of Seattle Prep. The fourth-year player holds career averages of 8.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists.
Webster ranks No. 7 on the Trail Blazers’ all-time list of 3-pointers made with 279.
Video: Nate McMillan after shoot around
Most of the guys beat feet out of the practice facility today, but Nate McMillan was kind enough answer a few questions. In the video below, McMillan talks about getting more aggressive, executing the offense in the face of physical play and dishing out some physicality of their own.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
A wish and a lift
It's been a rough couple of days for the Portland Trail Blazers. The combination of getting blown out on opening night and Greg Oden's foot injury seemed to take the wind out of this team's sails. But today at the practice facility a friend of the team helped shed a bit of perspective on the things that are most important in life.
Cody Wippel, a life-long Trail Blazers fan, has osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer in people ages 10 to 25. It's a life-threatening condition, one that has forced Cody to endure chemotherapy, surgeries and weeks in the hospital. It's a tough fight, but it's one Cody seems to be winning.
So today in Tualatin, Cody was invited along with a friend to watch the Trail Blazers practice, something that few people outside of the organization ever get to do. That in and of itself is pretty cool, but the big surprise came after practice when head coach Nate McMillan called Cody to center court and presented him with two season tickets which were donated by the team to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill Cody's wish. It was an act that was meant to lift Cody's spirits, but according to Nate McMillan, having Cody at practice lifted the team's spirits as well.
"I met Cody last year," said McMillan. "He's a huge Blazers fan and it's great to see him doing good.
"It was really a lift for the team. We were a little bit down. We need to get fired up and get ready for this game tomorrow and Cody brought a smile to the guy's faces today. It's nice to see him doing well."
Sometimes we put so much thought and energy into this team that we need to take a step back and realize that there are bigger things at stake than the game. Having Cody around today seemed to help the team realize that.
Cody Wippel, a life-long Trail Blazers fan, has osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer in people ages 10 to 25. It's a life-threatening condition, one that has forced Cody to endure chemotherapy, surgeries and weeks in the hospital. It's a tough fight, but it's one Cody seems to be winning.
So today in Tualatin, Cody was invited along with a friend to watch the Trail Blazers practice, something that few people outside of the organization ever get to do. That in and of itself is pretty cool, but the big surprise came after practice when head coach Nate McMillan called Cody to center court and presented him with two season tickets which were donated by the team to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill Cody's wish. It was an act that was meant to lift Cody's spirits, but according to Nate McMillan, having Cody at practice lifted the team's spirits as well.
"I met Cody last year," said McMillan. "He's a huge Blazers fan and it's great to see him doing good.
"It was really a lift for the team. We were a little bit down. We need to get fired up and get ready for this game tomorrow and Cody brought a smile to the guy's faces today. It's nice to see him doing well."
Sometimes we put so much thought and energy into this team that we need to take a step back and realize that there are bigger things at stake than the game. Having Cody around today seemed to help the team realize that.
Video: Greg Oden speaks
Here's some video from Greg Oden's comments after practice today. The big guy seemed to be in pretty good spirits, all things considered.
10.30.08 Edition of the Trailblazer.com Podcast
Hey folks, it's the first podcast of the regular season! Now it counts.
This week's edition of the trailblazer.com podcast featuring Gavin Dawson of 95.5 The Game, Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge and myself, Casey Holdahl, of trailblazers.com is now available for podcasting.
This week we discuss Greg Oden's mid-foot sprain, the debacle of a game that was the opener in Los Angeles, the backup point guard position all while making fairly obvious poker analogies. It's totally aces.
Download the podcast (43.9 MB).
This week's edition of the trailblazer.com podcast featuring Gavin Dawson of 95.5 The Game, Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge and myself, Casey Holdahl, of trailblazers.com is now available for podcasting.
This week we discuss Greg Oden's mid-foot sprain, the debacle of a game that was the opener in Los Angeles, the backup point guard position all while making fairly obvious poker analogies. It's totally aces.
Download the podcast (43.9 MB).
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Postgame quotes from Staples
Sorry for the tardiness of these quotes from last night's game. A late arrival home and a busy day will do that.
Trail Blazers’ coach Nate McMillan on his team’s loss:
“We were a little nervous. I’ll take some of the blame for this. A lot of it was trying to keep guys healthy, be careful and cautious. The play went up tonight and we weren’t ready for that. Out execution wasn’t quite there.”
Nate McMillan on the Lakers’ aggressive performance:
“The Lakers came out and they were on a mission. They were the aggressors. We needed to be the aggressors. They jumped on us and kept the pressure on. We couldn’t run our offense and get in there defensively, we couldn’t run our schemes. It was just total domination.”
Nate McMillan on Rudy Fernandez’s performance:
“Rudy was the one player that was pretty aggressive out there tonight. He made some shots and went to the basket hard. He did some nice things and he seemed pretty comfortable.”
Nate McMillan on what to take away from Tuesday’s game:
“We have to work. Tonight we saw what it was like to play in the West against a team like the Lakers. We have to get back to practice, look at film tomorrow and keep in mind the intensity is only going to get higher.”
Channing Frye on the Trail Blazers’ effort:
“They did what they needed to do. They disrupted our whole offense and our whole system. They completely threw us off and they definitely proved a point tonight. We have a lot of work to do but we have to remember this game. They were on a roll.”
Brandon Roy on his performance:
“I felt like I was ready for the game, but once the game started I was too excited and everything fell off. I did a terrible job tonight especially for opening night when my teammates expect a lot out of me.”
Roy on Greg Oden’s status:
“I don’t know what the situation is; I just can’t wait until Friday. It doesn’t matter whose playing, we have to do a good job to bounce back because this is disappointing. I talked to him (Oden) and he said his foot was bothering him a little bit.”
LaMarcus Aldridge on the Trail Blazers’ performance:
“I think we now know what we have to improve on such as executing and communicating on the court. Tomorrow we need to have a good practice.”
Aldridge on Greg Oden’s performance:
“Unsure … scared … I don’t think was really scared but everyone was passive. I can say for myself I think my whole mentality was to play off of Greg which is a different mentality I possessed from last year, so I felt like I was playing passive as well.
Trail Blazers’ coach Nate McMillan on his team’s loss:
“We were a little nervous. I’ll take some of the blame for this. A lot of it was trying to keep guys healthy, be careful and cautious. The play went up tonight and we weren’t ready for that. Out execution wasn’t quite there.”
Nate McMillan on the Lakers’ aggressive performance:
“The Lakers came out and they were on a mission. They were the aggressors. We needed to be the aggressors. They jumped on us and kept the pressure on. We couldn’t run our offense and get in there defensively, we couldn’t run our schemes. It was just total domination.”
Nate McMillan on Rudy Fernandez’s performance:
“Rudy was the one player that was pretty aggressive out there tonight. He made some shots and went to the basket hard. He did some nice things and he seemed pretty comfortable.”
Nate McMillan on what to take away from Tuesday’s game:
“We have to work. Tonight we saw what it was like to play in the West against a team like the Lakers. We have to get back to practice, look at film tomorrow and keep in mind the intensity is only going to get higher.”
Channing Frye on the Trail Blazers’ effort:
“They did what they needed to do. They disrupted our whole offense and our whole system. They completely threw us off and they definitely proved a point tonight. We have a lot of work to do but we have to remember this game. They were on a roll.”
Brandon Roy on his performance:
“I felt like I was ready for the game, but once the game started I was too excited and everything fell off. I did a terrible job tonight especially for opening night when my teammates expect a lot out of me.”
Roy on Greg Oden’s status:
“I don’t know what the situation is; I just can’t wait until Friday. It doesn’t matter whose playing, we have to do a good job to bounce back because this is disappointing. I talked to him (Oden) and he said his foot was bothering him a little bit.”
LaMarcus Aldridge on the Trail Blazers’ performance:
“I think we now know what we have to improve on such as executing and communicating on the court. Tomorrow we need to have a good practice.”
Aldridge on Greg Oden’s performance:
“Unsure … scared … I don’t think was really scared but everyone was passive. I can say for myself I think my whole mentality was to play off of Greg which is a different mentality I possessed from last year, so I felt like I was playing passive as well.
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