These are the days of  our lives.  Blazers.  Celtics.  Blazers only five wins outside of Portland this season and that stat did not get any favors tonight after getting blown out in Boston 104-86.

The Blazers once again found themselves playing a man down after guard Elliot Williams was getting in some extra practice with Chris Johnson last night.  He went up for the dunk, Johnson went up for the block, and Williams shoulder went backward, which as you know the shoulder does not do.  Williams was sporting a sling tonight at the game and will be out the rest of the road trip and likely longer.  He will return to Portland to get an MRI on the shoulder that took three people to pop back into place.  Nolan Smith will likely pick up the Williams’ minutes on this road trip depending on how Coach McMillan uses Jamal Crawford.

Uh-oh, three turnovers in the first two minutes of the game.  It’s a darn good thing the game is not won or lost in the first couple minutes but the Blazers were able to work the ball inside and get LaMarcus Aldridge going early.  It’s so important for him to get involved in the offense early on to establish a rhythm.  Plus, you go inside to Aldridge and that will free up more open looks and dribble penetrations for the guards.  None of those came easy for the Blazers ending the first quarter down 27-17.
» Continue reading “Blazers: Like Sands Through The Hourglass”

Will it be Raymond Felton or Jamal Crawford?  Oh.   Were you thinking that I was talking about which guard would show up in tonight’s game against the New Orleans Hornets?  I wasn’t actually.  I was talking, like much of everyone in the league, about a potential trade involving one or both of those guys.  I feel bad about the talk surrounding the two.  Sure both have had their struggles but the Portland crowd has embraced both with open arms and, for their sake, let’s hope the coaches feel that same affection.  Tonight they showed why the crowd sticks with them after a 86-74 win against New Orleans. 

Jamal Crawford resumed his seat on the bench for the start of the game while Felton got the start.  It was a good move.  One that many have questioned but Coach McMillan said earlier today that he had always intended to move Felton back into the starting line-up.  That his benching was more of an ancient Mayan mental technique, okay, so I may have added that part but he wanted to take the pressure off Felton’s shoulders.  He felt that Felton’s tentative play was due in part to him shouldering too much responsibility.  Nate may have been right about Felton who started the game with 5 points and 4 assists in the first quarter and for the first time in recent memory the Blazers were up after one 27-17 with Nicolas Batum leading the way for all Blazer scorers with 9 points.
» Continue reading “Blazers: This Is OUR House”

Sign of the night: “Suns? More like daughters.” (keepin’ it classy, Portland)

On the backs of the Rose Garden crowd, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby, and Nicolas Batum, the Blazers had a tremendous 109-71 win over the Phoenix Suns Friday night at the Rose Garden. 

It was a season high game for the Blazers in rebounds (58) and assists (28).  Looking to bounce back from an embarrassing 102-71 loss in Phoenix the Blazers seemed please to be playing this match-up on their home floor.  At one point in the last few weeks Coach Nate McMillan questioned the guys’ pride after enduring some losses to sub .500 teams.  Looks like that’s what the Blazers needed.  Friday’s win versus the Suns was the biggest win (38) and fewest points allowed to Phoenix (71) in the 42-year history of the series!
» Continue reading “Blazers: Setting Suns and Setting Records”