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”

The Oregonian

It may not have been pretty nor did it have the sizzle of “Linsanity” but the Blazers came away with a 94-86 road win over a 4-win New Orleans Hornets’ squad. The Blazers were led by Jamal Crawford’s 31 points and 8 assists.  The Hornets also opted tonight to sport their Mardi Gras jerseys which forced the Blazers to wear their white, home uniforms….maybe that’s what got the win?

Newly crowned All-Star, LaMarcus Aldridge, finished the game with 14 points and faced double teams for most of the game.  Aldridge seemed to be designated screener tonight as the Blazers were forced to slow the pace of the game and run a lot of half-court offense. Per usual the Blazers ran the high pick-and-roll with Aldridge and the guards.  It was well defended for a good portion of the game with the obvious strategy to make the guards win the game for the Blazers tonight.  And that they did.  Crawford had a tremendous game and Raymond Felton quietly had 18 points and 6 assists.
» Continue reading “Blazers: A Road Win. #ThinnestSportsBooks”