Miller tallied 13 points in the half, emphatically helped the refs call an offensive foul on Tyreke Evans, and grabbed a few rebounds, but it was Brandon Roy who ran the Blazers show. Coming off a 41-point effort against the Golden State Warriors, The Natural was on fire once again, picking his spots to torch the Kings early. He scored in every which way, driving to the hoop, hitting mid-range jumpers as Kings’ defenders foolishly went underneath picks, and even canned a few uncovered three-pointers. In the first half, he had 20 points on just nine shots, making four of Portland’s 15 free-throws in the opening two frames.

Thanks to his and Miller’s production, as well as that of Jerryd Bayless, who, on top of being aggressive offensively and on the boards, hit three free-throws after being the recipient of a boneheaded foul by Jason Thompson to end the half, Portland held a 15-point lead. But, considering the Blazers have had a difficult time holding big leads, this margin was far from safe.

After Roy scored three points in the fourth quarter against Golden State and watched his teammates orchestrate a comeback, he took the third quarter off, scoring just two points, and watched the lead balloon. LaMarcus Aldridge, whose first field goal against the Warriors came in the fourth quarter, had just a field goal to his name in the first half. Then he awoke, realizing the Blazers would need some added production if they were going to hammer a nail into the Kings coffin. He missed to begin the period but hit four of Portland’s next five shots, alternating roles with Roy, who usually makes his mark late.

Roy had that another field goal, but he was done for the rest of the quarter, with Aldridge hitting three more field goals, Nicolas Batum gliding in “smooth as silk” (according to Mike Barrett, Rice’s partner in the booth) for layups, Rudy Fernandez canning a step-back three, and Juwan “Old Man River” Howard nailing his mid-range two.

The Kings hung around in the fourth. How? They were down by as much as twenty-one in the period! Well, against Portland, that’s hanging around. Roy entered with just under nine minutes remaining, the Blazers ahead by nineteen, and went to work trying to get back to the bench as soon as possible. He scored six straight, but, as Beno Udrih answered with a layup, it was only a sixteen-point game with three and a half minutes left. Plenty of time for the Kings, if they had anything left, if they were motivated, and if the Blazers continued to play a laid back style.

But a driving layup, floated over Jason Thompson’s outstretched arm by Miller emptied the benches. Roy, who had taken a seat on the bench just before Miller’s layup, slapped hands with him and Aldridge as Bayless and Dante Cunningham took their places. Jeff Pendergraph entered moments later, as did Travis Diener, making his Blazers debut. Diener had an opportunity to take his first shot, but being Steve Blake’s clone, he worked the pick-and-roll to perfection, finding Cunningham, who streaked to the hoop for a dunk.

Diener’s assist gave Portland a resounding 110-94 victory over a team they had a much more difficult time defeating on Tuesday. With the win, which was made possible by the early production by Roy, the leadership of Miller, the late awakening of Aldridge, and contributions from the talented help, the Blazers secured their 40th victory and third straight overall, making their goal of moving up the playoff ladder a much easier one to reach.

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Game Notes:

Roy finished with 28 points on 10-13 shooting. He now has scored 69 points on 24-36 shooting the past two days. Previously, his scoring average coming off a 40-point game was 16.8. That number rose with this very efficient performance.

Aldridge shrugged off his slow start to score 18 points and grab six rebounds.

Miller added 15 points. Batum scored 11. Bayless and Fernandez chipped in ten apiece.

Portland is now 13-3 in the second of a back-to-back, including 11-2 on the road. They have also scored 100-plus points in twelve straight road games, setting a record for the season.

Portland shot 51 percent, made 5-9 three-pointers, and connected on 29 of their 32 free-throws.

Francisco Garcia led the Kings with 17 points off the bench. Thompson added 15 points off the bench as well for Sacramento, a team that recieved only 10 points from Evans.

Carl Landry scored a team-high 18 points to compliment his six rebounds.

Boxscore of Blazers 110-94 win over Kings:

Diener's in the statistical column!

LaMarcus Aldridge was missing in action, having missed all seven of his field goal attempts. Some minor contributions had been made, but overall Roy was it. Then, with my hands poised over the keys ready to write a article blasting Portland, the rest of the team came alive.

Rudy Fernandez hit a three-pointer from Roy to end the third period, cutting the 16-point deficit to 13. Still, Portland would have a uphill climb, especially if Golden State continued to play their pace. But the Blazers made a plenty of adjustments to begin the fourth. Aldridge was integrated into the offense, and he contributed, solidifying himself in the paint before making a layup for his first field goal. He hit a jump-hook moments later, slimming the margin to single digits.

Aldridge had found his groove, but what made the difference early in the fourth for the Blazers was their interior defense. In the first three quarters they allowed Golden State to spread the floor, drive in the paint, and get the spacing they needed to hit a variety of jumpers. But in the fourth Portland made an effort to tighten their defense inside, forcing the Warriors to shoot hurried and uncomfortable outside shots, and their new-found defensive philosophy paid immense dividends.

As a result of this new defensive strategy, Golden State went ice cold offensively. And when they can’t score, they have no chance. That was the case tonight. While the Blazers defense helped, the Warriors’ struggled as Roy’s supporting cast continued to shine.

A free-throw by Roy with six minutes and 11 seconds left in the fourth that pulled Portland within eight, 102-94. That was his 41st and final point. No way the Blazers could come back, right? Wrong. After two made free-throws by Andre Miller and another empty possession by the Warriors, Fernandez picked up where he left off in the the third, draining a three-pointer from Miller on the right wing to give Portland 16 of the game’s last 22 points. Off a missed three-pointer by rookie Stephen Curry, Fernandez did it again, receiving a pass from a penetrating Miller to hit his third three-pointer. All the sudden, Portland was tied.

Then they weren’t. Aldridge split a pair of free-throws after an aggressive move to give the Blazers their first lead since it was 35-34 early in the second quarter. Golden State hadn’t scored for three minutes, and would continue to go scoreless for the next two and a half. In those two and a half minutes, Miller drove to the hoop, hit two free-throws, and Aldridge took a pass from the point guard, muscled in for a layup, took the bump from Corey Maggette, and hit a free-throw, extending the Blazers lead to six with a minute and 40 seconds remaining.

Plenty of time was left for the Warriors to win, however. Curry hit a three-pointer for their first points in five minutes. It was only a one-possession game, but though it was tight on the scoreboard, Golden State was now no match for Portland, a team battling for playoff position.

Portland had two empty trips and D-League call-up Reggie Williams missed a potential game-tying three-pointer for Golden State. Then, the inexperienced youth caught up to the Warriors, making a Blazers victory much easier to obtain. Marcus Camby grabbed a miss by Aldridge, resetting the shot-clock to 24. Twenty-eight seconds remained and the Warriors elected to play good defense and hope for a miss so they could have a chance to tie. The clock ticked with the ball in Miller’s hands at the top of the key. He dribbled aimlessly, draining the seconds away as former D-Leaguer C.J. Watson guarded him. He bodied into the Warriors guard a few times, trying to draw contact, but no whistle was blown. Then Watson forced the referees hand, going into Miller with five seconds remaining on the shot-clock to pick up a bone-headed foul. Miller calmly hit both free-throws, and a win somehow was Portland’s.

Even with Fernandez’s three-pointer to end the third quarter, I thought the Blazers had little to no chance of coming back against the Warriors. Then I remembered how good Roy’s teammates are when they find their swagger. Then I remembered that Golden State entered having blown 12 leads of 10-plus points this season, second-most in the NBA. Three points for Roy in the fourth? Gut-wrenching defeat, right? No. His cast stepped up, squandering the Warriors hopes by escaping with a thrilling comeback win I foolishly didn’t envision.

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Game Notes:

Portland outscored Golden State 27-9 in the final quarter.

Roy’s 41 points came on 14-22 shooting from the field and 13-17 shooting from the free-throw line.

Miller had a rough shooting night, but scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished seven assists, and collected four steals.

Aldridge scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth and snatched eight rebounds, including five offensive.

Fernandez hit four threes for his 12 points, two coming in the fourth to put Portland on the comeback trail.

Bayless added 12 points off the bench as well.

Marcus Camby grabbed 17 rebounds, including nine offensive. His defense in the fourth was instrumental to their comeback.

Maggette led the Warriors with 24 points.

Ellis scored 17 points, Curry scored 15 points, former-Blazer Anthony Tolliver added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Watson and Williams combined to score 26 points off the bench.

This was the first game Portland has won in the Warriors Oracle Arena since November 3rd of 2004.

With the win they move to a season-high 11 games over .500.

Boxscore of Blazers 110-105 win over Warriors:

Portland was reeling, but this picked them up. If only for a short while. Miller proceeded to extend the margin to seven with a up-and-under move around four Kings, and then lengthened it even more, picking Beno Udrih’s pocket and streaking downcourt for a layup, to the chagrin of Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph, who were wanting to see another dunk out of the 33-year old. As announcer Mike Rice said, “he won’t dunk until 2014,” acknowledging his current three-year gap between slams.

The Blazers were having fun, and continued to lengthen the lead on two baskets by Roy and a three-pointer by Martell Webster. But the lead was far from comfortable, as the next few minutes showed.

The Blazers led by eleven, 73-62, at the end of the third, but watched that lead nearly evaporate. Sacramento scored the first ten points of the period, taking advantage of Portland’s porous play that resembled their first quarter performance. Evans scored the final two points of the spurt, a layup that was far too easy. The Kings, who had lived in the paint in the opening frame, had also returned to their first quarter form, living effortlessly and successfully inside.

The Kings tied the game on a layup by Jason Thompson with just over eight minutes remaining. At this point, Portland hadn’t had a field goal in the quarter yet, with only a free-throw by Juwan Howard on the board. They would finally make their first basket at the 6:22 mark on a baseline jumper by Camby, ending a drought of seven straight misses.

Camby would have their second field goal as well, a tip-in coming two minutes later. They clung to a two-point lead against a 21-42 team that entered 6-27 on the road this season. Based on record and talent, Portland should have been on their way to an easy win. But these Trail Blazers don’t work that way. As their past play against the bottom-dwellers suggest, they like the close ones.

As they have multiple times, Portland managed to come out on top with a stellar completion to the fourth. Up by five on a tip-in by Batum, Camby tipped the ball away from Kings center Spencer Hawes on the left-wing and lunged for the loose ball. He corralled it with incredible hustle as Hawes landed on him. He wisely called a timeout grasping possession with a little over three minutes left.

The Kings were only down five at the point, with plenty of time to come back and snag a victory, but this deflection and dive by Camby turned momentum into the Blazers favor for good. He had played good defense on Sacramento’s Mr. Fourth Quarter Carl Landry throughout the period, while Batum stifled Evans, and both continued to shut down their respective assignments to hold the Kings scoreless when it mattered most. Roy hit a jumper, finishing his otherwise rough night on a good note, then hit a free-throw before Camby blocked two shots, a Evans drive and a Francisco Garcia jumper from behind.

Camby’s fourth and fifth blocks sealed the win. The Kings were held to 81 points, 20 below their season-average. Because of Batum, Evans was a non-factor, and because of Camby, an impact wasn’t made by Landry. Portland’s win wasn’t pretty. Few against supposedly disadvantaged opponents haven’t been. But they came up big when it mattered most, and that’s all that matters as they avenged a tough loss to the Denver Nuggets in maintaining their playoff position.

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Game Notes:

Portland had incredible balanced scoring. Roy had 19 points on 8-16 shooting. Why did I describe his night as rough? Well, he missed four free-throws and many field goal attempts he usually makes.

Aldridge had 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Batum had 14 points on 6-7 shooting.

Along with his five blocks, Camby added eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Miller scored 14 points and dished five assists.

Webster had 11 points off the bench, doing most of his damage in the second quarter. It’s good to see him hold onto his confidence despite a demotion to the bench.

Howard chipped in six points and eight rebounds.

Evans led the Kings with 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists. He was held in check for the most part, especially by Batum.

Despite a lack of production in the fourth, Landry scored 17 points on 7-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds.

Sacramento shot just 40 percent from the field and missed ten three pointers and six free-throws. They will look to get revenge in Friday night’s rematch.

Portland looked outmatched in the opening two periods. They couldn’t guard the paint nor the outside, and couldn’t hit the side of a barn offensively. Translation: Denver shot 25-37, making seven three-pointers and racking up 18 assists, while Portland shot 40 percent with Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Miller combining to shoot 7-22. The Nuggets were ahead by 17 at the break, and it appeared the bleeding would continue in the second half unless Portland awoke from their slumber.

The Blazers had fallen behind by 21 points in that first half, but were on the comeback trail in the third, playing with aggressiveness that would have been nice to see from the beginning. The Nuggets came out flat and Portland took advantage with a heavy dose of Miller. A guard who likes to run an uptempo style, he pushed the ball up and it paid dividends. He drove to the hoop off a steal, was fouled by Carmelo Anthony, and made two free-throws, and then drove once more, this time connecting for a layup to bring Portland within twelve, 71-59, with eight minutes left in the third.

It was eleven after Miller’s dunk, eleven again a minute later after a free-throw by Miller, single digits on a three-pointer by Webster, and eight on a free-throw a minute later by Webster. Though momentum appeared to be in their favor, only four points had been shaved off Denver’s lead in a five-minute span, meaning the Blazers weren’t helping themselves on the defensive end.

Bayless, who scored the final three points of the third, scored the first eight points of the fourth. He hit a three, drove to the hoop a few times, and trimmed the margin to seven on a drive and a free-throw with ten minutes remaining. A few stops and Portland would truly be back in contention. But they couldn’t get them. Denver scored the next nine points, swelling the advantage back to fifteen.

The Blazers proceeded to do what they couldn’t afford. Rudy Fernandez hit his third three-pointer and Aldridge drained a jumper to climb within ten again, but the Nuggets had an answer. After Aldridge’s two, Anthony Carter hit one. After another make by Aldridge, J.R. Smith hit a three. After a three-pointer by Bayless, Anthony canned a two.

Still, despite trading baskets, Portland managed to climb within seven once more on a three-pointer by Fernandez with four minutes remaining. But they couldn’t get the defensive stands necessary to come all the way back. Denver answered with a three-pointer by Smith, driving the nail into the Blazers coffin.

What turned out to be a fourteen-point defeat was to be expected in some respects. The Nuggets are just the better team. They are 21 games over .500 while Portland is nine, and their play exemplified this gap in success. But, as in nearly every Blazers loss, there is some good that can be taken away. This tim it was Miller’s dunk and Bayless’s attempt to will Portland to victory. Hopefully against their next opponent, the Sacramento Kings, there will be more positives.

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Game Notes:

Miller finished with 19 points. He has now played in 594 straight games.

Bayless provided a much-needed spark off the bench, scoring a team-high 24 points. He made 6-10 field goals, including all three three-pointers attempted, and connected on nine of 11 free-throws. He also dished five assists.

Fernandez added 14 points off the bench, hitting four three-pointers.

Without the production of these three, the game would have been a humiliating blowout.

Roy couldn’t find a rhythm and finished with 12 points on just 3-14 shooting.

Aldridge also had a quiet night, scoring 16 points on 6-14 shooting. He did grab seven rebounds (including five offensive), dish three assists, and block two shots, however.

Juwan Howard filled the stat-sheet, too. He scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds, dish a season-high four assists, and collect two steals.

Anthony led the way for the Nuggets, scoring 30 points rather effortlessly.

Smith added 22 points and Billups chipped in 21 for a Denver team that shot 58 percent compared to Portland’s 42 percent. the Nuggets also had 23 fastbreak points, 31 assists, and outscored the Blazers 42-26 in the paint.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Przybilla, 30, had been one of the Blazers most valuable players prior to sustaining the gruesome injury against the Mavericks on December 22nd. A solid defender and rebounder, the 10-year veteran was averaging four points, eight rebounds, and nearly two blocks per game this season. His statistics don’t begin to describe the impact he made. He was the best backup center in the NBA.

According to Quick, “He flew to Portland on Saturday and had a magnetic resonance imaging test Sunday morning at the office of team doctor Don Roberts. The MRI showed a tear of the patella tendon that was repaired. He was 10 weeks post-operation and had just started to walk without a brace.” What a shame.

When he first injured the knee, he vowed he would return next season. He was confident that he could get back to being a defensive force. Knowing the kind of competitor he was on the court he will retain his confidence.

He is under contract through next year. Even if he doesn’t return to full health by the end of the 2010-11 season, I’m sure the Blazers would be willing to sign him to another deal and give him the time he needs to recuperate and return to his old self.

This is a big and saddening setback for Tha Thrilla, and yet another injury suffered by Portland this season. Let’s hope the injury bug is behind them now. I can’t take anymore news of this nature.

(The news was first reported by TrailBlazers.com’s Casey Holdahl)

Diener has played in six games this season, totaling 25 minutes. He had surgery on his left big toe in November and proclaimed himself “100 percent” healthy in January, but he hasn’t played since that proclamation. So, he sat on the bench as the fourth point guard behind T.J. Ford, Earl Watson, and rookie A.J. Price.

Diener, a 28-year old 6′1″ guard who played four years at Marquette University, hasn’t had much of an NBA career, but caught the Blazers attention because of his Steve Blake-esque qualities. He’s a poor man’s Blake, nearly identical except for the NBA success. He is pass-first, can shoot threes, is a heads-up all-around player, and doesn’t commit turnovers. He’s Blake Lite.

He was brought in to be what Juwan Howard was at the beginning of the season, an insurance policy, someone who can come in and produce if an injury occurs. And, given how Portland’s season has gone in that department, one of Andre Miller, Jerryd Bayless, Patty Mills, or Rudy Fernandez, is bound to go down. The fact that Bayless has been hampered by an ankle injury the past few weeks, and the fact that he re-aggravated it against the Pacers is why Portland cautiously signed a backup to the backup’s backup.

I hope Diener doesn’t play a ton of minutes. Sure I want to see what he can do, but extended playing time would mean someone integral to their success has caught the injury bug. Still, if, for example, Bayless does indeed have to miss some time in the future, Portland could definitely use Diener’s intelligence as the prototypical point guard.

Though he may be riding the pine with the Blazers as he did with Indiana, Diener was ecstatic about the move. In an article by The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman, Diener was tickled to death about going from the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference to a playoff contender.

“To go from a team that was struggling to a team that is playing well and in the thick of a playoff race is new and exciting for me. I’m happy to be here and help out and try to win some games and make a playoff run.”

What is he going to try to bring to the team? The same things Blake did:

“Play unselfish basketball.“Push the ball, push the tempo, get everybody else involved and just play the game the right way, the way I was taught. Always make the extra pass, play extremely hard and contribute in any way possible. Just be a good teammate.”

This signing affects Bayless, who underwent an interview with The Columbian’s Brian T. Smith discussing this season, his fluctuating minutes, and his future aspirations:

“I’m trying to learn, and I feel like I’m getting better with it everyday. I feel like I’m seeing the court. I’m seeing things at a different pace now, and I’m trying to continue to learn as much as possible. ”

I hold myself to the highest tier. I don’t feel like I’m going to be happy or complete until I’m an All-Star. So, that’s what I’m trying to do; that’s my goal. Obviously, I want to win. That’s my No. 1 priority. But on a personal standpoint, if you want to look at that, I’m not happy or I’m not complete until I get to that level of being an All-Star and one of the top guards in the NBA.”

The move also affects Mills. Mookie of ASternWarning.com wrote an article arguing that its disrespecting the rookie guard, voicing an opinion I agree with:

“I don’t expect Mills to be a rotation player this season, with the logjam that already exists on the Blazers roster. I do, however, expect him to get a run when the opportunity allows it. We have seen numerous examples where the Blazers were up by large margins, or depleted by injuries and yet McMillan would hold the young Aussie point guard at the end of the bench. Sitting.

“These were the perfect opportunities to let Mills show what type of a lightning rod he can be. But not only that, they were the situations where he could have learned the offense through practical experience, allowing him to ready himself come playoff time should the injury-bug continue to bite this franchise.

Instead, the Blazers braintrust set their energies to finding another point guard to round out their roster. Not only is Diener an inexperienced commodity by NBA point guard standards, but he has never shown himself to be all that promising. It’s not like bringing him in is a likely long-term move to secure a player with outstanding potential, nor is it a situation of bringing in a heady veteran a decade of experience.”

Mills’ experience in Blazers colours this far have consisted of garbage-garbage-garbage time. He normally is thrown into the fray when the game is not only decided, but where it has been decided for some considerable time. You know what that type of garbage time is like — it’s like a D-League match, but without the chance to actually affect the game result. Players are fast-breaking, they’re of sub-standard quality. Consequently, Mills does not get a chance to play alongside the Blazers stars and gain any type of chemistry with them in preparation for when he is actually required to contribute to the team.”

Because of the decision to sign Diener, Mills’ growth is stunted and his confidence has to be shot. He was insurance enough for Bayless and Miller. Roy and Fernandez can also play the point. Why another guard? It doesn’t make any sense. This is why I hope, though his happiness speaks volumes, that Diener remains the 15th man, a bench warmer, a insurance policy.

Rarely-used rookie point guard Patrick Mills was able to play the final five and a half minutes of the fourth quarter because of the stellar all-around play that gave Portland a very comfortable lead even they couldn’t find a way to lose.

The Blazers fell behind by eight in the first quarter, but quickly turned that deficit into a lead they would not relinquish. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way in the first quarter hitting his first four field goals: all jumpers, and all smooth. His fourth anchored the spurt that changed the complexion of the game, propelling a 15-7 quarter-ending run to nab a six-point lead entering the second period.

Pacers All-Star forward Danny Granger scored 12 points of their 26 first-quarter points in the opening frame. This ratio, unfortunately for Indiana, would continue for the rest of the game. Portland went away from LaMarcus Aldridge, who could have dominated Pacers center Roy Hibbert if given the touches, but their struggles to score didn’t translate into a loss in momentum, primarily because any Pacer not named Granger was having a tough time scoring.

At the half, Granger, who is extremely underrated as a former-second round pick, had 21 points, a point off his season-average. At the half, his team had only 41 points.

On the Blazers side, point guard, shooting guard, and aggressor extraordinaire Jerryd Bayless showed off his jumper, hitting four shots for eight points off the bench. Even though Aldridge led the team in points in the first half, it was the bench that carried them. Rudy Fernandez, a important piece of that second unit, was particularly active. He hit a pair of three pointers, dished three assists, and in his 16 minutes, the Blazers were plus-21.

Point guard Andre Miller–who, as Blazers announcer Mike Barrett pointed out is “shooting a whopping 22 percent from three”–summed up the half and the game as a whole with an uncovered three-pointer from the left wing.

The Blazers picked up where they left off, extending the lead in the third on the backs of Aldridge, Brandon Roy, and Nicolas Batum. Aldridge continued to be a broken record, hitting the jumper that has been a given of late, leading to one of many priceless quotes by the duo of Barrett and Rice: As Aldridge’s jumper swished through, Rice said, “When it aint broke, go to it.” Portland didn’t necessarily have to at this stage, since the entire team was clicking, but it was an excellent boost. After missing all three first-half shots and committing a turnover, Batum took out his anger on the rim, throwing down a one-handed flush on a baseline handoff from Aldridge. Roy proceeded to get into the act after a similarly ineffective first half: ahead by twelve midway through the third, he spun in the lane, leaped, and made a move that forced a “How did he do that?” from Rice, slicing his way in-between two Pacers defenders for a breathtaking up-and-under layup.

Aldridge followed a few plays later with a jumper and then Batum canned a three-pointer from Miller to increase the margin to nineteen. Fernandez made it a 20-point lead, capping an impressive quarter in style by hitting a three-pointer over Pacers power forward Troy Murphy.

The Blazers have squandered leads in the past, but history would not repeat itself. Tonight, Portland could continue to play freely because Indiana was showing no signs of life. Granger piled up the points, but when he had 30, the team only had 66. Sixty-six points with only five minutes remaining and only 25 points in the second half. And the Blazers did their best to take advantage, turning a close contest early into a laugher.

Just before Mills entered with 5:37 remaining, Roy challenged 7′2″ Roy Hibbert at the rim, stuffing his dunk attempt. With a win well in hand up by 25, Roy had to remain because his rejection resulted in jump-ball. Roy couldn’t jump high enough against Hibbert to win the tip, but before he exited a minute later, he made his final mark, slipping a pass to a cutting Dante Cunningham for a dunk.

What transpired is what makes blowout wins great. Fernandez hit a three-pointer, his fifth and final from deep. The very intense Jeff Pendergraph made the most of his garbage time minutes, going chest to chest to former Blazer Josh “McBob” McRoberts, which then in turn left to the separation of the two, which then resulted in the “least dangerous situation ever,” according to Sophia Brugato of Busta Bucket, a sequence that featured a shove of Fernandez by McBob and a “What are you doing?” reaction by Fernandez. McBob got revenge, authoritatively dunking off a feed from point guard A.J. Price, fueling oohs and aahs from the Rose Garden crowd.

And that was that. The end of an exciting evening that was highlighted by Aldridge’s automatic, jumper, sparks by Fernandez, Bayless, and Batum, Roy’s Royesque plays, and a Mills entrance. A bounty of things Portland will take on a gamely basis.
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Game notes:

Granger finished with 30 points on 12-22 shooting. No other Pacer scored more than nine points.

Roy scored 22 points (including 10-11 free-throws), grabbed five rebounds, and dished three assists.

Aldridge added 19 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. After a January in which he played 512 minutes, third most in the NBA, the rest he received in this game was much-needed.

Miller contributed 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Fernandez sparked Portland with 16 points, 15 of which coming from three-point land, and dished five assists.

Cunningham didn’t shoot well, making just one of seven attempts, but he grabbed eight rebounds (including four offensive) and collected four steals.

Bayless finished with 10 points, six rebounds, and two assists, but he re-aggravated his left ankle late.

For his sake, it is a good thing Portland has three days off before they play Denver on Sunday.

This basket with just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter gave the Blazers a 87-74 lead. After their anemic play in the first half, who would have thought they would be leading, let alone by this much?

Portland scored 41 points in the first half. They shot 38 percent from the floor, were out-rebounded by 12, and allowed Memphis to score 31 points in the paint and rack up 15 fastbreak points. Eight of the last 10 field goals made by the Grizzlies were either dunks or layups. The Blazers were awful on both ends. But then they surprisingly awoke with their best quarter of the season.

Portland scored 41 points in the third quarter alone. Forty-one points! They made more field goals in the period than they made in the first half. Nearly everything went in. Nicolas Batum, who had 22 points in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves, was at the heart of their success again, scoring 13 points in the frame.

The Blazers had 14 points in the period’s first three minutes. A three-pointer by Batum midway through the 14-5 run pulled Portland within nine, but as the team kept clicking, his second three-pointer of the quarter gave them a 63-62 lead, their first since it was 3-2.

A slick three-point play by center Marc Gasol quickly gave the Grizzlies their lead back, but it was short-lived, as the Blazers remained on fire. Miller threw a long pass downcourt to a streaking Batum, threading the needle from 30-feet, and The Flying Frenchman flew in for a layup, cutting Memphis’s lead to two. He hit a jumper moments later, bringing the team within one, and then watched Miller find Roy for a three-pointer that gave Portland a two-point lead, their largest of the game.

Roy, who tied Batum with 13 points in the period, proceeded to double-clutch on the left wing and can an off-balance jumper at the shot-clock buzzer. He and Batum hit two free-throws apiece to cap the remarkable third. Portland outscored Memphis by 20 in the quarter, had only one turnover, and made 16 of 24 field goal attempts.

Where was this team in the first two periods? Nowhere to be seen. They looked dead in the water in the first half, refusing to process how important this game was to their playoff hopes. The third quarter showed how Jekyll and Hyde the Blazers can be. The fourth did as well.

Taking a eight-point advantage into the final period, the Blazers offense turned tentative, conservative, and dysfunctional. They started off the quarter well, highlighted by Fernandez’s launch that drew iron and Bayless’s free-throw, but Portland had only four points over the next seven minutes. Over those seven minutes, Memphis scored 15 points, the final two by Zach Randolph to trim the deficit to two, 91-89, with three-and-a-half minutes remaining.

The Grizzlies presumably thought they were in complete control to begin the third quarter. It turned out they were not. They presumably thought they had regained momentum at this juncture in the fourth. But they had not.

After a few failed attempts to draw a foul, including a seldom seen I-think-I’ll-stay-back-and-complain-instead-of-playing-defense tantrum, Roy broke through, driving in for a layup, prompting a challenge from the very enjoyable Blazers announcer Mike Rice: “He’s not getting calls, so he better make baskets.”

He wouldn’t make another basket, but he didn’t need to. Instead, he had a hand in the play of the game, a very lucky play at that. Driving somewhat out of control in the lane, Roy lost the ball temporarily, regained control by traveling, and then scooped a pass to Batum, who had alertly cut baseline. Batum slashed in for a layup, took a hit, and made a free-throw, giving him 18 points and the Blazers a 96-92 lead.

They would never look back. Center Marcus Camby tipped in a miss and, after a steal by Batum, dove for a loose ball and called a timeout, giving Portland possession with 35 seconds left. Miller threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds, and the ball was intercepted by O.J. Mayo near the Grizzlies end. The guard drove to the rim, hoping to cut the Blazers lead to four, but Batum would have none of it, swatting the shot to ice the win.

At least Memphis’ coach Lionel Hollins thought that iced the win. Inexplicably, he raised the white flag with 30 seconds left. They were down seven and without possession, but they were by no means out of contention. They didn’t even try to lengthen the game.

The biggest game of the season to date for both teams was over. And Portland, a team that was struggling to stay afloat in the first half, won in very impressive fashion to conclude a very successful road trip.

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Game Notes:

Sixteen years ago today Rice became the one and only announcer to be kicked out by a referee. Steve Javie gave him the boot.

Roy finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Batum showed his 31-point performance against the Timberwolves wasn’t a fluke, scoring 22 points. Nineteen of his points came in the second half.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 13 points and 4 steals and one of the Blazers 7 blocks.

Miller added 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Bayless scored 9 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, dished 3 assists, collected a steal, and blocked a shot in 18 minutes.

Randolph led the Grizzlies with 22 points and 7 rebounds.

Rudy Gay added 19 points.

Gasol had 15 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.

Guard Mike Conley scored 13 points and dished 5 assists, but he committed 7 of Memphis’s 21 turnovers.

Portland scored 30 points off those 21 turnovers and had 23 fast-break points.

Worth Noting: Portland signed point guard Travis Diener, formerly of the Indiana Pacers, to fill their open roster spot. He hasn’t played much in his career, but he has a 5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Looks like Portland is trying to replace Steve Blake, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers last month. I’m not sure it will work.

Nicolas Batum (right) had the game of his life against the Timberwolves. Patty Mills (left) also had the best game of his career.

The first half in the Portland Trail Blazers game against the Minnesota Timberwolves was as sluggish as could be. LaMarcus Aldridge had 18 points and Nicolas Batum added 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and two steals as the lone bright spots. Aldridge didn’t do much in the second half, but the Flying Frenchman sure picked up where he left off.

His third quarter will be remembered as the quarter that officially put Batum on the map. The Blazers have been high on him forever. Opposing coaches have praised him. And he has shown glimpses of why Scottie Pippen is mentioned as a comparison. When the 21-year old second-year forward has been on the court throughout his young career, good things have happened. Usually, he’s done the little things that don’t fill the box-score–the intangibles to help others. Tonight, “Frenchy” came out of his shell and made all sorts of plays for himself as well.

He began his memorable third with a smooth three-pointer from Brandon Roy, followed with a slashing drive to the rim that resulted in two free-throws, and then tipped a offensive rebound to Marcus Camby, who made a flat-footed reverse layup. He took a few plays off then continued to pile up the points and assists. He attempted to drive on Timberwolves big forward Kevin Love, but ran into a brick wall instead. After managing to shake off the hit and pass the ball out to Andre Miller, he stepped beyond the three-point line, received a pass from the point guard and nailed a trey from the baseline, giving Portland a 19-point lead, their largest up to that point.

Batum had eight points in the quarter and 15 for the game. Nothing too mind-boggling, but he was far from done. Off a miss by Aldridge, he snatched a offensive rebound and made the putback, stretching Portland’s lead to 21. The lead would continue to grow thanks to the Batum show. He threaded the needle to Camby underneath for a layup, then drove baseline for a one-handed slam. A few quiet minutes went by, then he went on to cap his career quarter.

He canned a catch-and-shoot jumper from Rudy Fernandez to notch a career-high 21 points and then swished a three from the wing off a offensive rebound by Roy, giving him 17 points for the quarter, 24 for the game, and the Blazers a 75-50 lead. He followed by knifing his way to draw a foul, resulting in two free-throws, and, after Fernandez drained a three, he took a pass from Roy on the right wing. Before he even let the ball go, Blazers announcer Mike Barrett yelped, “Why not?!.” Barrett knew it was going in, and, as expected, it did. The effortless three gave Frenchy 22 points in the period and an incredible 29 for the game. Unbelievable.

If felt unbelievable. Batum? 29 points? Yep. This what the Blazers and their fans have thought he could do. I just didn’t think it would happen this soon in his career. But, after his offense consisted of a baseline three-pointer during his rookie season, he has added to his repertoire. And it all came full circle against the Timberwolves.

Batum wasn’t on the court to begin the fourth and, not surprisingly, Portland began to struggle. Their bench unit was awful, unable to fully thrust the dagger into Minnesota. No one could do anything. The five of Aldridge, Fernandez, Camby, Juwan Howard, and Jerryd Bayless, were as unwatchable as the Blazers team that went seven minutes without a field goal in the second quarter. Feeling the effects of the departure of Steve Blake, the five allowed the Timberwolves to score the fourth’s first seven points, prompting a timeout and a timely substitution: Miller in, Bayless out. And what do you know? Miller helped Portland regain composure and go on a 13-3 run to extend the margin back to 28.

Fernandez anchored the run, scoring seven-straight points, then Batum had a hand in the final four. He dished to Aldridge for his seventh and final assist and, on the next possession, topped the 30-point plateau. Expecting contact, Batum began his shooting stroke. But the Timberwolves’ defender evaded him. It didn’t matter. Off-balance, he connected on a 16-footer. Thirty-one points on 11-16 shooting. Simply remarkable.

He exited with 4 minutes and 14 seconds left with Portland ahead by 29. Smiling on his way to the bench, he continued to sport a huge grin as he took a seat and received congratulations from his teammates. His career night was over. But, as the ovation given to him by Rice, the many Blazers fans in attendance, and the production crew in the truck suggested, Batum’s outing will certainly not be forgotten.

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Game Notes:

Batum’s final line: 31 points on 11-16 shooting, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and zero turnovers in 29 minutes. He hit 5-8 three-pointers and notched career-highs in points, assists, steals, and field goals made.

A modest Batum afterward: “Today was my day.” Many more will to come.

I don’t put much stock in the +/- statistic, but tonight it was spot-on. Batum’s was +29, the best of any Blazer.

Fernandez quietly had a superb game as well, scoring 18 points on 5-8 shooting.

Roy only needed to score 7 points. He was happy just dishing assists. He racked up 9 on the night.

Aldridge finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds.

Camby added 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists, and 4 blocks.

And, last but not least, Patty Mills scored 8 points in 4 minutes on 3-5 shooting. He now has four field goals this season. His three in this game were smooth, two crossover jumpers and a driving layup.

Jefferson had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota.

Portland is now somehow 12-3 in the second game of back-to-backs.

They have now won all 4 games against Minnesota this season. The margins of victory? 23, 23, 28, and 19.

Worth Noting: According to the Star Tribune, Jefferson was arrested following the game on suspicion of DWI. He was “arrested on a charge of fourth degree driving while impaired, said State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske.” I guess that’s the effect Batum’s game had on Jefferson. To make things worse for Jefferson, he was listed at 6′9″ in the jail log, two inches shorter than his listed height in on ESPN.

UPDATE: Jefferson has been suspended for the next two games without pay, according to ESPN. His alleged DWI will cost him $292,682.

Boxscore of Blazers 110-91 win over Timberwolves:

This game was up-tempo throughout. Neither team could stop the other. The Bulls shot over 60 percent for most of the first half, while the Blazers hung tough and matched them basket for basket with the play of LaMarcus Adridge, who had 18 points in the opening two periods. Eight of Aldridge’s points came in succession late in the second–two jumpers and two dunks–and Portland managed to cool Chicago enough to pull within one at the break.

Thanks to their solid second quarter play, a game that was once in the Bulls favor turned into a back-and-forth battle. And it would remain that way.

Portland picked up in the third where they left off in the second, hitting field goals on six of their first seven possessions. Aldridge was responsible for half of them. The team continued their lights-out offensive performance and was rewarded with a lengthy lead. Marcus Camby tipped in a rare Aldridge miss. Nicolas Batum hit a three-pointer on the baseline. Aldridge spun and smoothly swished a hook. Jerryd Bayless drove to the rim and hit two free-throws. Brandon Roy made a layup. Bayless made one as well. The Blazers were clicking with the starting five of Roy, Bayless, Batum, Camby, and Andre Miller. Then, head coach Nate McMillan made a few substitutions, putting the breaks on his team’s spurt and inadvertently helping the Bulls.

Juwan Howard replaced Camby and Rudy Fernandez took the place of Roy just prior to Bayless’s layup that put Portland up nine, 77-68, with just under three minutes left in the third. What followed was a nightmare for the Blazers. Rose hit a jumper; Bayless committed a turnover. Flip Murray slashed to the hoop for a layup; Aldridge missed a hurried jumper at the end of the shot-clock. Rose split a pair of free-throws; Aldridge missed another shot.

The quarter that began so promising for Portland ended in a momentum shift, as Chicago forward Hakim Warrick took a hard foul from Aldridge, made two free-throws, and then, to cap off the period’s concluding run, Joakim Noah tipped in a miss at the horn. The Blazers were right where they were to start the second half: down by one. And this time, nothing was going right for them.

But a Bulls defense that was once heralded has turned soft this season. They want to run now. And they don’t seem to care if you score. So, though their swagger was apparently gone with the lost lead, the Blazers would claw back in.

Rose hit the first three shots by Chicago in the fourth, while the Blazers offense was widespread. Fernandez was heard from, hitting a three-pointer, and then a few plays later Miller buried a three, stunning Rose, who didn’t even think to guard him out that far. Howard followed with a jumper, giving Portland a three-point lead.

At this juncture, the Blazers had 89 points, a very high total with 9 and a half minutes remaining in the period. If they could keep up the pace and keep making shots, they would have an excellent chance of outlasting the Bulls and keeping their road winning streak going. But field goals became tougher and tougher to get. As they have many times this season, the Blazers waited for the most inopportune time to struggled.

They only scored 12 points from that point on and fell behind by three with two minutes left on a driving layup by Rose. Though they appeared flat and flustered, they were rejuvenated late thanks to a few costly miscues by Chicago. The Bulls had three chances to increase their lead to five and couldn’t capitalize. The Blazers couldn’t take advantage at first, coming up empty on three-straight possessions as well. The final empty trip summed up McMillan’s confusing substitution pattern, but luckily it didn’t hurt Portland in the longrun. Being down by three with under a minute left and wanting to spread the floor, the head coach took out Miller, who had been their most dependable option, in favor of Fernandez. What does the replacement do? Pick up his dribble and then his pivot foot, leading to a seldom-seen traveling call. It was fitting, but what transpired was as well.

Roy took a transition pass from Camby, who picked Rose’s pocket, and drove in for a layup, pulling the Blazers within one. Now, even with two made free-throws by Bulls center Brad Miller, who was immediately fouled, Portland would have a shot to tie. The 84 percent free-throw shooter could only split the pair. Roy took advantage, flipping in a floater for the tie.

Rose’s miracle miss sent the game to an extra session, but this time the Blazers couldn’t turn the gift into a momentous run. In overtime they looked completely drained. McMillan said postgame that they had “tired legs.” That certainly appeared to be the case. Shots were hurried, ill-advised, and clanged, while everything the Bulls threw up went in.

Still, they were down only two with 20 seconds left. Roy went for the win, but his three-pointer with four seconds left missed and caromed to Luol Deng, who streamed downcourt for the clinching dunk. With that, the Blazers spelled defeat in devastating fashion, ending any chance of a flawless road-trip.

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Game Notes:

Aldridge notched a season-high with 32 points on 15-23 shooting.

Roy added 23 points, but missed 11 of 19 field goal attempts. He was heroic at the end of regulation, but couldn’t pull Portland back in overtime.

Bayless scored 15 points off the bench on 5-8 shooting. No other bench player made more than one field goal.

Miller contributed 14 points and seven assists.

Camby had a nice all-around game. He scored 9 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had three steals, three assists, and three blocks. Portland has now lost every game he has played in.

Portland had 50 points in the paint, a tremendous total.

Rose led the Bulls with 33 points on 15-25 shooting.

Deng added 23 points, capped off by that clinching dunk.

Kirk Hinrich scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished four assists, and collected three steals.

Warrick added 15 points off the bench.

The Bulls shot 57 percent from the field, dwarfing the Blazers 51 percent. Chicago also made all five of their overtime field goals.

Portland is now 1-5 this season in overtime games. Chicago is now 5-1 in such contests.

The Blazers have lost three out of the four games Camby has played. A side note: Steve Blake had 9 assists and Travis Outlaw scored 18 points in the Los Angeles Clippers loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Boxscore of Blazers 115-111 loss to Bulls:

In an interview with The Oregonian’s Jason Quick, Fernandez discussed his future, the interview with Marca, his role with the team, and his play this season.

Quick leads into his interview with some initial observations:

“He says he is not unhappy in Portland. He likes his teammates. He likes the town. And he loves playing in the NBA.

But at the same time, he would like to play more, and he doesn’t foresee his playing prospects improving much with three-time All-Star Brandon Roy playing the same position.”

Now to Fernandez’s comments:

“For sure I talked to Spanish media, but sometimes the Spanish media people write what they want,’’ Fernandez said outside the Blazers locker room before the Toronto game. “But for sure, I want to play more. I am comfortable with you, I can talk to you right now, and for sure I want to play more. And for sure, sometimes I feel like the coach doesn’t trust me with my play. But I talk to coach after the All-Star break, and we talked together about the rest of the season. It was a good meeting. For both.’’

Throughout our conversation, Fernandez made it clear that he was uncomfortable talking about his future because he and the team were in the middle of a playoff hunt.

“I don’t want to talk about this right now. I want to focus on Portland and play hard every time I’m on the court,’’ Fernandez said. “That’s my only goal right now.’’

Fernandez said he has every intent of finishing the two years remaining on his contract. The talk of him returning to Spain to play for Real Madrid is overblown, he says.

“I only said I won’t close doors,’’ Fernandez said.

Fernandez this season is averaging 23.1 minutes, down from 25.5 minutes last season. In part, the reduction is because he hasn’t warranted more playing time. Fernandez himself calls his play this season “irregular.”

Reasons for his “irregular” play, and his feelings regarding his role:

And coach Nate McMillan says part of his reduced playing time has had to do with his December back surgery and the more crowded roster this season. Last year, the Blazers didn’t have Martell Webster, and McMillan often played Fernandez more at the expense of the now-departed Sergio Rodriguez.

“We are trying to win games here,’’ McMillan said. “He’s in a backup role, OK … look, Rudy was an All-Star in his country. I understand his situation. He was an All-Star. And I would go as far as saying a Top 5 guy in his league, if not the best. Now he comes here and he’s a backup. You know? For him, that’s going to be difficult to play his game with 20 minutes. I mean, he’s used to 35, 40 minutes.

“But that’s what my conversation was with Rudy before he even came over here: getting him playing time. Last year I was able to do it, but this year … this is part of the sacrifice you are hoping to get from the team. That’s difficult to do. I have to coach these guys as oppose to pleasing them. And that’s difficult to do. Almost impossible to do.’’

The point Fernandez wanted to make is that he is not pouting. He is not demanding out. He is not seeking to leave Portland. In fact, he is thinking mostly about the playoff race and how he can help the Blazers.

If he has been unhappy, I told him he was doing a good job of hiding it. To me, it seemed like his mind has always been in a good place. That’s when he smiled and shook his head. He balanced his hand unevenly, suggesting his mental state this year.

“I try. I try. I try,’’ he said of keeping his mind right.

“This role, I know the role,’’ he said. “Brandon I know is a superstar and I have the opportunity to learn from him because he is a great player. I know when it’s his turn to rest, it’s my turn to play hard on the court. Right now, I’m focused on the last two months, to play hard, to help teammates and help our goals. And in the summer, we will see.’’

Reiterating his happiness, how the trade of Sergio Rodriguez has affected him, why he wouldn’t mind leaving for Spain, as well as comments on his relationship with McMillan:

Q: How are things different this season?
A:  “It’s a little different because probably last year I had Sergio – we had old ties and were friendly. You know, sometimes I miss my family, I need my family and I miss my friends. It’s hard to stay in another country and sometimes you think about (Spain). But I think I’m very happy in Portland and very comfortable in the city. I love the fans. I think I’m happy, and I want to stay happy.’’

Q: Describe your relationship with Nate McMillan:
A: “It’s like a coach and player. We talk and have meetings. That’s it. There’s no bad relationship. He’s the coach and I respect all his decisions.’’

From this interview, it appears he feels he is being held back. He is on a team that has depth at every position but center. He wants to be one of the go-to guys and to play 35-40 minutes as he was accustomed to in Spain. This is a great mentality to have, but I’m not sure he can become the player he thinks he can be as a member of the Blazers. I want him to maximize his potential. And I want him to do so as a Portland Trail Blazer. But if he can’t, and continues to carry shreds of discontent and doubt, it would be best to give him the opportunity to be happy, which sadly means letting him leave move on.

Earlier today, it was reported that Portland Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez is unhappy with his role and wouldn’t mind a change in scenery. If he keeps playing like he did tonight against the Toronto Raptors, he won’t have reason to be unhappy or to leave.

Enthusiastic and as jovial as can be, his emotion translated into a superb outing. Reportedly disappointed by his lack of playing time, El Mago made the most of every minute he played, doing a little bit of everything to help Portland build a satisfying first-half lead.

With the Blazers ahead by eight and with five points (two more than last night’s total) under his belt, Fernandez streaked down the left side of the court, received a pass from Andre Miller, took off a ways from the basket,  gracefully hung in the air, and spun in a reverse layup. Fernandez hit another shot from Miller, increasing Portland’s margin to 48-34.

The Blazers lead would increase to 17 moments later on a three-pointer by Brandon Roy, but as all big leads have for Portland lately, this one shrunk in an instant.

Toronto, a fast-paced team that doesn’t play much defense, finished the first half on a 13-2 run, turning that deficit to a manageable six.

The margin would further slim in the third, but unlike against Utah and New Jersey, the Blazers matched the opposition. The Jazz turned up the heat defensively, taking the Blazers out of their rhythm. The Nets could have eked out a win if they had more consistent options and knew how to play in fourth quarters. Like the Nets downfall, the Raptors weak defensive philosophy, benefited the Blazers greatly. When the lead dwindled to three, 64-61, Jerryd Bayless hit a three-pointer. When the Raptors missed on the ensuing possession, Roy took what the soft defense gave him, hitting a jumper from the top.

Toronto continued to miss for the rest of the third period and, as a result, Portland’s lead grew: Dante Cunningham swooped in to tip-in a high-arching miss by Bayless; Fernandez drained a three-pointer; Bayless hit a cross-over long two; and Fernandez capped off the quarter with a drive to the hoop, leading to two free-throws and a ten-point advantage heading into the fourth.

The Raptors hung around early in the final period in large part because the Blazers had their gamely fourth-quarter drought. Portland had only four points over the first three-plus minutes of the final quarter–all by Juwan Howard–but just as Toronto appeared to gain a little momentum, Fernandez put his team ahead by ten once more. Out of a timeout, Fernandez held the ball out top, hesitated, then launched from deep. The three swished through, and Fernandez sported a priceless grin, one of pure happiness. Though his feelings were made clear in his interview with Marca, for tonight he was as content as could be. His play only reflected this jubilation.

LaMarcus Aldridge, who was held in check, drained back-to-back jumpers, both coming at the end of the shot-clock and both on feeds from Roy. Miller proceeded to make a turnaround jumper in the lane, a shot that made announcer Mike Rice chuckle, something the former coach almost always does following a score by Miller (here’s my evidence). It was that kind of laid-back night for Portland.

Everything was going well for the Blazers. Roy threw down a dunk over Andrea Bargnani, stretching the advantage to twelve with five and a half minutes left, and Miller worked his way in for a layup and free-throw. Plenty of time remained for Toronto, down 15 with five minutes remaining, but this was a team without their leader, Chris Bosh, and his absence was apparent. The Raptors had nothing left and the Blazers, for once, could waltz in for a double-digit win.

Fernandez had perhaps his best game of the season, scoring 17 points on 6-9 shooting. He also grabbed 7 rebounds and dished 3 assists, but his statistics don’t begin to describe the impact he made. He was everywhere, in the middle of everything, showing the Blazers what he can do with increased minutes. That’s all he’s wanted, an opportunity to prove his worth. And boy did make the most of it.

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Game Notes:

Fernandez played 31 minutes. If he keeps getting that amount of playtime, look out. Maybe he should be reportedly unhappy more often.

Roy finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Clearly he’s back to normal.

Miller nearly notched a triple-double, scoring 18 points on 8-14 shooting, dishing 10 assists, and grabbing seve rebounds. He added three steals and didn’t commit a turnover.

Bayless scored 11 points and handed out four assists off the bench.

Portland shot 49 percent from the field, dished 25 assists, and committed only six turnovers. They outscored Toronto 46-38 in the paint, had 20 fast-break points (13 more than their season average), and scored 17 points off 16 Raptors turnovers.

Near-Blazer (which means near-disaster) Hedo Turkoglu scored 24 points on 8-9 shooting. This was by far his most efficient game as a Raptor. He, who has reportedly told his inner circle he wishes he would have signed with Portland, only scored nine points in the second half, a total that wouldn’t cut it for a team missing a star of Bosh’s caliber.

Former Blazer Jarrett Jack scored 18 points and dished eight assists.

Boxscore of Portland’s 101-87 win over Toronto:

He was reportedly unhappy this past summer, but those rumors were shot down by the Spaniard. Now, new revelations of discontent has hit the newsstands. This time, it may be genuine. And if it is, his feelings are understandable.

In an interview conducted by Marca.com titled “Rudy: Don’t rule out a return to Europe,” Fernandez opens up about his frustrations with Portland.

Translated with Google Translate, Fernandez is asked if his role with the team is hard to grasp. His answer: “Yes, it’s complicated. The truth is that it is difficult. I have Brandon Roy, a superstar in front of me, and it is clear that we must live with it. And also because I have had fewer minutes than last year. So I have to try to be mentally strong to achieve my goals.”

He wants more minutes. He feels he can contribute on a higher level, and as he acknowledged, he may have to go elsewhere to reach his full potential. When asked about a possible return to Europe, he answered: Right now, and in this situation, I would not rule anything out.” Why? “Because I just want to play. And I can give equal wherever.”

It is frustrating to read his comments, considering how popular he is in Portland, there is a method to his madness. He says in the interview that he misses playing with Sergio Rodriguez, who was traded to the Sacramento Kings this past offseason. Fernandez and Rodriguez had so much chemistry, having played together in Spain prior to reaching the NBA. Now, he seems lost without his friend, which could be reason for his inconsistencies and a lack of cohesiveness with his teammates.

Also, he plays a position filled with talent. First, there is Roy, but the presence of Martell Webster, Jerryd Bayless, and Nicolas Batum limit his minutes and effectiveness as well.

In an interview with the LA Times, former Blazer and current Clipper Travis Outlaw said “It was crowded” when asked about Portland’s depth at the small and power forward positions. The Times’ writer, Ben Bolch, said Outlaw “figured he would not finish his career in Portland because of the logjam of players at his position.”

Fernandez now feels the same way. And if Real Madrid’s is indeed interested in signing him for next season, as Marca also reports, maybe it would be best for him to go and play where he will have the best opportunity to succeed, where he can be comfortable and happy.

One problem: He is under team through the 2010-11 season and their is a team option for 2011-2012. If he isn’t let released from his contract following the season and Portland decides to keep him for the rest of his contract, he should give the team everything he has, which means getting over what frustration he may have, working hard to move up the totem pole, and help his Blazers continue to improve.

Thursday Update: Fernandez refuted reports that he is unhappy, saying in a article by The Oregonian’s Jason Quick, “Right now, my heart is in Portland. It doesn’t matter if the newspapers talk about me, my contract is in Portland, and I’m happy in Portland.”

In the first half, the Nets played like a 5-51 team and the Blazers played like a team that just had a players-only meeting. Angered by their inability to hold off the Utah Jazz after taking a 25-point third quarter lead, the Blazers were aggressive early and often, running their offense and controlling the tempo against a porous defensive team.

LaMarcus Aldridge hit jumpers and swooped in for layups. Roy did the same with, for the first time in a couple of months, two good hamstrings. Miller dished assists and powered his way in for a few baskets inside. One bucket particularly caught the attention of Blazers announcer Mike Barrett as well as Nets surprised center Brook Lopez. Miller drove the left baseline and, with Lopez’s 7-foot frame converging, managed to finger-roll a floater in over his outstretched hand. Barrett turned into Lopez for a priceless quote, saying “He doesn’t jump, but yet I couldn’t get to the ball. How does that happen?” Miller’s craftiness and three-inch vertical has befuddled opponents, impressed announcers, and has paid dividends all season. This was just the latest edition.

The Blazers lost Marcus Camby early in the first quarter to an ankle injury suffered underneath the basket when Lopez inadvertently stepped on his foot. Though he was the latest to fall under the Center Curse for Portland, Juwan Howard filled in admirably, scoring nine first-half points.

Portland led by 19 at the break, didn’t have a turnover, and shot 58 percent to New Jersey’s 39 percent. A layup by Miller a minute into the third gave the Blazers a 21-point advantage, but as most big leads have this season, the margin shrunk considerably and quickly. A team that hasn’t heard the words “Nets” and “momentum” in the same sentence much this season gained confidence as the Blazers offense went cold.

It was their guard play that frustrated Portland. A awful shooting team whose chance of winning usually rests in the hands of Lopez, New Jersey clawed back in by living from the outside. Courtney Lee and Devin Harris, two young and talented guards, combined to score 21 third-quarter points doing whatever they pleased. Behind their play, the Blazers lead was cut to five early in the fourth.

But, though the Nets appeared to have the Blazers on the ropes, they played like the team that entered 1-46 when trailing after three quarters. Portland woke up and added another loss to this record, putting them away with a steady dose of Roy late. Roy sped in for a layup after a surprisingly-open Harris short-armed and air-balled a three-pointer, leading to a shot-clock violation. This basket that put Portland up seven preceded Miller’s dagger. New Jersey still had time to climb back, but they played as they so often have late in games, missing seven of their last nine shots.

After playing the Nets fourth-quarter style for much of the past few weeks, the Blazers turned the corner by learning from the Jazz loss and applying their new-found intelligence, game-plan, and execution to extend the woes of a bad New Jersey team and pulled out a much-needed victory to start a five-game trip.

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Game Notes:

On a positive note for the Nets, Lee chucked up a 55-footer prior to the buzzer sounding a swished it through, getting a rise out of the hundreds of fans that attended. He made all four of his three-pointers and finished with 28 points on 11-18 shooting.

Harris also tallied 28 points and took off in the second half offensively despite picking up his fourth foul late in the second period.

Lopez was held in check, but still managed to put up his usual numbers, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

The Nets, a team that came in shooting just 42 percent from the field for the season, made 49 percent of their attempts. They shot 64 percent in the second half.

Roy scored 28 points on just 14 field goal attempts for the definition of dominance and efficiency. He scored 10 of their final 14 points.

Aldridge was on fire from the get-go and compiled 27 points on 13-20 shooting. He had 17 points on 8-10 shooting by halftime.

Miller added 20 points to the cause, highlighted by that pivotal three-pointer. He made seven of 10 field goals attempted.

These three were the only Blazers to score in double figures.

Portland shot 54 percent for the game.

Nicolas Batum blocked three shots, notching a career-high.

Boxscore of Blazers 102-93 win over Nets:

Steve Blake (second from left) is hugged by Baron Davis as he basks in the Clippers victory. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

When Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw were introduced as Los Angeles Clippers during a press conference not 24 hours after being traded from the Portland Trail Blazers, depression, shock, and sadness filled the room. Outlaw said all the right things; so did Blake. But they were clearly disappointed about their departure. Rarely did they smile. And rarely did they break out of a dejected monotone. Enthusiasm appeared difficult to even force. Now, with new roles on their new team, the duo has reason to be happy.

Starting in place of a injured Baron Davis for his first two games with Los Angeles, Blake picked up where he left off in Portland. During his final game as a Blazer, he dished 12 assists. In his first game as a Clipper he dished nine and then handed out twelve more in his second. Davis returned for last night’s game against the Charlotte Bobcats, but though Blake’s minutes would be sparse coming off the bench, he made a definitive impact nonetheless.

Outlaw returned from his injury, playing the final three minutes of the first quarter six-plus minutes of the second. He showed little rust after spending nearly four months on the sideline with a fractured foot, hitting his first shot as a Clipper to begin the second period, a catch-and-shoot jumper just inside the three-point arc. Blake didn’t assist on this basket, but found his friend on two occasions later in the period. His first pass to Outlaw resulted in a three-pointer shot without hesitation to give Los Angeles a ten-point lead, then his second ended in similar fashion, with Outlaw confidently swishing another three-pointer to put his team up 13.

In nine first half minutes, Outlaw was perfect, making these three shots for eight points, providing the instant offense the Blazers are currently lacking off their bench. He looked a little out-of-sync, and understandably so. But there wasn’t any lingering effects from the injury, nor did he appear fatigued, which surprised me. He was just doing what he did throughout his career in Portland.

Blake was the player the Blazers remember, too. He compiled four assists in the first half and finished with seven. One of his three in the second half was to Outlaw, who hit a 14-footer off a screen to pull Los Angeles within two, 81-79, with just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth. Outlaw’s impact was over: ten points on 4-6 shooting in 16 minutes. Blake’s was not.

He was inserted into the game ahead by five points with 15 seconds left to give the Clippers a solid free-throw shooter and, after a three-pointer by Bobcats All-Star Gerald Wallace cut the margin to three with nine seconds remaining, he was given a chance to prove his worth.

As he stepped to the line, one of the two Clippers announcers had a jinxing flashback to last year. Portland was ahead by two with 20 seconds left in a December 12th contest against Los Angeles. Blake, who was at the time a 90 percent free-throw shooter, was fouled prior to the ball being inbounded, giving him three free-throws. To everyone’s shock, he missed all three. Then after stealing the ball and getting immediately fouled, he could only split a pair. What ensued was fitting: a game-tying three-pointer by Clippers guard Baron Davis. Los Angeles went on to win by six in overtime.

Well, needing one free-throw to ice this victory against Charlotte, he missed the first, fueling a comment full of self-blame from the announcer. Blake calmly collected himself and hit the second, giving Los Angeles a four-point win. As he jogged downcourt, he talked Davis, now his backcourt mate, and both laughed. Presumably, as the announcer also figured, they were rehashing the events that took place on December 12th. And as this scene illustrated, Blake was having a good time as a member of the Clippers. So was Outlaw, who was in a celebratory mood following the victory and looked to enjoy himself during his time on the floor.

It is very bittersweet watching these two play for a different team, especially one all but out of the playoff race. But, thanks to Blake’s presence and Outlaw’s spark, the 23-33 Clippers are on mini-run, having now won two straight. In part because of their performances and effect, small forward Rasual Butler was talking playoffs after the game. A destination, without the duo’s talent, Portland can only hope to reach as well.

Martell Webster (right), where have you been lately? (Photo: Bruce Ely/The Oregonian)

The Portland Trail Blazers are trying to stay afloat in the tightly-knit and very competitive Western Conference. They just aren’t doing a very good job. The team has lost eight of their past 13 games and hasn’t won three straight since late December. They have lost four of their past six, and in those four defeats they have averaged only 81 points. In the two wins, to exemplify their inconsistencies, they scored 109 and 108 points. What’s wrong?

Their offense has hit a wall and they don’t have the pieces to consistently run Nate McMillan’s slow-tempo, halfcourt style. Too many of their players–Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster, and Jerryd Bayless–aren’t polished enough offensively to be dependable options. And other players–Andre Miller and LaMarcus Aldridge–who are supposed to produce at a high-level on a gamely basis, have disappeared far too often.

One thing that hampers Portland and drastically hurts their consistency is their bounty of one-dimensional guards. Fernandez is trying to add to his arsenal by driving to the rim more and developing a tear drop that he calls “La Bomba”, but he has trouble shooting off the dribble. Most of his success has come from shooting spot-up three-pointers, a relatively low-percentage shot. Webster is also a catch-and-shoot player, and though he has shown the ability to drive, he has rarely done so repeatedly over the course of a game. Bayless’s game consists of driving, and more often than not driving out of control. He will sprint to the hoop and commit too early, leading to turnovers on jump-passes or charges drawn by the opposition. He has had a lot of success getting to the free-throw line, with 198 trips this year, but his style and a work-in-progress outside shot has led to a 41 percent field goal percentage.

Fernandez, Webster, and Bayless can have tremendous impacts on the Blazers. I enjoy watching each of them play. But their solid performances are too spread out. Minutes fluctuate and some lineups work better than others, which is one reason for their lack of consistent production. But the biggest reason for their lack of success is their streakiness. If Portland is going to make strong run into the playoffs, these three cannot be missing in action.

Their inconsistencies have hurt the Blazers’ play during this rough patch, but one of the main reasons for Portland’s porous shooting percentage in the past two games in particular–33 percent against the Boston Celtics and 35 percent against the Utah Jazz–is the departure of point guard Steve Blake, who was shipped off to Clipperland at the Trade Deadline. He couldn’t have prevented the Blazers loss to the Celtics because the contest was so lopsided, but he certainly could have changed the outcome of the Jazz loss. When Portland has needed a big shot to calm the storm or just a calm and collected court presence, Blake was usually the man. They have lost his durability and his ability to deliver in the clutch. There is no doubt in my mind that, when the Blazers were on the ropes midway through the fourth quarter, Blake would have drained a spot-up three to resurrect his befuddled, inept, and shell-shocked team. That’s what he had done throughout his tenure with the team; hit big shots, dish assists, and spread the floor and a cool, calm, and collected nature onto his teammates. He meant so much.

There’s the streakiness and Blake’s absence, but multiple other things have hampered the Blazers of late. First, their inability to play solid defense, especially in the paint, for 48 minutes. Time and time again over the past couple of weeks opponents have shredded the Blazers undersized defense apart inside. That isn’t just because of their lack of size. It has also been just mental lapses, slow rotations, and missed assignments. Marcus Camby has showed what he can do defensively inside, blocking four shots and grabbing 17 rebounds against Utah, but despite his impact, Portland allowed the Jazz to score 50 points in the paint.

Jazz point guard Deron Williams and power forward Carlos Boozer particular picked the Blazers apart. Portland knew they run the pick-and-roll to perfection, as well as make cuts to the basket, but they still couldn’t find a way to slow them down. As he gets comfortable in Portland, Camby will halt such successes teams thrive upon. Yet, when he’s out of the game, who knows how the Blazers defense will handle the opposition’s offense.

If Portland is going to consistently let opponents play at their strengths, they could keep up by running a uptempo offense. Head coach Nate McMillan is reluctant to put such a style in place, however. Portland has the players to succeed playing this style: Energetic wings, aggressive guards, a jump-shooting power forward, and a lanky center who has played at a high pace throughout his career. But the Blazers aren’t allowed to run. In his first game with Portland, Camby grabbed a rebound and hoisted the ball upcourt, expecting a teammate to be there and streak in for a transition bucket. No one was there, summing up the Blazers halfcourt style and dependence on set plays.

Portland has succeeded countless times this year in the halfcourt offense, but lately have had to try and scrounge for points at the end of the shot-clock, with set-plays beginning with 13 seconds or less left on the timer. This slow-developing offense has translated to such a woefully inconsistent production and prolonged dry spells.

Everything going wrong for the Blazers is fixable. Fernandez, Webster, and Bayless need to expand their games and become dependable offensive options. Defense needs to be played, which begins with focus. And Portland needs to run the high-octane offense their roster is capable of. Despite a favorable schedule the rest of the way, they will have a tough time making the playoffs without these changes.

Nicolas Batum provided a spark in the first half, scoring 14 points, 7 rebounds, and blocking one shot, a Deron Williams layup attempt from behind. The lead was thirteen points at the break, with the momentum fully in the Blazers favor. The lead was thirteen after three quarters, but this time the Jazz had everything going for them.

Portland wasn’t playing the scoreboard; their offense just ran on empty. Even with Utah’s stars, Williams and Carlos Boozer, on the bench, precious points were chipped off their lead. The Jazz didn’t do themselves any favors on the comeback trail, missing many inside shots and committing silly turnovers. But Portland couldn’t take advantage. The off-switch was pushed. And the on-switch was forever faulty.

Utah’s lone threat from three-point range, the one perimeter player on their team that has to be covered at all times, was given a sliver of daylight from Batum. Kyle Korver, who shoots 59 percent from deep, launched from the right corner and drained a 23-footer to pull the Jazz within nine. At this point, Portland had yet to make a field goal in the fourth.

Two minutes later, Jazz guard C.J. Miles hit a three to cut the margin to four. Portland still hadn’t made a field goal in the period. Andre Miller hit their first, a layup inside, and healthy-looking Brandon Roy drained their second on their next possession. Roy’s jumper that increased their lead to six, 80-74, with 3:55 left, was made possible by a offensive rebound by Marcus Camby, who was a machine on the boards all game. But this jumper that appeared to calm the Jazz’s storm and restore order was their last of regulation. Yes, I said regulation.

Portland didn’t score over the final 2:10 of the fourth, allowing what happened to happen. Possessions were kept alive by Camby and Batum during the last two minutes, but the Blazers could not connect. Four shots were missed over a one-and-a-half minute span in which Utah didn’t even touch the ball. Ahead by four, 83-79, with 36 seconds left thanks to the hustle plays and the prolonged possession, it seemed that Portland might hold on for a much-needed win despite only scoring ten points in the quarter and making two field goals. There was no such luck, as Williams began the rally with two free-throws to pull the Jazz within two.

Now Utah needed a stop if they were going to have any chance of pulling off the remarkable comeback. They would receive what they desperately desired: Boozer grabbed a Batum missed three with five seconds left and called a timeout. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan called for a jumper by Williams, and it played out well, except for the fact that his attempt clanged off the rim. If the Blazers could grab the rebound, a win was theirs. But, in a fitting way to end an awfully-played fourth, they could not. Boozer snagged his 21st rebound and made a lunging hook-shot just before the buzzer sounding.

The game was tied, but it was as good as over. Roy briefly woke up the troops and temporarily turned my lack of confidence into a sliver of hope with a three-pointer to begin the overtime period. As I somewhat expected, the Jazz followed with a strong answer. Kyrylo Fesenko, playing crunch-time minutes because of the absences of Memhet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko, dunked on a feed from Williams at the tail-end of their shot-clock. Boozer, following a missed jumper by Miller, gave the Jazz an 87-86 lead on a layup courtesy of Williams for their first advantage since it was 9-8 early in the first.

At this point, the 2:57 mark of overtime, Portland had made only 3 of their last 23 field goal attempts. Their struggles from the field would only continue. Rudy Fernandez had his driving layup blocked by Fesenko, then, after the Jazz inexplicably were allowed to grab a offensive rebound on a missed free-throw by Fesenko–which led to a jumper by Williams–another drive by the Spaniard was deflected. He fell hard to the ground and, to add insult to injury, the ball hit him out of bounds, giving the Jazz possession with a minute-and-a-half left.

Williams couldn’t take advantage, missing a three-pointer that would have been the icing on the cake. Life remained for Portland, and Fernandez was there to inject a little more, hitting a three-pointer to pull within two. Even though the Jazz did their best to return the fourth-quarter favor and make things interesting by missing two of their four free-throws taken over the final twelve seconds, a three-pointer rimmed out by Roy penciled in what Portland deserved, a demoralizing and heart-wrenching loss to their divisional foe.

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Game Notes:

Over the final eighteen minutes the Blazers had four field goals.

Roy scored 23 points on 7-15 shooting.

Miller added 17 points but made only 5 of 18 attempts.

Camby had a monstrous game on the boards, grabbing 18, including 8 offensive, to compliment four of Portland’s ten blocked shots.

Batum added 14 points, but he didn’t score in the second half or overtime. He grabbed 9 rebounds.

LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds but battled foul trouble, limiting his impact.

Portland shot just 35 percent from the field. They were 13-41 after halftime.

Boozer scored 22 points and grabbed 23 rebounds.

Williams added 18 points, 12 assists, and 7 rebounds.

Portland has now lost four of their past five games at home. This loss also notched their fourth loss of the season against the Jazz.

Boxscore of Blazers 93-89 loss to Jazz:

LaMarcus Aldridge dunked on their next play. They had made their first three field goals. But it was downhill from there. Portland made nine field goals over the half’s remaining 22 minutes and 45 seconds, while Boston ran a layup drill.

The Blazers interior defense was awful, as the Celtics sprinted in for layup after layup, racking up 20 first quarter points in the paint to nab a seven-point lead. The margin only grew in the second as Portland continued to play porous defense and even worse offense.

Three field goals were all they could muster in the second quarter. Three, and all were by Aldridge. Roy, who made the risky decision to play, was hobbling. Everyone besides Aldridge was throwing up bricks and turning the ball over. It was unbearable to watch and undoubtedly the worst first half by the Blazers this season. Of their 37 field goal attempts, only 12 went in.

The Celtics solid performance was capped off by a fall-away jumper by point guard Rajon Rondo at the buzzer that put the Blazers down 18 at intermission. He had nine assists in the opening two frames, five more than Portland.

Only two good things happened for the Blazers in the half: Camby’s basket and Aldridge’s dunk on Perkins that ended a 6-minute and 42-second field goal drought to begin the second quarter. Twenty-four field goals dropped for Boston, and their defense was stifling to boot. There was no doubt the Blazers had a uphill climb if they wanted back into contention.

The Celtics aren’t like the Phoenix Suns, as Blazers announcer Mike Rice pointed out. While Phoenix plays the loose style of defense that lets teams back in, Boston will frustrate the opposition to no end, both defensively and mentally. Good looks at the basket are usually hard to come by when playing one of the Western Conference’s best, and Portland continued to find this out.

They showed a bit more life in the third quarter and somehow mustered enough to stay within reach. While momentum slowly joined their side, culminating with a quarter-ending steal and layup by Jerryd Bayless, the period was not without a bush-league play by Kevin Garnett–perhaps the dirtiest player in the league–and a near-scare for Portland. Roy, nowhere near even 80 percent, pulled up for three with the Blazers down 67-46. As he was in the air, Garnett deliberately lowered his body, namely his right shoulder, into Roy’s injured leg. Roy came down alright, but that was the kind of cheap shot “that tears ACL’s,” as Rice’s sidekick Mike Barrett noted. Garnett, who is known (by me, anyway) for his over-intensity and cruel and demeaning tactics, argued after being called for the foul, something the Celtics and their coach, Doc Rivers, are always doing. While he was jawing at two officials, Barrett was confused by Garnett’s attempt to argue the call, saying, “What in the world could he be arguing?.”

That play by Garnett woke up Portland, particularly Bayless. After Roy made two free-throws and Miller a mid-range jumper, the Blazers guard did what he does best and drove time after time. He scored 9 points over the final 4:11 of the third, with all but the basket to end the period coming from the free-throw line. Thanks to his aggressiveness, Portland was somehow within twelve, 73-61, entering the fourth.

Bayless handed the reigns of aggression over to Rudy Fernandez to begin the final frame, but the Spaniard wasn’t as successful. He made a layup, took the bump, and drained the ensuing free-throw for Portland’s first fourth-quarter points, cutting the Celtics deficit to nine, but let this drive to the rim get to his head. On consecutive possessions, he drove to the rim and made layups. And both times, Boston forward Glen Davis stepped in and took the charge. Following the first turnover, Celtics guard Ray Allen hit a three-pointer, and, with the second turnover that followed, a potential nine-point swing took place.

Allen hit another three-pointer a minute later after Davis grabbed a offensive rebound. Allen proceeded to hit a mid-range two, feed Davis for a layup, and put on the exclamation point by hitting a third three-pointer to give Boston a twenty-point advantage with just under six minutes left.

With that flurry by Allen, Portland had lost in embarrassing fashion. The night started out so promising, with the excitement over Camby’s debut, but it turned sour quick. Even when they seemingly had taken momentum by cutting the margin to nine, it was evident that unless Boston gave up the Blazers would lose. And, against a bitterly hated opponent, what a deflating home loss it was.

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Game Notes:

Portland shot 33 percent (22-65) and scored 76 points, both season-lows. Boston shot 53 percent (39-73). How did Portland manage to trim the margin to nine in the fourth? They lived at the free-throw line, making 30 of 40 attempts.

Miller led the way with 16 points on 4-9 shooting. Aldridge added 15 points and 9 rebounds. Roy played far too many minutes given his injury, on the floor for thirty-four. He scored 9 points on 3-8 shooting.

Bayless scored 14 points off the bench. The rest of the bench was 3-16 from the field for 16 points.

Boston scored 42 points in the paint to Portland’s twenty-six. Boston also had 27 assists. Portland had a whopping seven: four in the first half, three in the second half. That assist total tied a franchise-low.

Allen had 21 points. Garnett added 16 points. Rondo notched a double-double, tallying 10 points to compliment 11 assists.

Camby scored just the one basket. He grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked 3 shots. A bit rusty, but okay considering his jitters and the fact that he hadn’t played in over a week. Watch his postgame comments here.

The Celtics have now won 9 of their last 10 games against the Blazers, with the one loss coming last year when the Blazers were without Roy.

Boxscore of Blazers 96-76 loss to Celtics:

At least Patty Mills scored!

In an article by Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune, Camby expressed a desire to stick with the Blazers:

“Hopefully things work out for myself and for the team these last couple of months of the season. In talking with management and guys here, they don’t consider me a rental player. Hopefully there will be a chance for me long-term. I would definitely like to be here.”

This is a distinct possibility. Juwan Howard’s contract expires after this season and Joel Przybilla’s career is in question given the seriousness of his knee injury. Greg Oden will be as healthy as he can be entering next season, so Camby, a prolific rebounder and shot-blocker, could take Oden under his wing. Even if Howard and Przybilla do return, there is no such thing as too much veteran depth at the power forward/center position, especially considering rookies Jeff Pendergraph and Dante Cunningham could use a few mentors.

Camby’s agent Rick Kaplan echoed his desire to play with Portland beyond this season in Eggers article:

“If everything comes together, I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t re-sign here. There was a lot of interest in other teams for the summer, but my hope is it clicks here.”

If all goes well, starting with his debut tonight against the aging and exhausted Boston Celtics, Portland could do a lot of good by re-signing him this offseason.

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Since the Blazers traded two players–Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw–for Camby, they now have an open roster spot. Who will be their fifteenth man? A guard either from National Basketball Developmental League of off the free-agent wire would be preferable.

Why a guard? Well, Brandon Roy’s status is up in the air. And, Portland lost Blake, who was one of their few consistencies from the guard position. Ideally, Portland would snag one someone who could score as well as dish assists. There are plenty of options, too.

Wendell Maxey of Beyond the Beat specifically names current Washington Wizard Mike James, who may be bought out by the team, but he lists other possibilities:

“…available NBA guards/point guards range from Shaun Livingston, Brevin Knight, Mike Wilks, Jason Hart, Jacque Vaughn, Rashad McCants, Morris Almond, and former Blazers Antonio Daniels and Von Wafer.”

As for the D-Leaguers, listed in an article by Maxey titled “Another D-League Callup for Portland”:

“Mustafa Shakur of the Tusla 66ers (University of Arizona), Wil Conroy, from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (University of Washington), former two-time Blazer Dan Dickau (Fort Wayne Mad Ants), former Seton Hall standout Andre Barrett (Idaho Stampede), Maurice Baker (Dakota), and both Coby Karl (Idaho Stampede) and Iowa’s Curtis Stinson.”

Maxey notes that Conroy may have the best chance of the lot of Developmental Leaguers:

“Conroy already has a major in with the Blazers.

Aside from NBA stints – most recently with the Houston Rockets – Conroy is a former Huskies teammate of Brandon Roy and during their high school days in Seattle at Garfield. The two remain very close to this day with Conroy often taking in a Blazers game or two during the season.

The 6′2 point guard is the all-time assists leader in Washington Huskies school history with 515 and went undrafted out of college in 2005.

After two seasons in Tulsa of the NBADL, Conroy has played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, overseas with Virtus Bologna Olimpia Milano, back to the minors with Albuquerque (where he spent two seasons from 2007-09) and most recently the Rockets.”

Just like Camby will help the Blazers, any available guard given a chance could pay immense dividends for Portland down the stretch.

After the Portland Trail Blazers win over the Los Angeles Clippers, Brandon Roy listed himself as doubtful for Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics and wondered whether his season would in jeopardy. He felt his right hamstring pull slightly just before halftime and missed the entire second half. His initial diagnosis was an intelligent one, but not 24 hours after his locker-room statement, he changed his tune.

In an article by The Columbian’s Brian T. Smith titled “Roy’s hamstring still an issue; [head coach Nate] McMillan tired of the talk,” Smith mentions that the “status of his strained right hamstring had not changed” and that “he still feels pain and tightness,” but Roy said, “I’m going to try to prepare as if I’m going out there Friday [against the Celtics].”

Having missed twelve straight games prior to Portland’s matchup against the Clippers, Roy understandably wants to be back on the court and help the team. But if he’s playing at 70 percent when an awkward contortion can result in a tear, his competitive drive to play may prove to be more bad than good. He is an integral part of their success and their best player, but they have found ways to win without him. Yes, the Blazers have struggled closing out games without his presence, but he is their top priority. They have to do what is best for him, which means resting him until he is ready.

From what I have heard, a torn hamstring can take three to six months to heal, and perhaps even longer. Considering Roy is a guard who handles the ball, drives, and takes a lot of shots and contact, for Portland to maximize his talent he has to be healthy. If he plays in the condition he is in now, with an injury that tends to linger, the Blazers will be putting him and the team in a dangerous situation. If he plays the Blazers will undoubtedly be nervous every time he makes a move, every time he falls, and every time he grimaces.

His early exit in Portland’s contest over the Clippers is a prime example of why they should give him all the rest he needs, which is the best remedy for a strained hamstring. McMillan has said that he will let Roy make the decision of whether he plays or not, but if the thought of sitting out the rest of the season entered his mind, the injury’s seriousness is serious. Portland should take note of that and look out for his future instead of playing him with high-risk attached, even if that means jeopardizing the team’s standing over the rest of the season.