Game four of the Portland Trail Blazers 2008-09 season was a fowl game. 

The Blazers held a lead late in the third quarter, but watched it disappear as a very talented Utah Jazz team inevitably came back on their home court.

The reason Portland lost was early foul trouble in the fourth quarter.  With eight minutes left in the game, they already had five fouls.  And the Jazz took full advantage, hitting 19 out of 20 free throws for the game.

Portland needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble. 

BUT...too many of the calls against Portland were bogus.

They were FOWL.

Particularly fowl was a call late in the fourth quarter made several seconds after Mehmet Okur dropped to the floor.  It was pretty clear the refs were favoring the home team, but that is part of the challenge in winning an NBA game.  

Players and teams establish reputation for getting calls, and a veteran Jazz team that has gone to the western conference finals and is in playoff contention this season has definitely earned the rep for preferential treatment given them tonight.

In spite of the questionable calls, Portland still could have helped themselves out by making better shot selections.

The Blazers' game tomorrow night features the dynamic new Houston Rocket trio of Ming, McGrady, and Artest.  Portland has never beaten McGrady and Ming together in the Rose Garden, and with the addition of Artest...the odds are favorable that Portland will drop to 1-4 to start the season.

How fowl.