Bleacher Report - NBA Northwest

FRYE-day Stats Dump: Channing Frye Putting Up Good Numbers For Phoenix Suns

Busta Bucket — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:24:20 -0500

Why the Channing Frye title? I guess because I like the guy and am happy for his success in Phoenix. Another possible explanation: I want to be distracted from the Blazers. Frye's new situation has him running the court and launching three pointers. He's good at that. So far Frye is 12th overall in three-point field goal percentage , and an astounding fourth in three point makes per game . Over 62 percent of his points this season have come from the deep-ball (only seven percent of his points have come from free throws), and he already has scored more points than he did all of last season with Portland . He is becoming Exhibit A for how a player's match to their team's system is so important in determining player production.

I posted this in the forum but think it's weird enough to grace the main page: Andre Miller is leading the Blazers in plus/minus with a +100 overall, and Steve Blake is second with a +98. They are 30th and 31st in the League, respectively. Also, the most effective five-man unit for Portland features both point guards . And here I was thinking stats were supposed to make things easier to understand.

In other stats that don't make sense at first news, Portland's non-defense is actually giving up the third fewest points per game in the NBA, and is holding its opponents to the second lowest field goal percentage in the League. What that really tells us is just how weak Portland's schedule has been. Third easiest in the NBA to be specific.

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Civil War Hangover: Bucket of Links

Busta Bucket — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:20:00 -0500

Adrian Wojnarowski is hearing that the Blazers are looking for a forward ...and Andre Miller might be trade bait.

Travis Outlaw returns to Portland , and even though he won't play until March, his presence is definitely a positive.

Sean Meagher gets the low down from Jason Quick in their latest podcast. Plenty of good topics if you were too focused on the Civil War yesterday.

Another important reminder lost in the chaos yesterday, Casey Holdahl remembers Fernando Martin .

Ben from Blazer's Edge was one of the few at practice on Wednesday , I like the persistence about defense, and asking McMillan for answers.

Dwight Jaynes has been spot-on with his unbiased assessment of the Blazers troubles of late.

Is the Blazers offense hurting the defense ?

Insider alert: Hollinger doesn't see the Blazers standing pat when it comes to shaking up the lineup:

"Regardless, I can't imagine the Blazers will stand pat with this group if they continue to underperform. While Roy and Aldridge are a big part of the reason, Portland won't be parting with either of them anytime soon, especially after signing both to extensions over the past four months. Instead, they'll likely use their other assets to bring in more weaponry, especially long-range shooters who could give their two stars more offensive breathing room. "

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Blazer Distractions

Busta Bucket — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:16:57 -0500

The Blazers are currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak with three ugly losses in the last week (two of those at home). From under-performing players, poor defense, questionable coaching, and injuries, there are any number of excuses you could argue for the reasons of this atrocious streak of play. The Blazer players have had mental lapses, and their minds are not in the right place.

Here are some of the current distractions that they might be dealing with:

Jerryd has been addicted to blogging recently.

Brandon has been sports car shopping on weekends since signing his new contract.

LaMarcus has been all about his No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns.

Steve's mind gets lost in a good book.

Rudy is worried about how Sergio is doing in Sacramento.

Andre is perfecting his Richard Pryor look, even getting into stand-up.

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Trip City: What is Wrong with Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers?

Drew Barton — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:02:00 -0500

Prior to the season there was a lot of optimism in Rip City. It made a lot of sense because the team, at least on paper, had clearly improved.

Backup point guard, the most glaring problem spot, had seen a major upgrade with near-All Star Andre Miller coming in at the addition-by-subtraction cost of turnover-machine Sergio Rodriguez.

The second most glaring problem was resolved with the return of Martell Webster. While Nicolas Batum was clearly the best Blazer defender, Webster presented them with an offensively dangerous option.

Furthermore, team strengths were also improving. Greg Oden looked to have regained his speed and agility and was looking so improved that a guy who should have gotten some consideration for team MVP last year, Joel Przybilla, became a reserve.

Yet 20 games into the season Portland has already lost four home games, including a blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, has trailed for 11 consecutive quarters, and worse yet, looks like they are a team that does not care.

What happened?

In some ways, it is a team effort. The players who have improved this year from last can be limited to two: Greg Oden and Martell Webster.

Oden is doing more than asked. He controls the boards, blocks shots, stays within himself offensively, and shoots at a high clip. He plays hard and has a huge impact at the defensive end of the floor.

Webster had a shaky start but has come on to look like the Blazers best player much of the time. He has taken on Batum's role as defensive stopper and does a creditable job. He is not a premier defender yet, but there have been moments and stretches where he has been.

So if those two are improved, who has gotten worse?

Naturally, since credit starts at the top, so does blame. And Brandon Roy unfortunately deserves much of that blame.

Unlike past seasons where he has been an efficient scorer, this year his offense has been disruptive and low percentage.

Part of that is due to the officiating. My bias is obviously pro-Blazer, but I genuinely believe he is poorly officiated. It is very frustrating to see him drive the lane, bounce off of three defenders, and still not get the call, while at the other end a Blazer picks up a hand-check foul on players like Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, or even Rudy Gay.

Roy should be going to the line more than 10 times a game with the way he plays, but he is not officiated the same way other slashers are and regularly takes a great deal of contact without drawing the foul.

As a result, he becomes frustrated, knowing no foul will be called, and overcompensates with some wild drives that result in ugly shots and, even worse, turnovers that lead to fastbreaks the other way. This does not excuse his play, but certainly makes it understandable.

Nor is he playing well defensively. He gets torched repeatedly on the occasions he makes it down the floor at all.

But his disappearance pales in comparison to that of Steve Blake. Blake somehow forgot who he was.

Gone is the steady point guard who hits the three and doesn't turn the ball over. In his place is a guy who makes unbelievably bad turnovers, makes them at the worst time possible, plays worse defense than Jeff Pendergraph is playing* to the point where I have labeled it Blake-fense.

Even my favorite player, LaMarcus Aldridge, must share some of the blame. He has lost a lot of the aggression he showed in the past two seasons. He does not demand the ball on the block, does not dominate defensively the way he should, and has looked lost and out of place all too often.

He is far more talented than he has shown.

Przybilla has seemed disinterested, no longer the defensive force he used to be. He is not moving his feet, not blocking out, not blocking shots, and not bringing the attitude he used to.

To be fair, the Blazers miss Travis Outlaw a great deal and probably more than many fans realized they would. His explosive scoring potential and game-changing athleticism, along with his clutch fourth quarter play, are being missed game after game

Yes, Portland lost two key rotation players in Outlaw and Batum. Yes, they have played a hectic schedule.

These are not valid excuses.

They have also played a cupcake schedule and there are several inexcusable losses on it. If they want to be a playoff team, much less a contender, then they need to show the heart it takes to be one and win the games they should without making excuses.

For example, they choked away home games to the Nuggets and Hawks. They lost to a Warriors team playing seven guys. They lost at home to Memphis, giving up a 31-4 run on their own floor. They did not even try against the Heat.

The amazing thing in that game was that the Heat shot 53.3 percent. What is amazing about it is that the number was so low. All night, every shot was wide open with no Blazer in the picture.

Nor has that been a one-game phenomenon.

The Blazers are out of sync right now. When there is a pick and roll, often the Blazers elect to defend neither player. Nor do they defend well one-on-one, and when the big men provide help defense, no Blazer provides rebounding coverage.

Defensively, they are discombobulated and lack any sense of cohesion. Offensively, they are only marginally better.

Yet for all that, I think there is one more huge element that deserves some blame for the question, "What is wrong with the Blazers?"

That is people like me. Fans. Fans who love this team. Fans with expectations for this team.

When the team was built around Zach Randolph, we expected to lose. We knew we would lose to the Clevelands of the league, struggle against the Utahs, and try to eke out wins against the weak sisters like the Warriors, Clippers, and other NBDL teams masquerading as NBA teams.

We knew who those teams were because we were one of them.

But we got spoiled. We got used to seeing Super-Trout (Travis Outlaw in super-stud mode) and B- Roy dominate games, in seeing Portland win every possession, even if the other team scored, by putting out superior effort, functioning as a cohesive unit, and winning virtually every home game.

We got spoiled by watching Roy and Aldridge go from good draft day picks to cornerstones of the franchise. We got spoiled by a meteoric rise from irrelevance to 54-win team.

And we got used to it.

Instead of coming to the game planning to enjoy the action and have a win be icing on the cake, we now show up expecting a win and being upset if the Blazers struggle. Sure, not all of us do that, but we fans are a team just as the Blazers are and must all take responsibility for what we do.

That includes the poor taste in booing the home team in each of the last two home games. It includes the raucous booing whenever a Beaver or Duck shirt is shown.

Yeah, I know, Beaver fans hate the snobbish, arrogant Duck fans. And Duck fans hate their also-ran little cousins and make a point of booing loudly...and often.

So often they have made little kids cry when the kids were shown on the big screen wearing Beavers gear and been booed mercilessly. The obnoxious Duck fans drowned out the music when the OSU dance team on the floor, a favor the Beaver fans did not reciprocate when the Duck dancers hit the floor.

The point is the fans are more frequently found silent or booing or complaining than cheering the team on, possibly because we became complacent before we won anything.

Now, it is much too early to panic. This is a very talented basketball team with a lot of good wins in front of it. Roy will get it figured out. Blake and Miller will get past their little unspoken feud. Aldridge will find his place on this team. And they will win plenty of games by the end of the year.

The question is whether Blazer fans will be patient while that happens.

So buck up Blazer fans. You are still winning at a .600 clip. You are still fine. The team will find itself. You just need to go back to being optimistic team supporters, stop ripping them at every opportunity, and enjoy the trip.

And yes, I realize the irony of saying that after writing this. But thanks for noticing.

* For those unaware of Pendergraph, he is currently on the injury list and hasn't played all season. Hopefully now that joke (?) makes sense.

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Miami 107, Portland 100: Trail Blazers Continue Slide

Busta Bucket — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:10:34 -0500

BOX SCORE

Don't let the final score fool you, the Blazers got crushed again. By the Heat. In Portland. Let's just get through this recap the best we can.

LaMarcus Aldridge sat out nursing a banged knee. On the positive side he looked very debonair in his suit. In his place the Blazers started rookie Dante Cunningham, who provided some much needed hustle.

Energy like Cunningham’s is something I am craving more and more as we sit and wait for the team’s bigger personalities to sort out their issues. I want a hyperactive role player power forward to just go nuts out there and provide me with some sort of vicarious catharsis. So thanks for giving me a little of that, Dante.

When young Cunningham went to the bench, the slightly less young (I’m using deep time as my scale here) Juwan Howard came in and provided instant offense, even beating the buzzer in the first quarter with the same non-jumping turnaround banker that the older guy at the gym kills with during pick-up games. He finished the half with 12 points (5-5 FG, 2-2 FT), 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. I love Juwan Howard.

Also of note from the first half was the play of Brandon Roy. In the first quarter he scored 14 points on nine field goal attempts with zero assists. He nearly outscored and out shot the rest of his teammates combined; they managed 14 points on eleven attempts.

In the second quarter Roy shifted to the other extreme, scoring no points and taking only three shots. He finished the night with 25 points on 25 shot attempts. I am now in waiting; waiting for Roy to show that great leadership and make the declarative “buck stops here” stand that rallies the team and turns things around. Would be wise for me to hold my breath?

Portland’s defense was terrible. Miami shot 53 percent from the field for the game. When a Heat player would beat his defender on the perimeter, which was very normal, the scorekeeper might as well have automatically put two points up. Beasley had more free throw attempts in the first half (8) than he has had in any game this season.

The Heat had 60 points at half. What was that thing we used to have all the time back in the day? Oh yeah, defensive intensity . Being interested in helping each other might work too (I refuse to be sorry for that Half Baked reference. When the team plays this bad I get to trot out any reference I please. It's in my Bust a Bucket contract).

Greg Oden was a bright spot tonight. His career high 20 rebounds featured eleven off the offensive glass. He also had 13 points (albeit on 4-13 shooting) and 4 blocks. He was a force even beyond his impressive numbers. He altered shots that he didn’t block, some all the way out on the perimeter.

Even when he wasn’t scoring he was a factor offensively, Miami even sent some double teams his way. And of course Greg was a constant threat to nab an offensive rebound. Jermaine O’Neal got into foul trouble trying to keep Oden off the glass and once O’Neal went out and the (allegedly) 6’9" Joel Anthony came in Oden made Miami pay even more.

After watching Greg struggle with foul trouble so much it was beautiful to see him inflict some whistle-pain on his opponent. Imagine a world where Oden is consistently getting other teams into foul trouble. It may be closer to reality than you think.

Tonight was Andre Miller’s 550th consecutive game, which is an active player record. He contributed 18 points and 6 assists. Blake had 9 and 3. Just so you know.

The video stream I watched had the Heat announcers and Australian commercials, which was novel enough to add a little entertainment to my evening. It also meant that I had to watch a replay of Quentin Richardson breaking Roy’s ankles 337 times.

It was easily worth it when they ran a game show segment at half-time where they ask Udonis Haslem weird questions and add a laugh track and canned applause. I was impressed enough to take a screen grab:

I would also like to note that Sheed warned you all that “Civil War Night ” was a bad idea. Clearly all that UO and OSU clothing in the crowd confused the Blazers into thinking that they were at an event where they would be watching somebody else play a game. I hope we all learned a valuable lesson.

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Game 20: Blazers vs. Heat, 7:00 p.m. KGW

Busta Bucket — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:09:11 -0500

Thanksgiving weekend wasn't exactly the relaxing and happy time it should have been in Portland. For fans, players and everyone else involved, it became a subtle finger-pointing session, following back-to-back losses against Memphis and Utah.

I missed the Memphis game due to social obligations at the Oregon coast. But from what I heard it was a complete nightmare. 18-0 runs, 34-2 runs, Memphis rolling, I'm kind of glad I missed it.

Regarding the Utah game, I was thankful it was on KGW, until I actually started watching. The Jazz came right out and punched the Blazers in the mouth. It was over within 10 minutes. Utah shot lights out, moved the ball well, rebounded better, and the Blazers just looked discombobulated.

Portland needs to stop the bleeding tonight. A win against the Heat would be a step in the right direction. There are two long road trips looming this month, winning games at home is key. Let's take down Dwayne Wade and the Heat!

Miami Heat coverage at the Heat Blog .

Click over for the breakdowns:

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Portland Trail Blazers Host Civil War Night: Is That Really a Good Idea?

Busta Bucket — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:54:23 -0500

I just got a heads up that the Portland Trail Blazers are hosting a Civil War Night tomorrow at the Rose Garden. Highlights include Beaver on Duck crime during time-outs, people wearing orange and yellow to a Blazer game, and ticket prices being cut to where they were last year. Hooray!

Not really. I am not a big fan of the promotional events and am especially irritated when people wear non-Blazer colors to games at the Rose Garden. I would rather fans were focused on cheering for the Blazers tomorrow instead of fighting over the Civil War. Especially considering the teams recent struggles.

Don't get me wrong, I am heavily invested emotionally in a certain University, but I will be at the game tomorrow decked out in red and black! Here's the release, get tickets and go to the game:

TRAIL BLAZERS TO HOST CIVIL WAR NIGHT TOMORROW

Rose Bowl on the line between the Ducks and Beavers

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers are supporting Oregon's biggest in-state rivalry, college football's Civil War, Tuesday, December 1st vs. the Miami Heat.

Fans of the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers are eligible to receive discounted tickets. In-game activities will pit Ducks and Beavers fans together in contests and on big screen features. Following the game, all participating fans will be led down to the court to shoot a free throw. Fans are encouraged to wear their team's school colors to the game.

With much more than bragging rights on the line, this year's Civil War marks the first time in the game's 113-year history that the winner is guaranteed a Rose Bowl berth.

Tickets for Civil War Night can be purchased by calling 503.963.3963 or going online at http://tickets.trailblazers.com/deals/ (promotion code: Civilwar).

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Pepsi Center Hosts 'Melo vs. Johnny in High-Scoring Affair

Ryan Maloney — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:31:00 -0500

Only two players have been drafted in the NBA lottery out of Syracuse University over the past eight years. Those two men are going head-to-head tonight on the hardwood at the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. Carmelo Anthonty's Denver Nuggets led Johnny Flynn's Minnesota Timberwolves 64-50 after 24 minutes of play in Sunday night's regular season match-up. The game can be viewed online by clicking here .

UPDATE: Flynn has led the Wolves on a 14-3 run to start the second half and it is now a three-point game with under eight minutes remaining in the third quarter. Thus far, Flynn has scored 12 points and Anthony has poured in 19.

UPDATE No. 2: Make that a 21-7 run to tip off the third as the Wolves have tied the game 71-71. They are looking to snap a 15-game losing streak after winning their season opener.

UPDATE No. 3: Break up the Timberwolves! Minnesota snapped their 15-game losing streak with a 106-100 victory over Denver.

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Brandon Roy, the Portland Trail Blazers, and Struggle

Busta Bucket — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:56:52 -0500

These are interesting times in Rip City.

The Blazers, still young, have all the talent to become an elite team. We all see that. The enormity of this team's potential is a major reason for our instant frustration when they struggle. After all, success is not guaranteed.

To have a team so young and loaded never amount to much would be heartbreaking. Maybe the anxiety resulting from this uncertainty is responsible for us forgetting that the way to the top is rarely a straight path.

If championship success ever happens, it often arrives only after some significant obstacles are overcome: playoff heartbreak, team chemistry issues, injuries, or whatever.

"These setbacks are normal, perhaps even helpful," is a belief that I'm clinging to as I watch Portland struggle. It was never realistic to expect smooth sailing. But when the losses come the finger pointing starts, even when the losses are few.

So far, I’ve heard or read from different sources that this is Nate’s fault, Miller’s fault, Kevin Pritchard's fault, Roy’s fault, Aldridge’s fault, “injurie’s fault”, and nobody’s fault. If things continue none of us are safe from blame. Not me. Not my imaginary goldfish. Nobody.

The criticism that has stuck with me the most is Dwight Jaynes' recent post . Not so much the exploration of who threw whom under the bus, it was his point that Brandon Roy needs to learn how to become a real shooting-guard that became lodged into my mind. The claim was that both Roy and the team would be better off in the long run as a result. If only Nate would take a stand with Roy and make it happen.

“Roy seems like he’s being kind of a diva,” my Dad e-mailed me.

It was shocking to read something like that given the golden status of Roy in my family. It was even more shocking that such a statement actually resonated with me. Roy wants to win, but right now he seems to think that it can only happen his way. That his way is the best way.

If that means ignoring Oden in the post or failing to embrace Andre Miller, so be it. His way has worked before, and it will keep working if people would just stop messing with it.

Ultimately, Roy needs to realize that this team is too talented to run so much through one player. Roy has a selfless game in many ways, which makes me uneasy about going so far as to label him as selfish. But maybe he does need to get out of his comfort zone. All would benefit from his learning to be effective while playing a traditional two-guard role.

This thought doesn't diminish Brandon in any way. When the game is on the line, we know who the ball goes to. We know he's the alpha. We also know that there is talent on this team that is being underutilized, and that it is hurting. Portland can never fully upgrade their back court if Roy refuses to grant autonomy to the point guard.

What Roy is going through isn’t so unusual. Multiple young, talented ball-dominating 2 guards have been slow to truly embrace the team concept. Weary of trusting anyone else to help shoulder the load, they seize control and are slow to relinquish it. It took Jordan years (and Phil Jackson) to learn that he would win more if he bought into the team.

It took Kobe years (and Phil Jackson) as well. If Brandon has yet to internalize such principles completely, just remember that he still has time and that other players have overcome similar issues.

In a convoluted way, what I’m trying to say is that patience is in order. This team will have setbacks. Setbacks are normal. As mature as Brandon Roy is he is still a young player learning to trust his team.

He may need to grow his game in different ways and adopt a different mentality, but knowing what we do about Roy I'm choosing not to worry yet. Also, I think I implied that Portland should try to hire Phil Jackson. That was unintentional and completely subconscious. I hate my subconscious.

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Game 19: Blazers 92, Jazz 108

Busta Bucket — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:16:34 -0500

Well, usually this would be a recap filled with four-letter expletives and multiple call-outs, but it's hard to get too mad about this loss because it was par for the course. Weak Blazer defense, stagnant offense, too many jump-shots, yada yada yada...this game was over five minutes in and I wasn't all that surprised. I'm growing indifferent to this team in the early going which I find somewhat troubling.

Utah's two stars, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer absolutely murdered the Blazers tonight. The two combined for 50 points, 22 assists, and 18 rebounds. D. Williams is a Top-Three PG in the league, and Boozer seems like he's put contract issues aside. It's clear that Mr. Aldridge has a long way to go to making an all-star team over Boozer.

Most of all this seemed to be a game of two teams heading in opposite directions. Utah has everyone healthy, and they are really clicking on all aspects. Blazers on the other hand, well, I don't think anyone knows where they are going, but it's not up.

You can't argue with a 12-7 start, but if you have an ounce of basketball savvy you would know that the Blazers have not looked good for the most part this year. They've had a cupcake schedule and have been outclassed by most of the decent teams they've played.

The team has had a lot of games so far (most in the league at 19 games) so perhaps it is just fatigue. Whatever it is, this does not look like a team ready to challenge for the Western Conference title, let alone get out of the first round.

Box Score

Jason Quick's post-game reactions


3-18 on 3-pointers Andre Miller playing six minutes Letting Utah shoot 60% D. Williams and Boozer looking like Stockton and Malone	Mike and Mike questioning McMillian's substitution pattern of Oden Bayless and Cunningham getting good run Toby Gerhart and Stanford being a good distraction from the Blazer game

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Pepsi Center Is Melo's Center as Anthony Drops 50 On Knicks

Ryan Maloney — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:58:00 -0500

It had been two years, 11 months, and 12 days since Carmelo Anthony landed an uppercut to the chin of Mardy Collins before 19,763 patrons at Madison Square Garden in a 2006 game between Anthony's Denver Nuggets and Collins' New York Knicks.

The incident still serves as a shiny black eye on an otherwise brilliant seven-year professional career for Anthony. But for the former Syracuse Orange forward, Friday night's game may have served as a metaphorical steak over a bruised peeper.

Anthony lit up that same Knicks franchise with a career-high 50 points as Denver outlasted the Knicks 108-105 in Denver.

His first of two successful free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter wound up being the decisive tally as it gave the Nuggets a 126-121 lead. His second foul gave him 50 points in a game for the first time in his NBA career.

"They might have been the two toughest free throws I've shot in a while," Anthony told reporters after the game. "We've got the game on the line, 50, you're right there and you want to get it. If I didn't say I wanted to get it, I'd be lying to you. I'm right there. But most importantly they were two big free throws."

The fact that Anthony made 15-of-16 at the charity stripe is a small miracle for any player who has ever donned the orange and blue of Syracuse, a program notorious for their struggles at the line. But Anthony seemed to be dialed in from all spots on the floor, hitting 17-of-28 shot attempts.

New York's Al Harrington also turned in a memorable performance, dropping in 41 points to fall one short of his career best. But after the game, even he had to marvel at 'Melo.

"He's got the total package right now," Harrington said. "He's hitting 3s, he's hitting mid-range, he can get to the free throw line whenever he wants.

"When you play against a guy that's going like that, there's nothing you can really do. I think our guys did a pretty good job, because if they didn't, he would have had 70."

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The Black Friday Debacle: The Blazers Love to Shop

Busta Bucket — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:43:53 -0500

Many fans were puzzled as they watched last night's game vs. Memphis as to why the Blazers were sleepwalking through the first half. The effort was not there, and the 31-2 run by the Grizzlies didn't seem to even piss off any of the players. Zero emotion was shown.

What was wrong with this team? It was as if they hadn't gotten any sleep the night before.

That got me thinking...sure they're multi-millionaires, but that doesn't mean they don't love a good bargain. Fleets of vehicles and plasma TVs in every room of your house add up pretty quickly.

These guys must have been out waiting in the Black Friday lines just like the rest of us. They were exhausted from the shopping, crowds, and chaos that comes along with Black Friday.

That is the only way to explain the effort (or lack thereof) put forth in the first half last night. So from here on out, the loss to the Grizzlies on the day after Thanksgiving shall me known as the Black Friday Debacle.

Management better make sure the players do their shopping online next year.

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Game 19: Blazers @ Jazz, 6:00pm

Busta Bucket — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:05:49 -0500

The Blazers get a chance to right the ship in Utah after the Black Friday debacle last night against the Grizzlies.

Utah Jazz coverage at True Blue Jazz .

Blazers

Analysis

Jazz

If there is one guy not on the Blazers that I have a man-crush on, it's Deron Williams. Even though he is on the hated Jazz, I enjoy his game more than anyone else in the league. Tonight however, I won't enjoy him shredding our defense. Steve Blake and Andre Miller can only hope to combine for an offensive output like Deron's. Miller will be key in the second unit; hopefully he takes this matchup to heart and has a big night in the state of his alma mater.

Brandon Roy will be under a lot of defensive pressure in Utah tonight. Matthews and Brewer will be locking down Roy, which should open up opportunities for other guys. Roy did put up 33 points last time around in SLC though. Rudy needs to show up tonight to help the second unit. I'm not particularly worried about Matthews or Brewer bringing any offense, they are here to complement Deron. Roy and Rudy FTW!

Andrei Kirilenko has thrived in his role has a backup. He seems to have a need to get lost in the mix and just do what he does best, play defense, and do everything but score. I think this is the type of matchup that sways based on who has home court. Martell's inconsistencies will likely be in effect tonight. After a hot night last night, will he have the same confidence going tonight? The X-factor will be Cunningham. He's really starting to make a name for himself and earn playing time. Dante continues to impress, but I like the Jazz here.

Carlos Boozer is back to his old self with the Jazz. When he's committed, he's an absolute monster. He's averaging 21 points and nearly 12 rebounds at home this year. Plus his backup, Millsap, is no slouch. He's at 10 and 6 on the season and these guys are really cleaning the glass. LaMarcus will have a tough time finding the paint so that jumper will need to be extra smooth tonight. I just don't see how we stop Boozer and Millsap at Utah.

In order for Portland to win this game, we must win this matchup in a big way. The Jazz have a solid power forward tandem but our center tandem needs to be better. Okur, as always, will be floating around the perimeter, hopefully not getting it going from long range. But Greg's game continues to improve and should be good again, especially with Andre feeding him the rock. I like our centers here, but this game will be tough. Utah has won 4 of their last 5, and seem to be picking it up.

Overall Winner:

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Blazers-Grizzlies: Portland Can't Overcome Long Midgame Drought

Busta Bucket — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:46:40 -0500

BOX SCORE

If NBA games had a fifth period, the Blazers might have been able to pull this game out. Then again, there's no reason to believe the Grizzlies would have stopped having an answer for every Portland comeback attempt.

The Blazers gave Memphis everything they had in the second half, outscoring the Grizzlies 57-45, but it wasn't enough as Memphis dominated Portland 106-96.

The game started out as expected with Portland holding an early 15-11 lead midway through the first quarter. Then what became an insurmountable lead began to take effect as Memphis continued to take it to the rim and get to the line as Portland continued to take jumpers and turn the ball over.

The dreadful quarter was fittingly capped off with Brandon Roy (uncharacteristically unaware of the game clock winding down) failing to get a shot off, followed by a chorus of well-deserved boos from the home crowd.

Memphis ended the quarter on an 18-0 run, holding the Blazers to 28% shooting.

Oh, but they weren't done yet. The Blazers were stuck with 15 points until about the 6:40 mark of the second quarter when Brandon Roy finally hit a jumper to end the long drought. By then the Grizzlies had done too much damage.

Memphis continued to pour it on as they seemingly couldn't miss, racking up 61 first-half points and heading into the locker room with a 22 point first half lead.

The Blazers came out and gradually fought back in the second half but every time Portland seemed to be making a move, Memphis would have an answer.

There was a feeling that although the Blazers were down double-digits for the majority of the game, they would find a way to sneak out a win. They were playing Memphis, after all.

Portland got the lead, which had gotten as high as 29, down to single-digits in the fourth and you had the feeling that they just might do it. But Memphis always had an answer.

It's hard to blame anyone for this loss. Memphis simply came to the Rose Garden and played a great game. The Blazers got worked. Z-Bo always seems to play well when he comes back to town, finishing with a typical 21 point, 9 rebound game.

Marc Gasol played fantastic, finishing with 19, 15, and 5. OJ Mayo had a solid night with 19 points.

The bench played well, as Hasheem Thabeet was terrific in the paint during the fourth quarter and Jamal Tinsley seemed to do whatever he wanted.

Memphis came to the Rose Garden and handed Portland its third home loss of the season, leaving Blazer fans with a sour taste as the team heads down to Salt Lake City for a meeting with the Jazz.

Hearing the boos at home (and deserving them)
Continuing to struggle at the foul line
Not much help from the bench
Roy and Aldridge playing 40+ minutes one night before heading to Utah

Martell gaining confidence
No one got injured

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Game 18: Blazers vs. Grizzlies, 7:00 PM CSN

Busta Bucket — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:50:46 -0500

Memphis Grizzlies coverage at 3 Shades of Blue .

Blazers

Analysis

Grizzlies

I still haven't seen what I expected to see out of Mike Conley. Towards the end of last season he seemed to be rounding into a good point guard in the NBA. But something happened and he is struggling again. Memphis brought in Jamaal Tinsley who is nothing more than a servicable back-up. I like Portland's point guards tonight. Andre Miller has been huge off the bench lately and Steve Blake should be able to get his threes going against the Grizz.

Brandon Roy continues to battle inconsistencies on offense. Sometimes it's the opponent focusing on Brandon and sometimes it's just the way the game is flowing. Portland has played a lot of bad teams and games get out of hand early. I see memphis putting up a fight and Roy getting hot early. Mayo will drop in about 20 but they'll be no match for Roy and Rudy.

After that huge night Saturday against the Timberwolves, Martell has gone back to his struggles. As long as he can contribute defensively and on the glass, he's an asset to this team. Cunningham has started to earn minutes and for good reason. He brings a very nice dynamic with his mid-range jumper and great defense. The problem is Rudy Gay is a very talented player and he'll win this match-up tonight.

The last time these two teams met, Zach Randolph was held to only 11 points. That was amazing considering his frequent motivation to kill the Blazers. I think he'll have a much better game tonight. He and Sam Young will control the boards and LaMarcus can only really hope to get some in this game. The fact that we're at the RG gives LA a good chance, but Z-Bo will be pissed, he might drop 30!

Greg Oden has really been a force lately and I'm excited to see him matched up with Marc Gasol. Gasol is a skilled offensive player and his rebounding numbers really depend on the opponent. I think we'll hold him under 10 boards tonight, the question is, can Oden stay out of foul trouble? Marc is crafty and able to draw a lot of contact, so it should be interesting. I do like Joel to dominate Thabeet and our centers take the match-up.

Overall Winner:

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