"Our Baby's All Grows Up!!!"

'And yous' grows and yous' grows up and yous' grows up!' 

Resiliance. Fortitude. Belief.

With home-court advantage up for grabs in the final week of the regular season, the Portland Trailblazers have asserted themselves as true dark horses for a deep run in what is shaping up to be the most competitive playoffs of all time. 

Nate Macmillan has transformed this young, talented team into a tough gritty group of guys that play for each other, and play for the win. Every player knows their role, and has bought into the concept that if they play as a team, each do their part and leave it all on the floor, that THEY will become something special. 

The key point in the season had to be the Boston game in Boston where they were literally beat down and humiliated by the veteran Celtics. That game set the bar for where they needed to be and how far they had to come.

Due to the success of the Nuggets since the Iverson-Billups trade, Portland has had the opportunity to quietly cement their place in the cut-throat Western Conference. 

Look out because Portland has figured out to how win ugly and grind out games. Their depth and group of healthy Blazers points to positive things. Even the most die hard, optimistic Blazers fan wouldn't have predicted this kind of success.

Not with the Oden set back(s), not with Martell Webster being unavailable for most of the year, not with Kevin Pritchard deciding not to add another piece with Raef Lafrentz's expiring contract. 

If you want to use the Boston game as a bar setter. You can use KP's decision to keep the team intact as the turning point.

That show of belief in each player on the roster, that they could get the job done and that each are directly involved in the success of the club lit the fire that is burning bright. Watch out because RIP CITY is back...and here to stay.