Why the Portland Trail Blazers Could Be Deadly in the Playoffs
If Brandon Roy can make a swift return from an unfortunate knee injury and play like he usually does, the Blazers could be very dangerous in the playoffs, and be a threat even beyond the first round. This is despite all the adversity the team has faced this year.
Last year, Portland lost a tough six-game series to the Rockets in the first round. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge played well, but they didn't have enough help. Third-leading scorer Travis Outlaw struggled, and Portland didn't get big contributions from Rudy Fernandez or Steve Blake. The Blazers' inexperience also showed; out of the rotation players, only two had seen playoff action, and even they hadn't seen much.
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This year, they have addressed both of those problems. Point guard Andre Miller was brought in to help provide some veteran experience. He has been one of the few constants during the season, and is one of only two Blazers who have played in every game so far. Miller is the third-leading scorer on the team, and also the leader in assists. He is one of the special players that takes his game up a notch in the playoffs; last year he increased his scoring by five points-per-game (from 16 to 21) from the season to the playoffs. He will take some of the pressure off of Brandon and LaMarcus.
Martell Webster has returned to add some depth, good defense, and a spark off the bench for the Blazers. Portland also added veteran Juwan Howard in the offseason. He was acquired primarily for his leadership, but has seen his share of playing time thanks to injuries.
Marcus Camby was acquired midseason for Blake and Outlaw, and has helped Portland in many ways. He is one of the league's top rebounders and shot-blockers, one of the best big-men passers, and can even add some scoring, as he demonstrated by matching Kevin Durant for 30 points in Monday night's game. Camby was a member of the 1998-99 New York Knicks, who made a Cinderella run to the finals. Camby and Howard will provide invaluable veteran experience and leadership, toughness, as well as good play on the floor.
The returning players also should play better. Last year, they were the surprise team, and somehow grabbed home-court advantage, which led to high expectations for one of the youngest teams in the league. This year will be the second year for these Blazers in the playoffs. They should be less nervous the second time, and they won't have high expectations they had last year since they are now a six or seven seed. They also have been playing well the past month. While I understand that good play toward the end of the season doesn't necessarily translate into anything in the playoffs, I think it does show that the current team is clicking.
If I were a Western Conference team, I wouldn't look forward to playing Portland. But then again, I also wouldn't look forward to playing Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Utah, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, or the Lakers either. It should be a competitive and fun road to the finals in the West.
Hoops4life also wrote an article similar to this that was well worth a read.
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