NBA Playoffs 2011: Is Brandon Roy the Same, or Is He Washed Up in Portland?

Brandon Roy was an All-Star. He was Rookie of the Year. He was the sixth draft pick. Everyone thought Portland had made a great choice. But now, people are starting to question Roy's talent. He scored two points in 26 minutes, and he only dished out two assists. Is Brandon Roy the same player that scored 52 in 2008 and went to three straight All-Star games?

Injuries have definitely hurt Brandon Roy, and they have taken him out for 35 games this season. In the 47 games he has played, he has only averaged 12.2 PPG. All of his numbers have taken a significant drop. He has averaged 9.3 fewer PPG this year than last year. Is he just having an off year, or is Roy washed up?

Roy is definitely not the same player he used to be, but will he be able to return to stardom or at least get better? He could turn out like Yao Ming, who was a star until injuries took him out nearly every year. If an injury makes him leave the playoffs this season, or if he is just wiped out in 2011-2012...he might be done.

His free-throw shooting percentage has risen to just under 85 percent, but his field-goal percentage has dropped to 40 percent and his three-point numbers have dropped to 33.3 percent. Roy did score 29 earlier in the year, but he has been very inconsistent and he has struggled late in the year. The Blazers will need Roy, who is in his third playoff series, to step up and guide the team to victory over the Mavericks.

If Roy only scores two points in every game, the Blazers will get swept. But if he scores 20 every game, the Blazers will win in five. LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews have carried a heavy load, but they will need Roy to throw in a little experience, make some shots, drain some threes and step up for Portland to beat Dallas.

Roy did have 10-plus points in seven straight games earlier in the year, but he will need to take a lot of shots and make more than 40 percent of them for the Blazers to survive the Mavs. Portland came very close to winning with only two points from Roy. Imagine what they can do with 15-20 from Roy.

As long as the injury bug doesn't strike Roy, and if he starts playing like he did even last year, the Blazers will be just fine. However, it will take more consistency from Roy for the Blazers to thrive. Will he rise to the occasion? I think he will play well in some games, but consistency is a problem for him and he will have trouble performing well night in, night out.