Game 1, Finals Prediction

My plan was to write a more in depth analysis of the Finals earlier this week. However with class starting in less than 40 minutes, and school actaully taking up the majority of my time, here are a few quick thoughts on tonight's game 1 in Los Angeles.

• Lamar Odom has to make Lewis and Hedo work on the defensive end. This means Odom needs to stop shooting threes, and become more aggresive in the paint. Many feel that Odom's defense on these two players will be the key to the series, and while I do agree, I beleive it is even more imporant Odom makes them work on the other end of the floor.
• Rafer Alston must look to to get his teammates more involved. To often Alston falls in love with his perimeter shot (I dont know why), but the Magic will be nearly unstopable if Alston takes advantage of Fisher by penetrating and then kicking out to the to shooters like Hedo, Lewis, and Pietrus.
• Magic.....dont play Jameer Nelson! I understand Nelson wants to play, and that he had his way with the Lakers in the regular season, averaging 27 a game in the two previous match ups. However the Magic are in a groove with Alston playing the majority of the minutes, and Anthony Johnson contributing a solid 12-15 per game. Stan, keep it that way.
  
• Kobe needs to do what he has been doing all postseason, and that is reacting to what the defense gives him. If Orlando is double teaming him, Kobe must trust that his teammates will make shots. Kobe's game has evolved over the years, he now understands the type of game he needs to play in order for his team to win.
• Prediction: Lakers 103 Magic 94
  

A Look Back, and a Glimpse Forward

The Blazers magical season came to an unfortunate end Thursday night in Houston. The Rockets finished off the best of seven series in six games, leaving myself and many other Blazer fans longing for October to get here ASAP! I, like others, was frustrated with how the season ended, but now I would like to take a quick look back at this magical season, and ponder the bright future these Blazers have in store for us.

Throughout the season I saw a true NBA superstar emerge in Brandon Roy. Roy was the heart and soul of this team; making last second shots, locking down other teams stars, and giving his all every time he took the floor. The NBA’s MVP went to LeBron James this year, but if you really consider what the MVP award means, shouldn’t Roy be a leading candidate, if not the front runner? I honestly believe that no player meant more to their team than Roy did to the Blazers, and Roy finishing 9th in the MVP voting is insulting. Roy doesn’t have the flashy moves of a Chris Paul, the breath taking athleticism of King James, or the resume of a Kobe Bryant. Nationally, Roy may never be viewed in the same light as these aforementioned superstars, because he doesn't have a "look at me" type of personality. Houston’s Ron Artest recently stated that Roy was the hardest player he has ever defended. Artest is perennially regarded as one of the best defenders in the league, and giving a third year player that type of praise is unheard of. Roy may never truly be appreciated by the common NBA fan because of his old school approach, and team first demeanor, but this young star has earned the respect of his colleagues, and teammates throughout the NBA.

With Roy playing “Batman” for the Blazers, his partner in crime LaMarcus Aldridge, aka “Robin” has transformed himself into the most feared young big man in the league. Who else currently possesses his combination of raw athleticism, deadly mid range jumper, emerging defensive presence, and up and coming back to the basket game? After watching Randy Foye put up meaningless (and honestly underwhelming) numbers in Minnesota, and Tyrus Thomas flail around like a chicken with his head cut off this postseason, I have to believe Kevin Pritchard has a decent understanding of what he is doing. If you were to plug Foye and Thomas into the current roster, the only excitement in the Rose City this offseason would be the debate of who we should take with the first pick in this June’s draft. KP has given us two franchise bookends, and filled in the gaps with some extremely exciting prospects.

As I look into the future, I believe this youthful team has most of the pieces in place for a 6-8 year championship window (Rudy, Batum, Martell, Joel…Outlaw, though I would like a more veteran/cerebral presence at the 3), similar to what the Spurs had earlier this decade with Timmy, Parker, and Manu. Not to rain on the parade (referring to my prior two paragraphs), but Greg Oden must show significant improvement next season if the Blazers are going to dominate the NBA landscape for the better part of next decade. I understand Oden was a rookie this year, coming off a devastating knee surgery, but 8 points, 20 minutes, and 5 fouls isn’t going to cut it next season. GO did impress me at times in the Houston series, but was that due to my lowered expectations (or possibly Mike Rice and Barrett assuring me that the refs have it out for Greg)? I was getting excited when GO was able to play 3 minutes without picking up a silly foul, or missing a dunk. There were minute flashes of brilliance this year…the put back dunks, weak side blocks, etc., but the Blazer organization clearly expected more than one rim rattling dunk a game from Oden when drafting him. Greg was however drafted into the perfect situation, because of All Star players like BRoy and LA, GO has been able to mature at his own pace, however slow that may be. If GO was on the Thunder, he would be getting crucified on a national scale, and deemed a bust by NBA analyst from coast to coast. I do concede that maybe I have been to impatient and critical of GO at times, like I stated earlier KP hasn’t let us down with any of moves thus far, so time will be the deciding factor.

At the beginning of this season Blazer fans would have settled for any type of playoff appearance. Instead they were able to win 54 games, tie Denver for the Northwest Division Title, and secure a fourth seed in the daunting Western Conference. I think this team is still a piece or two away from representing the west in the finals next year. I would like to see the team add someone like an Udonis Haslem or Brandon Bass to the frontcourt, and maybe try to move Outlaw while he has some trade value. Another key will be the return on Martell Webster, in 2007-2008 Webster showed significant improvement, and if he can build on that the Blazers may have their small forward of the future. All in all, this was an amazing season for the Blazers, exceeding everyone’s expectations. This off season KP will make the necessary adjustments, ensuring the team contends for the foreseeable future. GO BLAZERS!!!

2009 Western Conference Playoff Preview

Here are my 2009 NBA Western Conference postseason predictions. As the playoffs progress I will analyze each math up more thoroughly.

First Round

1) Los Angeles vs. 8) Utah – Talk about a rough draw for the number one seeded Lakers. Just look at the eastern side of the bracket and see the cakewalk (aka Detroit) the Cavs have in the first round. I expect Bynum, Gasol, and Odon to present numerous match up problems for the Jazz throughout this series. Prediction: Lakers in 6

4) Portland vs. 5) Houston – As a fan of the NBA, this series intrigues me most out of all the first round series. Houston beat the Blazers 2-1 in their regular season match ups, but Portland is playing its best basketball of the season right now. While Artest and Battier should do a formidable job on BRoy, I expect LA and the ever improving second unit to send Houston home early (T-Mac wont be there to take the fall this season). Prediction: Blazers in 7

2) Denver vs. 7) New Orleans – Like most NBA fans I expected New Orleans to contend for the title this year. I also expected Denver to be on the outside looking in once postseason play started…shows you what I know. However with Denver landing Mr. Big Shot in the early season Allen Iverson, the Nuggets have become legitimate contenders. Prediction: Denver in 6

3) San Antonio vs. 6) Dallas – While most experts eagerly dismissed the Spurs after losing Manu, I expect Timmy and Tony have different ideas. With these two future Hall of Famers knowing what it takes to win in the playoffs, I expect the fragile Mavs to get bounced early. Prediction: Spurs in 5

Western Conference Semifinals

1) Los Angeles vs. 4) Portland – At the beginning of the season, Blazer fans were content with their team just making the playoffs. However the previous two meetings with the Lake Show (both wins in the garden) have given these young Blazers reason to be optimistic about their chances. Portland will certainly protect their home court, but winning a game seven is Los Angeles is an entirely different story. Prediction Lakers in 7

2) Denver vs. 3) San Antonio – Billups home coming will be enough to get the Nuggets into the conference semifinals. Running into a written off Spurs club is extremely dangerous, and honestly I just don’t trust Melo in the crunch. Fair or not, I often compare Melo with his 2003 draft class mates, LeBron and D-Wade. Those two have won big time games before, as has Timmy and co. Prediction: Spurs in 6

Western Conference Finals

1) Los Angeles vs. 3) San Antonio – If the Lakers can get past their most formidable opponent, the Blazers, they should stroll through this series (see last years match up, Lakers in 5). The Spurs have the brains to beat a club like the Nuggets, but the Lakers bring both brains and athleticism to the party. With Manu out, the Spurs have nobody to check Kobe… unless you are a Portland State homer and like Ime Udoka’s chances. The Lakers want this series to be a speedy one, because the Cavs will be game planning (or at least rehearsing their latest on court celebration routine for introductions in game one of the NBA finals). Prediction: Lakers in 5

Cavaliers 97, Trail Blazers 92

I wish I could look at this game more rationally. I wish I could relish the fact that the Trail Blazers battled the Cavaliers, owners of the NBA's best record, into overtime on their home court. I wish I could put all of this in perspective, especially considering the Blazers were without two of their starters, including red-hot LaMarcus Aldridge. I can't. I don't like taking pride in moral victories. I have heard all of the doubts from around the NBA centered around the fact that Portland has struggled on the road against the upper echelon of the league and I badly wanted to place this one up on the mantle along with the wins in Orlando and New Orleans to show just how well this young franchise is developing. Sadly, the Blazers can only take a lesson or two from this victory, rather than taking a valuable win away from one of the toughest arenas in the league. But enough with the doom and gloom, the team has a lot to be proud of after tonight's game so let's take a look at some of the things that went right.

-The Blazers out-rebounded Cleveland by 10, even with one of their stronger rebounders on the bench with a concussion. Cleveland has the 4th best rebounding rate in the league this season, so beating them on the boards was quite a feat and helped them stay in the game from start to finish.

- Brandon Roy was excellent like always. He was being checked by Lebron often times, especially down the stretch, and he put up 24/7/7 while going 11-11 from the charity stripe. He didn't shoot particularly well (6-16), but he was aggressive in the face double teams and did all the little things to help the team compete without his #1 sidekick.

- The centers were solid tonight; they kept Lebron out of the highlight reels for the most part and generally controlled the paint well. Greg's attitude and energy were solid, although he rushed a few shots in the paint (as pointed out by Doug Collins roughly 67 times). Joel was a man as always, scoring 13 points to go along with his 11 rebounds in 35 tough minutes.

- Channing started and played 34 minutes with Aldridge out, and he chucked up shots early and often. He hit 7 of his 15 attempts, boosting us in key stretches in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. It's good to see him get a little bit of confidence. I wish he was a little tougher on D and on the boards but I guess Channing is what he is and he was certainly valuable to the team tonight.

- Travis was Travis, putting up plenty of the shots that make fans cringe but hitting enough of the big ones to warrant his 4th quarter go-to status. For all of the flack he catches from fans and media regarding his defense, I thought he did a respectable job on Lebron James, keeping him out of the paint for the most part until the overtime period when no one on the planet could have kept that freight train out of the lane.

- Was anyone else annoyed by Cleveland's act before the game? For those who didn't catch it, they had an entire choreographed routine centered around Lebron and company posing for imaginary photos. I like Lebron and Kobe Bryant generally gets on my nerves, but I couldn't help but think that even Kobe and the Lakers wouldn't act like that before a game at Staples, much less a professional team like San Antonio. Maybe its just sour grapes coming from a Blazer fan after a tough loss or maybe that's just what the Cavs have to do to get up for a game against a Western playoff contender on national TV. I was glad to see Joel, Brandon, and the rest of the crew focused and ready on the court waiting for the tip-off while this sideshow was going on.

All in all it was a disappointing loss but hopefully there is no hangover on Saturday as Portland tries to finish this 5-game trip with a winning record against Milwaukee. As always, thanks for reading and I look forward to reading your thoughts in the comments.

NBA's Best (top 7)

I have wanted to do a piece on what NBA star I would want on my franchise if I was starting a team. The constraint to this argument is that it’s just for one season, not who to build the franchise around for the long haul (clearly James would be the choice). Here are the players I would want on my team if I was making a championship run this season.

1. Kobe Bryant – Simply put, the best player in the game. Has everything in his arsenal; superior ball handling skills, ferocious defense, unlimited range, and the ability to get to the rim at will. I’m not putting Kobe on the same level as MJ quite yet, but he exhibits the same will to win that MJ had, and that is something you can’t teach.

2. LeBron James – James is certainly the future of this league (total dominance for the next decade), in the mean time being 1B to Bryant is nothing to complain about. James has the ability to make everyone on the court better (take a look at the roster). The NBA, or any pro sport for that matter has never seen and athlete with the speed, size, and power of a LeBron James.

3. Chris Paul – You could make the argument that Dwayne Wade should be #3, and I respect that. However Paul’s court vision is what sets him apart in this league. His supporting cast is nothing to get excited about, and any accolades they receive is due solely to Paul’s brilliance. On a side note, Paul doesn’t average 25 plus a night like the others listed, but lets be honest he could get 30 a night without breaking a sweat if he wanted to.

4. Dwayne Wade – What Wade is doing in Miami this season is nothing short of amazing. When your second best player is a broken down, washed up Jermaine O’Neal, and your team is in the playoff hunt, then you are doing something right. Wade has improved his overall game, and every night he is performing like he did in the 2006 NBA finals. If you don’t recall Wade single-handedly carried that team to the NBA championship over Dallas, while overcoming an 0-2 series deficit.

5. Dwight Howard – Howard is a bit of an enigma to me. One night the guy is getting 35 and 20, and the next 15 and 7. His level of consistency isn’t near the others on this list, however he is the most dominant big man in the league and gives the Magic the inside presence they so desperately need.

6. Deron Williams – An under rated player in my opinion, Williams has the overall game to possibly surpass Paul if this list were to come out two years from now. He is playing the John Stockton role in Utah to perfection, while having no Karl Malone sidekick anywhere in sight on that roster. When healthy, Williams is what makes the Jazz tick, and they could sneak up on the Lakers this year in the West playoffs.

7. Brandon Roy – “The Natural”, Roy’s game isn’t flashy, and it often looks like he is playing in slow motion. He has the blazers vying for home court advantage in the first round, and without him this team would be vying for the first pick in the NBA draft. This level headed star will be an All Star for the next decade, but unfortunately may never get the national attention he deserves because of his team first mentality.

I know it means very little at this point, but....

seeing this makes me a little weak in the knees. Go Blazers.

Remember The Name

In arguably the best rookie class in a decade, casual NBA fans might overlook the gangly 20-year-old Frenchman Nicolas Batum. But that’s alright with him. When compared with his fellow rookie teammates, the 7’0, 285 pound Greg Oden, or the hot-shooting Rudy Fernandez, it seems highly unlikely that the little-known Batum would make the biggest impact on the Blazers, but that’s just what has happened.

Originally believed to be destined for the D-League for most of his rookie season, Batum stumbled on to the roster after a stress fracture in the pre-season sidelined starting small forward Martell Webster. After coming off the bench for the first 3 games of the season, Brandon Roy approached head coach Nate McMillan about Batum replacing Travis Outlaw in the starting line-up as Outlaw’s inefficiencies on defense left Brandon checking the best player on the opponent’s team, and left little offensive firepower coming off the bench. With Batum in the starting lineup, the offense was able to be run through its 2 primary scorers Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Thus far in his rookie season, Nicolas Batum has posted averages of just over 5 points a game, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. His statistics may not jump off the page at you until you consider he plays on average just 18 minutes a game, most of which are alongside Roy and Aldridge who have possession of the ball most of the time Batum is in the game. Since arriving in Portland he has been the only rookie to play in all 65 games this season, and has been one of the most consistent of all the Blazers. Nicolas Batum has been the most valuable rookie for the Portland Trailblazers because of his ability to the intangibles on both sides of the floor whether it’s grabbing loose balls or making that extra pass to get his teammate the best shot possible. Batum’s game is defined by his ability to do what his team needs him to do for the win, whether it’s shutting down the opponents best offensive player (Carter, Bryant, etc.), making come-from-behind blocks, or making a smooth dunk.

Last night he exploded for 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal on 7-8 shooting, including the game-winning 3 pointer in the last minute of the game. It’s rumored that Blazers management ended trade talks with Charlotte for Gerald Wallace when they insisted on Nicolas Batum, showing that the Blazers front office has just as much faith in this young man as I do. Michael Jordan himself spoke fondly of Batum while visiting Portland last week, saying Portland made the wise decision in not making any trades. Standing 6’8 and weighing in at only 200 pounds, it’s easy to see why people overlook Nicolas Batum, but if MJ himself remembers his name it seems likely that many more people will too.

Injury Woes in Blazerland

I sort of promised myself that I wasn't going to go here, but now I would like to touch on an issue surrounding our favorite NBA franchise. Along my stroll through the interwebs this week, I found Trail Blazer fans in a couple of places discussing the truth behind several players' injuries and the trust that the fans currently have in the organization regarding the reporting of injuries. Many are frustrated with the Greg Oden situation and now there are some whispers surrounding Rudy Fernandez and the injuries he suffered in the Laker game on Friday night. People wonder why these two aren't playing yet and it seems that some people feel like the organization is being dishonest and sugarcoating the details of these injuries. The team is in the thick of the playoff race right now, so I understand why fans are on edge and caught up on every detail surrounding their favorite team.

The questions surrounding the injury to Fernandez seem premature and a little paranoid to me. He took a pretty nasty fall following that dunk attempt last Friday. Thankfully the injuries were listed as relatively minor and the team announced that he would be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. It's only been a week and he has said he expects to play Sunday. If he does indeed play against Atlanta tomorrow, then the two games he missed would be in line with the signals that the organization was sending to the fan base. It seems unlikely that he will be on the shelf for much longer than that, so let's all give our rabbit's foot a little more attention tonight and thank our lucky stars that his injuries weren't more severe.

The Oden situation is a little more tricky than that. He banged knees with Corey Maggette on February 12, just before the All-Star break. The team talked Blazer fans down from the ledge by announcing that the chip in his knee cap was a minor injury and claimed he would be evaluated on a game by game basis upon the teams return from the break. The games came and went as fans grew more anxious awaiting Greg's return to the court. On March 2 the team announced that Oden had been evaluated and would be out for at least another 7-10 days. The media and fans began to take out some of their frustration on Greg himself, questioning the merit of his injury and also his desire to play and help the team win games. As it turns out, it was reported that the Blazers and their training staff knew at the time of Greg's injury that his symptoms could linger and keep him out for a month. This particular injury heals in different ways and there was always the possibility that Oden could miss significant time. As it turns out, this is exactly what happened.

It seems to be that the team would have been better served had they been more honest and forthright with the media and the fans from the start. If fans knew of the possibility that Greg's injury could take about a month to heal they would have been more discouraged initially, but the backlash felt by Oden could have been far less severe. Oden has proven he is a hard worker that will rehab relentlessly, doing whatever necessary to get back on the court and contribute.

Let's hope Greg is out there soon as Portland comes down the stretch and pushes toward that playoff berth that everyone in Portland so desperately wants.

Blazers 109, Nets 100

On a night when Brandon Roy did not have a field goal in the first half and the Blazers trailed that entire first half, it seemed as though the Blazers might be in for another devastating home loss to the New Jersey Nets. With Roy only scoring 7 points in the first half and the Blazers playing again without the services of reserve guard Rudy Fernandez, it was apparent someone was going to have to step up.

The guy to fill in and have a career night was Nicolas Batum. The 20 year old rookie out of France, who has only averaged 5.1 points per game this season, scored 20 points on 7 for 8 shooting including a key three pointer at the end of the game to put away New Jersey for good.

Roy, who has been battling his illness as of late, did get his legs in the second half scoring 24 points on his way to a game high 31. Lamarcus Aldridge continued his aggressive play by scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Another key contributor tonight was Joel Przybilla and it was, of course, on the defensive end. He had 5 blocks tonight and many coming at key points in the game that halted the momentum of New Jersey. This was the last game of the home stand for Portland and their next game will be the first of a five game road trip, against Atlanta who plays very well at home. They ended Utah's 12 game win streak just recently and it will no doubt be a challenge for the Blazers.


photo courtesy of The Oregonian

ODEN vs DURANT

These two young players will forever be linked as the #1 and #2 picks of the 2007 NBA draft. While their young careers have certainly taken different paths up to this point, I was a proponent of the Blazers drafting Kevin Durant long before they selected Greg Oden #1 on that fateful June afternoon nearly two years ago. Of course you say, “Oh Tyler that is easy for you to say now after Oden has been hurt and Durant is averaging 25 plus”. However you would be wrong if you alleged that is how I came to this conclusion.

When the Blazers drafted Oden they saw a young big man with Patrick Ewing like shot blocking ability, and lift like a youthful Shaq. I too saw many of those things, but I also understood that drafting a big man on raw talent alone didn’t always pan out. I looked back at past draft selections like Michael Olowokandi, Kwame Brown, and Sam Bowie (sorry for bringing that up), and figured that the risk would not be worth the reward. You counter saying, Greg Oden lead his team to the Final Four, and lost to the mighty Gators, I say so what. Oden’s team had NBA players on it to, like Mike Conely Jr., and Daquan Cook. What Oden did in college was impressive, but by no means was he the lone piece that kept that ship afloat.

What Kevin Durant did in college was unbelievable. He wasn’t playing alongside future lottery picks, he single handedly lead that team to victory night after night without the supporting cast Oden had. Don’t get me wrong, Texas basketball has more talent than say a Washington State, but Durant was that team, and was the face of college basketball for the 2006-2007 season. It was evident to me that his game would translate nicely to the NBA. With a skill set similar to a 23 year old Tracy McGrady, his mark on the NBA would be felt within minutes of him taking the court. Maybe the Blazers expected Oden to turn into the next David Robinson, and I can’t completely fault them for that. All too often we pick the beautiful and crazy girl knowing that it will be fun for a few months, though truly understanding nothing will ever come of it. It should have been clear to many that Durant was going to be a perennial All Star, not on some “tickle me elmo” fad that lasts for a Christmas season. The Blazers however rolled the dice, and it bit them.

I understand Oden has been hurt, but honestly the Blazers have been a better team this season with Joel at the 5, and Oden playing his 20 foul prone minutes a game. I don’t believe the Blazers drafted Oden with the number one pick thinking “he is going to be a great hustle man in this league”. However if that was the case they should have committed their future to players like Udonis Haslem, Kenderick Perkins, Joe Smith, or Drew Gooden. All of whom have proven track records as “nose to the grind stone” type of players. While Durant is averaging 25 down in OKC, albeit on a bad team, Blazers fans have to honestly be asking themselves if their team made the right choice. Roy, Durant, LA and the crew sounds like a lineup that could win the west every year; while Roy, LA, and crew sounds like a franchise that is satisfied with hosting two playoff games every April or May.

Mavericks 93, Trail Blazers 89

I don't really have a lot to say about this loss because it just ended and it was very painful. Portland struggles against Dallas for some reason and it frustrates me to no end. Seeing Dirk tug on his jersey in celebration on the Rose Garden floor makes me sick. I hope the Blazers take some things from this game however and come out ready to play on Friday against the Nets.

Thoughts.....

- Aldridge played well on both ends, especially defensively in the 2nd half. He seemed to be the most intense Blazer on the floor on a night when Brandon seemed unusually flat. I couldn't move for a good three minutes after that dunk over Dampier in the 3rd quarter, I was just too weak physically. Incredible plays paralyze me for some reason. It was the Best dunk of his career that I can remember.

- Outlaw picked up the scoring slack in the 4th quarter and he almost willed us to a win down the stretch. You almost never see Jason Kidd get his pocket picked like that during a crucial 4th quarter possession but Travis did it. His defense and intensity seem to be getting a little better.

- B-Roy looked a little off all game but he still put up 22 points and 6 assists. He did take 20 shots however and couldn't get it going like he usually does down the stretch of a close game. I suppose it happens. Forget it and move on.

-Przybilla was his usual self. He really has to cover up so many other people's defensive mistakes it's amazing he is in position for so many rebounds and avoids fouling out by the 2nd quarter. I love Joel.

- No one else really stood out to me too much. Batum played with good energy overall and did a reputable job on Kidd. Those blocks on the fast break just keep getting better and better. Steve Blake kept us in it with his shooting in the first half but I fear that all I will remember is that turnover he committed following the Outlaw steal at the end of the game. That hurt me. Frye had a few decent plays defensively but when Dallas was in that zone it would have been nice to get a couple of made shots from him on the perimeter. Sergio aired two threes and was generally uninspiring. Bayless didn't do anything worth mentioning that I can remember.


That game felt a little like a punch in the gut but Portland can't let this single loss become a losing streak, especially when facing a very winnable game against New Jersey in the garden on Friday night. I expect a bounce-back effort.

Trail Blazers vs. Mavericks Preview

The Portland Trail Blazers welcome the Dallas Mavericks into the Rose Garden tonight in a battle of Western Conference playoff contenders. Portland is sitting in 5th place in the tight conference race while Dallas is in 8th, but the teams are only separated by a game and a half. Portland really needs this win to keep pace in the West and Dallas is undoubtedly looking to build on a win in Phoenix last night. There are some good and bad things to consider for Portland when dissecting this game. The good news for the Trail Blazers is that they have been impressive at home all year and even more devastating on the home court as of late. The bad news is that Dallas has owned Portland in the last few years and they are one of only five teams to win in the Rose Garden this year. The Blazers should win this behind the rowdy Blazer faithful, but a let-down following the big win over the L@k*rs on Monday night is a definite possibility. Let’s look at some of the keys to the game:


- The Blazers need to come out with energy early and often. The Mavs are coming off a game last night in Phoenix and their tired legs should be no match for the younger, fresher Blazers.

- Nowitzki is obviously the lynchpin of the Dallas attack and keeping him relatively in check will be a key to Blazer victory. Teams have great success when they can limit Dirk to under 20 points. The Blazers accomplished this in their loss at Dallas last month but still lost by five. I will take my chances if the Blazer defense can manage to do this again on the home floor.

- Portland needs to establish dominance inside like they did against the Lakers on Monday night. Dirk is not a banger and Dampier is slow and foul-prone. I like it when Portland looks for Przybilla in the offense even if he isn’t the most dynamic scorer. Forcing the Dallas defense to worry about the paint should give the Blazer shooters plenty of open looks.

- Outlaw, Batum, and Przybilla need to rebound on both ends of the floor. Przybilla always does this and Batum will usually try to get involved on the boards, but Outlaw needs to scrap for second-chance opportunities and defensive rebounds as well. LaMarcus Aldridge will most likely be paired up with Nowitzki, whose perimeter game should neutralize much of Aldridge’s ability to get rebounds.

Overall Blazer fans should be hoping for intensity and passion from both the players and the crowd as the team tries to get a game from another playoff contender. A let-down after the L@k*r game is possible but coming down the stretch of the season the Blazers need to realize that EVERY game is important and play accordingly. A loss tonight would erase a lot of the good feelings from Monday’s thumping of K*be and Lake Show.

Prediction: Blazers 102 Dallas 95