Check out Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Brandon Roy, and Deron Williams in their Foot Locker House of Hoops commercials. The dudes talk about an experience in their own house of hoops and their overall love of the game. Not bad but it would’ve been cool if there were actual reenactments of their experiences. But I guess in this tough economy, Foot Locker’s budget only allowed for them to have the players, a basketball, and a white background. Oh they did give Deron a stool though.
Great game between the Blazers and the Rockets last night. How about that ending? Brandon Roy didn’t have a particularly good game but hit two unbelievable shots in OT to win the game for his team. (But how about that defensive play by Ron Artest at the end of regulation to strip the ball from Roy. A pretty ballsy move if you ask me. Shows you how much he trusts his defensive skills because fouls are called all the time on plays like that.) The shots didn’t even hit rim. Ridiculous. I still can’t believe Adam Morrison was picked higher than this guy (let alone 3rd overall). He’s such a solid player overall and if he can hit clutch shots and lead his team down the stretch, Roy will be a superstar. And let’s not forget about Yao’s tough turnaround jumper that he splashed in while drawing the foul. An impressive shot in itself, only to be forgotten in the midst of Roy’s heroics.
PATHETIC STAT LINE OF THE NIGHT
Elton Brand:
35 MINS 6 PTS 12 REBS 1 ASTS 0 STL 0 BLK 2 TOS 3-8 FG 0-2 FT -19 +/-
Not the kind of production Philly (or I) was expecting from its big free-agent signing.
IMPRESSIVE STAT LINE OF THE NIGHT
Tracy McGrady:
44 MINS 30 PTS 7 REBS 8 ASTS 2 STLS 1 BLK 2 TOS 11-23 FG 8-10 FT 0-2 3-PTS +6 +/-
Numbers you’d expect T-Mac to put up but hey, with only two games on the schedule, there wasn’t much to pick from.
It’s official. Greg Oden is out 2-4 weeks with a sprained foot. It is a bit disheartening to hear this news as Oden actually seems to be one of the good guys; someone grateful for the position he is in. Well, he waited an entire year to play so what’s another few weeks. I really hope these injuries don’t pile up on him (like they have already) because there’s no question he can become a dominant center in the NBA.
No one has done a better job of assembling a team full of talent and character than Portland GM Kevin Pritchard. He shrewdly made trade after trade, stockpiling young players and draft picks which culminated in the crown jewel of his team, last year’s #1 pick Greg Oden. You can seriously field two competitive teams with all the guys the Blazers have. It’s ridiculous. It will be interesting to see how Pritchard manages all his players when it’s time for contract extensions.
He missed the dunk but Portland fans are definitely smiling at that sight. They can only hope his knees will allow him to do this in the future.
Face of the Franchise: Greg Oden. With all due respect to Brandon Roy (as he is an outstanding player and from what I’ve read, an outstanding person as well)I have to go with the big man from Ohio St. His debut may be the most anticipated in Blazers’ history (after all, their fans had to wait an extra year to see him in action) and I am convinced he will not let anyone down. What separates Oden from other true centers, in my opinion, is his athleticism. Add on top of that his defensive prowess and command of the paint and in him you’ll find a true beast in the making. It’ll be a shame for Blazers and NBA fans alike if his career were to be derailed by injuries not only because of what he could potentially do on the court, but he does seem to have a unique personality that is refreshing in today’s world of professional sports.
Send Him Away: Joel Przybilla. I don’t think I’d trade anyone on this team away except Przybilla. And I’d probably even keep him for the year just to have a serviceable big man backing up Oden (he won’t be playing 35 minutes a game from the get-go, if at all this season). So pretty much I love how this team is built and would just keep it in tact for now.
Impact Newcomer: Greg Oden. Can I count him as a newcomer? I will, but even if I couldn’t, there are so many others to choose from. Jerryd Bayless, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez…it’s ridiculous how Pritchard brings in so much (coach Nate McMillan will have a tough time getting everyone minutes). And Fernandez will be an impact player for sure. He is a stud and I think he showed everyone that when he posterized Dwight Howard in the Olympics.
He’s good.
X-Factor: Steve Blake. Though B-Roy handles the ball a good amount, it will be on Blake, as the starting point guard, to distribute the ball to everyone and make sure the offense doesn’t stall. As long as he doesn’t turn the ball over (which he doesn’t) it should be easy for him because pretty much every other player on the floor with him will be able to put the ball in the hoop. Bayless will probably back him up but he’s more of a scoring guard. If Blake can’t do this, then he probably won’t be in the Blazers long-term (or short-term for that matter) future.
Roy just gets the job done. How could MJ have picked Adam Morrison over him?
Forecast: Playoffs – 4th seed. The Blazers will overtake the Utah Jazz for the division crown this year. They will make a huge jump and win about 55 games this year. Though I am predicting regular season success for them, I don’t think it will carry on into the playoffs and they’ll get bounced in the first round no matter who they play. Even so, the year will be a success for them and this team will be an absolute force in the future.
Posted by david im 
(Greg Wahl-Stephens/AP Photo)
