"After this preseason is all said and done for the Trail Blazers, it might not matter that Brandon Roy wants to run the offense, or that Rudy Fernandez wants out of town or that general manager Rich Cho has yet to make a move.

Now 10 days from the season opener, the Blazers continue to more resemble a M.A.S.H unit than a team that is meshing, as two key players joined the walking wounded Saturday, threatening to render moot the encouraging signs from Saturday's 118-105 exhibition victory over Golden State at the Rose Garden.

Wesley Matthews, one of the Blazers best players this preseason, played only four minutes before having to leave with a sore right Achilles' tendon that he first tweaked during Thursday's scrimmage in Seattle. After being pulled from the game, he immediately took off his shoe and sock and had ice placed on his heel. He did not come out of the locker room for the second half.

Also, the team's only center, veteran Marcus Camby, was unable to play because of a bruised right hip. His absence was originally thought to be nothing more than a precautionary measure typically taken in the preseason. However, coach Nate McMillan said the team's training staff informed him that the injury was serious enough to have kept Camby out of a regular season game.

"I just want to come in one day and not have to talk about it," McMillan said, trying to hold back a frustrated smile.

So while LaMarcus Aldridge (25 points, seven rebounds, two blocks) was brilliant on both ends of the court, Nicolas Batum (19 points) became more involved in the offense, and Fernandez continued his effective preseason, the night had a one-step-forward, two-steps-back feeling."