Trail Blazers News

Warriors advance for Friday's game vs. Portland Trail Blazers
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November 20
Contra Costa Times
 
"Trail Blazers update: The Blazers have won seven of their past eight games. ... Portland forward Travis Outlaw is out three to five months after having surgery Wednesday to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. Outlaw was averaging 9.9 points in 21 minutes off the bench. ... Guard Andre Miller, the Blazers' key free-agent acquisition this past offseason, is averaging 12.2 points, 5.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds as a starter. All of those are improvements from when he came off the bench the first five games of the season."
Trail Blazers squeeze out a win
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November 19
Oregonian
 
"Feeling good after returning from a successful trip, the Trail Blazers nearly allowed the good feelings to disappear with an ugly loss. The Blazers blew a 20-point lead going into the fourth quarter before squeezing out an 87-81 victory against the injury-depleted Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at the Rose Garden. Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 20 points to lead the Blazers. Steve Blake's three-pointer with 25.9 seconds remaining gave the Blazers a four-point lead. They hung on and won by making free throws. The Blazers won for the seventh time in eight games, but no one on the team was overly joyous, especially coach Nate McMillan. "We have to play the game for 48 minutes," ..."
Not firing on all cylinders, Blazers still nip Pistons
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November 19
Portland Tribune
 
"It was almost two years ago to the day when the Trail Blazers built a 25-point third-quarter lead at Philadelphia, then watched it disappear before their very eyes in a 92-88 loss to the 76ers. So while what happened Wednesday night at the Rose Garden conjured bad memories from that disastrous affair, Portland's 87-81 victory over Detroit was much easier to digest. "It's much better to learn a lesson in a win than in a loss," Portland's Brandon Roy said. "I'm just happy we pulled it out, and hopefully this doesn't happen again." The Blazers (9-4) squandered all but one point of a 20-point lead after three quarters, but made enough plays down the stretch to hold off the Pistons (5-7), ..."
Blazers craft money strategy
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November 19
Portland Tribune
 
"For a team that just committed something in the neighborhood of $143 million in salary to two players, the Trail Blazers are well-positioned for the future in terms of payroll. That doesn't mean Portland will have salary-cap room to land a big-ticket free agent next summer. Still, the franchise that once paid $100 million in luxury taxes has its financial act together now. This season, the Blazers' payroll is $56.2 million for their 15 players – an average of $3.75 million per player, under the salary cap ($57.7 million) and well under the luxury-tax threshold ($69.92 million). Portland is 27th among the 30 NBA teams in payroll, ahead of only Memphis, Minnesota, Detroit and Oklahoma City. ..."
Late rally not enough for Pistons
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November 19
Detroit Free Press
 
"It looked like it was going to be a good night for Charlie Villanueva. He quickly knocked in a short jumper to start the scoring for the Pistons against the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. He followed that up not much later with a 25-foot three-pointer. But he was sent to the bench with his second foul a short time thereafter. When Villanueva returned in the second quarter, he played just under two minutes before committing his third foul. He wound up with 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting and three fouls in just over 16 minutes in the Pistons' eventual 87-81 loss. It was an impressive scoring night considering the number of minutes he played, but Villanueva's absence for stretches ..."
Pistons' latest comeback fizzles again
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November 19
Detroit News
 
"This looked as if it would be a difficult trip, and it's turning out to be so. Four games, two back-to-backs, against teams who all made the playoffs last season. The Portland Trailblazers sure look as if they'll be in the playoffs again this season. The Pistons, playing their fourth game in five nights (in four different cities) had few answers to counter Portland -- until late in the game, which is becoming a custom -- losing 87-81. "It's a great effort, the comeback is nice, but why be in that position in the first place?" Charlie Villanueva said. The Trailblazers led 48-38 at halftime, and stretched the lead to 20 points after three quarters (70-50). Then, as the evening before in ..."
Trail Blazers return home with 11 players and questions at forward
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November 18
Oregonian
 
"The Trail Blazers returned from their five-game trip with four wins, but with only 11 healthy players and looming questions about whether they have enough depth. General manager Kevin Pritchard said he will not immediately seek reinforcements after Travis Outlaw became the second forward this season to suffer a long-term injury, saying he will first see if veteran Juwan Howard and rookie Dante Cunningham can do the job. "I want to give Juwan and Dante an opportunity; they deserve it," Pritchard said Monday after the Blazers' 99-95 overtime loss in Atlanta. "That doesn't mean we are not going to look and be opportunistic if there is a guy out there. But these guys will get the ..."
Homecoming for Howard, surgery for Outlaw
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November 18
Oregonian
 
"It was quite a scene before Saturday's game in Charlotte, when Juwan Howard walked onto the court for warmups. At halfcourt, the entire Bobcats coaching staff, as well as some players, gathered to greet Howard, who played 39 games in Charlotte last season. But it wasn't just any meet and greet. There were bear hugs, back pats and more hugs, from each of the more than eight Bobcats personnel. The most emphatic in his reception was head coach Larry Brown. "He was a huge part of our team," Brown said. "His work ethic, his character, everything about him was terrific, and it was important because we had so many young kids and he is the ultimate pro. The way he conducts himself, the way he ..."
Blazers owner Paul Allen diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
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November 17
Oregonian
 
"Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen, who already has overcome cancer once, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Allen, who purchased the Blazers in 1988 and has been heavily involved in its operations, started chemotherapy treatments earlier this month and is expected to continue to oversee the team and his many other business ventures as he fights the illness. "Paul's passion for the team is as vibrant today as it's ever been," Blazers President Larry Miller said. "Our goal is to continue to focus on the commitment and execution of the vision that he's (given us), which is to bring a winning organization and a winning team to Portland." Allen's sister, Jody Allen, announced her ..."
Trail Blazers detour from a perfect five-game trip
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November 17
Oregonian
 
"As is customary for pregame and postgame interviews, Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan on Monday stood in front of a backdrop that carries the team's logo and one of its sponsors. Only this time, the cloth backdrop -- held in place by duct tape -- fell off the wall, partially draping McMillan's right shoulder as he answered a question from a national reporter. "I will pretend I didn't see that," McMillan said after looking out of the corner of his eye. Three hours later, he could have said the same thing after the Blazers wilted much in the same fashion as the silver backdrop, losing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead before falling 99-95 to Atlanta in overtime. So what was very nearly a ..."
Hawks pull through in OT, 99-95
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November 17
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"They played for three quarters like the same old Hawks. The 2004 model. Then they finished in a fashion that bore little resemblance to those horrid clubs of the past. The Hawks overcame an ungainly start against Portland by imposing their will in the fourth quarter and overtime in a 99-95 win at Philips Arena Monday night. "We're nowhere near close" to those Hawks of the recent past, said guard Joe Johnson, whose late-game marksmanship fueled the comeback. "Two, three, four years ago, we'd have lost a game like this." In an intriguing game for November, the Hawks revealed again that something special may be bubbling at Philips this season. Their fifth win in a row came at the hands of a ..."
Hawks' Joe Johnson and Blazers' Brandon Roy bring out the best in each other
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November 16
Oregonian
 
"When the Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks meet tonight at Philips Arena, the similarities between the two teams go beyond their winning streaks. And they go beyond the fact they are among the NBA's youngest teams, both on the rise. Leading the teams are two understated stars -- Atlanta's Joe Johnson and Portland's Brandon Roy -- who have forged a rather intense rivalry. Throughout the years, in exhibition and regular-season games, each has found the other brings out the best in him. The resulting competition has produced some memorable moments. But what makes this matchup even more special is the striking similarities between the two, on and off the court. Both players discovered those ..."
On a roll, Hawks take on Portland
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November 16
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"A year after recording their first winning season since 1998-99, the Hawks entered the season bent on improvement. But could they have imagined this? Ten games into the season, the 8-2 Hawks have the best record in the Eastern Conference and were tied with Phoenix for the best record in the NBA as the Suns went into Sunday night's game against Toronto. Among the team's conquests are road wins at Boston, Portland and Sacramento and a home win over Denver. The start marks the team's best record after 10 games since 1997-98, when the team started 11-0. "I think we can do something special," said forward Joe Smith, the 14-year veteran who has contributed key minutes off the bench. "We have to ..."
Foot injury sidelines Blazers' Outlaw till January
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November 15
Oregonian
 
"There was an ominous moment before Saturday's game when Brandon Roy asked Travis Outlaw whether he thought his aching left foot had a stress fracture. "He had been complaining about his foot for a couple of games now," Roy said of his best friend. "So I was like, 'Trav, you sure you don't have a stress fracture?'" Little did either know, but 20 seconds into Outlaw's night on Saturday, Roy's suspicion would bear true. In a development that delivered a long-term blow to the team's depth and playing style, Outlaw on Saturday broke a bone in his left foot while playing defense 20 seconds after entering the Blazers' 80-74 win Charlotte. The team's top reserve and primary backup power forward is ..."
Portland 80, Charlotte 74: Bad news precedes victory
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November 15
Oregonian
 
"Not even one of the most bizarre nights in years for this team can stop the Trail Blazers. The Blazers ran their winning streak to six games on Saturday with a gritty 80-74 victory at Charlotte that came after a freak pregame accident, a long-term injury to a key player, and a heated scuffle in the final minute of a game still in question. In the end, there was enough late-game magic from Brandon Roy (25 points), enough clutch plays from Rudy Fernandez (10 points, seven rebounds, two drawn charges) and enough of a collective defensive effort to lead the Blazers to their fifth consecutive road win, including four in the past five days. "What a night, you know?" said an exhausted and ..."
Bobcats offense fall apart in loss to Portland
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November 15
Gaston Gazette
 
"Hall of Fame basketball coach Larry Brown is renowned for his blunt assessments of players and teams. On Saturday, after his team lost its fourth straight game — 80-74 to the Portland Trail Blazers at Time Warner Cable Arena — he offered praise for effort but disappointment in the result. He also offered a pretty no-nonsense opinion of what's ailing his team. "I thought we defended as well as we can," Brown said. "I thought we rebounded great. I thought played hard as hell. We just can't make shots." Since Charlotte entered and left the game ranked dead last in shooting percentage and scoring average in the 30-team NBA, is there a cure for those woes? Brown thinks so. It's just that it may ..."
Travis Outlaw out until mid January
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November 15
Portland Tribune
 
"Travis Outlaw fractured his left foot in the first quarter of an 80-74 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Brandon Roy led the way as Portland extended its winning streak to six games and improved to 8-3, sending Charlotte to 3-5. The Blazers are 4-0 on the trip that ends Monday at Atlanta. Outlaw, who was averaging 10.9 points per game, returned to Portland for evaluation. Team officials estimated he could miss six to eight weeks. The Bobcats, who have lost four games in a row, led 28-20 midway through the second quarter but missed eight consecutive shots."
Blazers can't shoot, but still trip Hornets
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November 14
Portland Tribune
 
"Better to win ugly than to lose while etching a masterpiece. That was the Trail Blazers' motto Friday night while beating New Orleans 86-78 at New Orleans Arena. Portland (7-3) won its fifth in a row and third on its current five-game road trip, which continues Saturday at Charlotte. "It was a tough game for us," said forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was the only Blazer in an offensive groove with 20 points and 13 rebounds. "It was our third game in (four) nights on the road. It was ugly, but we got it done." The Blazers shot only .379 from the field, were 2 for 13 from 3-point range and survived a horrendous-shooting first quarter (4 for 20) to win."
LaMarcus Aldridge carries Blazers through ugly game
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November 14
Oregonian
 
"Before the season started, LaMarcus Aldridge said he was starting to feel a little ridiculous talking about his annual goal to make the All-Star Game. As he discovered during the past two seasons, talking about it doesn't equate to making the February classic. What can get him to his goal are nights like Friday, when Aldridge carried the Trail Blazers through a game-breaking third-quarter run with a flurry of jumpers and inside grit that pushed the Blazers to an ugly 86-78 win over the New Orleans Hornets. Aldridge finished with game-highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds, outdueling his counterpart David West (15 points, 10 rebounds), who was chosen instead of Aldridge for last year's ..."
Painful Start
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November 14
New Orleans Times-Picayune
 
"In his debut game, Hornets Coach Jeff Bower looked concerned after marching on the floor to see his franchise player, Chris Paul, sprawled and writhing in pain from a severely sprained left ankle. With 40.3 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Paul stepped on the back of Portland's center Joel Pryzbilla's foot after soaring to make a pass to Hilton Armstrong in the lane. As Paul landed awkwardly, his left ankle turned and he landed hard on the floor, grimacing in pain as he tossed his mouthpiece and grabbed his ankle. With Paul having to be carried off the court by teammates Sean Marks and Darius Songaila and not returning, New Orleans lost to Portland 86-78 Friday night in front of ..."
Blazers have a ploy to give Brandon Roy the ball more
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November 13
Oregonian
 
"By the looks on the faces of the Trail Blazers, coach Nate McMillan might as well have been speaking Chinese on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. "Weak 25 ice" McMillan shouted from the sideline. Steve Blake squinted at the coach and grimaced. Joel Przybilla threw up his hands in confusion. And Brandon Roy tilted his head up, his mind searching for the play. Behind McMillan, scouts for three NBA teams scurried, flipping through diagrams and past play calls. There had been up to 50 play calls before that, and none had caused as much angst as this one. The reason for all the confusion on the court, and the commotion within the scouting table, was that the Blazers had never run the play ..."
Stuck on the dunk tank
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November 12
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"After so much change, the Timberwolves are exactly where they were a year ago: 1-8, with an eight-game losing streak after Wednesday night's 107-84 loss to Portland at Target Center. Two nights after they tied two franchise records in a 146-105 loss at Golden State, the Wolves led by seven points early, then got outscored 67-38 over the next two quarters to a Blazers team that beat them for the 10th consecutive time. "I mean, get beat by 40-some points?" Wolves forward Al Jefferson said when asked to compare efforts from one game to the next. "Believe it or not, I think we made some steps up tonight." Often sullen and short-answered after losses, Jefferson was introspective and expansive ..."
Portland 107, Minnesota 84: Greg Oden shows he can run the fast break, too
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November 12
Oregonian
 
"Greg Oden has shown a lot in this early season for the Trail Blazers. A new spin move. A smooth and effective jump hook. Quicker feet. Better stamina. But nobody expected to see what the Blazers center did Wednesday during yet another validation that Oden is on his way to living up to the hype and expectations of being the former No. 1 pick. Oden led the Blazers in scoring (18 points) and rebounding (11). But the talk of the night was his leading a 2-on-1 fast break with LaMarcus Aldridge, which Oden finished with a two-handed dunk after Aldridge delivered a soft lob pass. The play, generated by an Andre Miller steal at halfcourt, ended a game-changing 11-2 run in the second quarter, ..."
It's Oden again leading the way
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November 12
Portland Tribune
 
"Portland beat up on its perennial punching bag again Wednesday night, breaking away from the Timberwolves in the third quarter en route to a 107-84 victory. It was the fourth straight victory for the Blazers (6-3) and their second in a row on this five-game road trip, which continues Thursday at New Orleans. Portland beat the Timberwolves 116-93 at the Rose Garden Sunday night. The Blazers, who won at Memphis Tuesday night, moved into a tie with Denver for the lead in the Northwest Division. Minnesota is 1-8 after winning its opener against New Jersey. The Blazers trailed through most of the early going. Minnesota led 26-18 early in the second quarter when Portland, behind Oden and Travis ..."
Fragile Grizzlies falter in 3rd quarter, lose to Portland, 93-79
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November 11
Memphis Commercial Appeal
 
"The Grizzlies returned home to FedExForum on Tuesday night after a tumultuous trip to the West Coast, where they took a beating in the press and in the Western Conference standings. Coach Lionel Hollins knew his team needed something good to happen against the Portland Trail Blazers. "It would be great," he said before the game, almost in a whisper, "to get a win." The franchise was fragile, his young players rattled - by five straight losses and by Hurricane A.I., who had left so much damage in his wake. Allen Iverson was hundreds of miles from the Grizzlies bench by the opening tip, at home in Atlanta mulling retirement. But his ghost haunted the place. The Blazers are a talented team ..."
Trail Blazers 93, Memphis 79: Pieces come together; Greg Oden unleashed
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November 11
Oregonian
 
"More and more, the Trail Blazers are learning just how much Greg Oden means to their success. On Tuesday, Oden was the difference for the Blazers as they jumpstarted a five-game trip with a 93-79 rout of Memphis that ran the Blazers winning streak to three. After playing only four minutes in the first half after two quick fouls, Oden was powerful on offense and intimidating on defense, helping the Blazers break away from a 45-45 halftime tie. Oden had 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the second half, and keyed the Blazers' decisive 14-1 run in the third quarter. "I was 0-fer in the first half," Oden said, referring to his statistical line. "I wanted to get something going. And ..."
Trail Blazers will test momentum, growth on the road
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November 10
Oregonian
 
"LaMarcus Aldridge scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Minnesota Sunday night. He'll try to replicate that success on the road.Five games. Seven days. One gigantic test. Although it's premature to make sweeping judgments about the Trail Blazers, as they embark on their first lengthy trip of the young season, the next week could offer evidence that they are inching closer to becoming a championship contender. The Blazers seem as poised, prepared and polished to succeed on the road as they have at any point during coach Nate McMillan's tenure in Portland. The combination of late-season road success in 2008-09, continued maturation and experience has the Blazers believing ..."
Blazers unleash fast-break speed, race past Timberwolves
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November 9
Oregonian
 
"After years of talking about pushing the tempo, the Trail Blazers are finally doing it, and it's no coincidence that the new fast-break Trail Blazers are being led by point guard Andre Miller. With long passes, and urgent dribbling, Miller continued to change the look and style of the Blazers on Sunday as the Blazers amassed 21 fast-break points during a runaway 116-93 win over Minnesota in front of a Rose Garden sellout of 20,306. In the first five games of the season, when Miller was coming off the bench, the Blazers had 19 fast-break points, compared to 62 by their opponents. In the two games since he was inserted into the starting lineup, giving the Blazers a three-guard attack, the ..."
Blazer attack gets big assist, as Miller fuels big win over outmanned Minnesota
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November 9
Portland Tribune
 
"The statistics Sunday night at the Rose Garden were a bit unusual, to say the least. Brandon Roy scored two points - the fewest he has scored since the fifth game of his rookie season, when he played fewer than seven minutes because of injury. The Trail Blazers ran out to 21 fastbreak points - 16 in the first half - after averaging an NBA-low 5.2 the first six games of the season. Portland dished out a season-high 35 assists and shot .500 from the field - that after averaging 17.8 and shooting .424 in the first six games. And the Blazers, who had scored more than 100 points only once and were averaging 94.5, had 92 by the end of the third quarter. The result was an ..."
Nate McMillan comfortable with Andre Miller calling Blazers' plays
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November 8
Oregonian
 
"Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan did more than insert Andre Miller into the starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs -- he handed over the keys to his offense and took away Miller's learner's permit. For the first time in his coaching career, McMillan allowed his point guard to call most of the plays as the Blazers defeated the Spurs 96-84 at the Rose Garden on Friday. After McMillan yelled out the first set of the game, Miller essentially took over from there. "I was a point guard who called my own plays ... so I'm OK with that," McMillan said, referring to his days as a player with the Seattle SuperSonics. "If you know the reads and you have a feel, I don't have a problem with ..."
Back to .500 - Blazers dust off Spurs
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November 7
Portland Tribune
 
"A first-half injury to San Antonio guard Tony Parker and a better overall performance by Portland enabled the Trail Blazers to end a two-game home losing streak. Brandon Roy (game-high 24 points) and Greg Oden (14 points, eight rebounds, four blocks in 25 minutes) led the way as Portland won 96-84 and improved to 3-3 and the Spurs fell to 2-3. Roy hit 9 of 15 from the field, while Oden made 6 of 9. Steve Blake (15 points) and Andre Miller (10) added to the Blazer attack, while Joel Przybilla came off the bench for a game-best 13 rebounds. Portland jumped on the Spurs, leading 29-14 after one quarter. Then Parker went down with a sprained ankle, after scoring just four points in 11 minutes. ..."
Pregame surprise: McMillan changes Trail Blazers starting lineup to ...
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November 7
Oregonian
 
"Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan had a pregame surprise Friday at the Rose Garden, where he announced that there would be a change in his starting lineup. But it's probably not the change you're expecting. Yes, Andre Miller gets his first start for the Blazers at point guard when they host the Spurs at 7:30. But Steve Blake also will start, joining Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden in a lineup that McMillan hopes will push the tempo and spawn a faster, more dynamic offense. "I think we are calling too many sets," McMillan said. "I want to see if we can get more rhythm and more tempo. I want to speed it up and I want more flow, want more movement, more ball movement. …"
Portland 96, San Antonio 84: McMillan shakes up starting lineup
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November 7
Oregonian
 
"Spurs guard Tony Parker reaches for the ball knocked out of his hand as Blazer Andre Miller stands over him. Martell Webster recovered the loose ball for the Blazers. Have to hand it to the Trail Blazers in this early season: There is never a dull moment. On Friday night, the drama and intrigue surrounding the team continued as Andre Miller made a surprising debut in the starting lineup, which was followed by a blistering performance by the Blazers that was nearly ruined by some shaky fourth-quarter play that produced more than a few uneasy stomachs. But when it was all said and done, the Blazers escaped with a much-needed 96-84 win over San Antonio in front of the 75th consecutive ..."
Second verse for Spurs in Portland
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November 7
San Antonio Express-News
 
"The Spurs awoke here Friday morning, greeted with familiar headlines about that night's opponent. The team was struggling. The coach was furious. The natives were restless. This was the feeling in Portland about the underachieving Trail Blazers, but it could have been the sentiment about the Jazz in Salt Lake City 24 hours earlier, right before they smacked the Spurs. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, for one, noticed the pattern. "We caught both teams at a bad time, that's for sure," Popovich said. "They both needed to pick it up. In past years, I've said the same things about my team that those coaches said about their teams. Teams respond to that." At 2-3 after a winless road trip, now would ..."
Only five games, but plenty for Greg Oden and the rest of the Blazers to talk about
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November 6
Oregonian
 
"In the past couple of days, Greg Oden has heard all about the dreadful state of the Trail Blazers. The poor defense. The sputtering offense. The coach not knowing what he's doing. How the season is spiraling down the drain. While the Blazers center agreed that the team's 2-3 start is unacceptable, he had an irritated message sprinkled with expletives for all the talking heads and Nervous Nellies: Relax. "It's been five games, man," Oden said, his brow furrowed. "You hear the talk of everybody flipping out, people saying 'It's not the same' ... It's five games. We will get over this within a (bleeping) week. Yeah, we should have won some of those games, but that's in the past. Move on. ..."
Inconsistency rules throughout the roster
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November 5
Oregonian
 
"Blazers forward Travis Outlaw, shown during a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns, has had two strong games and three weak ones, typical of the Blazers' early season performance.If for only a moment, ignore the Trail Blazers' defensive deficiencies. Brush aside the challenging early-season schedule, surprising last-second injury to Nicolas Batum and struggling second unit. Beyond these lingering issues is another far-reaching problem: Consistency. Or, more specifically, a lack of consistency. "I think the effort's there -- I really do," Travis Outlaw said. "We've had energy. I just think we haven't put everything together yet. We've had good spurts, but we can't just have spurts." ..."
Blazers need to sharpen their points; Miller, Blake have been spotty
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November 5
Portland Tribune
 
"Five games into the season, nothing much is going smoothly for the Trail Blazers. Portland (2-3) is shooting .422 from the field, not playing the kind of defense coach Nate McMillan preaches and has taken its customary spot in last place in the NBA in fastbreak points, averaging 3.8 per game. One of the biggest questions coming into the season - how free-agent point guard Andre Miller would fit in - is only beginning to be answered. Miller, coming off the bench in place of starter Steve Blake, showed off his ballhandling and passing talents in Tuesday's 97-91 loss to Atlanta, dishing out 11 assists with no turnovers in 28 minutes. The 6-3 Miller set up Greg Oden for a sweet second-quarter ..."
Blazers going in wrong direction
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November 4
Oregonian
 
"Everything the Trail Blazers wanted to become this season is not happening. They wanted to build their brand on defense, but so far, they remain a soft and penetrable team. They wanted to push the ball, and use newcomer Andre Miller to accelerate the fast break. But so far they are painfully methodical, with Miller grinding the gears to get out of neutral. They wanted to establish their half-court offense in the lane, but they continue to live and die by the jump shot. And most of all, they wanted to become one of the Western Conference's elite teams. But here they are after five games with a 2-3 record after Tuesday night's demoralizing 97-91 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at the Rose ..."
Hawks down Blazers 97-91
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November 4
Oregonian
 
"Jamal Crawford scored 27 points off the bench and Joe Johnson added 19 - 17 coming in the second half - and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Trail Blazers 97-91 tonight at the Rose Garden. LaMarcus Aldridge, back from a minor knee injury, led the Blazers with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Brandon Roy and Travis Outlaw scored 19 apiece. Andre Miller had a season-high 11 assists off the bench for Portland. Portland led 25-15 after the first quarter, but centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla once again found themselves in foul trouble early, and Atlanta seemed to take advantage of the Blazers' smaller lineup. Atlanta outscored Portland 32-23 in the second quarter to pull within 48-47 at the half. ..."
Crawford fires Hawks past Blazers
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November 4
Portland Tribune
 
"Portland got outworked in the trenches and in the open court, and Crawford lit up the Rose Garden with a game-high 27 points to lift the Atlanta Hawks to a 97-91 victory. It was the second straight home defeat for the Blazers (2-3), who were 34-7 at home last season and only once lost back-to-back games at the Garden. "We can't be losing games like that here," Portland's Brandon Roy said. "But (the Hawks) made the plays down the stretch and we didn't. That didn't happen to us here very often last year." For a quarter Tuesday night, the Blazers dominated the Hawks, running up a 35-25 lead. For a half, Atlanta guard Joe Johnson was cold as an igloo. Crawford wasn't, though. And when Johnson ..."
Resilient Hawks bounce back to upend Blazers
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November 4
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Jamal Crawford said it was a big game. And he played like it, rescuing the Hawks from themselves and their usually frivolous ways on the road. Crawford took control of things in the second quarter and then guided the Hawks down the stretch to a crucial 97-91 win over Portland at the Rose Garden, their first road win of the season and their first quality road win in seemingly forever. With Joe Johnson, Al Horford, Marvin Williams and Mike Bibby laboring early and Josh Smith in early foul trouble, the Hawks (3-1) needed someone to take over with the Trail Blazers leading by as many as 12 points. Crawford didn't hesitate to assert himself, attacking the Trail Blazers from the moment he set ..."
Portland Trail Blazers quiet Thunder
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November 2
The Oklahoman
 
"Things got so out of whack for Kevin Durant that the future All-Star even missed a dunk in the waning seconds. The silver lining in an 83-74 loss to Portland on Sunday night at the Ford Center was the Thunder still had a chance to win — even though Durant had a career-worst shooting night, Russell Westbrook was turnover prone and the Thunder set a franchise futility record for fewest assists (six). "We didn't make a lot of shots, but one thing that was shining bright was our defense," said backup point guard Kevin Ollie. "Our defense helped us stay in the game. I don't know if they could have done that last year." Ollie is right. Last season, if Durant went 3-of-21 from the field and ..."
Oden sounds off . . . and his newfound intensity could be a big boost
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November 2
Oregonian
 
"The most important development of the Trail Blazers' victory here Sunday evening took root in the morning, when the team gathered for breakfast. Less than 12 hours after the Blazers' defense had been sliced and diced for 111 points in Houston, leading some players to question the effort of the team, coach Nate McMillan talked to the Blazers about a simple concept: family. "Would you allow your brother to continue to do something he shouldn't be doing? Or would you say something to him?" McMillan remembers telling his team. "And that's what it is all about. They are brothers out there, this is a family, and if we are not playing defense or you are not covering your man, say something to ..."
Portland 83, Oklahoma City 74: Trail Blazers exhale a sigh of relief
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November 2
Oregonian
 
"Brandon Roy talked in depth about defense. He revealed that the Trail Blazers are slowly but surely finding their identity. He talked about gaining confidence and powering through back-to-backs and a host of other things that went right Sunday night. And in the middle of it all, the Blazers' captain stopped himself as he stood in front of his locker at the Ford Center and acknowledged the importance of his team's 83-74 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder before a crowd of 16,920. "It was like, whoooooooo," Roy said, sucking in a deep breath of air and exhaling to illustrate the feeling. "This was a sigh of relief." The Blazers (2-2) ended a two-game losing streak and salvaged an ..."
Landry has big game against big Blazers
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November 1
Houston Chronicle
 
"In honor of Halloween, Aaron Brooks wore orange shoelaces in his low-cut black Nikes on Saturday, so the Rockets point guard enjoys a little levity. Asked following the Rockets' 111-107 victory about forward Carl Landry, who not only scored 16 points in 26 minutes but also finished the game on the court battling Portland's massive frontline, Brooks couldn't help himself. "Did Carl play today?" he said. He was joking, because Landry was … well, allow coach Rick Adelman to gush: "I thought he was very active tonight. After we attack, he was getting in a good situation to finish. But I also thought he was much more aggressive. He made a couple of moves where he went into the guy, spun, got to ..."
Ariza, Brooks lead Rockets in home opener
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November 1
Houston Chronicle
 
"For all that has changed, this has not. But then, homecoming games are supposed to be sure things. Anywhere else, a meeting with the Portland Trail Blazers would be anything but certain for the retooled Rockets. But against the Trail Blazers in Toyota Center, they remain nearly perfect. Less than a week after it was all the Rockets could do to keep the Trail Blazers from running them off the floor in Portland, they reconvened at Toyota Center on Saturday night for the Rockets' home opener and the Rockets treated the Blazers as they always do, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 111-107 win. With that, they are 14-1 against the Blazers at Toyota Center, including last season's three ..."
Greg Oden has company - and support - from other Blazers who have dealt with late-game failure
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October 31
Oregonian
 
"Greg Oden was only halfway through the agony of defeat when he missed two potential game-winning free throws with 4.6 seconds left Thursday night, essentially sealing the Trail Blazers' stinging loss to Denver at the Rose Garden. As Oden was beginning to learn, a task just as difficult as making pressure free throws lay ahead: Dealing with, and getting over, the anguish of being a central figure in a loss. "It may not be easy," Oden muttered afterward. Luckily for Oden, he would soon learn that inside the Blazers locker room, he had comfort in numbers when it comes to late-game failures. Steve Blake, normally a stellar free throw shooter, last season uncharacteristically missed four of ..."
Troublesome Blazers
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October 31
Houston Chronicle
 
"As much as the Trail Blazers' size seemed to give the Rockets trouble, their defense controlled most of the game Tuesday. Portland's determination to overplay on the perimeter and switch on screens gave the Rockets fits at times, more than enough to know they will see it from the Blazers tonight (and to a degree in Utah on Monday and against the Lakers on Wednesday). "Portland was more active and took things away from us," Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. "Golden State, they had a small guy guarding Carl (Landry) and Luis (Scola), but they played behind them and we were able to hurt them. Portland didn't allow that. "They had their big guy helping. They were fronting. They were switching. ..."
Rockets will lean on ball movement against Blazers
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October 31
Houston Chronicle
 
"For more than seven stunning minutes, the Rockets' offense was perfect. But in a larger sense, those seven minutes could become better. Trailing by 10 to start Wednesday's second half at Golden State, the Rockets took 11 shots and made 11 shots, everything from a Luis Scola 3-pointer to a slick Aaron Brooks reverse. In 7½ minutes, the Rockets scored 25 points. And when they missed, with a Kyle Lowry drive rimming out, Chuck Hayes tipped it in. All that helped earn one win, which, as much as it was needed, was just one win. But that stretch could be worth much more should it become the Rockets' blueprint as they head into tonight's home opener against the same Trail Blazers they bounced ..."