Trail Blazers News

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 ..."
Anthony's 41 points lift Nuggets past Blazers
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October 30
Portland Tribune
 
"Portland's 7-foot center didn't feel so great 30 minutes later when, after dressing in the team's locker room, he had to face reporters to talk about missing both attempts. "I stepped up there with confidence, thinking I was going to hit (them), but it didn't go that way," said Oden after the Nuggets' 97-94 victory. "I put this loss on me. I need to step up and make those. All of us have to step up, and I didn't do it tonight with those free throws." After Oden's second miss, Carmelo Anthony rebounded and was fouled with 1.9 seconds remaining. Denver's superstar made both free throws. After a timeout, Brandon Roy missed with a wild 3-pointer and the Nuggets had seized an important road ..."
Denver slips past Blazers 97-94
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October 30
Oregonian
 
"Go ahead and say it's only the second game of the season. Feel free to blame uncharacteristic poor shooting and foul trouble. And be sure to dwell on the fact that there are 80 games left in the marathon of an NBA season. Do all of that, Rip City, but don't overlook something else. This one hurt. And six months from now, if the Trail Blazers find themselves in a neck-and-neck tussle for playoff positioning and, perhaps, a Northwest Division championship, they can look back on Thursday night's debacle as a black eye. The Denver Nuggets capitalized on an MVP-caliber performance from All-Star Carmelo Anthony and two missed free throws from Greg Oden in the closing seconds to steal a 97-94 ..."
Melo scores 41 points to lift Nuggets over Blazers
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October 30
Denver Post
 
"The Portland faithful painfully climbed the Rose Garden stairs, a few folks occasionally peered down at the court, as if maybe, just maybe, it didn't actually happen. But it did - down one point to Denver with 4.6 seconds left, Greg Oden missed two free throws, and the Nuggets proceeded to win Thursday's thriller, 97-94. It's not even November, and the Nuggets have notched what could be the biggest win of the season. Consider this: • It was against arguably Denver's toughest division foe. • It was the second game of a back-to-back, after the Nuggets arrived at their Portland hotel at 4 a.m. • Denver played without suspended sharpshooter J.R. Smith. • And it was a road win at the ..."
McMillan wants to cut down on turnovers, calls Thursday's game against Denver 'a challenge'
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October 29
Oregonian
 
"Fresh off a season-opening win over the Rockets Tuesday night, the Blazers were back at it during Wednesday's practice: watching film, reviewing sets, making tweaks and attempting to improve heading into Thursday's division contest with the Denver Nuggets at the Rose Garden. "After every game, win or lose, you always try and improve yourself," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. One aspect McMillan surely wants to improve upon is the turnover numbers. As was the case throughout much of preseason, turnovers again plagued the Blazers Tuesday night. Portland committed 26 of them (resulting in 16 fast-break points), with many unforced and many helping the Rockets cut into the Blazers 20-point ..."
Aggression plus defense equals offensive outburst for Blazers' Outlaw
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October 29
Oregonian
 
"After shooting 64 percent and torching the Houston Rockets for a game-high 23 points, Travis Outlaw lounged in front of his corner stall in the Trail Blazers' locker room and surprisingly ached to talk about one subject. Defense. "I wasn't even really thinking about offense," Outlaw said matter-of-factly in the middle of answering questions about his opening night offensive explosion. Wait a minute. Seriously? The longest-tenured current Blazers player has a reputation for being all offense, all the time. Critics say he has reached his ceiling in potential. During a dreadful exhibition season, Outlaw seemed more like a rookie than a seasoned veteran, lost and befuddled and bound for a ..."
One game tells a lot about new Blazer team
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October 29
Portland Tribune
 
"Travis Outlaw's confidence isn't shot. Or to turn the phrase, he still has his shot. Outlaw didn't have it during the preseason, when he fired at a .375 clip from the field and seemed to be tentative in even attempting his jumper at times. No player on the Portland roster has worked harder at developing a consistent perimeter shot than he has over his seven-year career (can it really be seven –he's only 25). Had he lost it? When the outcome of the game mattered Tuesday night, Outlaw came through, raining in 9 of 14 from the field en route to a game-high 23 points in a season-opening 96-87 victory over Houston. "I really wasn't that worried about the preseason," Outlaw said. "That's when ..."
Outlaw keys Blazers' win over Houston
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October 28
Portland Tribune
 
"The Trail Blazers were really rolling for only one quarter Tuesday night at the Rose Garden. They committed 26 turnovers, three more than they did in any game a year ago. Greg Oden managed only two points – a put-back in the final minute. Brandon Roy made only 5 of 18 shots from the field. And still, Portland made its 2009-10 regular-season debut a successful one with a 96-87 victory over the Houston Rockets. "I saw some good stuff," Portland coach Nate McMillan said. "It's still a work in progress, but other than the turnovers and a lot of early fouls, it was pretty good." Portland did squander a 20-point fourth quarter lead that shrunk to six points with more than two minutes remaining ..."
It was no masterpiece, but Blazers start with a win
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October 28
Oregonian
 
"Cover your eyes Trail Blazers fans, opening night was not pretty: A whopping 26 turnovers. Greg Oden scoreless until the final minute. Brandon Roy 5 of 18 from the field. LaMarcus Aldridge saddled with foul trouble all night. Joel Przybilla fouled out. So how in the heck did the Blazers cruise to a 96-87 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in front of the 72nd consecutive sellout at the Rose Garden? Travis Outlaw came out of a preseason funk to erupt for 23 points, Martell Webster did a little bit of everything and finished with 14 points, Andre Miller pin-pointed some pretty passes during the game's decisive stretch, and the interior defense of Oden and Przybilla was formidable. It ..."
Blazers' Batum lost to shoulder surgery
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October 27
Portland Tribune
 
"Trail Blazer forward Nicolas Batum will undergo shoulder surgery Friday that will keep him out of action at least until the All-Star break. During a Sunday practice session, the second-year NBA player re-aggravated an injury suffered while playing for his native France at the European Championships last summer. Batum also left an exhibition game against Utah in the first minute with the same injury. An examination showed a torn right labrum, and Batum's surgery will be performed Friday at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles."
Blazers' Batum to have shoulder surgery, miss much of season
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October 27
Oregonian
 
"The Trail Blazers' season of great expectations was dealt a sobering dose of adversity Monday, roughly 24 hours before the start of the first game, when the team announced that Nicolas Batum would undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Officially, a timetable for Batum's return will be established after his surgery on Friday. But after practice Monday, Batum said he had been told he would miss between three and five months, putting his return no sooner than the beginning of February. "This is a big disappointment for me," Batum said. "I think it's the worst thing for a basketball player to go sit on the bench and watch your teammates and your team play, and play ..."
Greg Oden holds the key to Trail Blazers' season
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October 27
Oregonian
 columnist John Canzano
"Maybe you're curious to see what Martell Webster makes of his starting opportunity at small forward. Or how well free agent Andre Miller will mesh. Or how coach Nate McMillan will keep everyone happy. This Blazers season for me? It's still mostly about Greg Oden. There has never been a more talked-about preseason in Portland. And we've spent an inordinate amount of time fretting over chemistry, and the No. 15 roster spot (Patty Mills?!?) and who will start/finish games. And all that ends up passing the time until we see if Portland really is ready to play deep in the playoffs. On the eve of the Blazers' 2009-10 opener tonight, I asked Brandon Roy what he was most encouraged by in the ..."
Brandon Roy: The Portland Trail Blazers' undisputed leader
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October 27
Oregonian
 
"It was just like any other practice earlier this month when Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan whistled for his team to gather at midcourt, signaling the end of practice. Quickly, though, the coaching staff and players discovered this would be no ordinary practice. brandon-roy3-102609.jpgAs McMillan started to address the team, he was interrupted. Not more than four words had come out of the coach's mouth when team star Brandon Roy cut him off, his voice sharp, his mood irritated. Roy began a rant to his teammates about their poor attitudes and lackadaisical effort during the practice. He had been stewing throughout the two-hour workout, which came after a day off and after a thorough ..."
Defense is the focus, but the Trail Blazers' Greg Oden has become a force on offense, too
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October 26
Oregonian
 
"Coach Nate McMillan was eager to make one thing unequivocally clear less than 48 hours before the Trail Blazers were scheduled to open the regular season against the Houston Rockets. Even though center Greg Oden has revealed a pretty low-post spin move, improved jump hook and an offensive arsenal that, all in all, has undergone a top-to-bottom transformation since last season, offense is the last thing he should be focused on. "I want Greg to establish us on the defensive end of the floor," McMillan said. "I don't want him concerned so much about the offensive end of the floor. Last year, we were able to score and we'll be able to score this year. But I want that (center) position and ..."
Patty Mills arrives, Rudy Fernandez plays and Nicolas Batum sits
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October 26
Oregonian
 
"Four days after the Trail Blazers made the surprising decision to name Patty Mills to their regular season roster, the rookie point guard expressed a mix of shock and relief that his time in basketball "limbo" had finally ended. "It was a big relief, just a big relief," Mills said, referring to his reaction that the Blazers were handing him their 15th and final roster spot. "At the end of the day, I'm happy to be here and happy to get my basketball career going again. I've kind of been in limbo for a few months and it was kind of a tough situation. So I'm just very excited to be here." The Blazers drafted Mills with the 55th overall selection of the NBA draft last June, saying they were ..."
Former Blazers offer current team some words of advice: 'Play as a team'
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October 25
Oregonian
 
"The Trail Blazers might think they are entering Tuesday's season opener against Houston armed with everything they need to make a long run in the playoffs, if not a shot at the NBA title. But former Blazers standout Steve Smith says the Rose Garden locker room needs one more thing: A mirror. "For them, the big contracts, the individual awards, it's all there now," said Smith, who is now an analyst for NBA TV. "But they have to look at themselves in the mirror and ask one thing: 'Am I playing for a ring, or am I playing for myself?'" Legendary Blazers center Bill Walton delivered a similar message earlier in the month, saying this season's Blazers have all the pieces in place. Now it's ..."
Blazers Andre Miller turns his focus to winning
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October 24
Oregonian
 
"Andre Miller said almost all the right things Friday after learning he will start the season coming off the bench for the Trail Blazers. "I came here to win," Miller said. "I feel that I will get an opportunity to do that here." Miller said he could read the handwriting on the wall during the exhibition season, when coach Nate McMillan used Steve Blake as the starting point guard. When the decision became final after Thursday's exhibition finale in Vancouver, B.C., Miller simply shrugged his shoulders and looked ahead to Tuesday's season opener against Houston at the Rose Garden. "I think I've handled it fine," Miller said. "I haven't made a big fuss about it. It hasn't affected how I ..."
Suns' rebounds hit a low in loss
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October 24
Arizona Republic
 
"You needed the preseason to learn that the Suns don't rebound well like you needed a thermometer to know that the Valley summer was hot. Still, it is shocking how bad the Suns fared on the boards in the preseason, considering how much it was emphasized for a month. The Suns finished the preseason with the NBA's worst rebounding differential - minus-8.8 per game, about four rebounds worse than the next-lowest team. Subtract a game against Partizan Belgrade and the Suns' differential was minus-10. The problem hit a low in Thursday's preseason finale loss to Portland. Phoenix was out-rebounded 50-28, with center Channing Frye getting one rebound in 32 minutes and power forward Amaré ..."
Portland 113, Phoenix 93: All signs point to Steve Blake starting
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October 23
Oregonian
 
"One week before the Trail Blazers concluded their exhibition season, Steve Blake sat shirtless in the visiting locker room in Utah with his arms crossed and his left foot submerged in a bucket of ice. His body was shivering, his teeth were chattering, and all in all, the veteran point guard looked miserable after a loss to the Jazz. The scene might as well have summed up his play to that point: cold, slightly uncomfortable and out of sorts. "I have not played particularly well in our (exhibition) games," Blake acknowledged a day later at practice. But despite this discouraging truth, as the Blazers wrapped up their exhibition season Thursday night with a 113-93 win against the Phoenix ..."
Behind the Blazers Locker Room Door: Preseason over, Roy looks to set tone
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October 23
Oregonian
 
"Probably never before has the upscale restaurant inside the Four Seasons hotel in Vancouver had a lunch guest dine in shorts, shower sandals and a sweaty t-shirt, but that was the scene Thursday when Brandon Roy plopped down and ordered spaghetti with meatballs. He had just arrived from the Trail Blazers' morning shootaround, and with his appetite grumbling as loud as the Lil' Boosie playing in his headphones, Roy decided it was time to pull a veteran move. While most players get off the team bus and return to their room to order room service, Roy heads straight to the hotel restaurant. With 15 room service orders coming into the kitchen all at once, the wait can be intolerable. "They ..."
Trail Blazers sign LaMarcus Aldridge to five-year extension
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October 23
Oregonian
 
"The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward LaMarcus Aldridge to a five-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. "It's a blessing and I'm very thankful," said Aldridge. "I want to thank Paul Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Larry Miller, Nate McMillan and Tom Penn for giving me the opportunity to be in Portland for many years to come. I also want to thank the Portland fans, my friends and family for all of their support. I'm really happy we got this done and now I'm really excited to get the season started." Aldridge, 24, holds career averages of 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.11 blocks, ..."
Ime Udoka: 'I thought these times were behind me ...'
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October 22
Oregonian
 
"Another layer of adversity was added to Ime Udoka's NBA career on Wednesday, when the Trail Blazers informed the Portland native that he would be waived on Thursday in favor of injured rookie Patrick Mills. "I've been through a lot in my career, and after all I've been through, I kind of thought these times were behind me,'' Udoka said. "But I'm not going to sit around and be depressed. I've worked this hard and put in the work, and I have to be ready for the next opportunity. All I can do is hope one comes up.'' Udoka said he is hoping to sign on with another team, and is awaiting word from his agent, Mark Bartelstein, who has been talking to other teams. Udoka said some potential suitors ..."
Mills awarded 15th and final spot on Trail Blazers roster; Udoka and Collins to be waived on Thursday
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October 22
Oregonian
 
"The Trail Blazers selected St. Mary's point guard Patrick Mills with the 55th pick of the 2009 NBA draft.The Trail Blazers have finalized their 2009-10 roster, filling the 15th spot with unheralded and injured point guard Patrick Mills. Ime Udoka and Jarron Collins, who had been competing for the spot, will be waived Thursday, sources told The Oregonian. It was a surprising decision by the team, which was thought to be leaning heavily toward Udoka, a small forward who was a starter for Portland in 2006-07 and whose defensive skills have long been valued by coach Nate McMillan. Instead, the team opted for Mills, a 6-foot guard who was the 55th overall pick in this summer's NBA draft. As a ..."
Blazers say so long to Udoka, Collins; team will keep Mills instead
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October 22
Portland Tribune
 
"Ime Udoka got the word after practice Wednesday from coach Nate McMillan - he won't be with the Trail Blazers any longer. Neither will veteran center Jarron Collins, who along with Udoka will be waived by Portland Thursday. The Blazers have chosen to go with rookie guard Patty Mills for their 15th and final roster spot going into the regular season. Mills, a native Australian, is a second-round pick out of Saint Mary's who is rehabilitating after July surgery to repair a broken leg."
Source: Aldridge to get $65M extension
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October 22
ESPN.com
 
"The Portland Trail Blazers have verbally agreed in principle to a contract extension with forward LaMarcus Aldridge, a source close to the process told ESPN.com on Wednesday. Aldridge Aldridge The extension is for five years and $65 milliion and will go into effect next season, the source said. If Aldridge achieves certain hard-to-reach incentives, his contract could ultimately be worth as much as $70 million."
Jazz look sharp, rough up Blazers
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October 21
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"With opening night now just a week away against Denver, the Jazz could be forgiven for counting down the minutes given the way they pounded the Portland Trail Blazers 108-97 Tuesday at the Rose Garden. The Jazz hadn't beaten the Blazers on their home court the last three seasons, but rang up 59 points on 60.6 percent shooting in the first half and led by 24 at the end of three quarters of what amounted to a preseason demolition. Granted, the Blazers played without LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden, but Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer stood out for the Jazz while Deron Williams was spectacular with 27 points in just 30 minutes. "Every time I tried to pass, I was getting a turnover, so I ..."
Blazers get F in chemistry
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October 21
Oregonian
 
"These are curious times for the Trail Blazers. On the one hand, they possess a roster bursting with talent that is seemingly poised for a memorable postseason run. On the other hand, a ho-hum exhibition season has hardly reassured anyone that this potential will translate into success. Tuesday night was supposed to be a red-letter game, a final chance for coach Nate McMillan to assess where his team stands heading into a Thursday night exhibition finale that rarely sees key rotation players play. But after an even-worse-than-it-sounds 108-97 loss to the Utah Jazz before 19,696 at the Rose Garden, a fuming McMillan criticized his team's effort, execution and will. "Not good," he said, ..."
Blazers rally, beat Denver
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October 19
Portland Tribune
 
"Portland and Denver, which both finished at 54-28 last season, met in an exhibition game at the Rose Garden, where the Blazers rallied in the fourth quarter for a 98-96 victory. A new-looking Greg Oden (16 points, seven rebounds) and new guard Andre Miller (18 points, five rebounds, four assists) helped Portland snap a three-game preseason losing streak and even its record at 3-3. Denver fell to 2-3. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 21 points."
Patty Mills signing explained, Walton speaks to team and injury news
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October 18
Oregonian
 
"The seemingly innocuous signing of an injured second-round draft pick has created a surprising three-way competition for the Trail Blazers' 15th and final roster spot less than two weeks before the regular season opener. When the Blazers announced they had signed rookie point guard Patty Mills Friday evening, it raised more than a few eyebrows. Why would the team ink an injured player, who was the 55th overall selection of the draft, this close to the start of the regular season? Well, it turns out, NBA rules all but forced the move. The Blazers, just as all teams must do with second-round draft picks, had to tender a contract offer to Mills by Oct. 15. Mills broke a bone in his right ..."
A tearful Bill Walton says he's ready to make amends with Portland
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October 17
Oregonian
 
"Bringing a heart deep with regret, Bill Walton returned to Portland on Friday for the first time since he can remember. Ostensibly, his return was for a banquet tour - this weekend he is receiving the Governor's Gold award, making a speech for Special Olympics and attending a fundraiser for the Trail Blazers. But when his plane descended through the Willamette Valley on Friday, Walton said he discovered tears streaming down his cheeks, and he knew this trip was so much more than awards and encouraging speeches. It was his time to heal old wounds. And a signal that his life was once again changing. Walton -- one of the NBA's biggest personalities, first as a player and later as a ..."
Trail Blazers sign guard Patty Mills
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October 17
Oregonian
 
"The Portland Trail Blazers signed guard Patrick Mills to a contract, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Portland selected Mills (6-0, 185) with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft after playing two seasons at St. Mary's (CA) College. Mills, who fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during an NBA Summer League practice session on July 9, underwent successful surgery on July 13 and is continuing his rehabilitation on schedule."