Blazers Show Heart in OT Loss
posted: 10/17/2006 at 11:22 PM
It's not often you great treated to games this exciting during the regular season. On those special nights, we usually say things like "it was a playoff atmosphere." So, I guess on those rare occasions when you're fortunate to witness an incredible game in the pre-season, we should say, at the very least, "it was a regular-season atmosphere." In the end, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Trail Blazers 124-120 in overtime. That doesn't begin to tell the story of Tuesday night's wild game at the Rose Garden.
Midway through the first quarter the Warriors led the Blazers 24-5. To say it was an uphill battle the rest of the way is an understatement. But, to Portland's credit, they fought all the way back. With 2:08 left in the fourth quarter, they finally caught the Warriors, and pulled even at 108. Regulation ended with the teams in a 114-114 tie. The Trail Blazers held only one brief two-point lead, and that, obviously, was in the extra frame. But, Baron Davis, Mike Dunleavy, and the rest of the Warriors, were able to hang on for the victory.
It's usually said that wins and losses in exhibition games don't mean that much. It certainly didn't feel that way on Tuesday night, as a wild Rose Garden crowd carried the Blazers down the stretch. Warriors coach Don Nelson, who kept his first stringers in until the very end, was storming up and down the sideline like a playoff birth was on the line. Four technical fouls were called in the game, two players had to be bandaged up due to cuts, and the crowd spent most of the final two minutes of regulation on its feet. I've seen quite a few pre-season games in my life, and I can honestly say, I've never seen one with this kind of intensity.
Zach Randolph, who played 40 minutes, finished with 27 points on 10 of 17 shooting, and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Martell Webster, who left the game in the third quarter with a sprained back, returned in the fourth, and ended with 25 points. Brandon Roy was very impressive again, and finished with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists. Jarrett Jack, who was put to the test against Baron Davis, had 16 points, all of which came in the third quarter. Jack, Roy, and Webster, all watched the closing seconds of overtime from the bench. They all fouled out.
Nate McMillan has talked all during training camp, that he feels his team is best suited playing more of a half-court game, and will look to pound the ball inside and take advantage of its size. Tuesday night, they showed they can get out and score with the running teams as well. I know this was the pre-season, but you have to go back to the 2002-2003 season for the last time a Portland team has scored more than 116 points in a game.
The Warriors played small ball, a trademark of Coach Nelson, and the Blazers were forced to match them. Jamaal Magloire, who started, played just 17 minutes. Joel Przybilla played just 16 minutes off the bench.
In his post-game press conference, McMillan praised his team for battling back, but also came up with plenty of things his team could done better. Getting off to a horrible start was the biggest, and the first thing he mentioned. He then pointed out that the Blazers had only 14 assists in the game, were just 3 for 20 from behind the three-point line, and turned the ball over 24 times. He had to be reminded, that despite all of that, his team took a Golden State team, that didn't rest any of its regulars, to the wire before finally running out gas and bodies. In the last four minutes of overtime, the Blazers were forced to go with a lineup of Sergio Rodriguez, Dan Dickau, Juan Dixon, Travis Outlaw, and Randolph. The Warriors were countering with Baron Davis, Dunleavy, Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis, and Anthony Roberson.
We won't be counting moral victories come the regular season, but on this night, this had to be considered a step in the right direction, and an emotional hurdle cleared. It also showed what playing in the brutally-tough Western Conference will be like on a nightly basis when the games begin to count for real.
RSS FEED
Hey Mike, Thanks again for the great info. I cant wait for the regular season to start so i can watch the games.
Really, really good stuff for a preseason game. Yes, we made some boneheaded mistakes during the game but we competed and played hard for 48 minutes. 120 points man! You have to like that. We are just flat out a better team with Roy on the floor. I love watching him play. Smoooth.
The RG crowd was awesome last night and truly was "the sixth man". It felt like the old Rip City days. I really think it does help the players in many ways when the crowd gets so into it like they were last night. The team will need that kind of support every contest.
BTW, we LOVE the new "Welcome to the Jungle" video opening during player introductions. Way, way cool.
Great final 3 quarters for the guys. Great crowd, too bad the RG staff doesn't allow fans to come on down by the court when it's so empty. Why don't businesses give their black seats to the people who want to come and watch the game? ... just a thought.
Is 71 fouls, 6 DQs, and 7 technicals a record? Especially for the preseason... seemed like the refs were trying to give the fans something to cheer (or boo) against.
Great game, loved Zach in the post. A lot of people are a bit quick to criticize him right now, maybe rightly so.
Go Blazers!
I am officially sold on the fact that Brandon Roy is our best player. The + and - with him on and off the court shows that, esp if you include the same with Zach as a comparison.
This was an old school loud crowd. Not as loud as we've been in the past, but loud for the RIGHT reasons. The Sonics game had more stand up and 'cheer' moments (as a show of appreciation) but this game had crowd actually interested moments.
I love it was loud for the right reasons, and not the lame t-shirt stuff, or the blimp things. It's turning a corner, even if a lot of the fans were there via freebies.
But think about it. It was the 2nd pre-season game, and we fans treated it like it was a very big game. The guys HAVE to be getting the vibe from the fans. This ain't like the game against the Spurs a few years ago where we beat them by like 20. That was a sell-out "seeing the spurs!" crowd.
This was a pre-season game against the Warriors, where the crowd was enthuised (at least our section. Go fighting 108th!) and people were surley, loud and cheering the right things.
MB, has anyone asked Sergio about the "goal" thing?
And yes, that was me holding up the newspaper (along with Schilly) during the Warriors introductions. I'm going to do that for the Jazz game too.
Mike, The Blazers did a good job running small and fast (or at least keeping up with a team that ran that way). Once Aldridge recovers and can start playing regular minutes a line up of 1-5, Jack,Roy,Webster,Outlaw, and Aldridge looks to me like it might be able to run with anybody!
geez, what an awesome game, i wish i hadn't been workin or i totally would have been there! sounded like the place was rocking tho (I was sneaking to the back room at work and listening on the radio) i know a lot of people think the Blazers are gonna have another disapointing season, but i think we're gonna turn soe heads, i can't wait til that opening tip off!
I loved this game because the blazers ran all over the place and scored over 100 points. With one of the youngest teams in the NBA why don't the Blazers run every night and sell a bunch more tickets. Nate's half court, feed it to the post, offense ain't working.
Mike I hope the front office takes note at the change in perspective that is due in part to your terrific work in presenting Blazer news without the attack mode. Thank you.
I cannot go to games but listened from up here in Sisters (via internet) throughout this game and it did begin to feel like much older times. The thing we still lack is the confidence in a "Clyde" to take over and win the game. Roy looks like he may become that guy but as a rookie will have his ups and downs in the process. Getting a DQ is an early lesson for him.
Post a Comment
<< Home