Roy: "I Can Feel Us Getting Better."
posted: 10/23/2006 at 11:00 PM
So much for the notion that this Trail Blazer team will be limited offensively, and will have to pound teams in the halfcourt in order to get wins. For the second-straight game, Portland shot high percentages from the field, three-point range, and the foul line, as they beat the Utah Jazz at the Rose Garden 114-110. The Trail Blazers, who led by as many as 13 in the second half, survived a late rally by the Jazz, and closed them out at the foul line.
On Friday in Seattle, the Trail Blazers shot 62 percent from the field, 50 percent from behind the three-point arc, and 90 percent at the line. Monday night, against a much better defensive team in Utah, the Blazers shot 53 percent from the field, 50 percent from behind the three-point line, and 83 percent from the free-throw line. Again, the big story was the fact that the Blazers are getting to the foul line. They've averaged 38 attempts per game in the pre-season, and against the Jazz they ended up going 40 for 48.
"I can feel us getting better," Brandon Roy told me as he plopped himself down in front of his locker following the game. "The first few games we were out there just kind of trying to figure out who we are and what we have. In the last two we've started to learn where to go to get wins, and our confidence is building. That's huge for a young team. That's what the pre-season is for." That's a rookie, sounding, and playing, like a veteran.
It was a frustrating night for Roy, as he found himself in immediate foul trouble to start the game and ended playing just 18 minutes. But, late he was huge, as he knocked down a clutch three pointer, and helped Jarrett Jack run the offense. Roy's biggest play of the night came when he chased down a jump ball, and with just five seconds on the shot clock, charged the hoop and earned himself two free throws. By the way, it was Ime Udoka, who outjumped Utah's Andrei Kirilenko, and that created the opportunity for Roy. Roy ended the night with just eight points, but provided leadership, and a calming influence, as Utah charged from behind with its regulars on the floor.
"I love players who can give us that sense of calm on the floor, and Brandon is one of those guys," said coach Nate McMillan after the game. "I really wanted to cut some minutes for some of our key guys late in the game, but when I saw that coach Sloan was going with his big horses late, trying to win the game, I stayed with mine."
Perhaps the biggest show of respect for Roy was from Sloan, who put one his best defenders, Kirilenko, on Roy late in the game, in an effort to lock him down.
The Trail Blazers led at halftime by three, despite getting only three points combined from Zach Randolph and Roy. The bulk of the offense in the first two quarters was supplied by Travis Outlaw, who had by far his best game of the pre-season. Outlaw recorded 16 points, on 7 of 12 shooting, blocked 3 shots, and had a couple of highlight dunks in that first half.
In the end, the game turned into a free-throw shooting contest, and the Trail Blazers once again nailed them when it counted. Zach, Jarrett Jack, and Juan Dixon were a combined 31-35 at the foul line in the game, and the team was a combined 9 for 10 in the final two minutes.
"This is a situation we found ourselves in many times last season," said Jack following the game. "Our inability to hit big free throws in crunch time cost us so many times last year. My goal is to lead the league in free-throw percentage this season." He was 12 for 12 on Monday night, scored 21 points, and handed out 6 assists. Jack's stellar performance came against another of the rising young point guards in the west, in Deron Williams. Williams had 24 points, on 9 of 13 shooting for the Jazz.
Dixon had his most efficient game of the pre-season, and provided the team with big-time perimeter and foul shooting in the second half. Dixon ended the game with 19 points in just 20 minutes, on 6 of 8 shooting.
Raef LaFrentz saw his first action as a Trail Blazer on Monday night, and had 7 points and 4 rebounds in 17 minutes. Minutes after checking in for the first time, he knocked down a three-pointer in the corner, and also recorded a key blocked shot in the fourth quarter.
Udoka, who got his second-straight start, scored in double figures for the third-straight game. He had 16 at Utah on Thursday, 16 at Seattle Friday, and ended up with 11 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds on Monday.
Zach Randolph, who had to deal with double teams throughout the first half, had a big second 24 minutes, scoring 19 of his 22 in the second half.
The game against the Jazz was the Blazers first of three-straight games, an unusual quirk in the schedule. Teams never play three in a row during the regular season, of course. They flew to the Bay Area following the win over the Jazz, and take on Golden State on Tuesday, and then take on the Clippers in L.A. Wednesday. They wrap up the pre-season Friday at Sacramento.
McMillan said after Monday's win he plans to find a way to cut minutes for Randolph and Roy on this road trip, to give them a rest heading into the regular season. He went on to say he plans on giving heavy minutes to Jamaal Magloire, Zendon Hamilton, Sergio Rodriguez, and Dan Dickau. He also said LaFrentz, who is still nursing a sore calf, won't play Tuesday at Golden State. LaMarcus Aldridge, who says he plans on going full speed in practice in less than a week, made the trip with the team.
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Hey Mike and hey fellow Blazer fans!
Just want to say how excited I am to see the Blazers scoring in triple digits!! this is great. Whats more, we are winning!! I am real excited..Wedensday I get to see the Blazers play the Clippers. I Live in Los Angeles...but have been a Blazer fan for over 15 years. You guys out in Portland are my extended family. When I am at the game Wedensday..I will be real vocal for all you Portland natives who cant be there...I will be loud for our team!! I write a post after wedensday to share my expierience. Keep up the great work Mike..and keep winning Blazers!
I do feel the team getting better. Everything Roy said was true as far as that Blazer team establishing an idenity. I just hope it continue during the season. By the way can you give me a health update on Martell Webster:THANKS MIKE!!!
....and people ask me "why" i got season tickets for the first time this year! Give 'em hell guys!
rell 87,
Martell flew with the team to Oakland last night and may play tonight against Golden State. He sprained his back a week ago and has been getting treatment.
MB
i can't believe we've won two without martel. And i'm glad to see dixon finally performing where he does best. Off the bench, we saw disastrous results last year when he started. Hopefully that will change this year.
Forget my earlier addition about Martell. He will not play against Golden State tonight. His sprained back is still too sore.
MB
hey MB, a couple of questions.
1. why do the blazers light up the RG so much during games? Those lights for "TV" are so annoying and distracting.
2. why don't they show former blazers in the audience? And when they do, why don't they show them with NAMES? I saw Jim Paxson maybe 30+ feet away from me, and not one was he on the screen (of course, he might not have wanted to be ON screen).
3. who do the blazers hire to make their "videos" etc? They need to get a re-fresher course in what draws the attention and interests of fans. Like my video (if you ever watched it)..thats more interesting than those sloppy highlight reels of Travis or Zach they've shown.
4. Whats the deal with the "hip hop dancer" junk? It's bad enough we have cheer leaders, and the scoreboard "telling" us to make noise (for what, 5 seconds and then nothing?? If you're goint tell us to make noise, KEEP it going for a while)..or fans cheering for a 3 dollar t-shirt (and in the case of the idiot behind me, falling forward into the back of a woman to catch it).
5. why no pre-season games on TV? you guys need a "pre-season" too. Well, maybe not, the "Swami" is in mid-season form year round.
hap
I'd have to go with Hap on some of those things. All of the games should be shown on KGW or Fox Sports (maybe not Summer League but all 82 reg. and the pre-season.) Maybe that's not as realistic as I would like...
Also, if you can, you should talk to the people who plan and design the things to get the fans "pumped." They do the same things at every game I go to. The reason I go isn't for that but still it gets a little old. Like at half time last season every game (almost) they would pull out the trampoline and Blaze would do some dunks. That's cool, but not every game. Some of the And 1 guys could do those dunks without the tramp.
About your blog, great job! You are an excellent writer.
I was dissapointed that Brandon Roy was in foul trouble and didn't play much, but it was fun to be the honorary team captain. I certainly didn't expect to meet Brandon Roy in person before the game.
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