tlongII
11-11-2008, 02:25 PM
ORLANDO, Fla. -- For a player who almost exclusively hits three-pointers, perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise to hear Trail Blazers rookie Rudy Fernandez on Monday speak in the third person.
"Rudy is not everyday a shooter," Fernandez said. "He's defense. He's passes. He's assists." :lol
Fernandez was all of that and more on Monday, when his frenetic and flashy play keyed a 106-99 victory at Orlando, the Blazers' first road win in four tries this season and their third victory in a row overall.
In the first 6:13 of the fourth quarter, which the Blazers entered trailing 73-72, Fernandez had eight impact plays that defined the Blazers' game-deciding 17-4 run. He had two three pointers, two assists -- including one on the go-ahead basket -- drew a charge and had three steals.
"He left it all out on the floor," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "That's what we've been talking about -- give it your all."
And to think, the fourth quarter started with him called for traveling.
Fernandez made up for his gaffe on the Blazers' next possession, when he passed to Travis Outlaw, the other high-octane bench player for the Blazers (4-3). Outlaw swished a three-pointer, giving the Blazers the lead for good at 75-73.
In the ensuing possessions, Fernandez was part pest, part dagger for the Magic (4-3), who were trying to complete a 5-0 homestand for the first time in their 20-year history.
He stepped in front of passes, swiped away dribbles and held his ground on a Jameer Nelson drive, drawing a charge. And he stuck a knife in Orlando's side when he made a three-pointer with 8:11 left that pushed the Blazers' lead to 83-73.
After making that shot, Fernandez pumped his fists and looked to the Blazers' bench, letting out a primal scream.
"That is my way," Fernandez said of his emotions. "I think the game was important for us today, because it is the first win away from the Rose Garden. It's important for our confidence."
Fernandez finished with 16 points, three assists and three steals. All four of his field goals were three-pointers, and for the season he has made 30 field goals -- 18 of them three-pointers.
Interestingly, though, his favorite play was not a three-pointer or an assist. It came in the third quarter, when he swooped in from behind and blocked the shot of Rashard Lewis.
"I like blocks," Fernandez said.
The block helped continue a long dry spell for Orlando during the third and fourth quarters. The Magic went 11:03 without a field goal, which turned a 72-68 lead into an 87-77 deficit. Orlando got 35 points from forward Hedo Turkoglu, and All-Star center Dwight Howard had 29 points and 19 rebounds. But Howard was a non-factor in the second half, taking just three shots and scoring six points against Channing Frye and LaMarcus Aldridge, who covered for a foul-plagued Joel Przybilla.
So, naturally, it was all smiles and jokes afterward in the Blazers' locker room, some players remembering that last season it took 10 road games before they experienced victory.
But there also was some concern.
Team leader Brandon Roy, who had 27 points and four assists, could not stand upright after injuring his back late in the game. Think of a grandpa walking hunched over with a cane, and that was the image of Roy entering the shower.
Roy said he hurt his back when he "landed funny" while playing defense with 1:30 left in the game. He left with 1:00 to play when he started experiencing spasms, but returned with 43.5 seconds left to make an inbound pass. He left for good after that play and spent the rest of the game on his back on the sideline as the game dragged on with the Blazers taking 10 free throws in the final 43 seconds.
The Blazers said they will evaluate Roy today when the team practices in Miami.
Notes:Outlaw, who entered the game ranked second in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, was 3 of 5 on three-pointers and is now 13 of 20 (.650). Sacramento's Spencer Hawes leads the NBA with a .750 percentage (9 of 12). ... Przybilla played only 9:30 after he was whistled for four fouls -- three of them in the first half. His fourth foul, 1:30 into the third quarter, sent him to the bench for good, and also garnered him a technical from referee Matt Boland. ... The Blazers finished with six turnovers.
"Rudy is not everyday a shooter," Fernandez said. "He's defense. He's passes. He's assists." :lol
Fernandez was all of that and more on Monday, when his frenetic and flashy play keyed a 106-99 victory at Orlando, the Blazers' first road win in four tries this season and their third victory in a row overall.
In the first 6:13 of the fourth quarter, which the Blazers entered trailing 73-72, Fernandez had eight impact plays that defined the Blazers' game-deciding 17-4 run. He had two three pointers, two assists -- including one on the go-ahead basket -- drew a charge and had three steals.
"He left it all out on the floor," Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "That's what we've been talking about -- give it your all."
And to think, the fourth quarter started with him called for traveling.
Fernandez made up for his gaffe on the Blazers' next possession, when he passed to Travis Outlaw, the other high-octane bench player for the Blazers (4-3). Outlaw swished a three-pointer, giving the Blazers the lead for good at 75-73.
In the ensuing possessions, Fernandez was part pest, part dagger for the Magic (4-3), who were trying to complete a 5-0 homestand for the first time in their 20-year history.
He stepped in front of passes, swiped away dribbles and held his ground on a Jameer Nelson drive, drawing a charge. And he stuck a knife in Orlando's side when he made a three-pointer with 8:11 left that pushed the Blazers' lead to 83-73.
After making that shot, Fernandez pumped his fists and looked to the Blazers' bench, letting out a primal scream.
"That is my way," Fernandez said of his emotions. "I think the game was important for us today, because it is the first win away from the Rose Garden. It's important for our confidence."
Fernandez finished with 16 points, three assists and three steals. All four of his field goals were three-pointers, and for the season he has made 30 field goals -- 18 of them three-pointers.
Interestingly, though, his favorite play was not a three-pointer or an assist. It came in the third quarter, when he swooped in from behind and blocked the shot of Rashard Lewis.
"I like blocks," Fernandez said.
The block helped continue a long dry spell for Orlando during the third and fourth quarters. The Magic went 11:03 without a field goal, which turned a 72-68 lead into an 87-77 deficit. Orlando got 35 points from forward Hedo Turkoglu, and All-Star center Dwight Howard had 29 points and 19 rebounds. But Howard was a non-factor in the second half, taking just three shots and scoring six points against Channing Frye and LaMarcus Aldridge, who covered for a foul-plagued Joel Przybilla.
So, naturally, it was all smiles and jokes afterward in the Blazers' locker room, some players remembering that last season it took 10 road games before they experienced victory.
But there also was some concern.
Team leader Brandon Roy, who had 27 points and four assists, could not stand upright after injuring his back late in the game. Think of a grandpa walking hunched over with a cane, and that was the image of Roy entering the shower.
Roy said he hurt his back when he "landed funny" while playing defense with 1:30 left in the game. He left with 1:00 to play when he started experiencing spasms, but returned with 43.5 seconds left to make an inbound pass. He left for good after that play and spent the rest of the game on his back on the sideline as the game dragged on with the Blazers taking 10 free throws in the final 43 seconds.
The Blazers said they will evaluate Roy today when the team practices in Miami.
Notes:Outlaw, who entered the game ranked second in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, was 3 of 5 on three-pointers and is now 13 of 20 (.650). Sacramento's Spencer Hawes leads the NBA with a .750 percentage (9 of 12). ... Przybilla played only 9:30 after he was whistled for four fouls -- three of them in the first half. His fourth foul, 1:30 into the third quarter, sent him to the bench for good, and also garnered him a technical from referee Matt Boland. ... The Blazers finished with six turnovers.