tlongII
10-29-2009, 09:10 AM
http://portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=125676825169327900
http://portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/125677134233838100.jpg
Greg Oden keeps Houston's Carl Landry at a distance in Tuesday’s season-opening Trail Blazer victory on Tuesday.
Five things we’ve learned about the Trail Blazers heading into tonight’s showdown against the Denver Nuggets at the Rose Garden:
• 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 you’re trying things and fine-tuning. It wasn’t like it was the playoffs.
“I came into the game just to be calm, not trying to force anything. If the shot’s there, it’s there.”
• Portland has players who can help even when their offensive game is off-kilter.
Greg Oden didn’t score until the game’s final minute, and he had a devil of a time with Houston’s 6-6 Chuck Hayes, who stripped him of the ball a couple of times and kept him away from the basket. Oden had seven of the Blazers’ 26 turnovers, but he also had 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in his 26 minutes.
That’s in line with coach Nate McMillan’s pre-game declaration that he wants Oden to focus on defense and rebounding this season. Sure, but when you have a defender six inches shorter guarding you, it’s important to take advantage of that mismatch at the offensive end, too. The Blazers didn’t Tuesday night.
Andre Miller is not a shooter, and he made only 3 of 11 shots from the field against Houston. But the veteran point guard contributed nine points, seven assists and four rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. And his savvy pays off in finding teammates open underneath for layups or dunks, in moving the ball to the right people, in making a backdoor cut to facilitate an easy basket.
• Rudy Fernandez isn’t a cripple.
The second-year shooting guard sat out most of preseason with back spasms, but that was mostly a precautionary measure.
“I’ll probably deal with it all year, but I’m fine,” Fernandez said after moving about the court in his usual fashion against Houston, making 3 of 5 shots from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range. “A lot of stretching. I just have to take care of myself.”
Fernandez finished with eight points and four rebounds in 26 minutes.
• McMillan will go with a nine-man rotation. He’ll start Martell Webster, LaMarcus Aldridge, Oden, Brandon Roy and Steve Blake, with Outlaw, Miller, Fernandez and Joel Przybilla coming off the bench. Outlaw, Miller and Fernandez all got 26 or more minutes Tuesday and are candidates to be “finishers,” depending on what’s happening in a game.
Przybilla provided 10 rebounds in his 16 minutes and might have played more if he hadn’t fouled out.
In back-to-back situations, Juwan Howard and perhaps Jerryd Bayless will get some consideration from McMillan. In general, though, Howard and Bayless begin the season as sitters.
• Roy is not in a groove.
The All-Star guard shot only. 403 in the preseason and continued that trend Tuesday, making only 5 of 18 from the field. He has gone through shooting slumps before, though. They usually last only a couple of games, and then he is back to normal.
Against Houston, Roy still contributed 20 points – making 10 of 11 from the line – with five points and five assists. And when the Blazers needed him most, he came through, burying a 20-footer after the Rockets had crept to within 91-85 with a minute and a half to play.
http://portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/125677134233838100.jpg
Greg Oden keeps Houston's Carl Landry at a distance in Tuesday’s season-opening Trail Blazer victory on Tuesday.
Five things we’ve learned about the Trail Blazers heading into tonight’s showdown against the Denver Nuggets at the Rose Garden:
• 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 you’re trying things and fine-tuning. It wasn’t like it was the playoffs.
“I came into the game just to be calm, not trying to force anything. If the shot’s there, it’s there.”
• Portland has players who can help even when their offensive game is off-kilter.
Greg Oden didn’t score until the game’s final minute, and he had a devil of a time with Houston’s 6-6 Chuck Hayes, who stripped him of the ball a couple of times and kept him away from the basket. Oden had seven of the Blazers’ 26 turnovers, but he also had 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in his 26 minutes.
That’s in line with coach Nate McMillan’s pre-game declaration that he wants Oden to focus on defense and rebounding this season. Sure, but when you have a defender six inches shorter guarding you, it’s important to take advantage of that mismatch at the offensive end, too. The Blazers didn’t Tuesday night.
Andre Miller is not a shooter, and he made only 3 of 11 shots from the field against Houston. But the veteran point guard contributed nine points, seven assists and four rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. And his savvy pays off in finding teammates open underneath for layups or dunks, in moving the ball to the right people, in making a backdoor cut to facilitate an easy basket.
• Rudy Fernandez isn’t a cripple.
The second-year shooting guard sat out most of preseason with back spasms, but that was mostly a precautionary measure.
“I’ll probably deal with it all year, but I’m fine,” Fernandez said after moving about the court in his usual fashion against Houston, making 3 of 5 shots from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range. “A lot of stretching. I just have to take care of myself.”
Fernandez finished with eight points and four rebounds in 26 minutes.
• McMillan will go with a nine-man rotation. He’ll start Martell Webster, LaMarcus Aldridge, Oden, Brandon Roy and Steve Blake, with Outlaw, Miller, Fernandez and Joel Przybilla coming off the bench. Outlaw, Miller and Fernandez all got 26 or more minutes Tuesday and are candidates to be “finishers,” depending on what’s happening in a game.
Przybilla provided 10 rebounds in his 16 minutes and might have played more if he hadn’t fouled out.
In back-to-back situations, Juwan Howard and perhaps Jerryd Bayless will get some consideration from McMillan. In general, though, Howard and Bayless begin the season as sitters.
• Roy is not in a groove.
The All-Star guard shot only. 403 in the preseason and continued that trend Tuesday, making only 5 of 18 from the field. He has gone through shooting slumps before, though. They usually last only a couple of games, and then he is back to normal.
Against Houston, Roy still contributed 20 points – making 10 of 11 from the line – with five points and five assists. And when the Blazers needed him most, he came through, burying a 20-footer after the Rockets had crept to within 91-85 with a minute and a half to play.