tlongII
03-09-2011, 07:27 PM
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=19020
When a player gets hurt it's tough to handle. When that player is a three-time All-Star and has to watch his team struggle at times, when he knows his body just won't give what he is used to receiving from it, it's even harder. The 2010-11 NBA season has been incredibly trying for Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Brandon Roy, but now he's back on the floor and knows he can help his team.
Those 35 games he missed? They hurt.
"Mentally I just try to put the things behind me," said Roy. "There was a stretch there when I was pretty down just because I was going through not being able to play, not really knowing where my career was it was frustrating. But after I had those surgeries, the scopes on both my knees, I said I'm just going to put that stuff behind me and I'm going to focus on getting better. That's where I've been at, just trying to improve each day and build. I think because of it I'm happier. And I'm back playing, which is what I wanted to do."
When Roy, who has had multiple knee surgeries, had both of knees scoped a short while back and it was revealed he had little or no meniscus in either knee the cushioning part of the knee the talk started. It was proclaimed Roy would never be right again, that he would never again be an All-Star, and maybe his career was in fact over.
He claims he didn't pay much attention at all.
"I'm so tough on myself I don't really get a chance to listen to what everybody's saying. Every once in a while somebody would tell me what they are saying, and that's cool, but I'm a tough critic on myself. I'm going to push. I want to get myself back to that level. Not for anyone else, but for myself. I know that if I am able to get to 100% I will be able to live with the outcome, and it's not about proving anybody wrong. It's about proving to myself I can go out and do it.
"That stuff kind of takes on a life of its own, but that's the times we are in, you know? For me, I just focus on the goal and that's getting back to the level that I was in the past."
If Roy ever finds himself on Jeopardy and one of the categories is "Knees" he's pretty sure he'll run the table.
"I know just about everything there is to know about the meniscus, the joint " Roy says this with a wry smile. "I've had it on both knees. Every time I see a guy and he talks about his meniscus I think, 'Man, I know what he's going through.' I know a lot about it. But, because of that, I'm getting smarter and I physically know how to adjust out there on the court."
When Roy first returned to the court eight games ago he was under minute restrictions: 15-20 minutes a night, no back-to-backs. He had to miss one game and Portland actually lost three of the first four games he did play, but since then he seems to have found his legs a bit and found some balance. In his last three games, with the back-to-back restriction lifted and a higher allowance of minutes it's a process he has played better. And Portland, with a win Tuesday night in Miami, has won four in a row.
Roy doesn't talk like a player who thinks his best days are behind him, or even that he may be playing out his last NBA contract. He feels he can still be better and get back to what he was.
"Yeah, I think so. It's not something I want to talk about, to say I'm going to do it I just want to go out there and do it. I want to go out there and prove that I can continue to play, and play at a high level.
"I think that right now Coach is managing the minutes, but I think I will be able to get back to playing 30-35 minutes and being productive at a high level."
While Roy was out something happened with power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. During Roy's All-Star season Aldridge always deferred to Roy, letting Roy lead and letting him take the big shots. With Roy out, Aldridge put the Blazers on his back and carried them, raising his numbers in just about every category and becoming a leader. Roy, who came into the league with Aldridge in 2006, is pleased.
"I don't want to say I'm surprised. I've known him for awhile now and I think the biggest thing he overcame was his own mentality. He's always been extremely talented, but I think he began to become more assertive. When he looks over and I'm not even in the game he said, 'Okay, well now it's my turn to step up and to dominate.'
"That's why I told him, 'Even though I'm back, you keep dominating.' I'm going to get my legs back and that's going to take us to that team we want to be. Right now I think we're doing good and he's continuing to just dominate games, taking big shots. In the past, he wouldn't take big shots in the fourth quarter; now he's taking them. It's just his mentality has changed, he's more assertive, and that's been big for us."
A few weeks back some wondered if Portland would mail the rest of the season in. Rumors were everywhere about trading veterans Andre Miller and Marcus Camby, but instead Portland cashed in Joel Przybilla's ending contract at the deadline for All-Star small forward Gerald Wallace, a player who will improve the team's defense and rebounding. Roy believes with Wallace the Blazers are on their up at the right time of the season.
"We hope so. I think the biggest thing is we've got games left and for us that's good because we are adding Gerald in, me and Camby coming back from being out for a month, so we need games so we can get to that level where we feel we can make a strong push in the playoffs, no matter what seed we are. It's good.
"Gerald brings so much to the team he can play the four, he can play the three, he can guard. We feel that if we stay healthy going down the stretch we can be one of the teams that maybe some people may want to avoid in the first round."
Portland played well, much better than expected, with Camby and Roy out. Now with them back, and Wallace in the mix, they need to find a new balance in their chemistry. Currently they are in the midst of a four-game Eastern Conference road trip they won the first two in Orlando and Miami and it's a perfect time for the players to really get comfortable with each other.
"Yes, because it's only us in the locker room and out there on the court. Sometimes road trips are good for you. It's a chance to get away from your fans, get away from your family, and really come together as a team. We had a lot of home games after the All-Star break, so this has been good for us to be out on the road and go through some wars. I think it's going to make us a stronger team and hopefully build our bond."
That's not a negative about Portland's fans or their own families, that's a comment on the business of building good chemistry. With the team on the road they have only each other and already it's clear the Blazers are bonding, becoming stronger.
And right in the middle is Brandon Roy. He's not looking to prove the doubters wrong as he works to get back to All-Star status. He's looking to prove himself right.
When a player gets hurt it's tough to handle. When that player is a three-time All-Star and has to watch his team struggle at times, when he knows his body just won't give what he is used to receiving from it, it's even harder. The 2010-11 NBA season has been incredibly trying for Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Brandon Roy, but now he's back on the floor and knows he can help his team.
Those 35 games he missed? They hurt.
"Mentally I just try to put the things behind me," said Roy. "There was a stretch there when I was pretty down just because I was going through not being able to play, not really knowing where my career was it was frustrating. But after I had those surgeries, the scopes on both my knees, I said I'm just going to put that stuff behind me and I'm going to focus on getting better. That's where I've been at, just trying to improve each day and build. I think because of it I'm happier. And I'm back playing, which is what I wanted to do."
When Roy, who has had multiple knee surgeries, had both of knees scoped a short while back and it was revealed he had little or no meniscus in either knee the cushioning part of the knee the talk started. It was proclaimed Roy would never be right again, that he would never again be an All-Star, and maybe his career was in fact over.
He claims he didn't pay much attention at all.
"I'm so tough on myself I don't really get a chance to listen to what everybody's saying. Every once in a while somebody would tell me what they are saying, and that's cool, but I'm a tough critic on myself. I'm going to push. I want to get myself back to that level. Not for anyone else, but for myself. I know that if I am able to get to 100% I will be able to live with the outcome, and it's not about proving anybody wrong. It's about proving to myself I can go out and do it.
"That stuff kind of takes on a life of its own, but that's the times we are in, you know? For me, I just focus on the goal and that's getting back to the level that I was in the past."
If Roy ever finds himself on Jeopardy and one of the categories is "Knees" he's pretty sure he'll run the table.
"I know just about everything there is to know about the meniscus, the joint " Roy says this with a wry smile. "I've had it on both knees. Every time I see a guy and he talks about his meniscus I think, 'Man, I know what he's going through.' I know a lot about it. But, because of that, I'm getting smarter and I physically know how to adjust out there on the court."
When Roy first returned to the court eight games ago he was under minute restrictions: 15-20 minutes a night, no back-to-backs. He had to miss one game and Portland actually lost three of the first four games he did play, but since then he seems to have found his legs a bit and found some balance. In his last three games, with the back-to-back restriction lifted and a higher allowance of minutes it's a process he has played better. And Portland, with a win Tuesday night in Miami, has won four in a row.
Roy doesn't talk like a player who thinks his best days are behind him, or even that he may be playing out his last NBA contract. He feels he can still be better and get back to what he was.
"Yeah, I think so. It's not something I want to talk about, to say I'm going to do it I just want to go out there and do it. I want to go out there and prove that I can continue to play, and play at a high level.
"I think that right now Coach is managing the minutes, but I think I will be able to get back to playing 30-35 minutes and being productive at a high level."
While Roy was out something happened with power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. During Roy's All-Star season Aldridge always deferred to Roy, letting Roy lead and letting him take the big shots. With Roy out, Aldridge put the Blazers on his back and carried them, raising his numbers in just about every category and becoming a leader. Roy, who came into the league with Aldridge in 2006, is pleased.
"I don't want to say I'm surprised. I've known him for awhile now and I think the biggest thing he overcame was his own mentality. He's always been extremely talented, but I think he began to become more assertive. When he looks over and I'm not even in the game he said, 'Okay, well now it's my turn to step up and to dominate.'
"That's why I told him, 'Even though I'm back, you keep dominating.' I'm going to get my legs back and that's going to take us to that team we want to be. Right now I think we're doing good and he's continuing to just dominate games, taking big shots. In the past, he wouldn't take big shots in the fourth quarter; now he's taking them. It's just his mentality has changed, he's more assertive, and that's been big for us."
A few weeks back some wondered if Portland would mail the rest of the season in. Rumors were everywhere about trading veterans Andre Miller and Marcus Camby, but instead Portland cashed in Joel Przybilla's ending contract at the deadline for All-Star small forward Gerald Wallace, a player who will improve the team's defense and rebounding. Roy believes with Wallace the Blazers are on their up at the right time of the season.
"We hope so. I think the biggest thing is we've got games left and for us that's good because we are adding Gerald in, me and Camby coming back from being out for a month, so we need games so we can get to that level where we feel we can make a strong push in the playoffs, no matter what seed we are. It's good.
"Gerald brings so much to the team he can play the four, he can play the three, he can guard. We feel that if we stay healthy going down the stretch we can be one of the teams that maybe some people may want to avoid in the first round."
Portland played well, much better than expected, with Camby and Roy out. Now with them back, and Wallace in the mix, they need to find a new balance in their chemistry. Currently they are in the midst of a four-game Eastern Conference road trip they won the first two in Orlando and Miami and it's a perfect time for the players to really get comfortable with each other.
"Yes, because it's only us in the locker room and out there on the court. Sometimes road trips are good for you. It's a chance to get away from your fans, get away from your family, and really come together as a team. We had a lot of home games after the All-Star break, so this has been good for us to be out on the road and go through some wars. I think it's going to make us a stronger team and hopefully build our bond."
That's not a negative about Portland's fans or their own families, that's a comment on the business of building good chemistry. With the team on the road they have only each other and already it's clear the Blazers are bonding, becoming stronger.
And right in the middle is Brandon Roy. He's not looking to prove the doubters wrong as he works to get back to All-Star status. He's looking to prove himself right.