tlongII
04-22-2011, 01:35 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/04/post_11.html
Brandon Roy had a big comeback performance for the Blazers in their 97-92 victory over Dallas in their Western Conference playoff series at the Rose Garden on Thursday.
It came after two days of controversy after his comments following Portland's Game 2 loss.
Roy got plenty of support from the Rose Garden fans, but he also received support from former NBA great Charles Barkley, who revealed on TNT that he reached out to Roy.
"Because he's such a great kid, and he's been such a great player," Barkley said on "Inside the NBA," which followed TNT's broadcast of the game. "I just wanted to tell him to keep his head up, just be a good teammate and do the best you can."
Roy said he was on his way to the Rose Garden when his phone rang. "I didn’t know the number so I didn’t answer it. I’m like, what area code is this?" he said before practice Friday.
Then Roy noticed that the caller had left a message, so he listened to it.
“It said, ‘Hey, what’s up, this is Charles Barkley, and I was just calling to tell you to keep your head up and stay positive and make sure the one thing you do is have fun,” Roy said. “I’m like, man, it’s Charles Barkley!”
On TNT, Barkley added that Roy's struggles and diminished effectiveness because of knee issues reminded him of his own frustrations in the latter stages of his career.
"It's frustrating ... injuries didn't end my career, I just got old and couldn't play anymore," Barkley said. "But from an ego standpoint, it just sucks. That's the only way I can explain it. When you want to do stuff, you just can't do it.
"But I told him, I said, just keep your head up, you've been a great player, you're a great kid, just do the best you can. That's it."
Barkley's partner, Kenny Smith, joked: "I see why the Mavs fans don't like you. You didn't text any of their guys."
Barkley retorted: "They were up two-zip."
Roy said he met Barkley for the first time last summer at the fund-raiser former Blazer Brian Grant held at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Like many NBA players, Roy holds Barkley in reverence even though he was a three-time All-Star when he met the Hall of Famer.
"I was happy then when he acknowledged me," Roy said. "I was like, Man, Charles! That’s cool."
The respect Roy has for Barkley is a big reason he felt so honored to receive the message Thursday.
"That’s stuff is big, positive, that Charles is thinking of me," Roy said. "Lot of players and a lot of people have reached out to me, which made me feel good. ... Charles Barkley, he’s a legend, a Hall of Famer, so for him to text me before the game, that was pretty cool."
Roy said he sent Barkley a text back. "Told told him I appreciated it, and he said, ‘Anytime,'" Roy said.
Brandon Roy had a big comeback performance for the Blazers in their 97-92 victory over Dallas in their Western Conference playoff series at the Rose Garden on Thursday.
It came after two days of controversy after his comments following Portland's Game 2 loss.
Roy got plenty of support from the Rose Garden fans, but he also received support from former NBA great Charles Barkley, who revealed on TNT that he reached out to Roy.
"Because he's such a great kid, and he's been such a great player," Barkley said on "Inside the NBA," which followed TNT's broadcast of the game. "I just wanted to tell him to keep his head up, just be a good teammate and do the best you can."
Roy said he was on his way to the Rose Garden when his phone rang. "I didn’t know the number so I didn’t answer it. I’m like, what area code is this?" he said before practice Friday.
Then Roy noticed that the caller had left a message, so he listened to it.
“It said, ‘Hey, what’s up, this is Charles Barkley, and I was just calling to tell you to keep your head up and stay positive and make sure the one thing you do is have fun,” Roy said. “I’m like, man, it’s Charles Barkley!”
On TNT, Barkley added that Roy's struggles and diminished effectiveness because of knee issues reminded him of his own frustrations in the latter stages of his career.
"It's frustrating ... injuries didn't end my career, I just got old and couldn't play anymore," Barkley said. "But from an ego standpoint, it just sucks. That's the only way I can explain it. When you want to do stuff, you just can't do it.
"But I told him, I said, just keep your head up, you've been a great player, you're a great kid, just do the best you can. That's it."
Barkley's partner, Kenny Smith, joked: "I see why the Mavs fans don't like you. You didn't text any of their guys."
Barkley retorted: "They were up two-zip."
Roy said he met Barkley for the first time last summer at the fund-raiser former Blazer Brian Grant held at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Like many NBA players, Roy holds Barkley in reverence even though he was a three-time All-Star when he met the Hall of Famer.
"I was happy then when he acknowledged me," Roy said. "I was like, Man, Charles! That’s cool."
The respect Roy has for Barkley is a big reason he felt so honored to receive the message Thursday.
"That’s stuff is big, positive, that Charles is thinking of me," Roy said. "Lot of players and a lot of people have reached out to me, which made me feel good. ... Charles Barkley, he’s a legend, a Hall of Famer, so for him to text me before the game, that was pretty cool."
Roy said he sent Barkley a text back. "Told told him I appreciated it, and he said, ‘Anytime,'" Roy said.