Blazers look solid against Kings

**tlongII** · 10-21-2008

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbla...ainst_kin.html

SACRAMENTO -- Before we delve into what is perhaps the only unsettled issue with this expectation-laden Trail Blazers team, let's get a couple odds and ends out of the way in the aftermath of a 112-98 exhibition victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.

First, in his debut performance of the exhibition season, starting point guard Steve Blake played a pain-free 27 minutes and experienced no setback from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him for most of the exhibition season. Similarly, reserve forward Channing Frye, who had bone spurs removed from his left ankle in September, saw no pain in his first action of the season.

Now on to more pressing matters. With two exhibition games remaining before the Blazers open the season at the reigning Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, what is going on at small forward?

Nicolas Batum, the 19-year-old rookie from France, got his first crack at earning the starting nod -- in place of the injured Martell Webster -- but hardly swayed coach Nate McMillan into making a call. Batum seemed to press in his first starting action, firing a team-high six shot attempts in the first quarter and making just one.

"I was very excited to start my first game and I forced one or two shots," Batum said. "I can play much better. I can do much, much, much better."

He finished with five points and eight rebounds on 2 of 9 shooting in an effort that wasn't the quality he's demonstrated during most of the exhibition season. He earned the starting nod thanks to aggressive defense, timely rebounding and taking shots only when the defense gave them to him. But while that wasn't always the case Monday, McMillan still left with a favorable impression.

"He did some good things," McMillan said. "He looked a little nervous, a little tight early in the game, but he still made some plays. There were a little jitters there, but you would expect that from a young guy starting for the first time. He did make some plays, he had some open looks. He didn't knock them down but those are the shots we want him to take. I thought he did pretty good."

Meanwhile, the other contenders to start -- Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw -- had solid performances. Fernandez was dazzling at times, once finishing an alley-oop lob from Sergio Rodriguez and draining four three-pointers, and finished with 16 points on 6 of 13 shooting.

And Outlaw, who has had a disappointing exhibition season thus far, added nine points and played aggressive defense in the open court.

So what's McMillan to do?

"I'm still looking at that," McMillan said. "'I think we can get some minutes out of (Batum) there. Will he start? I think we still have to look at that. Rudy, I tried to get Rudy in the game with Brandon and Blake to look at that lineup, and we looked a little small but I like some of the things we can do with that lineup so we're still looking.

"This is what we get paid for."

If anything, McMillan's decision could come down to the second unit and if Monday night's performance was any indication, Batum might be inserted into the starting lineup simply to create a dynamic reserve group. The second unit -- with Rodriguez, Fernandez, Outlaw, Frye and Joel Przybilla -- is an exciting, up-and-down group that excels in the open floor and has the potential to play breathtaking basketball.

The group had its most revealing display during a two-minute span in the fourth quarter when they extended a four-point Blazers lead to seven by forcing four turnovers, blocking two shots and registering a slew of exciting plays on offense.

Outlaw had a swipe at midcourt that he turned into a two-handed fast-break dunk. Rodriguez swished a three-pointer and connected with Fernandez on an alley-oop dunk. Fernandez and Outlaw had fast break layups and Fernandez swished a three-pointer.

"They have guys that run and jump and people like to watch that," Blake said, chuckling. "Sergio and Rudy definitely have a connection and we all know Travis can have success. It's a good group."

Added Brandon Roy: "The second unit has an iden y right now. They're a good team and they are going to be big for us. Rudy takes big shots, Travis takes big shots. You need two lineups. We're going to need our second unit to keep getting better because we are only going to be as good as they are."

And that leaves McMillan with more contemplating to do with two games to go.

Notes: LaMarcus Aldridge had perhaps his best game of the exhibition season, finishing with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. ... Oden played his most minutes to date (30) and produced 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists. ... Roy, who played more than 34 minutes, had 21 points, including nine in the final 4:30.