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Vaghn + Bonner for Rudy??? huh Tlong? Vaghn could be a mentor for the young Blazers and help them with Vet presence.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindbla...11/post_1.html
MIAMI -- Yeah, it was the night of the rookie, all right. Just not the rookie many outside of Portland were expecting.
On a night when national attention centered on rookie Greg Oden's return from injury, the Trail Blazers' other rookie, Rudy Fernandez, stole the show Wednesday with a late-game performance that die-hard Blazers fans have seen before.
Fernandez scored a team-high 25 points -- 14 coming in a fourth-quarter blur of spin moves, soaring alley-oops, rainbow three-pointers and thread-the-needle passes -- to lead the upstart Blazers to their fourth win in a row -- 104-96 over the Miami Heat.
"Rudy," a smiling Oden said after finishing with three points and two rebounds in 16 minutes. "Shoot, you never know what he's really going to do. And the good thing is, he gets it done. And he actually makes it look good."
It was the second consecutive game -- both on the road -- that Fernandez led the Blazers back from a narrow deficit at the start of the fourth quarter. On Monday in Orlando, Fernandez led the Blazers back from a one-point deficit by making three steals, drawing a charge and scoring eight of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
This time the Blazers trailed 75-73 entering the fourth, but he quickly erased that by swishing a three-pointer on the Blazers' first possession. It was a sign of things to come as Fernandez hit all five of his shots in the fourth, none more pressure-packed than a stop-on-a-dime, spinning jump shot that just beat the shot clock to put the Blazers up 98-92 with 44.9 seconds left.
It was the dagger to an undersized Miami team that was trying to start 4-0 at home for the first time in franchise history. They nearly did, thanks to 36 points from Dwyane Wade, but in the end, there was too much Fernandez, who deflected the credit for the win as quickly as he deposited a pretty fourth-quarter alley-oop pass from Sergio Rodriguez.
"No. It's the team," Fernandez said. "The team has played great. Today me, last game Brandon, last game (LaMarcus Aldridge). Sergio played great today. You know, it's everybody."
Fernandez wasn't the only one holding back on compliments for himself. Coach Nate McMillan was rather blase in his postgame address to the media in describing Fernandez's play, saying he still needs to learn the NBA game while bringing up his two turnovers.
But later, as he strolled through the locker room, McMillan was chided for being so stingy in praising Fernandez.
"Yeah," McMillan said smiling. "He's aiiiight."
It was a strange game for the Blazers (5-3), who played some of their best basketball of the season in the first quarter, only to become disheveled and confused for long stretches by a smaller Miami (4-4) team that focused on swarming on defense and clearing out for Wade on offense.
It didn't help that LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his worst games in recent memory, missing three dunks, three of his five free throws and just generally appearing out of it. Although he finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals, Aldridge shot 6-for-17 and admitted "it was just one of those nights."
In fact, in a lot of areas, it was "one of those nights" for the Blazers. They weren't especially sharp, and it always seemed they should be leading by more than they actually were. McMillan, for one, felt that way entering halftime up only 50-47 after they played their best first quarter of the season.
Yet, they still won. On the road. After giving up a huge lead (12 points). It is the type of game good teams win.
"We are starting to be the same team every night," said Brandon Roy, who had 22 points, five rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes. "I think our iden y is starting to come out, and that is playing together, never quitting and when adversity hits we are always huddling up, saying, 'We're good, we're good. We're down two? Hey, we're goooood.' And we're not just saying it. We believe it. It's a confidence. A confidence that we believe we can win every game."
Oden, meanwhile, played his second NBA game, this time emerging without an injury. His best play was in his first two minutes. He entered the game with 2:45 left in the first quarter and on his third defensive possession he blocked point guard Chris Quinn's shot into the stands. After a Daequan Cook miss, Oden chased down the rebound.
On the ensuing offensive possession, Oden rebounded a Fernandez three-point miss (one of 12 offensive boards for the Blazers), took one step toward the basket and dunked ferociously with 49.4 seconds left in the quarter to give the Blazers a 27-19 lead.
"It was good we won," Oden said. "But I was glad to finally get some points."
After the first quarter flurry, Oden was never much of a factor, except for a fourth-quarter free throw off a zip pass from Fernandez. McMillan said he thought Oden was "OK" and many of his teammates said they were just glad to see him on the court.
But really, the talk wasn't much of Oden afterward. It was of the skinny Spaniard who shows no fear and fluid imagination.
"I don't know how to describe it, but he was great tonight," Roy said. "I mean, sometimes I catch myself watching him. He's spinning, hitting floaters, and they are all net. I just love watching him play. And if I was a fan I would love to watch Rudy Fernandez play."
Notes: Rodriguez played a season-high 19 minutes and was a bright spot, finishing with five points, five assists and one turnover. He played all but the final 44.9 seconds of the fourth quarter. "I try to bring energy and have fun, and I did," Rodriguez said. "Had fun a lot.". ... Travis Outlaw entered the game as the NBA's leading three-point shooter (13 of 20, .650), but he made 1 of 4 on Wednesday. He did finish with 10 points and eight rebounds. ... Joel Przybilla grabbed 10 rebounds. ... Wade scored at least 30 for the fourth consecutive game, a career-high. ... Heat forward Shawn Marion did not play because of a groin strain.
Vaghn + Bonner for Rudy??? huh Tlong? Vaghn could be a mentor for the young Blazers and help them with Vet presence.
I'm pretty sure even people who weren't die-hard blazer fans know that rudy fernandez is the real deal...
I'm down! We'll even throw in Bruce Bowen for Nicolas Batum!
And people were saying Oden was the next Tim DuncanMore like the next Eric Dampier.
I don't know what the Phoenix owners were smoking when they traded away Rudy Fernandez to the Blazers... Maybe they eating Peyote with the Navajos or something.
Portland should have waited to give Martell Webster that extension. With Batum and Fernandez, Webster doesn't even deserve PT when he's back healthy. But, his extension might force the Blazers to trade Outlaw.
rudy fernandez = spanish tmac
They can send him right over to us. I would have absolutely no problem with that.
o wait, Rudy has no handles..yet
till then he can't become an all star
how old is he btw?
23
rudys a beast, this year should give a good gauge of him. Doing pretty good so far.
you fukin liar. I say he is below average for handles in Europe. Like I say is obvious NBA standard for skills is far below Europe.o wait, Rudy has no handles..yet
till then he can't become an all star
how old is he btw?
really good offensive player
Rudy has very good feel and instinct for game. One of things that him and Rubio learn well from their coach.
I know that a lot of people here get pissed off when they compare rudy fernandez to ginobili, but the truth of the matter is even though rudy did not accomplish the same things as rudy, his game and style of play is pretty much just like ginobili's: a spark off the bench, good hustle, alley-oops to get the crowd fired up and a lot of 3's. Rudy is not in any way comparable to tmac. Since portland pretty much uses rudy as a straight up shooter you can actually maybe even compare him to peja
I do not see Manu comparison at all.
Rudy >>>>>>>>> Saras Jasikevicius >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> V-Span
Are you stupid?
Spanoulis is better then Rudy. Saras was never ever that good of player anyway. Only the same re ed Spanish idiots that like post in these forums are ones beside Lithuania that think he was so good.
Fernandez and Saras were never best player on their own teams in Europe.
FACT
FACT FACT FACT
Americans prove how re ed their basketball knowledge is every day in this forum. Is embarrassing thing really.
As for how Rudy is. Very very good player. But not similar as Manu. People says so is another example of idiocy about game.
You have one of most in control players ever in Rudy and one of most wild players ever in Manu and stupid fools compare them as same. Is so sad it is even funny crap people say.
fail. Vspan is not good.
Rudy in the HOF by mid-december
Funny how Team USA coaches say he was best player they face at Olympics. You realize what other players they face?
Fernandez >>>>>>>>>>> Vaginis
lol no he is not.
You have never even seen them both play to say such crap.
i dunno why that made me laugh pretty hard.
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