Blazers excel earlier than expected
by Dan Bennett, Guest Reporter
For the Portland Trail Blazers, this season was supposed to be one of anticipation for the future rather than one of instant success.
After all, they had traded away their leading scorer, Zach Randolph, to clear the way for top draft choice Greg Oden, only to see Oden have season-ending knee surgery before he could play even one game.
And even with Brandon Roy, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, leading the charge, even the most fervent Blazers fans were taking the Brooklyn Dodgers' approach to optimism: "Wait 'till next year."
Fast forward three months: Nate McMillian is the leading contender for the NBA's Coach of the Year, Brandon Roy is a bona fide star, and the Blazers, the youngest team in the league, are in a position to win their division and make the playoffs for the first time in several years.
To this, even the most articulate and well-spoken basketball fan must wonder, "Huh?"
Yes, the Blazers have exceeded the most optimistic expectations through an exciting brand of team basketball, emphasizing ball movement and sound perimeter shooting. Portland has one of the deepest benches in the league, as McMillan plays 10 men on a regular basis, all of them capable of making big plays. And to top it all off, the players have good temperaments and, crazily enough, actually like one another.
This is a far cry, of course, from the days of the infamous "Jail Blazers," from the days of Rasheed Wallace flinging a towel into the face of a teammate during a game, and from the days of Bonzi Wells' "Sports Illustrated" quote criticizing his own fans.
Unlike those teams, the current club, as assembled by the brilliant and shrewd maneuvering of general manager Kevin Pritchard, has developed a level of cohesion rare in the NBA. In fact, players have described the atmosphere as closer to a college team than a professional team.
In terms of talent, though, the Blazers are certainly playing at a professional level. Portland has one of the league's best home records, and has beaten some of the NBA's best teams, including the Pistons once and Hornets twice. Brandon Roy, the do-it-all guard, is emerging as a perennial All-Star. LaMarcus Aldridge is improving his post play on a nightly basis. Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster, both drafted out of high school a few seasons ago, are beginning to finally adjust to the NBA game and are wreaking havoc on opponents in the process.
Add Oden's defensive post presence to the mix next year, and this team is instantly a title contender.
So while this season has been an enjoyable surprise for most Blazers fans, the best is still yet to come for Portland. And given the success this season has seen, Portland's best will almost certainly translate into an NBA championship (or two, or three, or fourâ?¦).
As a lifelong Blazers fan, excuse me while I drool over that possibility.