Portland Trail Blazers ‘09-10 NBA season preview
Brandon Roy (photo. Aaron Hewitt)
Last year we debuted the “Highs and Lows” system — previewing the NBA season by predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team. Same theme, different season…
Added: Andre Miller, Juwan Howard, Jeff Pendergraph, Dante Cunningham, Ime Udoka
Lost: Sergio Rodriguez, Channing Frye, Michael Ruffin, Shavlik Randolph
Ceiling: Conference semifinals
This could have gone a lot of ways: Northwest Division title, 3rd seed in the West, second round of the playoffs. However you call it, Portland is ready to take the next step. Last year was about getting to the postseason for the first time with the core group of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden; now it’s about advancement … Roy is a certified superstar. All that’s left to do at this point is hope he stays healthy (knee problems never truly disappear) and wonder how much better and how much more clutch he can get. After hitting his share of game-winners, cranking out 50 and 40-point games, and getting his playoff baptism courtesy Ron Artest and Shane Battier, B-Roy has to be in the mindset where nothing would rattle him on the court … Aldridge is arguably the best shooting big man in the West after Dirk … Oden won’t be the next Bill Russell like he was originally hyped, but he has the tools to be a future All-Star and has been tearing it up in the preseason … Free-agent pickup Andre Miller has been solid on the court, and despite a somewhat rocky start off it, at least has the full endorsement of Roy. He fits into Portland’s slower-paced system as one of the best decision-makers in the League, and will get Oden and Aldridge lots of easy looks as well as bring an scoring element Steve Blake doesn’t bring … The point guard competition between Miller and Blake is indicative of Portland’s biggest strength: depth. This team has 2-3 quality players at every position (depending on how you feel about Juwan Howard at the four), and is especially deep at the wing spots, where Roy, starting SF Nic Batum, Rudy Fernandez, Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw should all get significant minutes. Fernandez and Webster can stretch the defense with their shooting, Batum is an athlete built in the Grant Hill mold (current Grant, not Duke-style Grant), and Outlaw is a proven clutch scorer. Oden’s health is always an issue, but when he gets hurt or is plagued by foul trouble, the Blazers hardly miss a beat when Joel Przybilla steps in.
Basement: 5th-7th seed in the West, 1st-round exit
In the Blazers’ first-round series loss to Houston, the supporting cast failed to step up when Roy was being assaulted by Artest and Battier; Aldridge was the only other double-digit scorer, Outlaw choked on the big stage, and Oden couldn’t stay on the court due to foul trouble … So far GM Kevin Pritchard has done a masterful job of building a roster that not only plays well together, but gets along off the court. Now that delicate balance could be in jeopardy. Reports out of Portland hint that Miller isn’t a good fit personality-wise; that aforementioned depth could create a situation where improving young guys have hurt feelings over minutes (e.g. Jerryd Bayless); and remember that Aldridge still doesn’t have his contract extension, a potentially distracting element. (I can’t say I’ve seen it in my dealings with him, but LMA has been called especially sensitive before.) … The Northwest Division and the West in general is so tough, playoff seeding is too crucial; if Portland doesn’t get homecourt advantage in the first round and/or a favorable matchup, it will be tough to avoid an early exit.
*** *** ***
10/14 — Chicago Bulls
10/13 — Golden State Warriors
10/12 — Toronto Raptors
10/9 — Houston Rockets
10/8 — Detroit Pistons
10/7 — Memphis Grizzlies
10/6 — New York Knicks
10/5 — New Orleans Hornets
10/2 — Atlanta Hawks
9/30 — Sacramento Kings
9/29 — New Jersey Nets
9/28 — Denver Nuggets
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October 15th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
doc says:
Damn yall couldnt AT LEAST make the ceiling Conference Finals.They got championship aspirations.So basically yall saying B Roy aint as good as advertised.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Ducky The Truth says:
i love this team, they are exciting as hell to watch. Roy cant be stopped once he feels it, he literally goes “Kobe-Mode” on the opposing team. Greg Oden… im lost 4 word on Ol’ Grizzly Adams. I hope he can improve and live up to the hype but by the way things are goin, Blazers ‘Brass’ must be thinkin, what if we took Durant. With that being said, thats ridiculous. J-Ho is back and the bench is deeper than Superheads throat. Cant wait 4 this team.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
doc says:
deeper than superheads throat.lol!Ima Jazmine Cashmere dude when it comes to flicks.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
doc says:
New topic-Whos the best chick in porn?
October 15th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Austin Burton says:
@doc — Pinky and Kim Eternity.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
doc says:
She nice AB but she dont take asshots.At least I never seen it.Check out Jazmine Cash one day.She do it all very well.If I ever run into her Im giving her a couple dollars or at least asking.lol
October 15th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
J.Hicks says:
I still don’t know about Batum. Kid has some athleticism, but he seems fragile. Didn’t he already hurt his shoulder playing for France this summer? If I were McMillan I’d look at starting Fernandez at the three or Martell for their shooting.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
doc says:
Kim Eternity huh?I gotta check for her.
October 15th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
the cynic says:
Lela Star
Damn Austin pumping out the articles today; they even make sense too
October 15th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Big Sia says:
FREE BAYLESS
October 15th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Ducky The Truth says:
lmao. now that we talkin on the subject…
Sophia Castello and Milian Blue. They got the Jell-O back and bilingual… goes a long way. plus, they like the pudding pops
October 15th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
doc says:
I know about Lela.Okay Ducky Ima check them out too.I like Marie and Aliana Luv too.And that white chick Alexis Texas.GOT DAMN!
October 15th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Rizwan says:
LMA is overrated! Amare is a better shooter than LMA is. His 15ft J is very good.
October 15th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Alee-Mo says:
Let’s see if Amare’s jumper is effected by his eye injury/goggles before saying he’s a better shooter. Not trying to be a dick, that’s just real. Plus I’ve seen LMA hit threes; can’t say I’ve seen that from Amare. If anybody, I’d say David West might have a better J than Aldridge.
October 15th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Ducky The Truth says:
Thats actually a good matchup. LMA -V- STAT. LMA does have more range but he has OK percents for a guy at his position an play-style. STAT just uses his athletics to bunny hop into the paint but has a very effective jumper. but I DO agree 100% with ALEE-MO that STAT may be different cuz of his eyes. Not erverybody could rock the Horace Grants and be effective
October 15th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Collaboro says:
AGREE..FREE BAYLESS..What a joke that he is trapped in the underwebs of Portlands depth.
October 15th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Chaos says:
First…doc i agree with that milian blue….get could get it…second, how the hell we get on porn stars! lmao!…3rd, they are gonna give everyone they play against a touh time but in a year some of these guys are gonna have to be shipped out. Jerryd bayless is just waitin for his chance and he is gonna kill when he does. dudes a starter for real. i respect millers game but these guys seem to like each other and if thats the case, he may mess their chemistry up. its some egos there that will get hurt and that could kill the team
October 15th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
ProphetGK says:
@13 RIZWAN IS ON DRUGZ!!!
And my boi B-Roy gunn take the Blazers to the finals baby!!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
matthew says:
“Ceiling.” You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
October 16th, 2009 at 9:28 am
control says:
Maria Orawa…damnnnnn. Check out her massage video.
October 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
control says:
Maria Ozawa, missed a letter…
October 16th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Boofrog says:
how long do I have to wait for my Bucks preview guys?
October 16th, 2009 at 10:27 am
BERN BROGDEN says:
When G.O gets it poppin’ oooooohh I’m going to be soqualified to 1- talk madddddd sh*t and 2- say “i told you’ with my tongue out, nanna nanna boo boo’n all crazy.
October 16th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Blazermark says:
Blazers= NBA champs THIS YEAR!!!!!! this dude is a fool to limit them to a couple rounds. What a laker d*#k sucker.
October 16th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Maria Ozawa is the shit! Moans more times than a Maria Sharpova three-set tiebreaker tennis match.
And oh yeah, Grandpa Oden will be this year’s MIP.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
cbil01 says:
i’d love a Lakers/Blazers playoff series. maybe a 1 and 4 seed matchup, i think it’d go the distance 7 games roy vs kobe oden vs bynum pau vs aldridge. i’d say blazers could pull the upset but artest and odom would probably dominate batum and outlaw
October 19th, 2009 at 2:22 am
M says:
Now that Patty Mills has signed a contract with the Blazers, what’s going to happen with him this season?
October 19th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Jazz Man says:
I’m A Laker Fan But Can Respect This Young Team, But I Think This Year Might Be A Nuggets Year. With Them Playing Defense For A Full Year Could Be Scary, But Its Still The Lakers To Lose Ya Dig
October 20th, 2009 at 3:09 am
fLaVa says:
Maria Ozawa is the shit… Japanese porn is the best porn!