Portland looking promising at .500 | legendofnil's Blog

3-3. In the NBA, that record is equivalent to purgatory. In the Western Conference, 3-3 means you'd better have more, if you want to make the playoffs. But if you are the Portland Trail Blazers this season, 3-3 means you are doing okay- despite a lot of adversity.

What adversity?

It started before the season even began, as Martell Webster -the Blazers most consistent 3 point threat who gave a strong showing during the preseason- went down with a stress fracture in his left foot.

The NBA did not exactly help the Blazers out when- in anticipation of some great low post matchups with Greg Oden- they scheduled the Blazers to play against the Lakers, Spurs, Suns, Jazz, Rockets, and Magic all within the first 2 weeks of the season. The first month of the season also includes 4 back to backs and a 5 game road trip...

This would be a tough schedule for any team, but when you figure in a morale stunting injury to Greg Oden (the most media-hyped rookie since Lebron James) in the first 13 minutes of the season opener versus the LA Lakers, 3-3 actually looks pretty impressive.

The injuries have made for a little overtime planning for coach Nate McMillain, and slow starts by Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge surely have not helped the Blazers in their efforts to build consistency. But in recent games, Aldridge has picked up his level of play (Aldridge is averaging 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks over the last 3 games while Brandon Roy is averaging 19 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals) and Roy has made clutch play after clutch play at the end of games. Also, they have recieved a lot of help from surging rookies Nicholas Batum and Rudy Fernandez (both of whom appear to be solid pieces of this team's future). It would appear that this early season adversity is helping the Blazers build a thick skin.

To date, Portland is 3-0 at home. They were good at home last season too, but this mark is more impressive this season so far because of the caliber of their opponents and the injuries they are fighting. Tonight they begin a 5 game road trip that will test their grit even more. The rumor is that Oden may come back some time during this road trip, but the Blazers know better than to rush things when it comes to injuries. The time table for Oden's return was originally projected at 2-4 weeks. Tonight would put him at just over 2 weeks since the injury...

About Greg Oden

This poor kid has been burdened with far too much pressure. From the NBA's TV schedule showcasing, to the Blazers' heavy handed PR campaign, to former NBA greats predicting he will be the next great NBA center... it's just too much. Oden is not even 21 yet, but I'm sure that by now he feels as though he could use a good stiff drink. If you saw him in the season opener vs. the Lakers you could just see the pressure pouring from his sweat glands. In his first (and only) 13 minutes of NBA playing time Oden was very visibly attempting to simultaneously live up to expecations of greatness AND trying very hard not to get injured... that last one is what doomed him. Whenever you are trying really hard just not to get hurt, that is usually when an injury occurs.

Lesson learned?

When Greg Oden makes his return, whenever the Blazers decide that should be, they should bring him off the bench. His projected backup- Joel Pryzbilla- has been playing well in Oden's absence (pulling down 10 rebounds a game). Despite the universal desire to see just what kind of player Greg Oden is, he is still just a rookie. To expect Oden to come out and play like David Robinson or Bill Russell during his first NBA season and coming off a serious knee injury is not only ridiculous, it is also tremendously unfair to Oden. Let him experience a normal rookie NBA season. It is not as if this team doesn't have enough talent to do well without him starting or playing 40 minutes a night. Bring him off the bench and give him minutes gradually. That will reduce the pressure on him and make it easier to manage his recovery from his injury.

Injuries aside...

It is still probably a little early to tell just what this Blazers' team is capable of this year. We'll get a little clearer picture when Oden and Webster have been worked back in to the lineups. What is evident already though is that this is going to be a fun team to watch. It's hard not to be drawn to the exciting play of the likes of Roy, Aldridge, Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, and the many other up and comers on this team. But even more, these Blazers have a reputation for playing like a TEAM, and a pretty competitive one at that.

It is going to be a fun year here in Rip City