Archive for April, 2009

“Honestly there was nothing positive. I couldn’t take anything positive from that loss. We got it handed to us… There wasn’t anything good about that. They kicked our butt.” - Brandon Roy (credit: Ben from Blazer’s Edge) It’s a new day, a new game, and hopefully after tonight we’ll be talking about this being a new series. Disappointing, dominating, gut-wrenching, ugly, soft, inexperienced, tentative, scared. All words used to describe events that took place in Houston’s Game 1 win on Saturday. And even before one second has been played in tonight’s Game 2, there  are already two words that are attached to [...]

Today the NBA announced its Coach of the Year for the 2008-09 season. Mike Brown of the Cleveland Cavaliers was the run-away winner with 55 first place votes and 355 points, doubling anyone close to him. The runner-up was Rick Adelman of the Houston Rockets with 151 points, Stan Van Gundy of the Magic was third with 150 and our own Nate McMillan finished fourth with 127 points. As much as it pains and almost disgusts me to say it, you can’t say Mike Brown shouldn’t have won it. Generally speaking, as of late the COY has tended to go to [...]

I know, I know, you wish Game 2 was today. It’s another day of speculating about adjustments and trying to get the stink of Saturday night out of our brains. If you moped around all day Sunday. That’s ok. But if you’re still mopey on Monday, the eve of Game 2, I gotta ask why? Yeah it was a rough loss but as franchise we have been through way worse than this. I’ll take this disappointment over the last 5 seasons with ease. Also, for those who were around in 03…the feeling of being down 0-3 and going to the [...]

This is a pretty obvious move after yesterday, but Nate McMillan is moving Channing Frye back to the bench (ie. not playing) and making Travis Outlaw the backup power forward again. I like it. We talked about this in the live chat, but Channing is just too much of a defensive/rebounding liability and, while Outlaw might have similar issues, at least he creates awkward mismatches when Houston is on defense. Love Channing, but he just doesn’t have any business in a series as physical as this. The other news is that Nate is considering playing Oden and Przybilla at the [...]

Here’s Jason Quick’s Behind the Locker Room Door column for Game 1 of Blazers-Rockets. I don’t have much to say about it, or the game itself, other than most of the Blazers seemed to be saying the things you want to hear after a beatdown like last night. I hope ESPN doesn’t catch wind of Batum’s “guarantee” however.

And welcome back to the NBA Playoffs, Portland. Before I go any furthur… The sky is not falling. It might be a little grayer than a few hours ago but it isn’t falling. Was this a rough loss? Absolutely? Was a gut-wrencher? Yes. Uglier than Mel Gibson’s divorce and that singer that rocked Simon Cowell’s face off? Yep. It was like the hot-shot 8th grader who goes to high school, tries out for the basketball team and just gets absolutely rocked during tryouts. I liken tonight to the feeling of doom and gloom that seeped into Blazer fans sounds on opening night in [...]

Blazers, Rockets Game 1 Live!-Thoughts

Ladies and gentlemen, the playoffs are here. I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs. And I’m super excited. It has felt like forever since Wednesday night’s game. I don’t think I have ever been this excited for a Blazer game in years. This is taking me back to little kid territory and I’m sure it’s scaring some of my peers and definitely my roommates. I giveth not a crapeth. I’ve almost forgotten what playoff basketball means as a fan. Here is the thing about Game 1′s. Before them there is all this hype and all these questions about what is [...]

This might be the toughest and most enjoyable post I write all season. It’s hardly the hardest (that being between Oden’s injury in L.A. or Martell being out for the year) but I’ve been racking my brain for the best way to start, finally, a Blazers playoff series preview. I thought about quantifying my feelings as we embark on the McMillan era’s maiden voyage into the postseason, but the truth is, everyone is going to be different. You could be like SJ and I, ready for that final dose of playoff success to top off a regular season and has [...]

As you all know the NBA Playoffs will have started when I wake up in the morning. A glorious day of sitting on the couch and watching games all day long. I suggest you hit up our Twitter as I’ll be updating from my TwitterBerry all day long. Anyways, all 4 of your long-time RCP readers will know the tradition of playoff predictions. You might even know that a certain genius blogger nailed the Warriors beating the Mavs in 6. I’m just saying. Keeping it brief this year so as not to bump down Coup’s epic pre-thoughts on the series. [...]