Damian Lillard lead all scorers Saturday night with 24 points. He added 11 assists for a double-double and six rebounds. Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

There was a point in Saturday’s crazy double overtime win in Cleveland, in the middle of the third quarter, when a run of scoring from Damian Lillard gave Portland a six-point lead and it looked like the Cavaliers were going to fade in the back stretch, and I started to get a little upset. Sure a stretch of good ball movement and high percentage shots wasn’t going to be enough to beat the Celtics or the Nets, but if it was enough to knock down the Cleveland Cavaliers it would have probably been enough to take care of business against the Pistons or the Wizards.

There was a point in Saturday’s game, at the end of the fourth quarter, when for like the fifteenth time in regulation one of Cleveland’s guards split Portland’s double team at the top of their two three zone, cut hard to the rim only to be stopped by a Blazer big, and still managed to slip off a quick pass to the weak-side cutter for an uncontested dunk, and I started to get upset again but this time for a different reason. The sequence in question came with 53 seconds to play, and it was an uncontested two-hand slam by Tristan Thompson to put the Cavaliers up by two.

There was a point in Saturday’s game, right at the end of the first overtime, when a missed Cleveland shot turned into an offensive rebound, a second possession, and a game-tying field goal, and I started to freak out just a little bit. All night the Blazers have been giving up offensive rebounds and second possessions to the Cavs. And here, just when it looked like they were going to get the stop they needed to finally put the game away, Portland had blown it by not finishing a defensive play with a defensive rebound. I just knew the Blazers were going to get smacked in the second overtime.

There was a point in Saturday’s game, at the end of the second overtime, when J.J. Hickson had the ball under the hoop with time running out and nowhere to go and nothing to do, and I almost lost it. We’d been here before, the ball in J.J.’s hands with almost no time left and needing a bucket to win, and it hadn’t gone well. We were looking at a five-game losing streak, another disappointing loss to a team with a bad record. It was all over.

There was a point in Saturday’s game, after the final horn, when I was standing in front of my television shouting, and wondering how exactly the Blazers had literally snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

I don’t care that it took two extra periods. I don’t care that the Cavaliers are without their best player and are a lottery team. I don’t care if Damian Lillard managed to turn the ball over not once but twice in two crucial overtime possessions. I don’t care if again Portland’s late game execution, especially on possessions to tie or go ahead with less than a minute to play, left a whole lot to be desired. Portland needed a win. They needed a win in the worst way possible. They got a win. That’s all that matters.

Here’s the thing about Saturday night, though, Nicolas Batum’s last-second game winner with two-tenths of a second on the clock will overshadow what could have been a real game-changer of a night for Portland. For the first time this season the Blazers got a little balance on the scoring sheet.

Sure Portland’s starting five did the heavy lifting on offense (Lillard 24 points, Batum 22, Aldridge 21, Hickson 11, Matthews 11), but Joel Freeland pitched in eight points, Will Barton added seven points, and a kind of resurrected Nolan Smith contributed six points. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but those are meaningful numbers for Portland’s bench.

But more than just scoring, everyone on the Blazers’ bench except Jared Jeffries logged at least 12 minutes. That’s an important milestone for this team. If Joel Freeland and Will Barton can contribute regular minutes without Portland getting way behind, this team could have a chance at competing on a nightly basis. Eight points from Joel Freeland, though a serious improvement over what we’ve seen from him so far this season, won’t win the Blazers many games this season, it does point to a potentially brighter future.

What won’t be soon forgotten Saturday, and should be a very valuable take-away for this Blazer team, is that Portland didn’t give up. They didn’t play great, apart from a few stretches in the middle of the second half that helped to establish the Blazers on both ends of the floor, but Portland didn’t let this one go away even when it looked like they were going to.

Whenever things get bad for the Blazers in the future, they should go back to game tape from Saturday. While going over said game tape, they should just skip ahead to the final nine seconds of the second overtime. In those nine seconds they will see a bad shot by LaMarcus Aldridge, an out of position offensive rebound and lousy shot from J.J. Hickson, a defensive rebound by Anderson Varejao, a pass off to Alonzo Gee, and a foul by Nicolas Batum.

It’s that foul by Batum that’s important. Gee got the ball with two seconds left. The Cavs were up a point, this was the end of a second extra five-minute period, it’s a long road trip with two games left to play, Portland could be excused for not fouling. I’m sure they would have been excoriated in the media for not fouling, but they could have been excused for throwing in the towel. They’d fought hard, and in the midst of a bad losing streak, actually showing up is almost good enough. If Nicolas Batum hadn’t sent Alonzo Gee to the line with two seconds left in what would been the final OT session, Portland doesn’t win. By not giving up, the Blazers willed themselves to a win. That’s good for something.

Portland has a day off before flying to Charlotte to take on the Bobcats. Two more games before this thing is over. Two wins (which isn’t beyond the realm of possibility but doesn’t seem that likely) and this could actually end up a 3-4 trip.

Couple of quick things:

• Cleveland showcased a couple of rookies to take on Portland’s lottery picks. The Cavs first-years, Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller, represented themselves well. Waiters scored 12 points in 31 minutes and had a major impact late in the game. Zeller, on the other hand, was just short of amazing. He scored 14 points, grabbed a key offensive rebound, and finished with a +10. Almost all of Zeller’s damage was done in the second overtime period. In the final five minutes the rookie center accounted for eight of Cleveland’s 14 points. The cross comparisons for Cleveland’s rookies are of course Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard. Leonard had a rough night, scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds in 20 minutes, but his one made field goal came on a pretty nice lob dunk. Of the four rookies, Lillard was clearly the star. Damian shot 9-of-17 from the field and 4-of-7 from three for a game-high 24 points, handed out 11 assists to complete the double-double, and snagged six rebounds. He turned the ball over six times, and missed a chance to win the game at the end of regulation and again at the end of the first overtime. Dame made up for it though with a game-winning assist. I know I’m biased, but Damian Lillard doesn’t play like other rookies in the league.
• Prior to tip there was some speculation as to who would get more rebounds, Anderson Varejao or J.J. Hickson. Andy finished with more offensive rebounds (eight) than total rebounds for J.J. (five). Varejao’s 17 total rebounds were one less than the combined rebound total of LaMarcus Aldridge, Hickson, Meyers Leonard, and Joel Freeland.
• Luke Babbitt played 13 minutes, scored four points, and missed all four of his three-point field goal attempts. I’m suggesting a moratorium on mentions of how many times Babbitt hits 25-straight threes in practice until he can knock down a couple of open looks in an actual game.
• The Blazers are 3-0 in overtime games.

Box Score

Standings

Right Down Euclid

@mikeacker | @ripcityproject | mike.acker1@gmail.com

Nicolas Batum got to celebrate two game winners Saturday night in Cleveland. The second one even counted. Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

This is just a really quick rookie ladder that’ll get updated as the season rages on.

Oct 17, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Victor Claver (18) battles for a loose ball with Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) in the third quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Blazers won the game 97-80. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US

Honorable Mentions: Miles Plumlee: F/C, Indiana Pacers; Arnett Moultrie: F, Philadelphia 76ers; Evan Fournier: G, Denver Nuggets; Moe Harkless (Hernia): F, Orlando Magic

25. Kendall Marshall: Point Guard, Phoenix Suns
Preseason Stats: 3.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 RPG
Last 3: 8 pts, 2 ast vs. GSW; 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. OKC; 4 ast vs. POR

Kendall Marshall can’t shoot, and that’s always a red flag for point guards. But he’s easily the best passer/playmaker in his draft class and has kept his assist-to-turnover ratio positive by making good decisions.

24. Victor Claver: Forward, Portland Trail Blazers
Preseason Stats: 3.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG
Last 3: 1 stl, 10 min vs. UTAH; 2 pts, 4 reb, 1 stl vs. GSW; 13 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 13 min vs. DEN

Victor Claver makes this list solely because of his performance against the Denver Nuggets. He’s been aggressive on defense and has shown an ability to score in a variety of ways.

If you don’t remember him, it’s probably because he was drafted all the way back in 2009.

23. Meyers Leonard: Center, Portland Trail Blazers
Preseason Stats: 6.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.0 BLKPG
Last 3: 8 pts, 4 reb, 1 blk vs. UTAH; 4 pts, 6 reb, 1 blk vs. GSW; 6 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk vs. DEN

Many argued that the Blazers should’ve gone with Tyler Zeller over Meyers Leonard at No. 11, but he does everything Portland needs. He gets into heavy foul trouble (just like Greg Oden), but Leonard has been active on defense, somewhat crashes the boards and is super athletic, especially off the pick-and-roll.

22. Austin Rivers: Guard, New Orleans Hornets
Preseason Stats: 7.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.0 APG
Last 3: 6 pts, 4 ast vs. MIA; 0 pts, 14 min vs. DAL; 11 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl vs. ATL

I’d go out on a limb and call Austin Rivers the least efficient player in this draft class, and I’m probably right. He took 59 shots in the preseason and only nailed sixteen (16) of them—that’s a droplet over 27 percent from the field over eight games.

What makes it worse is that coach Monty Williams is being extremely patient with him. Rivers has played more minutes than any guard drafted with him not named Damian Lillard and only has 7.3 points per game to show for it. He’s quickly falling down my power rankings, and if he doesn’t step it up, he’ll fall right out of it.

21. Terrence Ross: Shooting Guard, Toronto Raptors
Preseason Stats: 6.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG
Last 3: 10 pts, 2 stl vs. MEM; 2 pts, 5 min vs. NYK; 5 pts, 2 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk vs. DET 

I haven’t seen Terrence Ross play yet, but his stats have proven him to be more efficient than Austin Rivers in significantly less playing time.

20. Jeremy Lamb: Shooting Guard, Houston Rockets TRADED TO OKC
Preseason Stats: 6.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.3 APG
Last 3: 0 pts, 2 reb, 6 min vs. ORL; 5 pts, 3 ast vs. NOH; 2 pts, 1 stl, 12 min vs. MEM 

I love Jeremy Lamb in Oklahoma City. He gets to be on a winning team that will demand nothing but the absolute best from him. This is exactly what he needed for him to get out of his shooting funk.

19. Royce White: Forward, Houston Rockets
Preseason Stats: 2.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.0 APG
Last 3: 2 pts, 2 ast, 13 min vs. ORL; 7 pts, 3 reb, 1 blk vs. DAL

I’m probably the only guy who still has faith in Royce White, but he hasn’t gotten playing time to show his skills. He needs to somehow beat his anxiety disorder and travel with the team, but I think that, once he gets settled in, White will become the dominating player we saw at Iowa State.

18. Khris Middleton: Forward, Detroit Pistons
Preseason Stats: 6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.0 APG
Last 4: 3 pts, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 min vs. ATL; 5 pts, 3 reb, 10 min vs. MIA; 5 pts, 1 reb, 8 min vs. ORL; 11 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. MIL

I’ve been so impressed with Khris Middleton’s ability to do so much in such a short bit of time. Lawrence Frank absolutely has to give this guy a solid spot in the rotation if he wants the Pistons to start turning the ship around.

17. Tyler Zeller: Center, Cleveland Cavaliers
Pre-Season Stats: 8.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG
Last 3: 13 pts, 7 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl vs. IND; 6 pts, 2 reb vs. PHI; 8 pts, 5 reb vs. ORL

Zeller hasn’t made much happen on defense, but we expected this. He’s a center that can pop out to around 15-18 feet and knock down jumpers. Great for Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters to have someone to dump the ball out to.

16. Dion Waiters: Guard, Cleveland Cavaliers
Preseason Stats: 8.6 PPG, 2.1 APG, 2.0 RPG
Last 3: 12 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl vs. IND; 5 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. PHI; 8 pts, 2 ast vs. ORL

Not impressed with Dion Waiters one bit, especially since he skipped the line to get picked up third in the draft. They’ve given him every chance to show what he’s worth, and he still hasn’t lived up to the hype.

I didn’t watch much of him at Syracuse either, so here’s to hoping Cleveland didn’t blow it with their 2012 NBA Draft pick.

15. John Henson: Forward, Miilwaukee Bucks INJURED
Preseason Stats: 7.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.6 BLKPG
Last 3: 4 pts, 1 reb vs. CHI; 12 pts, 6 reb, 4 blk, 4 ast vs. DET; 6 pts, 7 reb, 1 blk vs. CLE

Henson looked so promising until he sprained his left knee. Hopefully he doesn’t lose any of that bounce he had when he gets back to the court.

14. Perry Jones III: Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
Preseason Stats: 9.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG
Last 3: 2 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast vs. DAL; 14 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast vs. CHI; 4 pts, 2 reb, 1 stl vs. DEN

I haven’t seen Perry Jones play once this entire preseason, but the general consensus is that OKC got a steal for him late in the first round. I’ll come back next time with a better analysis after I’ve seen him play a few games.

13. Andre Drummond: Forward/Center, Detroit Pistons
Preseason Stats: 9.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG
Last 3: 13 pts, 10 reb, 2 blk vs. ATL; 2 reb, 9 min vs. MIN; 8 pts, 7 reb vs. CHA

People talk about Andre Drummond the same way they talk about Perry Jones. They can play at a high level if they feel like it. Their stats reflect that same mentality. Some games they put up monster numbers, and the next day, you can’t even find them on the court.

I do think, though, that Drummond will develop into the best center in this draft class.

12. Donatas Motiejunas: Forward-Center, Houston Rockets
Preseason Stats: 9.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG
Last 3: 12 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast vs. ORL; 8 pts, 5 ast, 1 blk vs. DAL; 16 pts, 8 reb vs. SAS

I almost forgot to include Motiejunas in this list because he was picked up in last year’s draft. I had him pegged as a sort of Dirk Nowitzki 2.0, but he’ll have to develop his jumper a lot more before earning that honor.

Motiejunas does many things well. He’ll have to bulk up to avoid getting shoved around down low, but his offensive game is so well-rounded, it more than compensates for his frame. Still, at seven feet and only 22-years old, the Lithuanian big man has a chance to become one of the better shooting bigs in the NBA.

11. Terrence Jones: Power Forward, Houston Rockets
Preseason Stats: 10.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.2 BLKPG
Last 3: 4 pts, 2 blk vs. ORL; 15 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk vs. NOH; 9 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk vs. MEM

Terrence Jones has been a great blue-collar type of player who’s getting his minutes by doing all the grunt work down low. I’d like to see him get a few more looks in the low post, though.

10. Jae Crowder: Forward, Dallas Mavericks
Preseason Stats: 11.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.875 STLPG, 1.6 APG
Last 3: 11 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk vs. CHA; 21 pts, 9 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. OKC; 12 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk vs. NOH

Crowder made a name for himself as a do-it-all kind of guy in the Summer League, and has kept his reputation in tact. He’s rebounding better than some of the bigs drafted next to him and has been a better scorer than many of the bigger named guards picked up in the first round.

Talk about a steal for Dallas.

9. Thomas Robinson: Power Forward, Sacramento Kings
Preseason Stats: 7.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 STLPG
Last 3: 17 pts, 8 reb,1 stl vs. PHX; 6 pts, 4 reb vs. LAL; 8 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl vs. LAL

That is all.

8. Jonas Valanciunas: Center, Toronto Raptors
Preseason Stats: 8.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.8 BLKPG
Last 3: 15 pts, 7 reb, 1 stl 1 blk vs. MEM; 10 pts, 8 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl vs. MIL; 4 pts, 10 reb, 1 blk vs. NYK 

How many of you guys forgot that Toronto picked up Valanciunas in last year’s draft? He’s been a monster on the boards, and had a sick highlight where he had a monster dunk against the Wizards.

He’ll be a great piece to build around with Terrence Ross, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.

7. Harrison Barnes: Small Forward, Golden State Warriors
Preseason Stats: 10.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG
Last 3: 16 pts, 7 reb, 1 stl vs. PHX; 9 pts, 3 reb vs. LAC; 6 pts, 1 ast vs. POR

Once Harrison Barnes learns to create for himself, he’ll be the best player in this draft. Barnes shoots well, can defend and gets out on breaks, but if there’s a defender in his face (like Nicolas Batum was for Portland), the ball is coming right out of his hands.

6. Jared Sullinger: Forward, Boston Celtics
Preseason Stats: 10.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 
Last 3: 11 pts,6 reb vs. PHI; 10 pts, 8 reb, 1 stl vs. NYK; 12 pts, 6 reb vs. BKN

I was a HUGE Sully fan back when he was at Ohio State, and seeing him destroy all the teams that passed up on him brings nothing but endless joy to my life.

Sullinger’s showed every facet of his game: He’s shot the ball well, posted up and crashed the boards. He’s not an athlete or a shot blocker, but Boston doesn’t need him to be. He’s filling the role of a stretch four very well.

Oct 24, 2012; Uniondale, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets power forward Andray Blatche (0) fouls New York Knicks small forward Chris Copeland (14) at the net during the second quarter at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

5. Chris Copeland: Forward, New York Knicks
Preseason Stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG
Last 3: 16 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast vs. BKN; 15 pts vs. PHI; 34 pts, 6 reb, 2 stl vs. BOS

Here’s a guy who nobody knew about that came to arguably the biggest market of them all and hijacked the spotlight. The guy’s a 28-year old rookie that defied the odds and made the N.Y. Knicks’ jam-packed roster.

Chris Copeland can fill it up, but like many of the Knicks on the roster, he struggles defensively. With Amar’e Stoudemire out for a couple weeks recovering from a knee injury, we might get an early dosage of Copeland in our diets.

October 19, 2012; Orlando FL, USA; Indiana Pacers center Luke Nevill (26) and power forward Miles Plumlee (13) defend Orlando Magic power forward Andrew Nicholson (44) during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Indiana Pacers 112-96. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

4. Andrew Nicholson: Power Forward, Orlando Magic
Preseason Stats: 10.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.14 BLKPG
Last 3: 5 pts, 7 reb vs. HOU; 5 pts, 6 reb, 1 stl vs. MEM; 18 pts, 2 blk vs. SAS

I don’t know much about Andrew Nicholson, but he’s been great at helping Orlando forget about Dwight Howard. Especially after that 18-point outburst against San Antonio, he and Jameer Nelson will become best friends once he gets set in the rotation.

Oct 15, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots over Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

3. Bradley Beal: Guard, Washington Wizards
Preseason Stats: 11.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.5 APG
Last 3: 0 pts, 19 min vs. SAS; 9 pts, 4 reb, 3 stl, ast vs. MIA; 10 pts, 4 reb vs. MIL

Brad Beal’s been in attack mode all preseason long which is exactly what John Wallneeds to help get the Wizards back to being relevant in the NBA.

The young Ray Allen comparisons were a bit too extreme, but Beal’s got a cocked-and-loaded rifle that he’s unafraid to fire. Playing next to Wall, he should get plenty of open looks.

Oct 22, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) speaks with Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts during a break in the third quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Blazers won the game 120-114. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

2. Damian Lillard: Point Guard, Portland Trail Blazers
Preseason Stats: 16.2 PPG, 5.8 APG, 2.5 RPG
Last 3: 12 pts, 5 ast vs. UTAH; 21 pts, 8 ast, 4 reb, 2 stl vs. UTAH; 15 pts, 7 ast vs. GSW

There have been a few menial rookie mistakes here and there, but Damian Lillard has been all that AND a bag of chips (yes, I went there) for the Portland Trail Blazers.

He’s a bit prone to turning the ball over, but Lillard’s shown a poise in running this Blazers team that no other rookie in the draft class has. He can shoot the three, but more importantly, he’s been great at running the pick-and-pop with LaMarcus Aldridge and dumping the ball out at the perfect moment.

Damian Lillard for president, anyone?

Oct 26, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New Orleans Hornets power forward Anthony Davis (23) shoots over Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

1. Anthony Davis: Power Forward, New Orleans Hornets
Preseason Stats: 14.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.57 BLKPG
Last 3: 24 pts, 11 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk vs. MIA; 13 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, 3 blk vs. HOU; 6 pts, 17 reb, 2 blk vs. DAL

We knew he’d make some noise in the NBA once he was selected to travel with Team USA, but Anthony Davis has lived up to and exceeded the hype that latches itself onto a No. 1 overall pick.

The Brow has been incredibly efficient, as any big man should be, but has also shown the ability to help from the weak side and close out on shooters on the wing.

While Lillard will give him a run for his money, Davis is looking like the clear front-runner for the 2013 Rookie of the Year Award.

	Player	Pos.	Team	PER	Chg
1.	Anthony Davis	PF	NOH	16.43
2.	Damian Lillard	PG	POR	14.50
3.	Bradley Beal	G	WSH	10.12
4.	Andrew Nicholson	PF	ORL	9.86
5.	Chris Copeland	F	NYK	11.67
6.	Jared Sullinger	PF	BOS	14.12
7.	Harrison Barnes	F	GSW	8.88	—
8.	Jonas Valanciunas	F/C	TOR	11.83
9.	Thomas Robinson	PF	SAC	9.17	—
10.	Jae Crowder	G/F	DAL	13.88
11.	Terrence Jones	PF	HOU	10.83
12.	Donatas Motiejunas	F/C	HOU	9.83
12,	Andre Drummond	PF/C	DET	12.83	—
13.	Perry Jones III	F	OKC	10.00
14.	John Henson	PF	MIL	9.00
16.	Dion Waiters	G	CLE	5.14
17.	Tyler Zeller	PF/C	CLE	9.71	—
18.	Khris Middleton	G/F	DET	7.00
19.	Royce White	F	HOU	1.25
20.	Jeremy Lamb	G	OKC	7.50	—
21.	Terrence Ross	G/F	TOR	5.2
22.	Austin Rivers	G	NOH	5.86
23.	Meyers Leonard	C	POR	9.57	—
24.	Victor Claver	F	POR	3.8
25.	Kendall Marshall	PG	PHX	4.75

Any questions, comments,or concerns? Leave ‘em below, and I’ll be sure to address them!

Thanks for reading.

@BriscoXCI | KrisWinfield@gmail.com

Feb, 8, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers (0) shoots a last second shot over North Carolina Tar Heels forward Tyler Zeller (44) to win the game. The Blue Devils defeated the Tar Heels 85-84 at the Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-US PRESSWIRE

The Portland Trail Blazers are approaching the most pivotal moment in recent history: the off-season that will make them or break them.

And in that off-season, the Blazers have two early lottery picks (No. 6 and No. 11) that they can use to help build a solid foundation for the foreseeable future.

All indications thus far have pointed out three possible (and plausible) options for the team with their first pick. If Connecticut center, Andre Drummond, is available, the Blazers will likely pick him up to finally fix the Greg Oden dilemma and have their enforcer of the future set in stone. If one of the previous five teams decide to snag Drummond , Portland is said to be very high on Damiam Lillard, the high-octane scorer out of Weber State. And at the off-chance that both of them are picked up in the first five picks, it’ll boil down to either the North Carolina wing, Harrison Barnes, or Florida’s perimeter nightmare, Bradley Beal.

Mar 9, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Austin Rivers (0) shoots a three point shot against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first half during the quarter-finals of the 2012 ACC Men

But with a plethora of options at guard, forward or center, the Blazers are facing a host of real chances to add even more quality talent to the roster. Draft promise rumors have surfaced that either Portland, Toronto or Phoenix guaranteed Dion Waiters an early selection, and the team is said to be very high on Illinois’ center, Meyers Leonard, and all-time ACC assist leader, Kendall Marshall.

But after watching his post-workout interview, one-and-done Duke guard, Austin Rivers, became my favorite for Portland’s No. 11 draft pick.

Son of Boston Celtics’ coach and ex-NBA great, Doc Rivers, Austin averaged 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game from the Blue Devils, touting him one of the better perimeter scorers in the Draft. While he struggled from the line (.654 FT%) and has shown a lack of maturity and basketball IQ, Rivers exudes a confidence about himself that is exactly what the Portland Trail Blazers have lost in Brandon Roy’s retirement.

Rivers told OregonLive.com’s Sean Meagher:

“I mean, people call me cocky, but I don’t know what it is. I just have a lot of confidence in myself, but in a good way. I’ve always tried to be a good spirit in the locker (room), I’ve always been a good teammate, I have good relationships with my friends. If you look at all of the great players in the game; Kobe, Kevin Durant and LeBron — if you don’t say they’re not cocky, they are cocky. You have to be cocky and you have to have an ego to be good. It’s a matter of having a healthy ego. You don’t want to be arrogant or feel like you’re entitled to stuff. That’s something I’m not. I just have a lot of confidence in myself, and I try to share  that with my other players. And I just try to be a leader, and I think at the end of the day, you have to have an attitude that you can do anything. And that’s what I have.

For all of my devout Portland fans,

Doesn’t that sound like a player we absolutely need on our roster?

Without B-Roy as the heart and soul of the franchise, the Blazers are leader-less. It’s the reason they tanked last season to an abysmal 28-38 record, and it’s the reason Nate McMillan lost the locker room, and eventually lost his job. LaMarcus Aldridge — God Bless His Soul — can’t control the whole team. He’s a passive leader and lacked the voice and presence that Roy had.

Austin Rivers would fill that hole, both on and off-court, of being that much needed locker room presence, as well as an offensive horsepower. His ability to score anywhere on the court just wreaks of B-Roy, and his confidence and tendency to spread it to his players are things that the Blazers desperately need to get them back into the Playoff picture.

Rivers is a once-in-a-decade player.

It was Michael Jordan in ’84, Kobe Bean in ’96, and take your pick of either LeBron in ’03 or K.D. in ’07. Austin Rivers is that next player.

Granted, all the hype surrounds Kentucky superstar, Anthony Davis, projected to go No. 1 overall to the New Orleans Hornets, but he is surely not the only long-term talent in this year’s draft.

Rivers didn’t post the gaudy stats that Durant or Jordan did in college, but his boiling confidence is only something you see in the best of NBA prospects. It was the first note ESPN “Insider” John Hollinger listed,  and the Blazers could greatly benefit from adding it to the team.

Newly-hired general manager, Neil Olshey, has an opportunity to add two high-caliber players to the team; the second of which must be Austin Rivers.

Kendall Marshall as a possible starting point guard isn’t a bad idea either, and Dion Waiters also shows promise of a superior starting two guard, but Rivers’ “over-confidence”, leadership, locker room presence and, of course, his superior scoring ability makes him a perfect fit for the Portland Trail Blazers.

I have finally seen why Olshey is so high on the one-year Blue Devil guard, and how important it is that they pick him up immediately.

Now it’s up to the Blazers, when they’re on the clock, to make the right move.

Kristian Winfield is a Staff Writer for Rip City Project and Lead Editor of  FanSided’s Ohio State blog, ScarletandGame.com. You can follow him on Twitter @BriscoXCI.