MVP: This award goes to Brandon Roy hands down. In his second year in the league, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year added All-Star and Western Conference Player of the Week (twice) honors to his impressive resume. Roy took home back-to-back WCPW in December, then proceeded to drop 18 points, grab 9 rebounds and dish out 5 assists in New Orleans representing the Blazers and the West. Throughout the season, his leadership was on display nightly and Roy finished the season as Portland's leading scorer averaging 19.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He battled through injuries. He put Portland on his back. He made the Blazers go. And he lived by a motto that Roy wrote on a stickynote that adorns his locker: Stay Humble. That in itself is beyond valuable.     

Coaching Analysis – Nate McMillan wasn't sure what would come of Portland's 82 game schedule when the season started. He knew he had the youngest team in the league, the youngest team in Blazers history and the third youngest team to ever suit up in the NBA. He knew he would have to make due without Greg Oden, and he figured he'd rely heavily on sophomores Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. But who knew McMillan would take home Coach of the Month honors in December for guiding his team to a 13 game win-streak and actually be in the running for Coach of the Year honors at that point in the season? This is for sake of argument the same team that opened the season 5-12. You have to give McMillan his due praise. The defensive minded and often authoritative head coach let his team run, correct their own mistakes on the floor and eased up from all the prior barking.   

"I think I did," McMillan said when asked if he'd gotten better this season. "Because I've had to make some adjustments too with how you manage this team. I took a step back from them and let them play more so than just grinding them. So yeah, I have grown with this team."

Short of taking Portland to the playoffs, McMillan's team had their first .500 season since the 2003-04 season and Nate has now improved Portland from 21 wins in his first season, 32 wins last year and 41 wins this season. There is something to be said for that kind of success.

Highlights – Obviously the 13 game win-streak automatically comes to mind. Then again, so does Darius Miles being waived the last week of the season. But this category is actually more difficult to determine. Roy's maturation into an All-Star gets a nod. So does Aldridge's overall development and soaring potential at power forward. But somewhere in the mix you have to appreciate what Travis Outlaw did this season in Portland. He increased his scoring average from 9.6 points per game and embraced the sixth man role off the Blazers bench. Outlaw finished the season ranked second in the league (13.3 ppg) among reserves that have played at least 60 games and during the Blazers win- streak, it was often Travis who led fourth quarter surges for Portland. Who can forget his game winner to start the win streak in Memphis in early December? Or that sick throw down on Philadelphia's Rodney Carney at home, or block against Denver in the waning seconds to preserve the win-streak? Outlaw was truly his own "highlight" this season.    

Lowlights- Failing to make the postseason could be construed as a lowlight. But knowing no one gave Portland a fighting chance to even be in the running when the season started, or how ridiculously stacked the West was this season, we'll look elsewhere for lowlights. They are, and in no particular order: Roy's ankle and groin injury (double ouch), Aldridge's plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Joel Przybilla breaking his right hand, thus ending his season with five games remaining, Greg Oden hooping at 24 Hour Fitness….and getting caught, Martell Webster's irregular heartbeat condition and Jarrett Jack killing a Blazers run with yet another turnover (which will give anyone a heart condition).

Short Term Prognosis: The pieces are coming together. Portland already knows what they have in Roy and Aldridge, and the veteran core of Przybilla, James Jones, Steve Blake and Raef LaFrentz (even though he played sparingly) were all solid. Sorry Von Wafer - thanks for playing. This season was essentially an evaluation period for several players, namely Jack, Outlaw, Martell Webster, Channing Frye, Sergio Rodriguez and Josh McRoberts. You have to like how Outlaw and Webster contributed and came into their own during the season. Frye was strong late with the extra playing time. The verdict is out on Jack, while Rodriguez and McRoberts receive an incomplete for lack of playing time and production.

Long Term Prognosis: The billboards strewn around Portland say it all: Imagine Oden Next Year.

Draft Needs: Look for Portland to move many if not all of their four picks (13, 33, 34, 54) this season. Pritchard told HOOPSWORLD last month the Blazers, "getting younger" isn't top priority this June and adding four players isn't "realistic unless a major trade was made". And knowing Pritchard's history of wheeling and dealing on draft night, don't be surprised to see some shakeup around Rip City.   

Free Agency Needs: With this offseason, the Blazers should look to acquire an all-in-one point guard (Jack can score, Blake brings defense and Sergio is the best pick-and-roll point in Portland….but wouldn't it be nice to get one point guard who can do all of those things?) or even a scrappy back-up power forward who isn't afraid to collect floor burns along with rebounds. It's hard to imagine the draft yielding those attributes in a young player, particularly knowing Portland wants to get older.