NBA 2009 Preview: Portland Trail Blazers
Believe it or not, hoops nation, the 2008-09 NBA season is less than 30 days away. To help you get through the final month, HOOPSWORLD is breaking down each of the 30 NBA teams in order of their records from last season - worst to first. Each day we'll unveil two teams, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. You can see our previews of the entire NBA here!
Now, without further ado... here's a look at the Portland Trail Blazers:
| Five Guys Think... |
| Travis Heath |
It would be easy to look at all the young talent on Portland's roster and jump to conclusions, but it's important to remember the Blazers are still very young. Not only that, but the man who the organization is counting on to be the center of the future in Greg Oden hasn't played a single NBA game yet. Brandon Roy is fantastic, LaMarcus Aldridge is a future All-Star and Travis Outlaw had a great season in 2007-08. However, these Blazers are still young. Expect Portland to be in the playoff mix, but also expect both Denver and Utah to finish ahead of Portland in the Northwest Division.
3rd Place, Northwest Division |
| Jason Fleming |
If the Blazers don't suffer any major injuries and still are not a playoff team in 2009, then that means they simply aren't as good on the court as they are on paper. I'm convinced they are. The addition of Jerryd Bayless should help this team push into the West's top eight.
2nd Place, Northwest Division |
| Tommy Beer |
The Blazers are a sexy 'sleeper' pick this season, and with good reason. They will finally have 2007 #1 overall pick Greg Oden on the floor, and he will be joined by Jerryd Bayless and Rudy Fernandez, who looked phenomenal in the Olympics. Portland will need a healthy Brandon Roy to really make noise.
2nd Place, Northwest Division |
| Wendell Maxey |
If the Blazers stay healthy, this could be the year they sneak back into the playoffs thanks to a rookie core of Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez and Jerryd Bayless to go along with All-Star Brandon Roy. Surely the Blazers will be nine wins better than last season. That's just enough to slide them into the eighth spot out West.
2nd Place, Northwest Division |
| Yannis Koutroupis |
Talent wise a division title is not out of reach, but it's probably going to take at least a season for this young squad to gel together and start playing up to their full potential. Jerryd Bayless and Rudy Fernandez are difference makers, but how far this team can really go depends on where Greg Oden is at with his recovery and the health of Brandon Roy.
2nd Place, Northwest Division |
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| Top Of The List |
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Top Offensive Player: Brandon Roy easily owns this category. Last season Roy led the Blazers in scoring with 19.1 points per game on his way to his first Western Conference All-Star selection. And although Roy should once again be Portland's best offensive threat this coming season, there could be some alternations to that title. Both Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez will take-on some additional scoring, thus lessoning Roy's scoring average a bit, but in the end Roy's overall effectiveness is what's most important.
Top Defensive Player: This one is a toss-up. Last year it was Joel Przybilla. He was by far Portland's best defensive rebounder, ranking 4th in the league in defensive rebounds per 48 minutes (12.0) and if he wasn't blocking shots (93 total), Przybilla was certainly altering them. This season however, expect Greg Oden to have a direct impact on the defensive end. Much like Przybilla, Oden's presence alone in the paint will be a threat to the opposition.
Top Playmaker: It's easy to give Brandon Roy the title of the Blazers "top playmaker", but you have to think that Rudy Fernandez may steal some of that thunder. Whereas Roy is constantly cool, calm and collected when the Blazers need a bucket, Fernandez's energy alone on both ends of the floor will prove integral to Portland's success this season. Remember, a "top playmaker" doesn't always denote an offensive threat. Defense – and that's where Fernandez comes in to play – also factors into the equation.
Top Clutch Player: Travis Outlaw was "Mr. Fourth Quarter" last season, and if any one not named Brandon Roy deserves the honor of being called "top clutch player", it's Outlaw. The 6-9 small forward – and Blazers all around "sixth man" - had his best season as a pro last year (13.3 points per game) and now will contend with Martell Webster for the starting three-job with the departure of free agent James Jones to Miami. But while that battle will play itself out in camp, Portland can find comfort that Outlaw has come into his own in the clutch.
The Unheralded Player: LaMarcus Aldridge knows exactly what he is capable of. Now, it's time for the rest of the league to find out how legit Aldridge really is. Brandon Roy said it best last season when he told HOOPSWORLD who was the best second-year player in the league: LaMarcus Aldridge. He put up some big numbers. And this summer he put up some big weight. Word is, Aldridge – who averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, after posting 9 points and 5 rebounds his rookie year – has spent a lot of time in the weight room this offseason, and added some muscle and definition to his 6-11 frame. Aldridge's third year should be something to behold.
Best New Addition: With the additions of Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez and Jerryd Bayless, it's almost impossible to pick who will impress the most in his first year in Portland. But after witnessing what Fernandez did at the Olympics for his native Spain, the 6-5 shooting guard has the Blazer faithful salivating for the regular season. He goes all out: he scores, is aggressive, can pass and Rudy will be a joy to watch on with the likes of Roy, Oden, Aldridge and Outlaw in the open floor. |
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| Who We Like |
1. Brandon Roy: Forget for a second that Roy is the leading scorer on the team. Forget he is an All-Star. Forget the rehab on the surgically repaired left knee and his eventual return, hopefully for the season opener. Roy's likeability comes from his humility and humbleness. And knowing he is the leader of the Blazers – a guy the rest of the locker room can follow – already makes the Blazers a success story this season.
2. Greg Oden: He's a big kid. That's the common response from his teammates and coaches alike in Portland. From his jovial demeanor to his cameo at the ESPY's, Oden enjoys the stage like a stand-up comedian. But after sitting out his entire rookie season - and now returning with something to prove - look for Oden to quickly become Portland's man-child. Stories from the Blazers practice facility of late rave about Oden's strength, power and quickness in the post during pick-up games. And when Oden finally gets in between the lines during the season, you just know he won't be a joke.
3. Travis Outlaw: Outlaw truly is one of the good-guys in Portland and around the NBA. Maybe it's the shy country boy type. Maybe it's his Mississippi twang. Maybe it's the fact that he's the longest tenured member of the Blazers who still remembers the boo-birds from his early years. Life is better now. That goes for Outlaw. And after his impressive break-out season last year, that goes for Portland too.
4. Channing Frye: The man said it best himself. "I don't want to be a lottery bust," Frye told Blazers.com's Casey Holdahl recently. "I'm going to say that, though people would probably tell me not to." After a solid rookie season in 2005 (selected 8th overall by New York), Frye essentially got lost in the Knicks mix, and carved out a groove for himself in Portland's second unit last season. Frye confesses he has a lot to show on the court (he's more versatile than he lets on) and if nothing else, Channing should be commended for his exuding confidence.
5. Nate McMillan: Nate McMillan isn't getting a lot of sleep these days, but he should get his due respect. One minute he is flying back from Beijing, China where he helped coach the "Redeem Team" to Gold, and the next he's tossing and turning with excitement about what the upcoming season in Portland can hold. But more than anything else, McMillan's commitment to his players and defense only comes second to his winning ways. Now entering his fourth-year in Portland, McMillan's has improved from 21, to 32, to 41 wins in each of his three seasons. Will Nate make it 50 this year? |
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| Strengths |
| Portland's strengths begin and end with their immense versatility and depth. With Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster alone, Nate McMillan possesses four players who can play a variety of positions, and play them well. Such interchangeability gives Portland various looks, and other coaches around the league a headache. Sprinkle in Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Steve Blake – not to mention Joel Przybilla, Jerryd Bayless and Channing Frye - and the Blazers morph from an up-tempo offense to a half-court set team almost instantly. For the Blazers, it's truly the best of both worlds. |
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| Weaknesses |
| Needless to say, injuries will be Portland's greatest obstacle this coming season. The stories of Greg Oden and Brandon Roy's rehab stints are well documented, but now there is another player to add to the walking wounded list: Channing Frye. Frye underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle on Monday and should return in 8 to 10 weeks. While dealing with injuries the reality of any NBA season, it will be crucial to Portland's psyche to remain injury free, particularly with the Blazers playing 10 of their first 15 games on the road – 12 of those 15 against Western Conference foes. |
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| The Coach's Take |
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I have to manage the expectations of Oden's return and make sure this team is growing and developing at the right pace. I'll let Brandon take the reins and let Aldridge and Oden play off each other. The addition of Fernandez and Bayless give us a strong 10 man rotation, and our bench can be as good as anybody's. We're on the way up, and we should be in the hunt for the 7-8th seed. --- Mike Moreau
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| The Burning Question |
| Will Portland Make The Playoffs? After finishing last season 41-41, Portland now needs to win at least nine more games over the course of this coming season – if all plays out with the rest of the Conference - to qualify for the postseason in the stacked Western Conference. It's a realistic goal. It's an achievable goal. But it can only be achieved if Portland can remain injury-free and if team chemistry flows as smoothly as it did last year. With Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Fernandez and company, this could be the year the Blazers return to the postseason for the first time since the 2002-03 season. |
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About the Author: HOOPSWORLD STAFF
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Comments (8 posted)
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posted By What is this??, 11 September 2008 6:25:04 PM
Change the video it is for the Raptors not the Blazers.
posted By Steve Kyler, 11 September 2008 7:42:12 PM
Fixed...
posted By Occy, 11 September 2008 11:19:11 PM
Every team that made the playoffs from the Western Conference last season, should do so again - except Denver. This is Portland's year!
posted By Ziggy, 12 September 2008 5:37:49 AM
the word is reins,
not reigns
posted By Blazers.................., 16 September 2008 5:03:01 PM
will be 10 games over .500 by the all star break, and you can take that to the bank!
posted By Don, 25 September 2008 2:34:45 PM
LaMarcus Aldridge will probably lead the Blazers in scoring this year. He is a former #2 pick and was a close second to Roy for leading scorer while playing much of the time out of position. Now back at PF, he can comfortably face the basket. Roy will still be Blazer MVP (leadership, all around contributions) but look for Aldridge to take the scoring lead. Oden will probably start rather slowly on offense (about 8 PPG for first 10-15 games), but his defense should be strong right out of the gate. This is going to be a fun team to watch and I believe are going to surprise some people when they get past the first round of the playoffs.
posted By im1964, 26 September 2008 4:54:11 PM
Denver has itself one shallow group of gangstas who think a complete game is for some other
fool. And Kenyon Martin pout and pose is taken as tough post play.
> Second in NW division is too much to ask of this gang.
Portland and others stand to manhandle these crib minded nitwits.
posted By Zander, 27 September 2008 5:40:21 AM
While it's probably Portland's biggest issue I feel like the word injury came up way too many times. I am confident that Brandon Roy will play 70+ games this year. Oden is more of a question mark injury wise, but it's not like Joel Przybilla is a liability, and I still expect Oden to play 60 games.
The one thing that I did not see mentioned was Portland's 13 game winning streak. Personally I'm a bit worried that the 41-41 record was inflated largely due to that streak. Granted Portland picked of Fernandez, Bayless and Oden, an injury or two and they could finish the season with 45 wins. Which would likely not be enough to beat Denver for the 8th spot.
One more thing. Fernandez is not about to play 30 minutes per game as this article seems to suggests with the amount of times his name appears. You've got to remember he'll be playing behind Portland's MVP. Fernandez is good enough to earn minutes regardless though, which is why I'm predicting 10 MPG to start, and up to 20 post All Star break.
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