The Trail Blazers Are the Hottest Thing in Portland

Before the Portland Trail Blazers were even allowed to start their promising season this year, they were dealt a devastating blow. Only months after improbably winning the number one draft selection in the lottery and selecting center Greg Oden, they discovered the seven-foot, 257-pound prodigal player would miss the entirety of his first year. Most did not see the setback coming. Although Oden suffered from some pain in his knee, only after a MRI was it obvious he would need extensive surgery and the resulting rehabilitation. Front page stories covered the whole rollercoaster of events. When the unfortunate news hit an excited city of Portland, fans had to face the fact that a winning basketball team might still be a year way.

In the past Portland had been treated to a basketball team that made it to the playoffs for 22 straight seasons. The streak included appearances in the semi-finals and finals in the early 90s and several years of serious contention between 1996 and 2003. However, their playoff appearance run was snapped when they failed to make the playoffs in the 2003-2004 season, and their next few years were marred by bad behavior off the court and futility and bad attitudes on the court. The attitudes of the players and some of their tendencies to get in trouble with the law seemed to be something Blazers' fans could overlook when there were lots of tallies in the win column. As the Trail Blazers, or "Jail Blazers" as they were dubbed, settled into their less successful ways, fans made it clear they had better things to do than watch a bunch of losers lose games. Upper management took notice of the public outcry and the serious decline in ticket sales and gradually turned the team around. One by one veteran players and players with bad raps were traded away or allowed to leave in favor of younger players the team believes have great talent and potential as well as outstanding character. When the Blazers acquired LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy in the 2006 draft, things clearly took a turn. While Aldridge's first season was a mix of injuries, learning and flashes of brilliance, Roy settled in quickly and earned league Rookie of the Year honors. So when the Blazers stumbled into a bit of luck and got their hands on the Ohio State standout Oden, fans were starting to murmur the "playoff" word again. Then came the injury.

After the news that the top draft selection would not play with the team, fans, analysts, and commentators all naturally assumed the Blazers would go through at least one more year of development, i.e., losing games, before they had any serious potential to make the playoffs. Through 17 games of the season, all was going according to plan. Portland had won five games and suffered 12 losses. The early season was characteristic of a young, highly-talented team. It featured wins against league power-houses Dallas and Detroit, blowout losses, and games the Blazers had in their hand, and simply let slip away. However, after a loss to the San Antonio Spurs started their December, the Blazers went on a tear that nobody was expecting. They went on a 13-game winning streak before finally losing their final game in December against the Utah Jazz to finish the month 13-2, and improve their record to 18-13. After the loss, the Blazers rattled off four more consecutive wins to take over first place in the Northwest Division standings. As of January 22, they are winners of 20 of their last 24 games. Suddenly, that "p-word" is popping up again. Even if the Blazers slip back towards marginal play, even sans Oden, the league has been forced to take notice: Portland has a good thing going.

LaMarcus Aldridge has found his game. He is the second leading scorer and leading rebounder on the team. According to NBA.com's "Stats Index," the Blazers have the league's best three-point shooter in James Jones, and the sixth best in Steve Blake. On any given night, they have a deep roster that includes several players able to take over a game including Martell Webster, Jarrett Jack, and Travis Outlaw. Channing Frey has played well off the bench and Sergio Rodriguez is 10^th in the league in assists per 48-minutes played. And then there is Brandon Roy. Roy, "B-Roy," or ROY (Rookie of the Year) as Blazers' fans call him, consistently plays with wisdom and a clutch presence well beyond his years. He is the team's leading scorer, and more importantly, the team leader. He is a shooting guard who has proved ready and able to take over late in the game. To coach Nate McMillan and his team, this means allowing Roy to take over the ball-handling duties, typically in the fourth quarter. Since the start of the 13 game win streak, Roy has averaged over 20 points a game and has contributed countless baskets when the team needed them the most. To much dismay from the Blazers' fans, it appears it may not be enough to earn him a spot on this year's All-Star team, unless he is a coaches' selection. Still, teams have been forced to recognize him, and most consider him a top-10 league MVP candidate. And all the while, the guy who was supposed to be this year's rookie sensation watches from the bench in street clothes.

The thought that next year will bring a center into the roster that most believe will be a presence like Hakeem Olajuwon or David Robinson is a scary proposition for other teams in the league. Couple that with the fact that all of Portland is once again rallying behind their basketball team, and the Blazers look to be a formidable contender for at least a decade to come. What NBA veterans will remember, and sports fans that currently watch football know, is that there is nothing quite like a stadium or Arena full of sports fans from the Pacific Northwest. If you can't remember the glory days at Portland's Memorial Coliseum, and more recently the Rose Garden, consider the Seattle Seahawks' Quest Field just three hours north of Portland. The atmosphere that the ruckus fans create there is difficult for opposing teams to play in to say the least. Statistically speaking, the Seahawks have led the league in forced false start penalties at home for each of the past three seasons- a run that is almost completely attributed to crowd noise. Back in Portland, after a few years of poor ticket sales, the Blazers are selling out the Rose Garden again, and fans are returning to old form. Excitement and enthusiasm continue to build amongst the team, and its fans. Any team that has their doubts about just how good Portland is will be in no hurry to return here to play again, and will be served notice of one thing: the Trail Blazers are the hottest thing in Portland, and maybe the entire league.

Statistics and Standings from NBA.com: The Official Webpage of the National Basketball Association