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Blazers Notes: Portland strives for success on the road
By Anne M. Peterson, AP Sports Writer
Saturday, November 08, 2008 | No comments posted.
PORTLAND — The Portland Trail Blazers are going to have to learn to win on the road if they’re going to live up to expectations that they can make the playoffs this season.
Sure, it’s early, but the Blazers have opened 0-3 on the road. The team’s two wins have come at home — and both were close — 100-99 over the Spurs and 101-99 over the Rockets on a 3-pointer at the overtime buzzer by Brandon Roy.
And they’re without two starters in center Greg Oden and forward Martell Webster.
The situation is a concern because Portland is going to be on the road a lot this month. After a game at home tonight against Minnesota, the Blazers play seven of their next eight games away.
Following Wednesday night’s 103-96 loss to the Jazz in Salt Lake City, guard Brandon Roy expressed his frustration.
“We’re fighting, but we’re not executing right now, and we’ve got to do a better job on the road when the crowd gets loud,” he told reporters. “We can’t panic, we’ve got to stick to what we’re doing. Tonight was another case, we panicked and they made a run.”
The Blazers did make a change, starting rookie Nicolas Batum against the Jazz and moving Travis Outlaw back with the second team.
Batum, who has shown surprising promise, finished with five points, six rebounds and two steals. He played just 17 minutes, and it appeared McMillan chose to stay with more experienced players in the second half.
Webster is expected to return in December after foot surgery during the preseason.
Oden played in the season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers but sprained his right foot. The prognosis has him out from two to four weeks.
The road trip includes games at Orlando on Monday, Miami on Wednesday, New Orleans on Friday, Minnesota on Saturday and Golden State on Nov. 18.
Following a home game against Chicago, the Blazers are back on the road for games with Sacramento and Phoenix.
Another five-game swing to the Eastern Conference starts Nov. 30.
LOVE CONNECTION: Oregon native Kevin Love returns to his home state as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight against the Trail Blazers.
Love grew up in Lake Oswego and became one of the best prep players ever to come out of the state. He attended UCLA for a year before declaring himself eligible for the draft.
Love was the fifth overall pick in the NBA draft by Memphis, but landed in Minnesota as the result of an eight-player trade.
He averaged 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds last season for the Bruins, who lost in the national semifinals to Memphis and finished the season with a 35-4 record.
Sure, it’s early, but the Blazers have opened 0-3 on the road. The team’s two wins have come at home — and both were close — 100-99 over the Spurs and 101-99 over the Rockets on a 3-pointer at the overtime buzzer by Brandon Roy.
And they’re without two starters in center Greg Oden and forward Martell Webster.
The situation is a concern because Portland is going to be on the road a lot this month. After a game at home tonight against Minnesota, the Blazers play seven of their next eight games away.
Following Wednesday night’s 103-96 loss to the Jazz in Salt Lake City, guard Brandon Roy expressed his frustration.
“We’re fighting, but we’re not executing right now, and we’ve got to do a better job on the road when the crowd gets loud,” he told reporters. “We can’t panic, we’ve got to stick to what we’re doing. Tonight was another case, we panicked and they made a run.”
The Blazers did make a change, starting rookie Nicolas Batum against the Jazz and moving Travis Outlaw back with the second team.
Batum, who has shown surprising promise, finished with five points, six rebounds and two steals. He played just 17 minutes, and it appeared McMillan chose to stay with more experienced players in the second half.
Webster is expected to return in December after foot surgery during the preseason.
Oden played in the season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers but sprained his right foot. The prognosis has him out from two to four weeks.
The road trip includes games at Orlando on Monday, Miami on Wednesday, New Orleans on Friday, Minnesota on Saturday and Golden State on Nov. 18.
Following a home game against Chicago, the Blazers are back on the road for games with Sacramento and Phoenix.
Another five-game swing to the Eastern Conference starts Nov. 30.
LOVE CONNECTION: Oregon native Kevin Love returns to his home state as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight against the Trail Blazers.
Love grew up in Lake Oswego and became one of the best prep players ever to come out of the state. He attended UCLA for a year before declaring himself eligible for the draft.
Love was the fifth overall pick in the NBA draft by Memphis, but landed in Minnesota as the result of an eight-player trade.
He averaged 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds last season for the Bruins, who lost in the national semifinals to Memphis and finished the season with a 35-4 record.
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