Game 1 of the 2009-2010 Season Recap

Tonight was the '09 - '10 season opener at the Rose Garden against the Houston Rockets. I was lucky enough to find tickets for this game, it was completely sold out, and the second I walked in to the arena you could feel the hostility towards the Rockets in the air. Upon being announced, both Luis Scola and Trevor Ariza were booed like no tomorrow(you might recall Ariza fouled Rudy last season by basically beating him up and Scola....well he's just not so nice). Before getting into the stats, I want to RAVE about the opening video for this game. Being a future video/film major one of my favorite parts of the game is always the opening video and tonight's was, well I think the only word that can describe it is EPIC. At the door we were given our opening night swag, a hat, Tip Off bags annnnd a flashing Blazer necklace. After the Rockets announced their lineup, the lights went out and all you could see were THOUSANDS of flashing red and white lights. The megatron then flashed on to show images of the past Blazer teams, the court was also lit up with images of past and present players. It was AMAZING, definitely got the crowd excited watching images of the 1977 championship win and more. Then, as usual the Blazers were announced, first our injured and benched players(including newest addition, Patty Mills) then our other guys who each walked down a different section of the stadium, which is the coolest thing ever....unless you're in the 300 level. Definitely a great way to start the night.

Starters:
Brandon Roy
Steve Blake
Greg Oden
LaMarcus Aldridge
Martell Webster

Anyway, let's talk stats! So, if you were listening to the 24 hour Blazer coverage on 95.5 you know that quite a few callers and comments were made against Travis Outlaw. Well, he heard those comments because he came in the game and proved ALL the doubters wrong!! Travis was the Blazer's high scorer of the night with 23 points! He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 2 steals! Not to mention he also clocked in about 33 minutes in this game since LA had foul trouble. Our second highest scorer was none other than Brandon Roy with 20 points! He also had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 EPIC block. B.Roy had an average night I would say, he ran into some early fouls and seemed to be a little sore favoring his right leg after a hard fall. But I don't think we have anything to worry about, I think he was just a little frustrated with the calls.
Also notable, Martell made 14 points in his first regular season game in almost a year, and also had 2 steals and one block. LaMarcus had 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block. Andre Miller entered the game to thunderous applause and scored 9 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal. Rudy Fernandez, who hasn't played a game since October 14th, scored 8 points, his first field goal of the game was a signature three and the crowd LOVED it.
The Blazers were 48% from the 3-point line(thanks to TLaw) and a whopping 91% from the free-throw line. Blazers went on to win it 96 - 87!
I think this was a pretty good way to start the season! There are definitely some things that need to be improved, turnovers,  fouls, closing etc. but I think being the first game in the season we didn't do half bad. Turnovers were probably the biggest problem. The Blazers had 26 turnovers, more than any game last season but that will just have to be worked on.
 I was able to snag some pretty darn good pictures from section 329 with my super zoom camera, so check them out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next Blazer game is this Thursday at home against the Denver Nuggets! Sure to be an exciting one and I will once again be there and I'll be closer so imagine these pictures....but clearer ;-) Be sure to follow me on Twitter for updates and pictures from the games!!

In the words of the great Brian Wheeler, "Once again, it's a GREAT day to be a Blazer!"

Season Opener's Eve!

That's right Blazer Nation! Tomorrow is the official season opener game against the Houston Rockets! It's sure to to be an exciting one considering it was the Rockets who kicked us out of the playoffs last season. I'm sure the team and fans are dying for the chance to get some sweet revenge tomorrow.

Unfortunately the excitement comes along with some unfortunate news today. Nicolas Batum, number 88 on the team, is going to be out for about 3-6 months due to a right shoulder injury. Batum will be having surgery on a torn labrum which has been giving him problems for awhile but those problems intensified when Nic ran into Greg Oden during a practice. Martell Webster is going to fill in for Nic in the starting line-up. Webster talked about having to fill in for Batum, saying, "It's always tough when one of your guys is hurt." But when asked if he can live up to the challenge and be the defensive player his team needs Martell said, "Oh yeah, I can." Also, Rudy Fernandez who hasn't played since October 14th, returned to practice on Sunday and is projected to play in tomorrow's game.

For those of you who can get your hands on a copy of today's Oregonian, do so. There's a really great article about Greg Oden's new-found role on the team. McMillan talks about how he is teaching Oden to be a 'Monster in the Paint.' Greg Oden, talking about his legiance to his role on the team, says "Those guys always had faith in me, even last year when my game wasn't what I wanted it to be. But they always gave me the ball and said, 'Greg, go to work.' " I really loved that quote, it gave us a real insight to the support that the Blazers give each other through tough times and good times. I couldn't be anymore excited to see G.O. getting work done tomorrow night!

Also, there is an AMAZING article by Jason Quick up on The Blazers Beat called "Brandon Roy: The Portland Trail Blazers' undisputed leader." It's a great insight to team dynamics and Roy's role as leader. It was a great read and really inspirational and got me that much more excited for tomorrow's game!


LASTLY :) I will be at tomorrow's game, (Yay for overpriced nosebleed seats!) so be sure to follow me on Twitter for LIVE updates and pictures from the game, obviously the LIVE pics will be horrible but I'll be bringing my camera so no worries ;-) 


(Batum Picture from sportsillustrated.cnn.com and thanks to Jenn for the photoshop job! And Zut means Blast or darn it in French...)
(Roy Picture from Bruce Ely/The Oregonian)

Aldridge's Five Year Contract Extension Made Official

On Wednesday, it was announced that 6'11 power forward, LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers were finally reaching a deal on LA's contract extension. Well, yesterday LA and Blazers general manager, Kevin Pritchard, held a press conference to announce that deal has indeed been signed! (Taken from LA's Official Website)

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed forward LaMarcus Aldridge to a five-year contract extension, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“It’s a blessing and I’m very thankful,” said Aldridge. “I want to thank Paul Allen, Kevin Pritchard, Larry Miller, Nate McMillan and Tom Penn for giving me the opportunity to be in Portland for many years to come. I also want to thank the Portland fans, my friends and family for all of their support. I’m really happy we got this done and now I’m really excited to get the season started.”
Aldridge, 24, holds career averages of 15.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.11 blocks, 32.0 minutes and a 48.7% mark from the floor in 220 games over three seasons with the Trail Blazers. The forward has started all 157 games in which he has played over the past two seasons.
“This is a great day for the Trail Blazers franchise,” said Pritchard. “LaMarcus is the epitome of what we’re about. He’s a hard-working, committed and unselfish young man who plays the right way.”
The Trail Blazers have improved dramatically since Aldridge joined the team in 2006, going from 21 wins the year prior to his arrival in Portland to 54 wins, a share of the Northwest Division title and a trip to the playoffs in 2008-09.
Aldridge posted a career-high 18.1 points (48.4% FG, 78.1% FT) to go with 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.95 steals, 0.95 blocks and 37.1 minutes last season. Among NBA leaders, Aldridge ranked 31st in scoring, 28th in rebounding and 31st in blocked shots. The Dallas, Texas, native led the team in scoring 25 times and rebounding 17 times in 2008-09. His 19 double-doubles marked a team high.
The 6-11, 240-pound Aldridge started all six games for Portland in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, where he averaged 19.5 points (49.0% FG), 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.67 blocks in 39.5 minutes per game. He netted 20 points or more in three games and led the Trail Blazers in rebounds three times.
Acquired by the Trail Blazers in a draft day trade on June 28, 2006, Aldridge was originally selected by Chicago with the second overall pick out of the University of Texas in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Yeah! As stated in my last post about this contract, I'm a huge LaMarcus fan so I couldn't be anymore happier with this announcement. He really has been a key player on our team and I think he'll be an all-star in no time! Not to mention, I'm sure this contract will pump LA up for the season opener. I mean in last night's final pre-season game, which occurred after the contract extension was announced,  LA played great! He had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 1 assist! You can definitely tell that a weight has been lifted from his shoulders now that his contract has been signed and made official.

Check out this video of the press conference from OregonLive:

LaMarcus Aldridge press conference

(picture from The Scores Report)

Welcome to Blazer Nation Patrick Mills

The final Blazer roster has been up in the air for awhile with the signing of point guard from Australia, Patrick Mills. There are only 15 spots on the roster and yesterday it was announced that the 15th spot was officially filled by Patrick Mills. This decision leaves Portland native, Ime Udoka teamless.
(Taken from The Blazers Beat)

Another layer of adversity was added to Ime Udoka’s NBA career on Wednesday, when the Trail Blazers informed the Portland native that he would be waived on Thursday in favor of injured rookie Patrick Mills.

“I’ve been through a lot in my career, and after all I’ve been through, I kind of thought these times were behind me,’’ Udoka said. “But I’m not going to sit around and be depressed. I’ve worked this hard and put in the work, and I have to be ready for the next opportunity. All I can do is hope one comes up.’’

Udoka said he is hoping to sign on with another team, and is awaiting word from his agent, Mark Bartelstein, who has been talking to other teams. Udoka said some potential suitors could be Oklahoma City, Denver, Sacramento and Utah.

“I’ve prided myself on being ready,’’ Udoka said of his five-year NBA career, which has included stints with the Lakers, Knicks, Blazers and Spurs. “I felt I played well enough when I did get the minutes this preseason.’’

Udoka averaged averaging 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 19 minutes a game this preseason and appeared to be the front runner to secure the Blazers’ 15th and final roster spot. However, the competition took an unexpected turn last week when the Blazers followed NBA draft protocol and tendered an offer to Mills, which the point guard accepted.

That left the Blazers with a decision: go with an experienced veteran in center Jarron Collins, go with an experienced player who had earned the trust of coach Nate McMillan three seasons ago in Portland, or go with an inexperienced and injured guard in Mills.

Got to say, I'm a little shocked by this decision. Mills is an inexperienced rookie point guard, and Udoka is a veteran player who's not only a Portland, OR native but has also played with the Blazers before. You may recall he was apart of the infamous 'Jail Blazers' but he was one of the few players who has kept a good standing with the fans. (Call us bias ;-) )
I'm a little saddened by this announcement, as exciting as it is to have the possibility to see Patty Mills learn and grow with the Blazers, I am a big fan of Ime. I guess it was always exciting having a Portlander on the Blazers. So we definitely send him our best wishes and hope he is able to have a long, beautiful career with whichever team he joins next.

For those of you who might not know much about Udoka here's a little more from the article on The Blazers Beat:

Udoka was born and raised in Portland, attending Jefferson High and later Portland State. In the fall of 2006, on the day before training camp, he was non-roster invitee after a sprained ankle caused Aaron Miles to fail a physical.

As he began to impress the coaching staff in training camp with his physical defense and reliable three point shooting, McMillan informed Udoka he would start him at small forward for a preseason home game against Golden State. Hours before the game, Udoka’s father collapsed and died of a heart attack.

Playing with a heavy heart, yet still determined, Udoka not only made the Blazers roster, he ended up starting the first 75 games before a knee injury forced him to miss the last seven games. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range.

Peace out Udoka and WELCOME to the team Mills!
(Pictures from: Talk-Sports.net & Wordpress)

LaMarcus Aldridge is About to Make BANK With New Contract

For so long now, we have all been awaiting news in LA's extension contract. The 6'11 power forward was up for a contract extension this year along with fellow teammate, Brandon Roy. Roy's contract went through rather smoothly and he was signed for 5 more years for 80 million dollars. LaMarcus on the other hand has had to wait, and wait and wait. Nonetheless, Aldridge stayed confident in coming to an agreement, "I think both parties are really trying to get it done now," he told the Oregonian, "The two sides have apparently been talking everyday."

And now, after all the anticipation, it appears that the Blazers and the PF are extremely close to signing an agreement. Taken from Yahoo! Sports:


The Portland Trail Blazers have reached agreement with forward LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) on a five-year extension worth more than $65 million, NBA sources said.
The deal assures Aldridge between $65-68 million with incentives that could push the total value closer to $70 million.
Aldridge, 24, averaged 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds last season.

Not too shabby LA . I'm sure he wanted something closer to Brandon Roy's contract amount but considering the fact that he's not yet an all-star, 70 million is pretty impressive. I'm extremely delighted to hear this news, I'm a huge LaMarcus fan and so glad that he's been re-signed. He's an amazing player and I think this season we'll see a new and improved LA.

What about you, do YOU think this is a good deal? Share your thoughts in the comments!

(LA Picture from NBA)

Pre-Season Game 7 vs. Utah Jazz

This was my first game of my half season package, so I was really excited to see with my own eyes what all the talk is about, meaning, I wanted to see Greg Oden dominate with another double double! But alas, to my dismay before the game I was informed that not only would Rudy Fernandez be sitting out again, but also Greg Oden. Not to mention that LaMarcus Aldridge was pulled out at last minute due to a shin contusion. You might recall that LA sat out on Sunday's game as well due to a knee contusion. Poor Head Coach, Nate McMillan, probably feels like his team is dropping like flies! Within a minute of the game Nicolas Batum took a knee to his hip and was taken out for the rest of the game. At half time he tried to run and stretch it out but you could tell from the grimace on his face that he was in immense pain. It's still up in the air whether or not he will even be traveling to the Couve, Vancouver BC, with the rest of the team for Thursday's game against Phoenix.

All in all Thursday was a tough, painful game. I distinctly remember a fan sitting behind me who left during the 3rd quarter to get drinks and came back during the beginning of the 4th saying, "Is it any better? Man...it's been awhile since a game has been this painful to watch." And I agree. Looking over at the bench I saw heads lowered and smiles were erased. Brandon Roy looked like someone had punched him in the gut, LaMarcus Aldridge who had been sitting on the bench in his warm-ups despite his injury, and Greg Oden didn't even stick around for the second half.

Chemistry was a big factor in last night's game. Plays went awry, guys were looking at each other like 'Why weren't you over there?' 'You were supposed to be here.' I think Brandon Roy summed it up best saying, "We just look like we've never seen each other today." It's definitely a disheartening thing to see especially this close to the regular season.

But, with a good number of our regular starters and big players injured, it gave some of the new guys a chance to show Portland what they got. Dante Cunningham had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 21 minutes and Jerryd Bayless had 16 points in 21 minutes. Those two were big for Portland last night in the 4th quarter cutting Utah's 25 point lead down to 10 at one point. Also, Juwan Howard is continuing to show that he's not only good for locker room talk with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and even 2 steals! Not to mention he was called for a technical foul for regulating the law on the court ;-) not that I encourage that sort of behavior but he basically acted on everyone in the Rose Garden's feelings towards the Jazz that night.
(Thanks to Blaze of Love for the stat box below)

Jazz ended up winning the game 108 - 97. (So close to a chalupa)

Next up the Blazers play their final pre-season game in The Couve!! Vancouver BC to be exact, against the Phoenix Suns! We're all waiting to see what kind of lineup Nate McMillan will present since usually, this kind of game is one where the rookies and new kids get the most playing time so our starters and big guys can relax before the season opener, but with the way the Blazers have been playing we might see something different.
A fun fact about last night's game, I was able to meet up with a good friend of mine from Italy, Gulia. It was her first Blazer game and she loved it and the atmosphere, definitely a Blazer for life ;-). But she was a little dismayed to discover that her beloved Rudy would not be playing. Rudy's very popular in Italy apparently. Hopefully we will be able to venture to more games in the future and maybe even meet her beloved Rudy along the way.

Here are some not so awesome pictures I was able to snag with my phone. Don't worry, for future games I will use a real camera :-)

 

 

 

 

Onto game 8!

Pre-Season Game 2 @ Sacramento

Last night was game two of the Blazer's pre-season against the Sacramento Kings, this time at Sacramento. Blazers head coach Nate McMillan decided to have Fernandez, Przybilla, and Batum sit out for this game giving them a chance for some much deserved rest, especially for Rudy and Nic who have pretty much been playing non-stop basketball since last season, but that gave the other young guns in McMillan's arsenal the chance to show what they got.

Our starting five consisted of:
B.Roy
S.Blake
G.Oden
L.Aldridge
M.Webster

Once again we saw a dominating performance from Greg Oden. Tuesday night he was one rebound away from a double-double, well last night he got it. Greg was the night's leader with 20 points and 12 rebounds. He's showing a whole new brand of power and confidence this year. His work over the summer has definitely paid off. All the skeptics out there are biting their tongues. We can only hope this new G.O. continues to improve and get stronger throughout the season.

LaMarcus Aldridge who was the high scorer the previous night with 20 points, had a pretty slow night with only 3 points and 3 rebounds. Brandon Roy left the game with 13 points and 1 rebound.

Juwan Howard entered the game and clocked in his first minutes as a Blazer and proved everyone wrong. Many thought Howard was brought on the team to bring leadership but last night he proved he can still play some ball. Howard scored 14 points and had 4 rebounds.

So far so good guys! The Blazers are 2-0 in the pre-season and we can only hope this level of basketball continues into the official season.

Remember, unfortunately none of the pre-season games will be aired on television. You can catch the call of the games on 95.5 The Game if you live in the Portland area.

and remember, Brandon Roy will be doing a signing, on Saturday in King's City. Here's the info:

3:00-5:00PM, Saturday, October 10th

Game Crazy
15660 SW Pacific Hwy, Ste. 100
Tigard, OR 97224

He will be signing copies of the new NBA 2K10 video game and probably anything else you bring and one lucky fan will get to battle it out with him in the game! GET THERE EARLY! I'm assuming this event will be packed so think ahead! I'm going to try to make it down there and see what I can see, you know I'll be taking pictures and hopefully maybe get a picture with the All Star :)

Blazers Pre-Season Opener Vs. Sacramento Kings

Tonight was the first game of the pre-season against the Sacramento Kings and ,ex-member of the Spanish Connection, Sergio Rodriguez. Here's a bit of a re-cap:

-LaMarcus Aldridge lead the game with 20 points and 5 rebounds.

-Greg Oden brought the heat as well with 18 points and 9 rebounds, 1 rebound away from a double-double!

-Brandon Roy has a pretty quiet game with 6 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists. He let his teammates lead the way.

-Andre Miller also made into the double digits with 16 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists.

-Martell Webster also had a quiet start matching Roy's 6 points, and 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

-Hometown hero Ime Udoka came in for the final quarter and scored 5 points and 1 assist.

-Ex-Spanish Connection member, Sergio Rodriguez scored 7 points and 1 assist for the Kings.

The Blazers went on to win the game 98-86! McMillan, on 95.5 The Fan's Post Game Interview, talked about how rebounding needs to be worked on but he is pleased with their 40+ trips to the free throw line.

This was a strong start for the Blazers. Yes, they need to work on rebounds and free throws, but I liked the fact that Brandon wasn't carrying the team as he has done in the past. We saw a stronger team out there tonight. And can we talk about Greg Oden?! He definitely proved himself tonight and showed off all the skills he's worked so hard on over the summer.

Another point of interest, the pre-season games will not be aired on television and if you can't listen to them on the radio I suggest joining OregonLive's live chat during games: http://bit.ly/QRHSr. I was in that chat tonight while listening on the radio and a member of the Oregonian was in the chat posting live updates. Many members of the chat made sure to express their unhappiness with the Blazer crew for not airing any of the pre-season games on television. Can't say I don't blame them, it's always nice to get friends together and watch the games on television when you can't be there in person but you got to make the best with what you have. There is that chat as well as Yahoo's GameChannel which updates periodically with calls from the game, scores and stats: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/gamechannel

The Blazers are currently flying to Sacramento for tomorrow's game at the King's home court.

Good Luck guys! Let's go for an undefeated pre-season!

ALSO: If you want to meet Brandon Roy, make your way over to the Game Crazy on Highway 99 in King City from 3-5 PM on Saturday Oct 10! He'll be there signing copies of the new NBA 2k-10 video game! You'll also get the chance to play against him in the game! 95.5 The Fan will also be there so you know it'll be fun! Be sure to get there early for any chance of meeting him, it'll probably be packed! Check out 95.5 The Game's website for more details!

GO BLAZERS!

Fan Fest 2009!

Sunday night was the Portland Trail Blazer Fan Fest at the Rose Quarter. I had planned to get some of my group together to go down to the Rose Quarter early assuming, since this is a free event with general admission, people would be lining up. Unfortunately, due to Murphy's Law, I didn't get there till 4:30, 30 minutes before the doors opened. There were so many people there and I talked to some Blazer fans who had started lining up at 6 AM! Now that's dedication! I was able to meet up with the rest of my group and have a pretty good spot in line. Contrary to prior Fan Fests, no athletes were present, at least at our entrance, which was kind of a downer, but I'm not surprised considering the mass mob that formed once the doors opened. I was able to get amazing seats about four rows from the court on the home bench side behind the basket. All in all it was an amazing night and so much fun! It was great to see the new guys show their stuff and it was awesome to see Martell Webster back on the court sporting his new number 23. Martell looked great out there, can't wait to see him playing on Tuesday! Also, it was great to see Ime Udoka back on the team. When introduced during the Q&A he got a massive amount of welcome home cheers and applause.

Here are some of my best pictures from Sunday:
















Be sure to follow my twitter for updates on the games! My first pre-season tickets are for the game on the 20th vs. Utah. When I am not actually present at game I will tweet highlights as often as the radio and internet allows!
Twitter: twitter.com/_blazer_nation_

when I am present at games I will also be posting pictures from that account as well as my personal Twitter: twitter.com/annainthehouse

Blazer Mania On The Rise

Blazer fans all over the place are getting excited for the upcoming '09-'10 season! And how could we not be? What with the Blazers tweeting pictures and video from training camp:
(From Trail Blazers Center Court)






(More at the source)

seriously, HOW COULD WE NOT BE EXCITED? :] Not to mention, I'm a half season ticket holder and today I received my tickets and the special goodies you get as thanks for forkin' out the big bucks for season tickets:



This snazzy little backpack was one of those goodies, along with a desk calender. Thanks Blazers! I will now carry my cameras, laptop, wallet and phone to games in STYLE! I'm a little disappointed I didn't get the season opener game this year (you switch games every other year with the people who have your seats for the other half) which is against the ROCKETS!! Talk about an intense opener!! I can only imagine the Love Hate the Rockets will receive upon their entrance! Not to mention the signs that will be made out of love hate for Scola. I'm hoping to attend the game by any means possible, meaning I'll probably be in the nosebleeds. :)

Fan Fest is on Sunday followed by the first game of Pre-Season on Tuesday!! Remember, if you attend any games be sure to share your pictures and memories with us! And support Blazer Nation Blog while you're there!! :D Tweet us or make signs for us!

How excited are YOU for the '09 - '10 season?