The Pre-Funk: Blazers at Rockets 10/31

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

This is the rematch we've been waiting for.  No, we don't mean from Tuesday night.  No, we don't mean from the Playoffs.  And no, we don't mean from the 1994 Playoffs.  We're talking about the 1st round loss in the 2009 NBA Dance Bracket people.  (It must have been the school girl outfits?)  And yeah, somehow those 2008-09 Power Dancers took it all the way to the championship where they were easily dismantled by the Miami Heat Dancers who will make a man out of any boy.  If you go back and look at our 2009-10 NBA Dance Team rankings, you'll see that the Blazer Dancers came back strong this year and will surely be a force come this year's tourney.

And on to the actual game...

On Wednesday, the Rockets squeaked one out on the road against the Warriors in a game that saw the Trevor Ariza Houston was hoping for.  It also featured the Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola that had the Blazers looking silly in last year's Playoff matchup.  Since this is the home opener for Houston, I would expect a tough battle whether you feel the Rockets are a bottom feeder or not.  Let's also not forget that Portland has lost 7 in a row in Houston and will be coming off a loss at home to the Nuggets which we would like to forget forever.  (Except for Martell's baseline hammer followed by the clowning of Carmelo's dunk attempt in back-to-back possessions was fantastic!)

Look for one thing to happen tonight:  LaMarcus Aldridge to finally have a $65 million game.  (He loves him some Texas where everything is as big as his contract.) 

On Tap...

• Love hearing that the Blazers have "size."  [Houston Chronicle]
• Also love seeing Aaron Brooks succeeding.  [khou.com]
• Jarrett Jack a better backup than Dre Miller?  [Hoopsvibe]
  
• Blazers point guards are all struggling.  [Blazer Banter]
  
• Plenty of support coming from teammates to Oden.  [Jason Quick]
  
• Dave pumps out another game preview.  [Blazers Edge]
• Enemy coverage of the finest sort.  [The Dream Shake]
• No All-Star bid for Aldridge this year?  [DIME]
  

Continue Reading...>>

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Make it Official: Batum Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

First via Twitter from the team:

@BlazerFlack: Nic Batum underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He is expected to be sidelined for up to 5 months.

And then via press release:

BATUM UNDERGOES SHOULDER SURGERY

PORTLAND, Ore. – Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, the Portland Trail Blazers announced today. 

Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the surgery at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

Batum is expected to be sidelined for up to five months.

I'm glad that the surgery is over, but it also sets in the realization that we'll be witnessing Carmelo-esque performances like last night's for the next 5 months.  Swallow that.

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The Afterparty: Nuggets/Blazers Game 2

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much greater.

Where do we begin with this one?  It was tough to not be disappointed and frustrated while walking out of the Rose Garden last night, but at the same time, the final result was probably the right result.  By no means did the Blazers deserve to win that game.  Sure they had chances, but when it's all said and done, this team might still be too young to live up to everyone's expectations.

The 60 win team that you all dreamt about is not here.  Yet.  As much as I hate to say this, we all have to continue to be patient.  This team is the 1000 piece puzzle of a snowy field.  It frustrates the hell out of you because a ton of the pieces look similar yet you know it all fits together somehow, someway.  You spend countless hours plugging them in only to find out it's not the perfect fit. Many nights leave you wanting to quit but you've put in so much time and effort that you keep working at it.  You are waiting for that one piece that will push you through and in time, you'll find it.

Mr. Oden

What happened to Greg Oden last night might be one of the greatest things that could have happened to the young lad.  He has now been in the situation that all the greats ones feast upon.  His failure to flurrish in that moment is part of the growings pains of becoming an elite NBA player.  Keep your head up big guy.  Had your teammates made their free throws leading up to yours, you never would have been in this position.  It's a team sport and I'm not about to put this game on you.

Mr. Aldridge

Where you at buddy?  $65 million later and we're still waiting.  I understand that we're only two games deep, but you haven't stood out in either of them.  I really can't think of a possession where you did something that made me say, "Wow!  Glad we paid you all that cash!"  It's time to make a statement.  It's time to show some emotion.

Mr. Bandwagon Fan

Please go away now.  Blowing up Twitter with "#EPICFAIL GREG ODEN" in game 2 of the season is f-ing ridiculous.  You know absolutely nothing about basketball.  Your source for information is the OregonLive Blazers forum where you are currently spamming off ESPN Trade Machine requests and claiming emphatically that Dre Miller is "out of shape."  You can't pronounce Batum.  You're still pissed that the team cut Ime Udoka because he's a "Portland guy."  You refer to LaMarcus as "LMA."  You booed a woman in the stands last year for wearing a Brandon Roy Huskies jersey.  You left the arena last night with 1.9 seconds still on the clock because you didn't realize a three pointer would have tied it.  And to top it all off, you are the main reason we are now paying almost triple to see any of the upper echelon teams.

Continue Reading...>>

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Nuggets Dancers...Amusing Sweaty 13 Year Olds Daily

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The Pre-Funk: Nuggets vs. Blazers 10/29

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

Last year we called the Denver Nuggets the most entertaining team in sports.  No idea what the hell we were drinking that night, but most of it had to do with that fantastic picture up above.  It's too bad the young chap is still suspended because there was a 25% chance we'd get another crip walk down 1 Center Court.

So the Thuggets Nuggets fought with another Northwest Division rival last night at home, hopped on a plane, and flew straight through a winter wonderland into the soggy bowels of Portland.  Tossing in a late night flight between back-to-backs is never a good thing for the roadies and "your" Trail Blazers should come away tonight with a 2-1 record.  Meaning, 2 wins and possibly 1 sucker punch via Carmelo Anthony.

People keep talking about "true tests" for Oden, so we're not about to go down that road.  What I will say, is that Nene will be Greg's nemesis for the foreseeable future and if he wants to establish himself as an elite Western Conference center, then he gets his first chance tonight.

See many of you at the game.  As always, hit us up via Twitter for pints.

On Tap...

• Outlaw plus defense?  Wait a minute.  [Joe Freeman]
  
• Dave has your game 2 preview ready.  [Blazers Edge]
• Sheed's Shakedown is back in full effect.  [Bust a Bucket]
• Pre-thoughts!  [Rip City Project]
• Enemy coverage #1.  [Denver Stiffs]
• Enemy coverage #2.  [Nugg Doctor]
• Enemy coverage #3.  [Roundball Mining Co]
  
• Rose Garden is the 5th largest NBA arena.  [Sportige]
  

Continue Reading...>>

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2009-10 NBA Preview Series: Southeast Division

Each season the NBA blog-o-sphere comes together to run the greatest season preview series of any sport.  This is the time when all you basketball junkies get truly unique information from some of the most passionate and knowledgeable writers on the planet.  As each division is released, we'll have them for you in one big blast.  Please enjoy!

Southeast Division Previews:

Atlanta Hawks: Peachtree Hoops    
Charlotte Bobcats: Rufus on Fire | QueenCityHoops
Miami Heat: Peninsula Is Mightier | SportsAgentBlog.com    
Orlando Magic: Third Quarter Collapse    
Washington Wizards: Bullets Forever | Hoops Addict | Truth About It

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

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Streaming Blazers Games. Worth It?

The iPod is considered by many to be one of the greatest inventions of all-time and rightfully so.  After all, the thing inspired a gajillion knockoffs and eventually led to everyone's newest pet, the iPhone.  The streaming of Blazers games however, is not the next iPod.  But is it still worth it?

For the opening game of the 2009-10 season, we decided to stay in and punish pints on our comfy new couch in front of our lovely HD TV instead of mustering up enough energy to venture out into the wide world of sports bars.  (Plus my dilated eyes were a wee bit frightening.)  While at home, midway through the first quarter, just after spotting a KGW logo in the bottom corner of the screen, I remembered something!  All KGW games would be streamed on Blazers.com!  And as the owner of this blog, I felt compelled to fork out the $3.99 and give readers somewhat of a review.

1.  Sign-up/Purchase Early!  At first, I tried to login with my Iamatrailblazersfan.com login followed by an attempt with my ticket login and neither worked.  Basically, this is a completely separate thing, so just go ahead and create a brand new account and save yourself the agony.  Once you've created a new account and paid, the site is not smart enough to redirect you anywhere relevant and if you are like me, may find yourself sitting there confused for a moment. After realizing this, head back to the main page where you'll be prompted to install some fancy new streaming software which doesn't take long at all.  And once that finishes up, you should be good to go.  Like I said at the beginning, do this EARLY.

2. Performance!  With software installed, the stream started right up and actually had decent quality.  (You get to choose high or low.)  I really didn't run into connection issues until midway through the 4th quarter.  Some point in there, the stream decided that the game was already over which prompted some not so nice tweets.  A refresh or two later and it sort of came back.  And then died.  And then came back for good.  Overall, the performance was much better than I had expected.  Even the delay compared to the TV feed was fairly minimal.  Props there.

Continue Reading...>>

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The Afterparty: Rockets/Blazers Game 1

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much greater.

The most positive thing I'll take away from last night's game is simply that the Blazers played pretty bad yet still managed to win.  That's something you couldn't necessarily say in years past.  If this team looked bad, the result was usually unfavorable.  The great teams in the NBA can always find ways to win, even on a night when things aren't necessarily rolling in their direction and that's what "your" Portland Trail Blazers did last night.

I'm not about to start knocking Oden's offensive performance (which should come as a surprise) because I never really felt like he was a part of the gameplan offensively.  The first quarter was to be Aldridge's, second quarter to see the second unit, third quarter to maintain, and 4th to see how this team can finish defensively.  One thing I will say that impressed me with Greg was his 4th quarter aura.  The game got tight and he didn't shy away or stumble over his own feet.  In fact, he was the difference for a solid 2 minutes to close out the game.

And "hooray!" for Outlaw.  Just wait until Thursday.  And "booo!" for not finishing with Miller.  And "eyes roll" at Houston for looking so bad.

• I didn't see as many positives as MB.  [Mike Barrett]
• Definitely wasn't a masterpiece of a performance.  [Jason Quick]
• But not a horrible start right?  [Blazer Banter]
  
• The media row report goes deep.  [Blazers Edge]
• Enemy observations worth reading.  [The Dream Shake]
  
• Bowerz drops some lengthy opening night thoughts.  [Bust a Bucket]
• Your first set of "re-thoughts" for the season.  [Rip City Project]
• Canzano points out the obvious twice in one week.  [John Canzano]
  
• Recap.  Box Score...

Continue Reading...>>

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Martell Webster Dunks on Chuck Hayes

Mr. Webster goes back door.  Mr. Hayes happens to be at that door.

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Are The Blazers Playing?

This site was pointed out to us on Twitter this morning and it has a hidden surprise for the internet geek in all of us.  Check out the source code and you'll see what I'm talking about.  If you don't know how to do that then we've made it easier for you with a screenie.

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The Pre-Funk: Rockets vs. Blazers 10/27

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

Anyone else walking around today with a little extra pep in their step?  (Yes I actually said "pep.")  It was only a few months ago that "your" Portland Trail Blazers jumped from the depths of hell and into the first round of the playoffs where they were sucker punched,  grabbed, pulled, and out Scola'd by their opponent, the Houston Rockets.  Tonight, they get their first chance at redemption.  (Insert "muhahha" laugh.)

Those same Rockets come to town...well maybe not "same," but pretty damn close.  OK, not close at all.  In fact, this Houston team might reach the "depths of hell" that the Blazers were resting comfortably in for, oh, 6 YEARS.  Yao Ming is out for a full Zodiac cycle while the most quotable man on the planet (MQMOTP) has joined forces with the ultimate enemy.  (Names not needed right?)  They picked up Trevor Ariza from the ultimate enemy which seems like quite the downgrade, even from the MQMOTP.  So with no All-Star center and no chances of an in-game, fan-involved, beer-on-player-action, brawl taking off, I have to think that this is the opener that we would normally order off the late night happy hour menu.

Welcome to the 2009-10 NBA season my friends.

On Tap...

• A look at Brandon Roy, the leader.  [Jason Quick]
• The show must go on.  [Blazers Banter]
  
• Dave drops his game 1 preview.  [Blazers Edge]
  
• The first Sheed's Shakedown of the season.  [Bust a Bucket]
• Usually outstanding enemy coverage.  [The Dream Shake]
• Aaron Brooks is apparently the Rockets' key.  [AP]
• While this tool points out the obvious for Portland.  [John Canzano]
• Another hater believing in Oden?  [Le Basketbawl]
  
• The Blazers love their animals?  Random.  [Oregon Live]
  

Continue Reading...>>

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Make it Official: Batum to Undergo Surgery - Return TBD

NICOLAS BATUM TO UNDERGO SHOULDER SURGERY

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will undergo surgery on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Friday in Los Angeles at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. A timeline for Batum’s return will be determined following surgery.

As a rookie last season, Batum appeared in 79 games (76 starts), averaging 5.4 points (44.6% FT), 2.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 18.4 minutes.

Batum ranked eighth in 3-point shooting (36.9%) and 10th in blocked shots (0.51) among rookie leaders a season ago. He scored in double figures on 13 occasions.

A leader on the French National Team that finished fifth in the 2009 European Championships, Batum ranked second on the team with 9.6 points and 4.9 rebounds to go with 1.8 assists, 1.00 block and 28.6 minutes in nine games.

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Nicolas Batum to have Shoulder Surgery

In breaking Twitter news, Nicolas Batum is apparently having shoulder surgery due to a torn labrum and the timetable for his return is uncertain.  (Update:  Batum was told 3-5 months.) 

Look at how quickly this stuff blows up...how can you not love Twitter?

@BlazerFreeman: Breaking: Nicolas Batum will have surgery Friday on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. Return tbd.

@BlazersEdge: Source close to Batum expects lengthy recovery time.

@BlazerBanter: Breaking: Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will undergo shoulder surgery Friday to repair torn labrum. Timeline for return to be announced.

@BlazerFlack: Portland F Nicolas Batum to undergo surgery Friday on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. Timeline for return post surgery.

There should be an official word from the team soon so stay tuned for updates as we have them.

Continue Reading...>>

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ESPN's 2009-10 NBA Power Rankings Week 1

ESPN was kind enough to release their power rankings the day before the season starts.  To no one's surprise, the Blazers come in at #7 which we've seen in just about every poll other than Bill Simmons'.

I'd say 7th is about right.  As a team that got sucker punched in the first round of last year's Playoffs, they still have a lot to prove before cracking the top 5.

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15 Thoughts for the 2009-10 Season

All last season we ran a game day post called "15 Thoughts" which turned into a giant headache by mid-season.  We've abandoned it for this year, but wanted to do one last version heading into the 2009-10 campaign in place of some over-the-top prediction masterpiece.

Your quick hitters...

1.  Aldridge might just be Portland's only All-Star this year.  +1 Blazers
2.  Andre Miller is the front runner for 6th man of the year.  Toss Up
3.  Oden should win Most Improved.  Toss Up
4.  He will also play 75+ games.  +1 Blazers
5.  Rudy Fernandez will be a major disappointment.  -1 Rudy
6.  Batum will voice his frustrations on playing time, quickly.  -1 McMillan
7.  Blame an unwarranted obsession with Martell Webster.  Toss Up
8.  Travis Outlaw will not be with this team come Playoff time.  +1 Blazers
9.  Brandon Roy's points per game peaked last year.  Toss Up
10.  His other numbers might all peak this year.  +1 Blazers
11.  The 10 man rotation will last longer than you think.  Toss Up
12.  And the Blake vs. Miller battle isn't going anywhere.  +1 McMillan
13.  Annoying Comcast vs. Direct TV articles by Oregonian.  Toss Up
14.  Rose Garden sellout streak ends early.  -1 Pricing Scheme
15.  Pritch-slapping Bill Simmons' prediction.  +1 Guaranteed

Totals:  Blazers 4  McMillan 0  Rudy -1  Fans -1  Bill Simmons 1

Predicted Winner: City of Portland

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Andre Miller is the 6th Man

If you missed Jason Quick's latest Behind the Blazers Locker Room Door (aka longest column title in history), he chats with Brandon Roy and Nate McMillan who essentially break the news that Andre Miller will be coming off the bench once the regular season starts.

So did that mean Thursday’s starting lineup of Blake, Roy, Batum, Aldridge and Oden would open the season against Houston?

McMillan smiled and his eyes danced. It was the type of smile, the type of look, that after five years of covering him I understand means “yes”, but he wasn’t going to go on record and say it.

“You write what you think,’’ he said, finally breaking into a laugh. “I’ll let you know in a couple of days.’’

After the game, Roy emphatically said that would be the lineup.

Continue Reading...>>

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The Afterparty: Suns/Blazers Preseason Game 8

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much more relevant.

• With preseason over, let's go BTBLRD.  [Jason Quick]
  
• Ending the preseason on a "positive" note.  [Mike Barrett]
• People in Vancouver are still bitter.  Rightfully so.  [Vancouver Sun]
• Enemy coverage working late night.  [Valley of the Suns]
• Blame it on the Dragic?  [Bright Side of the Sun]
• Blake likely getting the starting nod on Tuesday.  [Joe Freeman]
  
• A quick recap from Benjamin.  [Blazers Edge]
• Chill out Juwan Howard.  Hah.  [The Blowtorch]
• And this Oden article is basically everywhere.  [Anne Peterson]
  
• Recap.  Box Score...
  

Continue Reading...>>

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Ranking the 2009-10 NBA Dance Teams

Enough with the preseason player and team rankings!  It's time to begin our 2009-10 coverage of every man's fan's favorite aspect to the NBA, the dance teams.

1.  Phoenix Suns Dancers

2.  Miami Heat Dancers

3.  Washington Wizard Girls

4.  Atlanta Hawks A-Town Dancers

5.  Charlotte LadyCats

Continue Reading...>>

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2009-10 NBA Preview Series: Northwest Division

Each season the NBA blog-o-sphere comes together to run the greatest season preview series of any sport.  This is the time when all you basketball junkies get truly unique information from some of the most passionate and knowledgeable writers on the planet.  As each division is released, we'll have them for you in one big blast.  Please enjoy!

Northwest Division Previews:

Denver Nuggets  - Denver Stiffs | The Nugg Doctor
Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus | Empty the Bench | TWolvesBlog
Oklahoma City Thunder - Blue Blitz | Daily Thunder
Utah Jazz - SLC Dunk | True Blue Jazz
Portland Trail Blazers - Blazersedge | A Stern Warning | The Rip City Project

BustaBucket | Trail Post

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

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Make it Official - Aldridge Signs 5 Year Deal

Everyone happy now? Time to focus on Tuesday.

Press conference scheduled for tomorrow at 1PM at the practice facility...

TRAIL BLAZERS SIGN LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE TO FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION

Star forward extends career in Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. – 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.

Continue Reading...>>

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Make it Official - Udoka and Collins Waived

TRAIL BLAZERS WAIVE UDOKA AND COLLINS

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Trail Blazers waived forward Ime Udoka and center Jarron Collins, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today.

Udoka, a five-year NBA veteran, averaged 6.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.40 steals and 18.8 minutes in five preseason games for the Trail Blazers. An eight-year NBA veteran, Collins appeared in four preseason contests for Portland, totaling averages of 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.0 minutes.

With Thursday’s moves, the Trail Blazers roster now stands at 15 players.

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The Pre-Funk: Blazers at Suns 10/22

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

FINALLY!  The last game of this confusing and completely frustrating preseason is finally upon us.  After yesterday's blast of news regarding both Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge, everyone seems to be taking a break from covering tonight's contest.  In case you were wondering, this exhibition stands as a return home for the Suns' Steve Nash and that's pretty much it.  I think the Blazers are rolling with 9 or 10 guys at this point?  This game needs to get over with quickly so we can all rest up for next Tuesday's season kick off.

On Tap...

• A Blazers preview that you should actually read.  [Portland Mercury]
  
• Tonight's opponent wants the recently cut Collins.  [Yahoo Sports]
  
• Nice to see a media personality who's not worried.  [Dwight Jaynes]
  
• New podcast from Casey, Gavin and Dave.  [Center Court]
  
• Patty Mills "super" preview has been added.  [Bust a Bucket]
• Ime not happy and extremely disappointed.  [Jason Quick]
  

Continue Reading...>>

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LaMarcus Aldridge Agrees to 5 Year $70 Million Contract

Wow. First the Blazers fill up the 15th spot and just minutes later we hear from Adrian Wojnarowski that LaMarcus Aldridge has agreed to a 5 year deal worth upwards of $70 million. This is the news we like to hear after a couple of awful weeks of preseason basketball!

The intial tweet:

@YahooSportsNBA: Aldridge has agreed to a 5 yr extension worth approximately $70 million with Portland, a league source tells Y! Sports.

And then the A-Woj article:

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.

Brian T. Smith says it's not finalized yet:

However, a source close to the team stated that, while a deal is in the works, it is not yet finallized.

Aldridge spoke today about contract negotiations following practice, saying he felt strongly that an agreement would be reached before an Oct. 31 deadline. Following that date, Aldridge would automatically become a restricted free agent after the 2009-10 season, if he did not re-sign with the Blazers.

Continue Reading...>>

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Udoka and Collins Cut - Patty Mills Grabs 15th Spot

Jason Quick (aka Dre Hater), was on 95.5 the Game within the last hour reporting (and now at Oregon Live) that Patty Mills will grab the final roster spot for the Blazers. (Pending a phyiscal?) With this move, Portland will cut ties with Ime Udoka and Jarron Collins who appear to already have suitors in place.  (Collins to Phoenix and Ime with possibly 2 options.)

I'm not about to make a big deal out of this. Why? Because it's the freakin' 15th roster spot. Remember a guy named Shavlik Randolph? Discussion over.

Oh, and in an attempt to make this a story, Quick even tossed out a "Nate is not happy" quote.  Seriously Quickie, stop reaching.

More on the story:

• Brian Smith added a little foreshadowing into his practice report.
• Ben is also working hard with updates on the details.
• Here is the audio from Quick.

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The Afterparty: Jazz/Blazers Preseason Game 7

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much more relevant.

• Some questions to be answered before next Tuesday.  [Joe Freeman]
  
• Many mixed emotions following the 7th preseason game.  [Columbian]
• Media row report as always from Ben.  [Blazers Edge]
• Shorthanded Blazers?  I think it's deeper than that.  [Mike Barrett]
• And Rudy is out of Thursday's game as well.  [Columbian]
  
• Dave dives into the streaming KGW coverage.  [Blazers Edge]
• A fantastic Blazers preview.  [Ball Don't Lie]
• A lot of talk about chemistry issues.  [Yahoo Sports]
• Recap.  Box Score...

Continue Reading...>>

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Trail Blazers Finalize Deal for Streaming Games

TRAIL BLAZERS FINALIZE PLANS TO STREAM GAMES ONLINE

Fifteen KGW games will be available in high-definition via trailblazers.com

Portland, Ore. – Every game on the Trail Blazers’ 15-game KGW broadcast schedule will be streamed live online in high-definition, the Portland Trail Blazers announced today.

Through a partnership with RayV, a technology leader in live sports streaming whose clients include NBA International League Pass and Fox Soccer Channel, Trail Blazers games will be available online at a cost of only $3.99 per game or $39.99 for the entire season.

The online broadcast will feature the KGW feed with Mike Barrett and Mike Rice, augmented with real-time stats, live blog commentary, fan feedback and an iamatrailblazersfan.com fantasy basketball application that allows fans to designate their starting five.

"We are extremely excited to once again be on the cutting edge of a new technology that provides our fans with another way to access Trail Blazers games,” Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said.

Streamed games will be available exclusively to fans in the team’s broadcast territory in Oregon and Southwest Washington (within a 150-mile radius from Portland) beginning with the season opener against Houston on October 27. The pregame show will start at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:00 p.m. game.

Fans can sign up, beginning this Friday, October 23, by visiting trailblazers.com. An FAQ is available on trailblazers.com that details the technical specifications required to receive the broadcast stream.

On October 12, Miller announced to fans on the weekly “Courtside” program that the Trail Blazers would be the NBA’s first team to stream live, in-market broadcasts of locally televised games. The opportunity to stream live, in-market games was granted to teams by the NBA earlier this summer.

Miller also said on Courtside that the Trail Blazers were in direct discussions with Comcast about making the 60-game Comcast SportsNet cable package available online by the beginning of the 2010 calendar year.

“We recognize that this technology represents an opportunity to distribute games that many of our fans can’t otherwise see right now,” Miller said. “Television carriage is still paramount, but we realize online coverage represents progress for a lot of fans, and we are working with Comcast Sports Net to deliver a solution as quickly as possible.”

Fans outside of the Trail Blazers’ 150-mile broadcast territory can also see games online as part of the NBA League Pass Broadband package. Details are available at NBA.com.

KGW’s 2009-10 schedule includes the following games: October 27 vs. Houston; November 6 vs. San Antonio; November 20 at Golden State; November 28 at Utah; December 1 vs. Miami; December 15 vs. Sacramento; December 25 vs. Denver; January 10 vs. Cleveland; January 15 vs. Orlando; February 3 at Utah; February 6 vs. L.A. Lakers; March 12 at Sacramento; March 21 at Phoenix; March 31 vs. New York; April 14 vs. Golden State.

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The Pre-Funk: Jazz at Blazers 10/20

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

Preseason games have become completely meaningless at this point.  Going into tonight, the Blazers have two games left and it's highly unlikely that you'll learn anything from now until next Tuesday when the regular season kicks off.  The Jazz come into town tonight after beating the Bobcats on the road in a game that saw the Utah starters play significant minutes.  Does that mean Williams, Boozer and Okur will sit tonight or have a dramatically reduced role?  Possibly.  Does that also mean that next Tuesday can't get here any faster?  Precisely.

On Tap...

• Plenty of Greg Oden praise these days.  [NBA.com]
• Oh, and he's out tonight against the Jazz.  [Blazer Blog]
• Kirilenko is back tonight and energized.  [StandardNET]
• The Jazz Bear is way cooler than Blaze.  [Ball Don't Lie]
• A Jazz preview to prepare yourself.  [SLC Dunk]
• More enemy coverage.  [True Blue Jazz]
• Greg Jayne has the player-minute situation figured out.  [Columbian]
  
• Blazers in the Conference Finals this year?  [SI.com]
• The Jail Blazer era is revisited in length.  [DIME]
• And Brandon Roy makes another "top" player list.  [DIME]
  

Continue Reading...>>

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Jerryd Bayless and His Manpris

There has been a lot of talk (OK, just from Ben) on Jerryd Bayless and the capris he's been rocking out at practice and we just couldn't help but waste 10 minutes to add to the fever.

The best part might be that the original picture is of LeBron.

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LaMarcus Aldridge House for Sale?

Ran into a Lake Oswego house listing today that has a special theater dedicated to one of your favorite Blazers. This specific Blazers player also happens to be the in the midst of some lengthy contract negotiations.

We're going to imagine this has nothing to do with contract talks and assume he just needed a change of scenery.  Maybe he just needs to move close to the practice facility?  Maybe the nausea from those awful "L.O." stickers has finally gotten to him?

 

 

Virtual Globetrotting has basically confirmed that it's his house.

**Update**

Via comment, a picture of LaMarcus sitting in the kitchen featured in the listing above.  At least he confirmed yesterday that he'll have this new contract completed before the end of the month.

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The Afterparty: Nuggets/Blazers Preseason Game 6

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much more relevant.

• A big time preseason win.  [Mike Barrett]
  
• Media row report.  [Blazers Edge]
• Blazers get scrappy last night.  [Columbian] 
• Oden unfazed by foul trouble from last night.  [Center Court 
• More on Oden's performance.  [Jason Quick]
• Not sure what Canzano expected from these refs?  [John Canzano]
  
• I wouldn't go as far as "meaningless."  [My Team Rivals]
  
• Recap.  Box score...

Continue Reading...>>

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Portland Trail Blazers Season Preview 2009-10

Team Name:  Portland Trail Blazers
Last Year’s Record:  54-28
Key Losses:  Sergio Rodriguez, Channing Frye
Key Additions:  Andre Miller, Martell Webster, Dante Cunningham, Juwan Howard

1. What Significant Moves were made during the off-season?

The most recognized move from the off-season has to be the addition of Andre Miller who's impact has been instantly felt on and off the court, but the most important move of all was probably signing Brandon Roy to a long term deal.  It's pretty obvious that this team will live and die with Roy and his successes.  We can talk about the addition of Miller, the growth of Aldridge, and the coming-out-party of Oden, but if Roy were to leave, Portland would be in a load of trouble.

2. What are the team’s biggest strengths?

Last season, Portland was one of, if not the most, efficient teams in the NBA.  This season, they should be as efficient plus even more explosive.  Andre Miller adds something the team has been lacking for years and that's a point guard who is a match-up nightmare for the opposition.  And with Oden showing mass improvements in preseason contests and a lack of proven centers in the west, the Blazers should find buckets coming even easier.

This team is also one of the deepest in the league.  In fact, the entire preseason has been filled with speculation as to who's playing when and where.  With a legitimate back-up at each position, the second unit for the Blazers might just be their biggest asset.  We'll keep hoping these preseason battles don't tear apart the team's cohesion.


3. What are the team’s biggest weaknesses?

For a team that rattled off 54 wins last year, they have some pretty glaring weaknesses that teams could easily exploit.  When you ask for a poster child of poor pick-and-roll defense, you'll see the gigantic frowning face of Nate McMillan.  It doesn't matter which pick-and-roll defensive scheme is decided upon because you'll see zero success with this team running any of them.

Let's also not forget that the Blazers are below average in their transition defensive and struggle with turnovers on a nightly basis.  Plus, they can't seem to get anyone to turn on the burners and push the ball for any easy buckets of their own.  I haven't looked at the numbers, but Portland has got to be one of the lowest teams in the NBA for fast break points.  Andre Miller should help to increase those numbers.

4. What are the goals for this team?

The team keeps saying that winning the Northwest division is their goal.  As a fan, I'll say that anything less than an appearance in the Western Conference Finals would be a disappointment.  Seems like a lofty goal right?  Well if you aren't expecting this team to blow through the first round of the Playoffs and likely push through to the WCF's, then you are expecting mediocrity.  With key additions and rising talents, why would you expect anything else?

5.  How do the Blazer Dancers stack up in the Western Conference?

As a Blazers blog that loves covering our scantily clad dancers, we don't want to come down on them too hard, but with the amount of "talent" amongst opposing Western Conference dance teams, we'll have to call this a rebuilding year.  (Sorry!)  There are a few new faces, a ton of returners, and a couple of sisters that are definitely missed.  I'll just have to direct you to the Suns, Nuggets, and Clippers dance teams to let you form your own opinion on the competition.

Projected Finish:  1st Northwest - 3rd Western Conference


*Note - A big thanks to thanks goes out to the crew at Celtics Blog for putting together this fantastic preview series again this year.  We're glad to be a part of it.  Make sure to check out the rest of the schedule of NBA team previews here.

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Blazers Exercise Options on Oden, Rudy, Batum, Bayless

TRAIL BLAZERS EXERCISE OPTIONS ON ODEN, FERNANDEZ, BATUM AND BAYLESS

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Trail Blazers exercised their fourth-year option on center Greg Oden and third-year options on the contracts of guard/forward Rudy Fernandez, forward Nicolas Batum and guard Jerryd Bayless.

The moves, announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard, keep all four players under contract through the 2010-11 season.

Portland selected Oden with the No. 1 overall pick and acquired Fernandez via trade in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Trail Blazers acquired Batum and Bayless in 2008 draft day trades.

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Trail Blazers Sign Patty Mills

Someone explain this to me please...

TRAIL BLAZERS SIGN PATRICK MILLS

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Trail Blazers signed guard Patrick Mills to a contract, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Portland selected Mills (6-0, 185) with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft after playing two seasons at St. Mary’s (CA) College.

Mills, who fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during an NBA Summer League practice session on July 9, underwent successful surgery on July 13 and is continuing his rehabilitation on schedule.

The Australian national was an early entry candidate for the NBA Draft out of St. Mary’s, where he posted averages of 16.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.97 steals in two seasons. Mills, 21, was a First Team All-WCC selection as a freshman and sophomore.

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2009-10 NBA Preview Series: Central Division

Each season the NBA blog-o-sphere comes together to run the greatest season preview series of any sport.  This is the time when all you basketball junkies get truly unique information from some of the most passionate and knowledgeable writers on the planet.  As each division is released, we'll have them for you in one big blast.  Please enjoy!

Central Division Previews:

Chicago Bulls
BlogABull.com | Give Me The Rock
Cleveland Cavaliers
Fear The Sword | WaitingForNextYear | Cavalier Attitude
Detroit Pistons
Motown String Music  | Empty the Bench | Pistons Nation | Need4Sheed.com
Indiana Pacers
Indy Cornrows
Milwaukee Bucks
BrewHoop

Bonus Links:
See full schedule here | Also see SBNation Central Division Storystream

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The Afterparty: Blazers/Jazz Preseason Game 5

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much greater.

Admitting upfront that I hardly listened to this game is probably best.  However, I did catch most of the 2nd half and the game's outcome was as expected.  Without your two stars, you shouldn't expect much.  Portland managed to keep the game fairly close, but some hot play from a couple of Utah rookies proved to be too much.  And the "rookie" portion of that sentence is alarming.

When you check out the highlights in the lower section, you'll pretty much see exactly what we know about this Blazers team.  I'll list them for you.  Outlaw has zero basketball IQ, zero defensive abilities, and awesome hair.  Blake can get hot and stay hot from deep.  Miller's game is as pure is anyone's.  Oden is becoming Godzilla.  Bayless still can't dribble with either hand.  Turnovers, turnovers, and more turnovers.

• Some quick hitting coverage of last night's snoozer.  [Blazers Edge]
• Allowing 96 points from the scrubs is good "D?"  [Salt Lake Tribune]
  
• The enemy recap from the land of Joseph Smith.  [SLC Dunk]
• The Jarron Collins story, by Joe Freeman.  [Behind the Beat]
• And we're back to last year's starting five come Sunday.  [Behind the Beat]
  
• Rudy Fernandez is a "bust out?"  [Bulls.com]
• Recap.  Box score...

• Lowlights...

• Tweet of the game...
  

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The Pre-Funk: Blazers at Jazz 10/15

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect. 

Party Attendees...

Winning in Utah seems to be a daunting task for any team and with the Blazers struggling in just about every aspect of the game, don't expect a ton tonight.  Roy and Aldridge will likely be short-stacked on minutes after playing 30+ last night and Rudy Fernandez might not even make the trip with back spasms.  The Jazz have played just two preseason games thus far and should be overly rested after a trip to London and back.  By the way, Milsap killed it in both contests.  Over the next 12 days, figure to see the Blazers working out bugs, kinks, and oh yeah, pick-and-roll defense. 

On Tap...

• Milsap talks about his interesting off-season.  [StandardNET]
  
• Andrei Kirilenko to miss the next two games.  [Yahoo Sports]
  
• Jarron Collins returns to the promised land!  [Salt Lake Tribune]
• Martell Webster is re-finding his role.  [DIME]
  

Cheap Shots...

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The Afterparty: Suns/Blazers Preseason Game 4

A party full of post-game links and coverage to give you every over-analyzed angle in hopes of making your Blazers IQ that much greater.

"Out of sync" is the understatement of the entire preseason?  Even with two wins against the Kings, you can't feel incredibly pleased with the play of the Blazers to this point.  In fact, McMillan stacked the lineup in the 4th quarter tonight to see if the team would come together and they threw up another brick.  I'm just still amazed at how quickly Travis Outlaw's poor performances continue to cancel out positive ones from other players.  And in honor of throwback night, how about we toss a couple of numbers at you?  18.5 turnovers/game.  23.5 points/game off those turnovers.  Through 4 preseason games.  Eek. 

• Your media row report as always.  [Blazers Edge]
• At least someone is remaining positive after a beatdown.  [Mike Barrett]
  
• On a positive note, Aldridge's contract talks going well.  [Jason Quick]
• And your enemy recap from BSOTS.  [Bright Side of the Sun 
• A Rip City rewind from Wendell.  [SLAM Online]
• Stop comparing Oden to Walton please.  [Columbian 
• Casey enjoyed the hell out of his MC night.  [Center Court]
• NBA.com weighs in with it's Blazers preview.  [NBA.com]
• Sorry that I missed this "Roy on Defense" article.  [SI.com]
  
• Recap. Box score...

• And since they don't allow TV cameras into ancient ruins we have no highlights. Instead, check out this video from the Bust a Bucket crew and another from some random fan. Someone tell the old dancing man that his shtick is up.
  

• Most absurd tweet of the year...

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Jerryd Bayless is an Excellent Coach

Came across this fantastic photo which includes 3 of my favorite things: basketball, Blazers and dance teams. Can somebody sign me up for the next Adidas basketball camp?

Notice that Brook Lopez is actually watching the shot while Bayless is...well.

(Click for big boy version.)

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The Pre-Funk: Suns at Blazers 10/14

The all day coverage you need to go into tonight's contest.  We're just making sure you're prepared to drop that extra knowledge on the brosephs to get you another smidgen of respect.

Party Attendees...

Is the real focal point with this match-up the return to Memorial Coliseum?  Aside from the drama surrounding playing time, offensive touches, Andre Miller, the media and Brandon Roy's USA status, people really just care about the return to a building that should have been torn down years ago, right?  Ick.

We'll have a starting lineup reminiscent of RAMBO sans the B leaving us with RAMWO (Shamwow?) or WRAMO (Silent W!)  We'll have the returns of Channing Frye in a starting role along with "Thunder" Dan Dickau hoping to find a niche in an offensive juggernaut.  We'll have Amare Stoudemire's awesome goggles.  We'll have Steve Nash another year older.  And possibly even a chance to get torched by another Griffin.  That give you enough to go on? 

On Tap...

• As you may have heard, Memorial Coliseum returns tonight.  [Blazer Banter]
• Canzano says to embrace the return and memories.  [John Canzano]
• Here are some quick hits from a tour of the Coliseum.  [Portland Mercury]
• A few pics of the old beast from Meagher.  [Blazer Blog]
• More photos via Casey.  [Center Court]
  
• The all-day coverage over at BE.  [Blazers Edge]
  
• B-Roy lands at #10 on this list of NBA player rankings.  [SLAM]
• The FAQ on upcoming streaming performances.  [Bust a Bucket]
• The countdown of the 40 greatest Blazers.  [Jason Quick]
• Your enemy coverage.  [Bright Side of the Sun]
  

Cheap Shots...

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Hoops and Heart Gala Includes Bill Walton

Fancy fundraisers are alive and well for those of you crushing the bad economy...

BILL WALTON TO ATTEND HOOPS AND HEART GALA

Trail Blazers legend joins alumni, current team at inaugural Make It Better fundraiser

PORTLAND, Ore – NBA Hall of Famer and 1977 NBA Finals MVP Bill Walton has joined the list of special guests scheduled to attend the team’s inaugural Hoops and Heart fundraiser and auction on Saturday, Oct. 17, the team announced today.

The event, which includes an appearance by the entire 2009-10 team and several Trail Blazers alumni, will be hosted by Bill Schonely and held on the Rose Garden floor. The “Cheers to 40 years” program will celebrate four decades of Trail Blazers greats and memorable moments on the court and in the community, with proceeds benefiting the make it better Fund.

A limited number of table reservations are still available (a table of eight), and can be purchased for $2,000. Individual tickets can be purchased for $250/person. To reserve your spot, call 503-797-9600 or visit trailblazers.com

Walton will also attend the 2009 Governors’ Gold Awards on Friday, Oct. 16. The Oregon 150 celebration recognizes eight extraordinary Oregonians and Oregon companies spanning 133 years. Walton will be joined by former teammate Maurice Lucas, team founder Harry Glickman and original voice of the Trail Blazers, Bill Schonely. The contingent will accept the Gold Award on behalf of the Trail Blazers 1977 NBA Championship team.

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Blaze of Glory - 10/13/09

The Blaze of Glory is your almost-daily link list of Blazer blog ridiculousness and other random Blazers info. If you ever want your Blazer blog featured, make sure to drop us a line unless your name is Dwight Jaynes. (Kidding!)

• Brandon Roy still thinking about Team USA.  [NBA.com]
• Barrett shares his opinion on live streaming KGW games.  [Mike Barrett]
  
• LaMarcus needs to start dominating on defense.  [Columbian]
• Andre Miller as a top tier backup point guard.  [DIME]
  
• Chris Dudley a good idea for Oregon politics?  [Examiner]
• Raef LaFrentz finally calling it quits?  [Lawrence Journal]
• A video from the Clippers game you may not have seen.  [Fanhouse]

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Holy Backboard's NBA Preview

The crew over at Holy Backboard approached us as well as a few other NBA and Blazers related blogs about participating in a collaborative preview.  We gladly accepted.  They went with a very simple format, with quit hitting questions to allow you to compare all of the answer submitted by each participant.

Here is our NBA preview section:

Top 8: West - 1. Lakers 2. Spurs 3. Trail Blazers 4. Nuggets
                        5. Mavericks 6. Jazz 7. Hornets 8. Suns

Top 8: East - 1. Cavaliers 2. Magic 3. Celtics 4. Heat
                      5. Hawks 6. Bulls 7. 76ers 8. Raptors

West Finals - Lakers vs. Trail Blazers
East Finals - Cavaliers vs. Celtics
NBA Finals - Lakers over Cavaliers
MVP - LeBron James
Rookie Of The Year - Blake Griffin
Defensive Player Of The Year - Dwight Howard
6th Man Of The Year - Rudy Fernandez
1st Team All-NBA
# G- Chris Paul
# G- Kobe Bryant
# F- LeBron James
# F- Tim Duncan
# C- Dwight Howard

Breakout Player - Gilbert Arenas
Biggest Underachiever - Hedo Turkoglu
Surprise Team - Raptors
Disappointing Team - Hornets
Most Likely Give His Coach A Heart Attack - Stephen Jackson
Man V. Food: You Need A Partner, Eddy Curry Or Zach Randolph
Eddy Curry

To read the rest of the previews and to see our Blazers preview, head over to Holy Backboard.

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2009-10 NBA Preview Series: Southwest Division

Each season the NBA blog-o-sphere comes together to run the greatest season preview series of any sport.  This is the time when all you basketball junkies get truly unique information from some of the most passionate and knowledgeable writers on the planet.  As each division is released, we'll have them for you in one big blast.  Please enjoy!

Southwest Division previews:

Dallas Mavericks
Mavs Moneyball | The Two Man Game | NBA Mate
Houston Rockets
The Dream Shake | Ballerblogger
Memphis Grizzlies
3 Shades of Blue
New Orleans Hornets
At The Hive | Hornets Hype
San Antonio Spurs
Pounding The Rock | Project Spurs

Bonus Links
See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

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The Hobby Life of "Your" Trail Blazers

In the fishbowl that is Portland, so many fans seem to want to be so involved in the personal lives of some of the Trail Blazers players. Many are international men of mystery while others tend to leave the personal stuff a lit more out there for the fan feeding.  And with the season upon us, we wanted to satisfy your cravings by giving you a quick glimpse into the extracurricular activities of some of your favorites.

How did we capture such personal and candid photos?  Some secrets are best kept as just that...secrets.

Brandon Roy.  The next Portland hipster?

 

Andre Miller.  That isn't Watts, but he's still representin'.

Travis Outlaw.  Noodling is just awesome.  YouTube it.

Jerryd Bayless. Yes, the guy actually watches Entourage.

Steve Blake.  Talk about an off-season workout.

Nate McMillan.  Just gettin' ready for camp.

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