Blazers 2, Florida 0. It was great to see Greg Oden get a full game's worth of run, 16 minutes and 22 seconds to be accurate. And while he didn't light the world on fire, he did what he was expected to do: play meaningful minutes, grab some boards, get a block or two, change some shots and throw down a nasty one-hander for the first two points of his NBA career
Oden looked like a fish out of water at times last night, but that's OK. An adjustment period is expected. It was good to just see him on the floor with his teammates. A sight we will, hopefully, get used to seeing.
More importantly from last night, the Blazers got another win. And another road win. A week ago Portland was staring 1-3 in the face. Fast forward seven days and Portland is two games above .500 at 5-3. Aside from Oden, the Blazer everyone is talking about today is, obviously, Rudy Fernandez. 25 points off the bench, including an electric 14 (on 5-for-5 shooting) in the fourth quarter. Brandon Roy, nursing a bad back, looked like Brandon Roy, especially early, scoring 22 and grabbing 5 rebounds. Joel Przybilla grabbed 10 boards. LaMarcus Aldridge struggled, finishing with 14 and 7, but did lead Portland in steals with 4. And Sergio Rodriguez played his most extensive minutes of the season (19) and almost entirely the fourth quarter, dishing out 5 assists.
The Blazers size and length definitely had an effect on the Heat, out-rebounding Miami 40-35 (including 12 offensive) and recording 6 blocks (to Miami's 4), and helped Portland take a commanding lead after one quarter. But as sharp as the team looked in the first, they weren't able to maintain that level throughout. For the third-straight game the Blazers trailed heading into the fourth, 75-73. Clutch play from Roy and Rudy pushed back another 30-point performance from Dwyane Wade as the Blazers outscored the Heat by 10 (31-21) in the final period. The Blazers also did a great job last night of limiting fast-break points for Miami, which is a dangerous part of their (and Wade's) game.
Portland now isn't just going into games thinking they can win. They're entering games knowing they can win. Confidence. Builder.
Jason Quick, Greg Oden is back, but Rudy Fernandez steals the show in win over the Heat:
In fact, in a lot of areas, it was "one of those nights"
for the Blazers. They weren't especially sharp, and it always seemed they should be leading by more than they actually were. McMillan, for one, felt that way entering halftime up only 50-47 after they played their best first quarter of the season.
Yet, they still won. On the road. After giving up a huge lead (12 points). It is the type of game good teams win.
More Quick on Rudy:
Shortly after his postgame address to the media outside the locker room, McMillan strolled through the locker room while I was talking to Greg Oden. As he passed by, I told him I was surprised he downplayed Fernandez so much.
"Yeah,"
McMillan said, revealing a somewhat sheepish smile. "He's aiiiight."
After seeing/hearing that, it led me to believe McMillan was using a little Phil Jackson-like mind game in publicly pointing out the imperfections of Rudy's game after such a performance. In other words, 'Yeah, we all know you had a good game 'Rook. But I think you can be even better.'
Mike Barrett, Blazers sweep through Florida:
It was a night where Brandon Roy fought through a sore back, took another pounding, and scored 22 points. He showed a national TV audience he once again belongs in the NBA All-Star game. LaMarcus Aldridge fought through a difficult shooting night (6-17), but scrapped his way to 14 points and 7 rebounds.
Travis Outlaw told me before the game, during pre-game warm-ups, that his personal goal for the night was 10 rebounds. I told him I was hoping for 15 from him. After we had signed off the air, and I walked into the locker room, Travis was the first person I saw. I had forgotten about our quick exchange before the game. He hadn't. "Well Barrett, I almost got to 10,"
Travis said, and laughed. He grabbed 8 on the night, and played great defense. What impressed me the most is that he wasn't thinking at all of his offense. That's why he's been so good lately.
Casey Holdahl transcribed the postgame comments from McMillan.
And Holdahl, from Nawlins, says "sleep is for losers"
and Rudy Fernandez and the Blazers are not that:
It seems like every game, Rudy does something to drive the opposing defense nuts. Leave him alone in the corner, he'll drain the triple. Close out to contest the three, he'll go around you and finish with the dunk. Try to get into him, he'll rub and cut to the hoop for the alley-oop. Try to anticipate the drive, he'll flare screen for the fadeaway three. He's the headiest Spaniard since Cervantes.
He's also quite modest. Try to pay him a compliment or get him to talk about his stellar play, and his responses always come back to giving credit to the team while taking none of the spoils for himself. During his post game remarks which lasted no longer than five minutes, Rudy continually dodged speaking about his career-high 25 points in favor of praising his teammates.
Miami Herald, Wade's numbers can't prevent Miami Heat's first home loss:
Portland (5-3) used a 15-5 run late in the fourth quarter to take control, and Miami native Steve Blake put the Heat (4-4) away with a three-pointer with 17 seconds left. The loss was Miami's first at home and kept it from opening 4-0 at home for the first time in its history.
Portland scored 42 points in the paint and another 26 points off a season-high 19 turnovers by the Heat, which had four costly turnovers in the fourth quarter, when the Blazers used a 13-2 run to create a cushion.
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Lack of size, abundance of turnovers costs Heat:
Thinking big simply isn't part of the equation with a lineup that continues to feature 6-foot-8 Udonis Haslem at center.
So Portland rolled out 7-1 Joel Przybilla and 6-11 LaMarcus Aldridge in the starting lineup, and then followed off the bench with 6-11 Channing Frye and 7-foot Greg Oden, who Wednesday scored his first NBA points 17 months after he was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
"That's what makes them who they are,"
Heat guard Dwyane Wade said of the Blazers' length.
Notes from the Sentinel's Heat blog:
For all those suggesting trades with the Trail Blazers, Portland has the look of a team so complete that its best action might be no action. It not only oozes talent, it oozes youth.
I tend to agree.
Palm Beach Post, Dwyane Wade scores 36, but Heat falls to Blazers in Greg Oden's return:
Portland rookie center Greg Oden scored his first NBA points Wednesday against the Heat and ended his first complete game with just three points and two rebounds in 16 minutes. It hardly mattered.
That's because Oden's teammates converted the Heat's season-high 19 turnovers into 26 points en route to Portland's 104-96 victory over Miami at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Notes from Chris Perkins of the Post.
Blazer's Edge recap:
Overall the Blazers won the rebounding battle, got nobody in foul trouble, shot 7 more free throws than the Heat in their own building, and forced 17 Miami turnovers for 19 points while only committing 12 themselves for 11 enemy points. Against the Heat that latter stat is fantastic. Those edges allowed the Blazers to win on a night where the shooting stats were roughly equivalent.
Peninsula is Mighter recap:
The numbers really say it all: Miami's 17 turnovers to Portland's 12; Miami's 7 offensive rebounds to Portland's 12. Miami played at a high level for a long time, but not high enough and not long enough. The Blazers were and are a better team.
And an interesting take:
It's apparent that Shawn Marion's value to the team is in trade, not in uniform.
Wendell Maxey, Two for the road:
Portland played phenomenal to open the game. They put it away late. But somewhere in-between Greg Oden registering his first two points in the NBA in the first quarter and Rudy Fernandez's spinning-jumper in the lane in the fourth, the Blazers nearly tanked it.
Thankfully a Steve Blake corner-three and career-high 25 points for Fernandez saved another road win.
Dwight Jaynes, Rudy-licious:
A nice win Wednesday over an almost tiny, but well-coached Miami team. Man, it's just about impossible to play basketball without a center.
Fernandez was sensational in the fourth, obviously. When this team gets more accustomed to playing together, I think it is going to be tough to handle. Tonight the Blazers probably went to the Brandon Roy spread offense a little too early and the result was stagnation.
When Rudy is sticking it from the outside and there is that size advantage inside, I'd just keep running the regular offense.
Rip City Project is getting used to all the winning. Busts and Buckets from last night's win. And more from Blaze of Love.
And ESPN's David Thorpe on Oden's return (or is it debut?):
Portland rookie Greg Oden looked better, physically, than he did a few weeks ago. I noticed that a few days ago in person, and I still feel that way after seeing him on television.
He is about 7 to 10 pounds lighter. His early energy was good. This guy has some agility, despite being so large and away from the game for so long. In time, that agility will triple in impact on the game. I liked his aggression from the post when the Heat doubled him, twice passing out and getting the pass deflected, only to see him hustle to regain possession.
As the game wore on, his bounce and reaction time suffered. It's important to remember that there is so much going through his mind; defensive responsibilities, awareness to help on finishers (he had two power blocks), block-out duties, etc. As the game slows down for him, he'll clear his head and get back to being a beast on the glass. That's his natural instinct. He may have looked rough in the post Wednesday night, but as he learns what NBA teams will do to stop him, he and his teammates and coaches will come up with strategies to counter those actions.
He is a very cerebral player with a good feel for the game, so I expect that learning curve to be both steep and fast.
