Oregon Sports Live

A frigidly cold fourth quarter sealed the Blazers fate in Orlando.

It’s only fitting that a torrid shooting display by soon to be 3-time all-star Brandon Roy pulled the Blazers to victory against the Miami Heat Sunday evening.

The smiles on the faces of the players and coaches told the story.  This was a huge victory for their consciences and morale.  Bigger battles still lie ahead, but the team showed a blueprint for future success.

The story was more than just Roy, but the Blazer leader put on his best Kyra Sedgwick performance (that’s the first and last “Closer” reference on OSL I hope) in the final stanza.

Roy was efficient and dynamic.  His fifth three pointer proved to be the dagger.

Basketball outcomes are often dictated by how the ball caroms off the rim on a given night.  When a shooter is hitting nothing but nylon like Roy did all night, that limits the possibility of errant and untimely bounces.

Dwyane Wade must’ve felt cursed by the rim Gods Sunday.  He had several jumpers rimm in and out late in the game.

The difference for Portland Sunday was effort and energy from Przybilla, Webster, and productive minutes from Andre Miller.  The role players filled their roles adequately,  Lamarcus Aldridge showed up, and Roy closed the deal.

Roy summed up the performance to Mike Barrett well: this is the way the team has to play going forward.

Two more brutal games remain on the current road swing (Mavs and Spurs).

It bears mentioning that Portland has played only 8 games thus far without Greg Oden.

It sure feels like more than that.

They are 4-4 in those games.  One of those losses the team never really showed up (the Knicks game).  The other 3 (Cavs, Bucks, Magic) the Blazers had chances to win but didn’t capitilize late in the game.  Despite the shaky feeling that some fans understandedly still have, you have to be encouraged by the team’s effort.

If they can play .500 ball (as they’ve done in the past 8 games) the playoffs are still a distinct possibility.  The games will only get tougher and a depleted roster forces fewer bodies to shoulder the scoring load.  As a predominately jump-shooting team Portland is susceptible to scoring droughts and shooting slumps like the fourth quarters against Cleveland and Orlando.

The Blazers rode a hot-shooting Roy to victory Sunday, but the Natural admitted to being tired early in the game so he picked his spots.

The effort is inspiring, but you wonder whether the few Blazers left can keep this type of energy going in February and March.  It’s a long season and games like Sunday’s only illuminate that fact.

What are your biggest concerns about the team right now?  Is the point guard situation still as muddy as it seems to be?  I don’t see the team making any sort of deal with one of its three point guards unless it’s a no-brainer.