Jan 132010
Tonight brought an unfamiliar sight for the current group of Blazers: a blowout win that was never really in question. The Blazers took care of business against Milwaukee with a 120 – 108 victory – a final score that doesn’t clearly represent how dominant the Blazers were in this game. The Bucks were undermanned themselves, having recently lost star-guard Michael Redd with a season-ending knee injury, and looked unfocused an aimless for a majority of the game.
- It’s good to see Rudy back in action, if for no other reason than seeing an image of Portland’s healthy past return to the court. While he was limited to just 15 minutes and was largely ineffective, he should provide a much-needed scoring punch off of the bench once he’s regained he gets his legs back and finds his rhythm. It should also mean a reduction in Martell Webster’s minutes, who’s been run ragged lately with most of the other wing players sidelined. Hopefully this results in more consistent, sustainable play for the Blazers as a whole.
- The Blazers were on fire in the first half, but as hot as they were, the Bucks equally horrendous. They had nine turnovers in the first half, several from lackadaisical passes and backcourt blunders. It seems as though the Bucks’ offense tonight consisted of shooting three-pointers and hoping Andrew Bogut gets the rebound. The Bucks are at their best when milking the Brandon Jennings pick and roll, and making Bogut a point of emphasis in the post – both of which were glaringly absent tonight.
- It was nice to see Brandon Roy assert himself early tonight. He had 12 points in the opening period, and seemed as he was trying to establish Portland as the aggressor from the tip. Too often we see Roy defer to his teammates in the first quarter, so this was a nice change of pace. He ended with a highly efficient 22 points on 7 of 10 shooting in just 27 minutes of play.
- Jeff Pendergraph continued to prove his value to this team, and had a few very memorable moments. Most notably, he had two emphatic blocks on the defensive end. The kind where the ball is swatted so far away that it seemed unneccessary. Unnecessary as it may be, it sure is fun to watch. He also hit a nice 15-footer from the charity stripe. Good form, good spin on the ball…it all looked smooth. Could Pendergraph one day develop a solid mid-range game to go with his bang-and-bruise style of play?
- Lastly, have you noticed the crazy guy who sits (or stands, rather) behind the hoop, and just goes all sorts of crazy during Blazers opponent free-throws? I’ve noticed him since the opening game this year. The most entertaining part is how he often looks truly disappointed or defeated when the opponents do make their free throws – as if he didn’t do his job. Well, apparently he has really taken his role to heart, as tonight’s broadcast featured a telling close up of him. What was he wearing? A “The Free Throw Guy” T-shirt. Where can I get one?