Oct 31st 2008 3:39PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Rockets, Trail Blazers, Warriors, WizardsLamarcus Aldridge isn’t mad at Brandon Roy about the ribs any more, thanks to Travis “Chuck Woolery” Outlaw and .

The Warriors traded for Marcus Williams a few months ago. Apparently he has not impressed, as the team declined to pick up his ultra-cheap 2009-10 option.

Dwyer tries to put Greg Oden’s injuries into perspective.

Yao gets rejected by the rim. (It’s more funny in isolation on YouTube than it was during the game, where it looked like Yao wanted to rip someone’s eyebrows off.)

A little trip down L.A. Stars Lane.

A ‘Zards fan agrees with Bill Simmons that Gilbert Arenas is the new C-Webb.

Oct 30th 2008 2:00PM by Elie Seckbach (author feed)
Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA Videos, Interviews

In this exclusive video, we talk to NBA All-Star Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers about his new and exciting young team. Find out why he thinks he’s lucky to be on such a good team. We also catch up with Channing Frye, Greg Oden (before his most recent injury) and the newcomer, Frenchman Nicolas Batum, who shares with us the one thing people want to know about his homeland.

Watch the video after the jump.Continue Reading

Oct 29th 2008 9:00PM by Nate Jones (author feed)
Filed under: Trail Blazers, NBA InjuriesThe press release just dropped from the Portland Trail Blazers detailing the severity of Greg Oden’s injury. The Blazers say that the injury is a mid-foot avulsion fracture that will hold him out of the line up for the next 2-4 weeks.

This is good news for the Blazers, as the injury could have been much worse. However, the NBA might not be feeling the injury so much, as they had plans to highlight Oden in match ups against Shaquille O’neal, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, and Tim Duncan over the next two weeks. Of course all of those games are nationally televised games, so it is a real blow to the league’s promotional efforts to have Oden out right now.

Despite the promotional harm to the league, this is pretty much good news for the Blazers and their fans. I guess all you Blazer fans thinking about jumping off the ledge of your balcony can now step back in the building.

Oct 29th 2008 4:45AM by Brett Edwards (author feed)
Filed under: Lakers, Trail Blazers, NBA VideosPortland Trail Blazers fans have been waiting a long time for this night, and unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. I’m talking about the NBA debut of the team’s number one (overall) draft pick from a season ago, Greg Oden. The big man missed all of last season with a knee injury, and after waiting an entire season to play in his first game, he lasted just 12 total minutes in the team’s season opener before leaving with a sprained foot.

Oden was scoreless on the night, going 0-4 from the field while looking generally clunky all around. After the game, Blazers’ coach Nate McMillan discussed the injury, and obviously is hoping it’s not too serious.

You can see video of the coach’s comments, after the jump.Continue Reading

Oct 28th 2008 7:52PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Bulls, Celtics, Lakers, Trail BlazersGuessing NBA starting line-ups on a night-to-night basis is a fool’s game, and today is no exception. At least two coaches have made surprise changes of heart heading into the season opening slate.

In Portland, Nate McMillan has been talking up the prospects of giving injured Martell Webster’s starting gig to rookie Frenchman Nicolas Batum. The fellow, a length of rope who whips around the court (sometimes without aim), didn’t impress in the final few Portland exhibition games, though. As such, Travis Outlaw — more of a sure thing — has gotten the late call to start, reports Casey Holdahl of the Blazers.

In Chicago, Kirk Hinrich has been slated as the backcourt mate for rookie PG Derrick Rose. Instead, Vinny Del Negro has named Thabo Sefolosha the starting two-guard. To be honest, I didn’t expect Thabo to be among the top four guards in the Bulls’ rotation this fall, with Rose, Hinrich, Larry Hughes and … um … err … (oh yeah) Ben Gordon (!) filling the spots. Hughes is broken (surprise), Gordon is still (bummer), and here comes the Swiss Mister.

No word on whether Brian Scalabrine will take Paul Pierce’s spot in the 8PM EST game, which you can follow with us here at FanHouse.

Oct 28th 2008 7:00PM by Nate Jones (author feed)
Filed under: Lakers, Trail BlazersThe Blazers and Lakers have a history. Since the 1991 season the two teams have met in the playoffs six times. Two of those times the match up took place in the Western Conference Finals, where the Lakers ripped the hearts out of some of the best teams in Portland Trail Blazer history.

Because of this history, Blazer fans absolutely hate the Lakers. I mean hate the Lakers. Lakers fans don’t like the Blazers that much either, but they’ve spent so much time hating the Celtics, Spurs, and Kings that the Blazers haven’t received that much of their ire.

Well, that all is likely to change this season, as it looks like the Blazers will be competing with the Lakers for Western Conference supremacy for years to come. At the center of that rivalry will be two talented young big men that most feel will dominate the NBA for years to come.Continue Reading

Oct 28th 2008 3:15PM by Nate Jones (author feed)
Filed under: Trail BlazersI have to admit, the Portland Trail Blazers have been looking pretty good this preseason. I can’t say that I am surprised. I mean, their roster is just stacked.

With Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden as their core, the Blazers have a squad that many feel will eventually compete for championships for years to come.

The Blazers rise reminds me a lot of the rise of the Sacramento Kings from earlier in the decade. With a young and entertaining squad, the Kings became the cool team to get behind. I swear, almost every young cat I met in college that wasn’t from L.A. was a Kings fan. Many of them claimed to be lifelong Kings fans, but I somehow highly doubt that. It’s funny, because these days I find it very difficult to locate those same Kings lifers. I wonder why.
Continue Reading

Oct 28th 2008 8:53AM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Nets, Pacers, Pistons, Trail Blazers

MJ always knew Kwame Brown would be pumping gas within 10 years, but this wasn’t quite what he had in mind. (FUNNY VIDEO alert.)
Nate McMillan refers to himself, Greg Oden, Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge as “The Diamond.” That’s not going to inspire humorous retorts from opposition fans over the next decade.In 1999, Michael Curry might have saved the NBA.
Bruce Ratner might be selling a controlling share of the soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets. Can anyone loan me $600 million or so?

With Mike Dunleavy injured, the immediate fate of the Pacers rests on … Marquis Daniels and Brandon Rush.

There are some great illustrations and excerpts available here. Also, the book is incredible. But you don’t need me to tell you that.

Oct 27th 2008 8:59AM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Knicks, Pacers, SuperSonics, Trail Blazers, Warriors

It takes a big man to admit you got dunked on. Greg Oden, today (and, err, every day) you are a big man. Oden tells Casey Holdahl: I rest my case.
The thrilling conclusion of the Every Game Preview.Harvey Araton looks into the life of Isiah Thomas since his April demotion.
A spurned Sonics fan gets off a marvelous rant by letter.

Anthony Randolph spends practice getting revenge for previous practice dunks.

Jermaine O’Neal on the latest incarnation of the Indiana Pacers:

Oct 26th 2008 5:25PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Celtics, Trail Blazers, NBA RumorsColor me unsurprised, but reports like this still grab my eye, no matter the repeated related history: Marc J. Spears of the cites two NBA general managers who say Portland officials are still calling around badmouthing Darius Miles.

As we all know by now, if Miles plays 10 games this season, $9 million of Portland’s 2009-10 cap space goes poof. It could be the difference between the Blazers adding a good free agent this summer or not.

Here is one of Spears’ anonymous GMs:
“He can still play and he also hasn’t played in two years, so you have to understand that he will get better,” one NBA GM said. “Too bad Portland is putting out bad information that he is not a good kid. Anything and everything they can say bad they are. It’s too bad. He’s a nice kid with a bad injury who has fought back. Right now, he’s still an NBA player and he’s going to get better. He’s going to improve. It will be a smart pick-up for someone.”Continue Reading