--Injured center Greg Oden, recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee, was playing pickup basketball with friends as a local fitness center. Coach Nate McMillan made it clear to Oden that the team was displeased with his decision.
"We called him and we told him he can't do that," McMillan said. "He's got too much value... I don't think he thought he was doing anything wrong, and I'm sure he was trying to protect himself. But he just can't do that." --The Blazers have been inconsistent with their three-point shooting, but they were nine of 16 against Golden State. After a slow start, the Warriors were effective there, too, making 11 of 24 from beyond the stripe.
"They've done it all season, and we didn't do a good enough job getting out to defend them (at the three-point line)," coach Nate McMillan said.
--In Brandon Roy's absence, Jarrett Jack started at the shooting guard, going for 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting in 41 minutes. Jack is thankful for the playing time but said it is hard to get in a rhythm when playing both guard positions.
"The dual role I'm playing is still kind of difficult for me," Jack said. "I'll be playing the two, and then the one, and I have trouble getting myself involved if the ball's not in my hands. I just have to find ways to do something positive when I don't have the ball. It's new for me. I'm trying to learn as the season's going on. It's something I have to work on."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Teams lose stars to injury during the course of a season. That's the nature of the beast. We've seen Martell (Webster) and Travis (Outlaw) and (Jarrett) Jack mature this year, and they're in position to take up the slack whenever the big guy isn't around." -- Blazer forward James Jones, on the loss of injured Brandon Roy.
