RTRC: |8-1| Week 3 Results + Week 4 Review

[H00PL0VE]

James Jones leading the Heat in points? If you won then the score is wrong, it says Miami 112-Portland 107

James Jones is a decent enough scorer to get 20. I think he did in the Playoffs against the Hawks. But thanks for pointing out that typo!

[kibaxx7]

James Jones is a decent enough scorer to get 20. I think he did in the Playoffs against the Hawks.

Yeah, I'm not saying he isn't, just saying is strange that Wade isn't first in scoring... Good luck against Orlando, you're gonna need it.

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"Magic Can't Overcome Roy's 24 as Blazers Earn Win"


Turkuglu Fighting His Way to the Rim
104-99
Orlando, Florida | October 22, 2009

This was a pretty slow game from the start with both teams struggling to find their offenses. Courtney Lee was Orlando's offense from the early going (And throughout the game) as he scored Orlando's first 7 points of the opening period. Portland looked way out of sync with their offense as they couldn't get their big's going during any point of the game. Luckily for them, they have a guy named Josh Smith who can score off the bench and a point guard named Devin Harris who played perfect.

First we'll start with Harris, Devin Harris had a double double night with 14 points on 6 of 9 shooting including a 2 for 4 night from behind the arc. And you can also add 10 assists to that mix. We should've known that this would come as Harris already had 5 to end the 1st quarter. Harris also had 4 rebounds and 2 steals.

Josh Smith provided the spark that Portland needed when Aldridge, Oden and Frye were all struggling. Smith added 22 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block. "It looked like my team needed me," Smith said, "I just came in and helped em out. I felt good with my shots out there although they were't great ones. Most of them did help me get to the line." Josh Smith went to the line 12 times but only made 6 of 12 attempts.

Brandon Roy struggled early but ended the game with 24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 blocked shot.

For Orlando, they looked to play without their star forward, Rashard Lewis who is out for 25 days with a broken wrist. But Orlando did see 3 players get double-doubles! First, Jameer Nelson had 14 points and 10 assists just like his counter-part, Devin Harris. Dwight Howard racked up 12 points and 11 rebounds, and almost had a triple double with 8 assists. And one of the most unsuspecting player's to get a double-double, Michael Olowokandi had a career best 13 points and 15 rebounds!

The Magic, however, were riding the offense of Courtney Lee who seemed to hit every shot available to him. "It felt like everytime I shot the ball, I knew that it had a good chance of going in," Lee said after the game.

What really decided the fate for the Magic's was their turnover's as they committed 20 versus the Blazers' 15. Now 4-1, the Portland Trail Blazers will look to head into Cleveland in the same arena they got their first preseason win in.

NBA League Pass

WAS 98 | UTA 114 MIN 77 | CHI 74 PHX 122 | SEA 88
DEN 91 | LAL 111 GS 97 | LAC 100 HOU 76 | NY 69
POR 104 | ORL 99 MIL 112 | CHA 94 IND 80 | PHI 70

Portland Trail Blazers

RECORD: 4-1
DIVISION: 1ST
CONFERENCE: 3RD
STREAK: WON 2
CHEMISTRY: 85%
CAP ROOM: $2.54M

PREVIOUS GAME: October 16, 2009: Miami Heat (1-3) @ Portland Trail Blazers (4-1) [W: 107-112]
NEXT GAME: October 24, 2009: Portland Trail Blazers (4-1) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (2-3)

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"Blazer's Take Control Late, Surge Past Cavaliers"


LeBron James Distributing the Ball
109-101
Cleveland, Ohio | October 24, 2009

With this being one of the last two games before the preseason is over, the Portland Trail Blazers made sure they ended their preseason with wins. Despite being down way early in the game as Cleveland went on two 15-5 spurts, the Blazers, led by Rudy Fernandez, still managed to come out of Cleveland with a win... again.

Rudy Fernandez was simply lights out from behind the arc. He led all scorers with 20 points in which 6 of 11 of those came from behind the arc! Rudy was the teams true hero of this game as he just had everything clicking on offense for Portland, which shows why this team is so dangerous because anybody can go up for 20 on any given night.

"I wasn't even counting how many three pointers I was making," Fernandez stated after the game, "I just knew that Roy and everybody else needed more support so that's what I did, I gave them support."

Brandon Roy had 17 points and Devin Harris had 12 points to go with 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Josh Smith had 12 points off the bench to go with 3 steals and 2 blocks. Aldridge struggled yet again as he just could not seem to find any rhythym. He finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

Jarryd Bayless added 11 points and 7 assists.

Portland, as a team, shot a whopping 69% from behind the three point arc.

For Cleveland, everything was going the Cav's way. They had calls going there way that were questionable and it looked as if they were never going to miss a shot they attempted. LeBron James was frustrated the entire game as he could not get a steady pace going. He ended the game with 18 points and 10 rebounds, giving him a double double on the night.

"They just out performed us when it mattered most," said James as he refers to the final minutes if play in the 4th, "Fernandez could not be stopped and I think he was the real reason why they won and we loss. We just couldn't find the right guy to keep him under lock."

Daniel Gibson conributed with 17 points and 6 assists. Wally Szcerbiak had 16 points and Sasha Pavlovic, who was on a shooting spree in the 1st half had 14 points.

Mo Williams was the quiet starter in this game. Williams scored no points and only racked up 4 points on the night. Despite Cleveland grabbing 18 offensive boards, they were only able to convert 10 of those which I think really killed them in the end.

NBA League Pass

CHI 111 | MIN 97 BOS 104 | NJ 77 SA 119 | MEM 104
POR 109 | CLE 101

Portland Trail Blazers

RECORD: 5-1
DIVISION: 1ST
CONFERENCE: T-2ND
STREAK: WON 3
CHEMISTRY: 85%
CAP ROOM: $2.54M

PREVIOUS GAME: October 22, 2009: Portland Trail Blazers (5-1) @ Orlando Magic (1-3) [W: 104-99]
NEXT GAME: October 25, 2009: Portland Trail Blazers (5-1) @ Toronto Raptors (3-2) [Last meeting: L 100-89]

[kibaxx7]

Good job man, you're on fire Good luck against the Raps.

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"Bargnani's 19 Lead Raptors Past Blazer's"


Bosh with a monster slam in the 3rd.
81-84
Toronto, Canada | October 25, 2009

This wasn't exactly the idea Portland had when it came to getting revenge on the Raptors who handed them their only loss of the preseason. No words could really describe how Portland played for most of the game. Well one word comes to mind- inconsistent. The Blazers just looked like a pick-up team as all they really did was jack up shots that weren't even a high percentage. The Raptors made this one look easy from the start.

This game showed only two Portland Trail Blazers score in double digits, the lowest so far. Brandon Roy had 18 points on a 8 of 22 night and Devin Harris had 12 points on a 4 of 13 night. "We were all trying too hard to score," Brandon Roy said, "We were forcing shots up that just didn't even have a chance and we paid for it. We were sloppy and Toronto just outshot us period."

Roy and Harris combined for 10 steals on the night.

Lamarcus Aldridge continued his slump with only 9 points and 3 rebounds and Jarryd Bayless added 9 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists.

For Toronto, this was deja-vu all over again. Great scoring from everyone. Chris Bosh played very well this time around with 19 points and 14 rebounds while Andrea Bargnani scored 19 of his own to go with 12 rebounds and 2 steals. "Everything was just clicking for us," Chris Bosh stated after the game, "We felt confident in every shot we threw up and to our amazement, a lot of them went in." By that of course Bosh means the 50% shooting night that they had as a team.

Anthony Parker added 18 points and 6 assists to the cause and Jason Kapono added 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Ending the preseason with a 5-2 record, the Portland Trail Blazers will look to head into the regular season with a new attitude and possibly a much cleaner game style then their last two games.

NBA League Pass

DAL 83 | MIN 93 MIA 97 | SEA 87 DET 102 | PHX 101
LAC 94 | DEN 93 ORL 85 | MIL 74 HOU 81 | NO 83
POR 81 | TOR 84

Portland Trail Blazers

RECORD: 5-2
DIVISION: 1ST
CONFERENCE: T-2ND
STREAK: LOST 1
CHEMISTRY: 85%
CAP ROOM: $2.54M

PREVIOUS GAME: October 24, 2009: Portland Trail Blazers (5-2) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (3-4) [W: 109-101]
NEXT GAME:

[Mandich]

Good thing you got going here man, keep it up

[H00PL0VE]

Good thing you got going here man, keep it up

Thanks a lot man. IDK why the Raptors are giving me so much trouble lol.

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RETURN TO RIP CITY: A PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS ASSOCIATION


Brandon Roy & Lamarcus Aldridge Geared for the New Season.

After posting a 5-2 record in the Preseason, with two losses to the same team (Toronto Raptors), the Portland Trail Blazers are looking like a team ready to compete for a higher playoff berth this season. Though Brandon Roy is the leader of the bunch, this Preseason showed just how well this whole team can score together. Brandon Roy leads the team with 17.3 PPG, followed by Jarryd Bayless and Devin Harris with 15.3, Lamarcus Aldridge with 14.0 and Josh Smith with 13.9.

Speaking of Smith, Josh Smith also leads the team with 2.1 blocks as he looks to have another great defensive season for his new team Blazers.

With so many changes occurring within the roster, what with the Devin Harris, Josh Smith and Travis Outlaw deals, many speculated as to how new head coach HoopLove would rise to this occasion. Well, no need to ask anymore because HoopLove has shown that he is more than capable of leading such a young group even after they have been moved around.

This will be a big year for HoopLove. He has a total of 9 players whose contracts expire after this year (Roy, Aldridge and Oden included) so the Blazer's will need to make a deep run into the playoffs if HoopLove expects the same bunch next season.

"HoopLove is our guy. He's the guy we've been looking for to turn this team around guide them down the right path towards success in this league," GM Kevin Pritchard stated in a Preseason Wrap-Up news conference. "I have a good feeling that the city of Portland will be a site to where the NBA Finals will be played... REAL SOON."

If that's the case, then Rip City will be in for a big surprise considering the Blazers haven't seen the Finals come to Portland since the 1992 season when Clyde Drexler led the team but failed to win more than 1 game against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

One thing is for certain, however, if Kevin Pritchard thinks HoopLove is "the Guy," then in all seriousness... he MUST be, "the Guy." I mean the Portland fans and the team themselves have already taken a liking to him and they think that under his guidance, they can make some noise in the West. Whenever that it is questionable, right now it's about the 2009-2010 season going underway and with Portland opening up their season in Minnesota I guess we'll just have to wait and see how much noise they can really make.

[H00PL0VE]

Hey guys just a quick preview of how I will be playing these games.

I will be selecting one game to play each week while I sim the rest, that way the season will go by much faster and I could possibly get a few seasons in.

I will be asking my viewers to decide what games they would want me to play and report on and if I dont get a response then I'll just simply pick a game myself.

That's pretty much it for now, if theres anything else, i'll be sure to let you all know.

LETS GO PORTLAND!!!!

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North West Division Preview



The Northwest Division of the Western Conference offers three teams that are fairly evenly matched and competitive—the Denver Nuggets, Portland Blazers and Utah Jazz. The bottom of the heap includes the Minnesota Wolves and Seattle Super Sonics.

The Portland Blazers will use the talented Greg Oden off the bench. He’s a seven-footer with a big reach but the team shows how weel they perform better with Pryzbilla as the starter. He should be an effective defender in his second NBA season. Look for the Blazers to exploit their outside game by utilizing shooting guard Brandon Roy. Roy can hit from anywhere on the court. Rookie head coach, HoopLove has some talent with which to work.

With Carmelo Anthony at small forward and Chauncy Billups at point guard, the Nuggets are well situated to be a contender in the Northwest. Center Nene Hilario could be the key player in the mix. He’s a fine scorer and an excellent defender. George Karl, in his 21st year as a NBA coach, is smart and cagey. Denver has a sound bench and depth. They will battle the Blazers and Jazz for the top spot in the division.

Utah’s Carlos Boozer plays power forward with intensity. He’s a capable double-double guy. Four-year man Deron Williams is an excellent point guard. Williams is a tough defender, fine play maker and excellent shooter. He’s the key component on this team. Head coach Jerry Sloan, who has been around for over 20 years, has over 1,000 wins. He’s been with the Jazz since 1989.

The Minnesota Wolves feature center Al Jefferson. Jefferson will need to be the glue on this team on both ends of the court. The other major force on the club is point guard Randy Foye. Foye is a better shooter than passer. As he starts his second year in the NBA, he’ll need to expand his skill set, especially in terms of setting up plays. After years as the Wolves’ GM, Kevin McHale is now coaching the club. In his first season, which was last year, he won 31 games. The Wolves should notch eight to ten more victories than they did last season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were in Seattle last year. Then they went to Oklahoma City and back to Seattle. In the juggle, they brought along the immensely talented small forward Kevin Durant and power forward Nick Collison. That’s the major star power for this team. Scott Brooks coaches the Thunder; it’s his first stint as a NBA coach.

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Pacific Division Preview



The NBA Pacific Division offers one true contender—the Los Angeles Lakers. The Phoenix Suns have some potential but their age is really showing. The rest of the division, the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, are all too understaffed to even come close to a playoff berth.

The Los Angeles Lakers put five talented starters on the court and offer a solid bench. Now in his 13th year, shooting guard Kobe Bryant simply seems to get better and better as time goes on. Power forward Pau Gasol, center D.J. Mbenga and small forward Trevor Ariza make up one of the best frontcourts in the league. Coach Phil Jackson, now in his 19th NBA season, is an excellent motivator and strategist.

The Suns roster two hall of fame players—point guard Steve Nash and center Shaquille O’Neal. Nash has lost a step or two but he is still one of the best assist men in the league. O’Neal is prone to injury and fatigue. Power forward Amare Stoudemire is rough and tough under the boards. As head coach, Terry Potter brings two years of experience with the Bucks to the Suns.

The Warriors of Golden State will put a quality player on the court when eight-year vet Stephen Jackson returns. The small forward has a nice scoring stroke and possesses the ability to find the open man. Don Nelson, a NBA icon, starts his 31st year as a NBA coach. He has a lot of mentoring and rebuilding to do.

Look for the Los Angeles Clippers to be led by power forward Zach Randolph. He’s a fine point scorer. Center Marcus Camby is a true double-double guy. At the point, Baron Davis offers some impressive skills. The Clippers are good overall but they lack depth. In five prior seasons with the Clippers, coach Mike Dunleavy has gotten them to above .500 just once.

The Sacramento Kings will be at the bottom of the Pacific Division. That’s the truth. You can’t expect much from this team that is thin in just about every area. Shooting guard Kevin Martin will put points on the board by hitting from downtown. This club has little defense, and that will be a major problem. Coach Reggie Theus is in his third year with the club. He can make things happen.

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South West Division Preview



The Southwest Division of the Western Conference is the home of the always-dangerous San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs tend to win a NBA title every other year or so. Watch out for them in 2009- 2010. Three other teams, the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets and Dallas Mavericks, could certainly be in the post-season, making the Memphis Grizzlies the odd man out in this division.

San Antonio is coached by 14-year vet Gregg Popovich, who has had only one losing season with the Spurs. That was his first. How could this team not be good with the likes of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on the court every night. Duncan is a major double-double threat and Parker and Ginobili make-up one of the best backcourts in the league.

So much of New Orleans success depends upon Chris Paul at point guard and Tyson Chandler at center. Paul is a dynamo who is apt to give you a double-double on points and assists any given night. Peja Stojakovic offers some solid scoring too but you’d like to see more depth and “D” on this club. Head coach Byron Scott, who has been with the team since 2005, seems to have found his stride with the Hornets.

Yao Ming is back with the Houston Rockets, and as long as he stays healthy, he’ll continue to be an important force on the court. Ron Artest needs to have a solid year as does Tracy McGrady. Point guard Rafer Alston has good hands on offense and defense. In 17 NBA seasons as a head coach, Rick Adelman has over 1,300 victories. He’ll get a bunch more this season.

The Dallas Mavericks have come close to winning it all recently but have been unable to capture the big prize. Jason Kidd is still darn good, but he’s also getting darn old and Dirk Nowitzki, who is now 30, has proven to be more of an asset in the regular-season than in the playoffs. Rick Carlisle, who coached the Pacers for five seasons and the Pistons for two, is the 2nd year helmsman for the Mavs. He’s a solid basketball guy.

The Memphis Grizzlies have some talent but not enough and their bench is weak. Rookie O.J. Mayo, at shooting guard, may be the best player on this club. But he’s certainly inexperienced. Center Marc Gasol, also a first-year guy, also has a lot of potential. Young point guard Kyle Lowry is good but needs to show marked improvement in his fourth season.

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Atlantic Division Preview



The NBA Champs from last season, the Boston Celtics, look good again. The Atlantic Division is still the weakest in the Eastern Conference with only two or three teams possessing the right stuff to make it into the post-season. Here’s what the Atlantic Division looks like in 2009- 2010.

The Boston Celtics are favored to repeat again as division champs. The team’s big three of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are simply a potent triumvirate. Point guard Rajon Rondo proved to be solid last season. Although some excellent bench guys are gone, the Celtics still have one of the best groups of replacements in the league. Doc Rivers is a steady and fundamentally sound coach.

The Philadelphia 76ers could be a contender this season. Shooting guard Andre Iguodala is a point maker while inside Elton Brand offers rebounding and a fine shooting hand. Iguodala also has quick and sure hands, making him a fine ball stealer. Point guard Andre Miller, a ten-year vet, holds the backcourt together. The bench is decent.

In transition, the New Jersey Nets will have a tough time making a playoff appearance. If they do get into the post-season, it will most likely be in the final spot. Coach Lawrence Frank, now in his seventh season, has his work cut out for him. Shooting guard Vince Carter is the hallmark player on this team, but the aging Carter will have to stay healthy.

New York Knicks new head coach Mike D’Antoni, inherits a team that has been troubled for years. Larry Brown couldn’t make it happen in New York and Isiah Thomas was also totally ineffective in manning the helm. Power forward Al Harrington is a solid shooter and a good rebounder. In the backcourt, Chris Duhon is a fine assist man and decent defender. The bench is weak and there’s not enough talent in the starting five to make a difference.

Power forward Chris Bosh, now in his sixth NBA year, is the best player on the Toronto Raptors. On “D,” Anthony Parker, the club’s shooting guard, offers decent play. But second-year head coach Jay Triano will be hard-pressed to get this team to 20 wins.

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Central Division Preview



The NBA Central is looking good with some hot teams that have playoff potential. You’ve got to consider that the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks all have a chance of appearing in the post-season. However, the once proud Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers will struggle to get to .500.

The Pistons may be aging but they are still good. Shooting guard Allen Iverson, power forward Antonio McDyess and center Rasheed Wallace are all quality players. Shooting guard Richard Hamilton is a tough competitor, while small forward Tayshaun Prince offers balanced play upfront. Head coach Michael Curry is in his second year.

LeBron James is simply one of the best players in the league and the Cleveland Cavaliers have him. James can shoot, dish off and rebound. The problem for the Cavs will be if they rely on James too much. He is a one-man team but one-man teams don’t win NBA titles. Veteran power forward Ben Wallace isn’t in the game for his offensive prowess. He’s the club’s primary defender. Head coach Mike Brown has won 45 or more games in each of his four seasons. He’ll do the same again this year. Look for 50 or more wins.

The Milwaukee Bucks could be playoff bound. Then again, they may find it hard to win 50% of their games. Still, if they earn 38 or 40 wins, they could make it into the second season. Shooting guard Michael Redd has an accurate stroke. Upfront, small forward Richard Jefferson is an able defender and shooter. New head coach Scott Skiles, late of the Chicago Bulls, starts his tenth year in the NBA.

The Chicago Bulls need a bench and a few more starters to contend for a playoff spot. Ben Gordon at shooting guard can score from inside and out. Second year point guard Derrick Rose brings good hands and a nice stroke to the court. Drew Gooden is a force to be reckoned with in the frontcourt. This will be a big year for second-time NBA head coach Vinny Del Negro.

Over the past few years, the Indiana Pacers have had their troubles both on and off the court. Fifth-year point guard T.J. Ford is a fine set-up man, while small forward Danny Granger, in his fourth season, is a total player. This is a young team that, in a few years, could be at the top of their game. Head coach Jim O’Brien, who is a solid basketball man, starts his third-season with the Pacers.

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South East Division Preview Division Preview



The NBA Eastern Conference’s Southeast Division features three clubs that could certainly be in the playoffs after the 2009- 2010 regular season. The Orlando Magic may be the best team in the division. The Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks both show potential. The Washington Wizards will most likely watch the post-season on TV and the Charlotte Bobcats will probably do the same.

The Magic are led by center Dwight Howard. Howard is simply one of the best players in the league, capable of notching a double-double any night. Jameer Nelson, who like Howard is in his fifth NBA season, has excellent court vision and a fine shooting hand. Coach Stan Van Gundy, now in his third year with the team, coached the Miami Heat for three years. He knows his stuff.

Perhaps the best thing the Miami Heat did last season was to cut Shaquille O’Neal loose. They still have some great star power, including Dwayne Wade, Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem. Wade can do just about anything he wants on the court while Beasley offers sound rebounding and a good shot. Erik Spoelstra, in his second year as a coach, will try to manage the wealth of talent on this team.

Atlanta’s shooting guard Joe Jefferson can certainly hit from outside. Center Al Horford is a good defender who can shoot from inside. The Hawks lost their young star, Josh Smith to Portland. In his sixth year as an NBA coach and with the Hawks, head coach Mike Woodson has brought this team along slowly over the past half-decade.

The Wizards and Bobcats look to bring up the rear of the Southeast Division. Washington will rely on power forward Antawn Jamison, an eleven-year vet, to lead the club. Jamison is a solid player, but he can’t carry a team, which means that the Wizards will find it difficult to win enough games to get into the playoffs. Second-year head coach Ed Tapscott may not win 20 games this season.

The Charlotte Bobcats, who will be coached this year by 26-year veteran Larry Brown, still need some major components. Center Emeka Okafor is a work-in-progress. Still, he’s capable of a double-double at any time. Point guard Raymond Felton is gone. This is a young team that possesses some talent. The team’s bench is thin.

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*Week 1*

Game #1

0-0 @ 0-0
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10/29/09 Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Primary Shooter- Al Jefferson
Secondary Shooter- Mike Miller
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*Teams Strengths/Weaknesses will be based on a Frontcourt-Backcourt Rating depending on teams starters and bench positions*
Strengths- Frontcourt
Weaknesses- Backcourt
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Coaches Strategy- Though the Timberwolves don't have a lot to make a playoff run, they have enough to get the job done on a lot of teams. We could be one of them if we let their frontcourt have their way with us. Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Ryan Gomes and Rodney Carney all can make an impact. Let's not forget about Corey Brewer and their new center, rookie, Stefan Hoffmann who is a known threat in the post. If we can get our defense going and offense attacking the paint, we can get a lot of those big guys in foul trouble.

We must also protect the 3 point line. Mike Miller is a straight gunner from beyond that point and Randy Foye is no joke either. I want to give em space around the 3 but not too much space because our guards have a knack for fouling jump shooters and we simply can't afford that this season.

Overall, we need to attack the paint and defend the three.
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Premiere Matchup- Lamarcus Aldridge VS. Al Jefferson
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Game #2

0-0 @ 0-0
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10/31/09 Vs. Sacramento Kings

Primary Shooter- Kevin Martin
Secondary Shooter- Andres Nocioni
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*Teams Strengths/Weaknesses will be based on a Frontcourt-Backcourt Rating depending on teams starters and bench positions*
Strengths- Backcourt
Weaknesses- Frontcourt
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Coaches Strategy- The Kings have been the sleeper's of the league for quite sometime now and this season still doesn't look to be any better. Kevin Martin will be our main focus seeing as he was the team's leading scorer last season. Martin is a tall guard with an unorthodox shot that can go in almost every time. If we can ice him early, that can most surely put the entire team in panic mode. Andres Nocioni isn't a bad scorer either. However, I think the combo of Josh Smith and Nicolas Batum can shut him down for 4 periods of play.

The Kings front court is where I think we can exploit them the most. There best player at the 4 position is Jason Thompson who hasn't exactly been polished yet and behind him they have a bunch of players who simply won't be able to handle Frye and Aldridge. At center, Spencer Hawes is the only guy who can really play down low so we'll have to pay special attention to him. There rookie, Arthur Forte (SF) is a polished shooter and defender so we must be smart when playing him.

Overall, the gameplan is as follows: Pound the middle and defend against those jumpshot's.
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Premiere Matchup- Brandon Roy VS. Kevin Martin
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Projected Week Result- (2-0)

[kibaxx7]

Very deep analysis, I like it. Props to you man Good luck against Wolves and Kings... check my association later if you have time.

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2009-2010 Depth Chart





Point Guards: The Trail Blazers are pretty deep at this position. Devin Harris will lead this bunch due to his experience and his pass-first mentality. Harris averaged 15.3 points and 6.3 assists in the preseason where he had a couple of 10 assists nights. That will be his primary role on this team. Should any of the other star players look to be in a funk, Harris can quickly switch pace and become a deadly scorer as well. Behind him will be 2 year man, Jarryd Bayless. Bayless is a shoot first guard who averaged 15.3 points in the preseason.

The team is working with him so he can become a pass-first guard as well but until that day comes, he will relieving Harris off the bench.

Shooting Guards: Brandon Roy is the leader of this team hand's down. Despite averaging 17 points in the preseason, Roy has showd that he can explode for 25+ points on any given night. Roy also avergaed 5.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. Roy is the one guy who will be getting a majority of the touches and scoring the majority of the points so Portland will be expecting a lot from him.

Of course, after trading off Martell Webster, the rise of Rudy Fernandez is now greater then before. He is expected to come off the bench and score- simply put. Fernandez as the athleticism and the wits to score with the best of them and he will be a valuable asset off the bench for Portland.

Small Forwards: After trying Josh Smith with the starting unit, head coach HoopLove, has decided to switch it back up and use Nicolas Batum in the starting rotation. Batum, who is known for his lengthy arms, his defense and his quickness will be one of the team's best lock down perimeter defender. He won't get a lot of touches offensively but don't count him out because the kid can fly.

Josh Smith is the complete package. He did not seem to be bothered when told he will be the team's 6th man. Smith averaged 13/9 points and 6.2 rebounds game while leading the team in blocks and steals per game. No doubt in my mind that Smith will be the vocal point of the Blazers 2nd unit.

Power Forwards: The rise of the young Lamarcus Aldridge couldn't of came at a better time. The team really looks promising and HoopLove has Aldridge playing at the top of his game. Aldridge avergaed 14.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game but could easily be a double double guy. The 6'11" forward will look to lead one of the NBA's most youngest frontcourts along side Greg Oden.

Channing Frye is listed as a center but with the hopes of Greg Oden transforming into a monster threat down low and the consistency that Pryzbilas has given the team, Hooplove has moved him to the forward spot which he shares with Ike Diogu. Either way Portland can't go wrong as that position but it looks as if HoopLove loves playing the tall and lanky players at small positions.

Center: Many speculated that Oden would easily take this starting job after last season. However, it's hard to put Oden in a line-up that already has 2 scorers that they must feed. So Pryzbila will be taking the starting job seeing as the team plays much better without having to worry much about giving Oden a good amount of touches.

The 7'0" behemoth will be coming off the bench to help Josh Smith with the 2nd unit. Oden can do just a bout anything in the floor. It will be tough for defenders to play him because he is so strong and can get himself to the rim or to the line. Oden averaged 9.6 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in the preseason so it'll be interestign to see what kind of stats he can compile this year.

[H00PL0VE]

RETURN TO RIP CITY: A PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS ASSOCIATION

"Timberwolve's Late Comeback Not Enough to Put Away Blazer's"


Lamarcus Aldridge fighting Al Jefferson in the post.
@

BOX SCORE
POR || 22 || 29 || 17 || 17 || 85
MIN || 21 || 15 || 15 || 25 || 76
Minnesota, Minneapolis | October 29, 2009

A very slow start for Portland. Despite getting the win, the Blazer's were playing very sloppy. Minnesota did what they could but in the end, the better team won. A couple of players weren't exactly performing up ot their potential in this game. Brandon Roy and Lamarcus Aldridge both struggled with their shots the entire game whereas, the Timberwolves were struggling to find a shooter period. In the end, it was the Blazer's defense that held ground as the Timberwolves were making a comeback in the 4th.

Brandon Roy ended the game with 22 points shooting a bad 7 of 24 from the field. "My shot's just wasn't sinking," Roy said after the game. "Luckily my teammates had theirs going so it really helped us a lot." Roy also added shooting 7 points from the free throw line where he shot 7 of 11. Brandon Roy also added 5 rebounds and 4 steals to his statline.

Devin Harris was the only consistent shooter on the team tonight. Harris ended the game with 19 points shooting 7 of 11 from the field and added 3 rebounds and 5 assists on the night. Smith added 18 points and 7 rebounds as he shot 4 of 11 and 10 of 11 from behing the charity line. Lamarcus Aldridge continued his struggles as he ended the game with 6 points and 4 rebounds.

Joel Pryzbilla and Greg Oden combined for 18 rebounds.

For the Timberwolves, it was Ryan Gomes who provided most of the points with 18, shooting 5 of 8 including 3 three-pointers. Randy Foye found himself with a double double night as he had 12 points and 10 assists.

"I was just seeing the floor and my team," Randy stated, "I knew who I was passing the ball to and where they felt most comfortable shooting it, and I just gave it to them at the right time." Also in the mix, Mike Miller provided some scoring with 10 points of his own.

Al Jefferson was held to a bare 8 points and 8 rebounds and the rookie center, Stefan Hoffman was held to just 4 points. Gerald Green provided 6 points and 10 rebounds.

Portland Trail Blazers

RECORD: 2-0
DIVISION: T-1st
CONFERENCE: T-1st
STREAK: Win 2
CHEMISTRY: 81%
CAP ROOM: $2.54M

OTHER GAMES:
October 31, 2009: Portland Trail Blazers (1-0) @ Sacramento Kings (0-1) [W: 94-76]

[H00PL0VE]

RETURN TO RIP CITY: A PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS ASSOCIATION

*Week 2*

Game #1

2-0 @ 2-0
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11/01/09 Vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Primary Shooter- Kobe Bryant
Secondary Shooter- Pau Gasol
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*Teams Strengths/Weaknesses will be based on a Frontcourt-Backcourt Rating depending on teams starters and bench positions*
Strengths- Toss-up
Weaknesses- Toss-up
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Coaches Strategy- Nothing needs to be said of the Los Angeles Lakers. They are being led by perhaps, one of the best players to ever play the game in Kobe Bryant. The Lakers are deep in a lot of positions. The Laker's have always had a tough time winning in Portland so it'll be interesting to see the outcome of this game. We know that this was one of the early talks of the NBA schedules so hopefully this can live to hype.

In order to stop Kobe, Roy will need to be aggressive and tire Kobe out. If successful, it can turn the scoring machine into a passer and force everybody else to make shots. Pau Gasol will be defended by Aldridge and Gasol does have a slight height advantage but Lamarcus does have the wits to outplay Gasol in the post. The good thing here is that Aldridge can also defend out of the post.

The Lakers are stock full of atheltic small forwards: Trevor Ariza, Adam Morrison, Luke Walton and Lamar Odom can all have monster nights, so Josh Smith and Nicolas Batum will all need to be smart and understand who their playing and what they like do to as early as possible before things get out of hand.
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Premiere Matchup- Kobe Bryant VS. Brandon Roy
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Game #2

2-0 @ 2-0
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11/05/09 Vs. Golden State Warriors

Primary Shooter- Monta Ellis
Secondary Shooter- Stephen Jackson
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*Teams Strengths/Weaknesses will be based on a Frontcourt-Backcourt Rating depending on teams starters and bench positions*
Strengths- Backcourt
Weaknesses- Frontcourt
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Coaches Strategy- The run n gun Warriors will be led by the NBA's leading scorer last year in Monta Ellis. Ellis led with 30 points per contest and is looking to do so again this year. Devin Harris and Jarryd Bayless will have their hands full with Monta who is a score first point guard. If they can find a way to interrupt his shot's or at least give him a low percentage shot, then that could force the team's secondary shooter to make plays.

Problem is, Stephen Jackson is the secondary scorer. Jackson can rebound, can assist and can score at will. When he's hot, he's hot. That's where Brandon Roy needs to be tough. Jackson can take you in the post or spot up, either way he's a deadly weapon to have on the floor.

The problem the Warriors will be having is when Greg Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye start going to work in the paint. If one of them can have a good day in the paint then that could very much set the tone the rest of the way. I expect Oden to have a much better game as he's bigger and stronger than the Warriors' frontcourt.
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Premiere Matchup- Lamarcus Aldridge VS. Monta Ellis
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Game #3

1-0 @ 2-0
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11/07/09 Vs. Houston Rockets

Primary Shooter- Yao Ming
Secondary Shooter- Tracey McGrady
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*Teams Strengths/Weaknesses will be based on a Frontcourt-Backcourt Rating depending on teams starters and bench positions*
Strengths- Frontcourt
Weaknesses- Backcourt
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Coaches Strategy- The Rocket'smade an early exit last year in the playoffs and they're looking to start fresh this year. Now with a healthy Mcgrady and Yao Ming, the Rocket's could very much accomplish that. For Portland, Yao Ming will be the key to stopping the Rockets. A lot of the plays will be ran through Yao Ming and Yao can either play you in the post, spot up for a jump shot or dish off after getting double teamed. I doubt the Blazers will double team early. They tend to wait for the 4 or the 5 to get hot before they double team.

Hopefully when they do it, it's not too late.

T-Mac will need to really get his head in the game. He's been lagging as of late and there are a lot of talk of him possibly being traded. But those are just rumors. McGrady will need a 2002-2003 season where he was simply unstoppable and avergaed 32.1 points. The Rocket's have been waiting for that McGrady to show up for a long time. Last year McGrady averaged almost half of what he averaged in 2003.

Artest will be the wild-card. he only avergaed 10 points last year but is known to spark up on any night. I do expect a physical match-up between Artest and Josh Smith. Overall, if the Blazer's plan on winning this one, they must defend the paint and attack Yao Ming to try and get him into early foul trouble.
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Premiere Matchup- Yao Ming VS. Brandon Roy
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Projected Week Result- (1-2)

[adsefhr]

cool articles out there.


go for the Lakers.

[Fresh8]

I liked your division by division previews! Good work man!

[Martti.]

Your roster is over spilling with talent. Great start so far!

[kibaxx7]

Good luck in the week man.