Uprise [15-3] :: Most successful? Scrap it

Hell yeah, big game by Rudy. Seems like your team is clicking, if you don't experience any injuries (like the Trail Blazers in RL ) then I think you can make it far with this team. So many scoring threats, decent defense and rebounding, you're having everything I'm missing on my Cats

Thierry's Blog: Blazers roll past Wolves for 5th in a row
TrailBlazers.com | November 9th, 2009

Welcome back to my blog, Blazers fans! Shortly after wrapping up today's practice, I challenged the squad to maintain their recent hot streak by stringing together some wins and get to 10... the streak is now at 5 after we pulled away from the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 99-82 triumph Sunday night at the Rose Garden. We overcame a rough night by some players by sinking four three-pointers in the second quarter and holding everyone not named Al Jefferson in check. Jefferson finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds, but the rest of the Wolves shot below 40 percent. We withstood a late rally in the third. “It was just great focus,” said Rudy. Brandon scored 18 of his 26 points in the second half and added three assists, Greg added 14 points, four rebounds and two blocks, and LaMarcus had 12.

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As I said, Brandon had 26 points in the game to cover for LaMarcus and Rudy, who didn't have really good games. Travis and Lamar racked up 11 points apiece, with the Candyman adding eight rebounds and Trout, six. “We played well tonight,” Brandon said. “They did have some guys who played good. We came out and played a complete game. We're trying to get to that point where we can all play together and get on a role. We're getting closer and closer.” Rudy made only just 1-of-8 shots (an alley-oop, pass by Steve) after scoring 27 against the Spurs. “I just have to watch my silly fouls,” LaMarcus said. “We kept our poise. We had a couple of big leads. They cut it close, but you didn't see us panic. We just came out and everyone played big tonight. We were very, very unselfish and we played with a lot of energy.”

“Every Blazer means a lot to me,” I said to Cheryl Miller. “I want to make sure everyone's healthy and in shape. I just want to see everyone healthy and energized.” I gotta say, we were unaffected by Rudy's low production as Brandon and Greg carried the offense. Meanwhile, the defense continually ran the Timberwolves off the arc. Shooting a league-best 43 percent from 3-point range, Minnesota made only 1 in the first half, in route to a 3-of-8 showing. When I heard Steve and Greg on the news, I couldn't be any more happy: “Coach Tirieux lets us play. With this team, that's a little more to our liking. We can freestyle, and if all else fails, we've got Greg posting up doing his thing. It's been working well all this seven games.” Greg agreed: “Coach Tirieux gives us that ability to just go out and play our game. The ball's moving around and everyone's getting higher percentage shots. We're looking good, and the most important, we have fun on the court.” We lead the league in field goal percentage.

“We just struggled,” Wolves' Jefferson said. “We had wide-open looks, but this just wasn't our night to hit them. They guarded. It was more us missing wide-open shots. We just never got into rhythm from the 3-point line, but once again, we try not to live by that, because you'll die by that.” Greg scored six points in an early fourth-quarter surge, and a layup and 3-pointer by Brandon built the advantage to 15 points with 6:20 minutes to play. A 3-pointer by Wayne Ellington pulled Minnesota within 9 points with 3:05 to go, but LaMarcus tipped in a missed and Brandon dunked to trigger a closing 13-2 burst. Corey Brewer scored 16 points and Kevin Love added 8 and nine rebounds, the only three players (them and Jefferson) shooting above .500% for Kurt Rambis' team. I applauded the team after the game. I'm just really pleased with the squad... they've been so consistent with their approach game in and game out. They moved the ball and they defended well. I'm just really pleased with the whole mental attitude they're showing... with two minutes gone in the fourth, I even told Brandon to grab his warm-up jacket and ease into a spot on the bench. He could have called it a night much sooner... the second half was merely a formality.

Next game: All 82 Portland Trail Blazers games will be broadcast on the Trail Blazers Broadcasting flagship station, 95.5 FM The Game. Brian Wheeler, in his 12th season calling the play-by-play, and analyst Antonio Harvey, in his fifth season, will call the games, home and away. On television, KGW-TV and Comcast SportsNet will air a total of 75 Trail Blazers games with veteran analyst Mike Rice, in his fifth full season on television after spending the previous 15 years on the radio, and Mike Barrett, in his seventh, calling the action. Between KGW, Comcast SportsNet, TNT, ESPN and ABC, all 82 games will be televised for the third year in a row, and the third time in franchise history. In addition, all games will be available in High-Definition. This Tuesday, we play at the FedEx Center against the Memphis Grizzlies (2-5, 13rd in the West). Some key facts:

• We are 34-19 all-time against Memphis: 18-8 at the Rose Garden and 16-11 at the FedEx Center;
• The Blazers swept the Grizzlies last season for the second consecutive year by winning all four series contests in the span of 49 days, from Feb. 18 to April 7. We averaged a 9.5-point margin of victory (94.8-85.3) in the four wins;
• Portland has defeated Memphis in seven straight games in all, Portland’s second-longest current winning streak against any NBA opponent (Minnesota, 9) and tied for its longest winning run against Memphis, all-time. Portland has won the last four series games in the Rose City and five straight contests in Memphis, Portland’s longest current road winning streak against any team;
• Memphis’ 66 points (to Portland’s 86) on March 28, 2009, marked a Trail Blazers opponent season low and the fewest points scored by either team in series history;
• We outrebounded the Grizzlies, 167-125, including a 57-39 edge on the offensive glass, in four meetings last season -- we also earned a 76-42 advantage in second-chance scoring in 2008-09;
• Brandon’s 22.3 points (49.2% FG) and 6.5 assists led all players in the series last year, while LaMarcus averaged 17.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. For Memphis, O.J. Mayo led with 20.8 points (51.4% FG) in four games last season.

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Last edited by kibaxx7 on Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:02 pm, edited 5 times in total.

Nice win. Good to see Rudy playing well also

Thanks man. Your Blazers are looking good too!

Go Rudy! He's the man!

great night for Rudy, nice win

27 points on 10 shots. Nice.

Massive game from Rudy, very efficient!

big game from Fernandez...

A very efficient game from Fernandez. Keep it up. You're on the right track.

He was off the hook

Fantastically efficient game from Rudy. I'm not too good with him in my Warriors association, but I like him. While I look for a team to bandwagon this year with Portland likely out of the running, I'll at least have this to hold me over in the Blazers department. Keep it up.

The Blazers will soon start a streak and end in one of the 4th upper seeds of the West

Yup, Rudy good job, go and win 10 in a row!

craaaazy HOT game for Rudy, but a fluke more than anything else (compare his stats to last his Meh performance last game); still a wins a win - keep the streak alive man!

Will try to win 20 in a row like the Rockets a couple of years ago

Knocking down 7 from 7 out at the perimeter? That's incredibly from Fernandez, he really is an explosive player, definitely somebody who you'd want playing important minutes off the bench scoring well, and that's exactly what the Portland Sim is doing for you. Great write-up as well, the last paragraph of the recap, although adding to the authenticity, might be a waste of time for both you to write and for the reader since it doesn't really add anything of value. Other than that, your write-ups are amazing, and fun to read as well!

I laughed at that Spurs stat as well, 5 points in the first quarter is pathetic.

Thanks man... my idea is adding authenticity to it That's why I added the stats for last year and all-time matchups for the teams. I laughed at that Spurs boxscore too, incredible

Hell yeah, big game by Rudy. Seems like your team is clicking, if you don't experience any injuries (like the Trail Blazers in RL ) then I think you can make it far with this team. So many scoring threats, decent defense and rebounding, you're having everything I'm missing on my Cats

The team is clicking really well, thank you. So far I only had a dislocated finger with Odom; I also think we can go far! Oh, any trade plans for your Bobcats?

Another nice win and recap there. Having a good start to the season. Nice preview for the next game, judging by those stats from last season's series, you should get the W in that one

Good ball distro. 5 players in double figures and good output from Outlaw is skimmed down minutes.

Good win. You don't need every player to score very well as long as you defend like that. Still, the Wolves just suck. You mentioned it, except Jefferson you won't have any problems with them.
I guess you will make it 6 straight against Memphis just because the Blazers owned them big time last season as you wrote.

Wolves suck. Nice win.

I'm telling you man, every time I read one of your updates it's like going back into the history of the NBA and actually learning something new about the game, I love it. Great write-up, and awesome work by the Blazers. It's a shame that Rudy went quite, but that always happens after someone has a big game.

Missed a lot of updates but I catch up, nice recaps as always your on a roll (6-1) Lamar only 5 attempts??? I think Lamar should be the second option in the team

I think Lamar should be the second option in the team

What?! No way, You've got Roy then Aldridge, The Oden, Then Fernandez, Then Outlaw, Then Webster, Then Batum, Then Przybilla, Then Pendergraph, Then Mills, Then Howard.... Then Odom

You're unstoppable!

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Last edited by kibaxx7 on Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Another nice win and recap there. Having a good start to the season. Nice preview for the next game, judging by those stats from last season's series, you should get the W in that one

So far, we are winning.

Good ball distro. 5 players in double figures and good output from Outlaw is skimmed down minutes.

Blake also had 10 points but I only posted the 5 best performers. Outlaw has been posting good nights.

Good win. You don't need every player to score very well as long as you defend like that. Still, the Wolves just suck. You mentioned it, except Jefferson you won't have any problems with them.
I guess you will make it 6 straight against Memphis just because the Blazers owned them big time last season as you wrote.

Wolves suck. Nice win.

Yep, the simulation's doing great. Defense is clicking. The Wolves aren't playing good but they are incredible beyond the arc so far in the season, first with .430%

I'm telling you man, every time I read one of your updates it's like going back into the history of the NBA and actually learning something new about the game, I love it. Great write-up, and awesome work by the Blazers. It's a shame that Rudy went quite, but that always happens after someone has a big game.

Wow man, thanks a lot! Yeah I also thought Rudy will go cold after that 27-point night, hope he does well against the Grizz.

Missed a lot of updates but I catch up, nice recaps as always your on a roll (6-1) Lamar only 5 attempts??? I think Lamar should be the second option in the team

What?! No way, You've got Roy then Aldridge, The Oden, Then Fernandez, Then Outlaw, Then Webster, Then Batum, Then Przybilla, Then Pendergraph, Then Mills, Then Howard.... Then Odom

Lamar's playing really good, his job is assisting his teammates in picks and in the rebounding part, the offense is Roy, Aldridge and Oden right now. But he took a scoring role so far against Memphis

You're unstoppable!

So far I am, only lost to the Nuggets, who are 7-1, league best.

Gotta go to sleep right now... so I thought of the Twitter update... comments? Might add it as a feature.

I think some people forget how young Outlaw is. He is only 25 and is a good complement to Roy, Aldridge and Oden. Im happy to see him doing well for you.

BTW - I played an entire season of 2K9 with the Blazers. Roy and Bayless were out for a game, and I put Outlaw at the SG. The dude killed the opposing team. His length is an advantage when driving the lane.

Twittering on half time. David Stern does not like that you know I knew you would win against the Grizzlies and I don't think you will give up the 13 point lead. Nice idea though

Tirieux will be suspended for home games and fined $25.000 for his twittering.

I think some people forget how young Outlaw is. He is only 25 and is a good complement to Roy, Aldridge and Oden. Im happy to see him doing well for you.

BTW - I played an entire season of 2K9 with the Blazers. Roy and Bayless were out for a game, and I put Outlaw at the SG. The dude killed the opposing team. His length is an advantage when driving the lane.

Thanks for the advice Will try to play him at SG for a few games.

Tirieux will be suspended for home games and fined $25.000 for his twittering.

Twittering on half time. David Stern does not like that you know ...

Nah, this association started before Stern prohibited tweets during games.

... I knew you would win against the Grizzlies and I don't think you will give up the 13 point lead. Nice idea though

Thanks... will post the recap in a few hours... but yeah, the Grizz never recovered.

love the use of the Twitter-style half time recaps

love the use of the Twitter-style half time recaps

Thanks man

I'm surprised no one said anything about the ejection of Blake!

love the use of the Twitter-style half time recaps

Thanks man

I'm surprised no one said anything about the ejection of Blake!

last i heard, he learned boxing or something? so i'm not surprised

I went to go see the Trail Blazers play the Cavs yesterday. Our seats were three rows from the court. It was a great game, even though Portland had a ton of players injured. Why was Blake ejected during your game at Memphis?

Thierry's Blog: Brandon guides us to 6th straight triumph
TrailBlazers.com | November 11th, 2009

Welcome back to my blog, Blazers fans... first of all, I gotta talk about the Steve ejection. He received his second technical foul and was ejected for clotheslining Michael Conley to the floor in the middle of the second quarter. I had to talk to him. He was out of control. “It was a bad play on my part and I overreacted. I had been hit in the face multiple times in the first quarter. It was a pretty physical game, and then I caught another elbow in my jaw and I lost my head. Honestly, he (Conley) hit me in the face, then he came down and tried to bully me a couple times on the play and I went over ot the referee, and asked him what happened and I heard Lionel Hollins (Grizzlies coach) saying I fuc*ing-deserved it. I said, 'What?' And he said, 'You fuc*ing deserved it. You play dirty.' And that was enough. I don't hate Michael, but I have no respect for him, because I think he's arrogant. Do I regret doing it? No. Do I think if I was in the same situation again, would I possibly do the same thing? Maybe.” Conley answered: “The thing is; does he know me? Do I know him? I certainly don't. It really was a physical game. I'm not trying to elbow somebody. That's not what I do, that's not how I play. I get elbowed all the time and I don't go out there and lose my head. Maybe he wasn't hugged enough as a kid.” It's certain that both Steve and Conley, and Hollins, will get fined and/or suspended by the league.

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Behind Brandon's most impressive outing of the season, we played our 8th game of the season and earned our sixth straight win. With Greg and Steve struggling to get into an offensive rhythm and the Grizz bombarding us from the charity stripe, we owed our latest win to him. Brandon canned a perfect six of six shots in the final period, including 14-of-16 for the night (.875). “It's the same thing I do every night. I try to give energy and I try to help my teammates.” I asked him to provide more help than usual against Memphis. Luckily for us, Brandon was on target. He carried his team in the waning moments when we needed someone to sink a shot as we crushed the Grizzlies 116-94. Who would have guessed that it would have been him, helping us close out a game? (Sarcasm here, guys).

Though Steve had a 10-point, 7-assist night against Minnesota and Greg was coming off a big performance against the Wolves, neither star could get on a roll. Steve had 4 points in 2-o-4 until the ejection. Greg, meanwhile, endured a 2-of-9 shooting performance against the Grizzlies' persistent double teams, closing with 6 points and 8 rebounds. The Grizzlies shot a collective 46.1 percent, while we had a better shot selection and shot 63.2 (50-of-79, including 8-of-12 3s). The shooting effort from Brandon and LaMarcus was troublesome because Memphis were sizzling in some parts of the game; they sank 18 free throws as both Allen Iverson and Rudy Gay hit at least 7. Iverson led with a season-high 26 points to go with 8 dimes and Gay added 24. With Memphis focusing its attention on Brandon and LaMarcus (who finished with 22, great game by him), then Lamar got loose. He beat the Grizz defense for a pair of shots within three feet and ended their 12-4 spurt by burying a 12-foot jumper after the defense left him to trap Jerryd. In place of Steve, Jerryd had 7 points and two assists. With that, we seized a 80-66 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

As he posted 19 points and nine rebounds, Lamar's effort drew rave reviews from the whole coaching staff. I gotta say, the Candyman is a recent addition to the rotation after playing for the Lakers the last five years. Now, his leadership and commitment are only going up. “He's truly played well in practice all along,” GM Nate McMillan said. “We wanted to see how he responded to 14 new teammates. Every time Thierry played him in the game, he's been effective. He's very live and he's very active.” As we did against Minnesota, where we controlled everyone but Al Jefferson, this time we did the same: everyone but Iverson and Gay. Brandon limited O.J. Mayo to a season-low 8 points in 28 minutes, while Zach Randolph had LaMarcus defending him almost the whole game; former Blazer had his own season-low of 6 points, shooting 3-of-10. “I started being more aggressive in the defensive part,” said LaMarcus, 22 and 6 rebounds. “So it's like a snowball. Every shot I defended, every block I had, it gave me more confidence.” Grapevine (that's my nickname for him) is explosive. He can score in multiple says and defend in his well. Randolph said, “I'm supposed to be part of the offense of this team, and it hasn't looked like it for a while. I'm not the one I've been in the past couple games. It's really troubling. Gotta give it to LaMarcus tonight, he has a huge future ahead. Overall, the whole Trail Blazer squad outplayed us.”

Next game: Tonight, Minnesota (3-5, 10th in Western Conference) waits for us at the Target Center for a rematch. All 82 Portland Trail Blazers games will be broadcast on the Trail Blazers Broadcasting flagship station, 95.5 FM The Game. Brian Wheeler, in his 12th season calling the play-by-play, and analyst Antonio Harvey, in his fifth season, will call the games, home and away. On television, KGW-TV and Comcast SportsNet will air a total of 75 Trail Blazers games with veteran analyst Mike Rice, in his fifth full season on television after spending the previous 15 years on the radio, and Mike Barrett, in his seventh, calling the action. Between KGW, Comcast SportsNet, TNT, ESPN and ABC, all 82 games will be televised for the third year in a row, and the third time in franchise history. In addition, all games will be available in High-Definition. Some key facts:

• Counting the triumph on November 8th, we are 56-24 all-time against the Wolves: 31-10 at home and 25-14 on the road;
• We meet Minnesota three times in November, including our 99-82 win on Nov. 8 at the Rose Garden. Brandon led all scorers with 26 points (10-20 FG), and Greg added 14 points and four rebounds;
• After winning the first game in the series, we have now won nine consecutive games vs. Minnesota, its longest current winning streak against any NBA team. We also have taken eight contests in a row at the Rose Garden and four straight meetings in Minneapolis;
• We outrebounded Minnesota, 167-140, in four games last season. A 51-39 advantage in offensive rebounding led us to outscore Minnesota, 61-43, in second-chance points;
• Coincidences: Patrick Mills and Minnesota’s Nathan Jawai represent half of the Australian-born players on NBA rosters right now (the other two, Rockets recent signee David Andersen and Milwaukee's 2005 1st overall pick, Andrew Bogut); while Brandon was selected by the Timberwolves with the sixth overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and traded here in exchange for the draft rights to Randy Foye in 2006. Great deal for us, eh?

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Last edited by kibaxx7 on Wed Dec 30, 2009 3:23 pm, edited 6 times in total.

I went to go see the Trail Blazers play the Cavs yesterday. Our seats were three rows from the court. It was a great game, even though Portland had a ton of players injured. Why was Blake ejected during your game at Memphis?

Nice Cavs with the throwback jerseys, right? Both James and Varejao played great.

Steve got ejected because... well, you already read it in the recap.

Good win. Sometimes it has to be the go-to-guy, that's were the name comes from. Steve Blake gettin ejected. Steve Blake is one of the whitest players in the league imho, from his face to his playing style. He's so soft, I don't see him clotheslining anybody, but maybe you get more out of him. Or do you want to trade him?

God damn, Roy was hot!