PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
Recap Rewind: The Blazers’ top ten players going into the season were Zach Randolph, Darius Miles, Joel Przybilla, Brandon Roy, Jarrett Jack, Travis Outlaw, Ime Udoka, Lamarcus Aldridge, Jamaal Magloire, and Martell Webster. Randolph, Miles, Aldridge, and Przybilla are out for the season. Udoka and Roy are hobbled with leg problems and playing intermittently. That leaves the quartet of Jack, Outlaw, Webster, and Magloire to hold down the fort with seldom-used reserves. That tells you everything you need to know about how the season will end for the Blazers.
Notable News: Blazers main man Zach Randolph splattered the Grizzlies with 43 points and 17 rebounds then promptly checked in for season-ending ligament surgery in to his hand. Randolph’s understudy, rookie forward Lamarcus Aldridge, scored 20 points on 10-15 shooting against the Bulls. Future Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy welcomed his first child into the world this week and also scored 23 on the Clippers. Seldom-used center Raef LaFrentz also dropped 15 on the Clippers in his first significant action in months.
Fast Forward: Portland faces Houston again at home on Wednesday then travels to Los Angeles to play the Clippers on Friday. Saturday finds Seattle visiting the Rose City and then the Blazers head to Utah for their final road game of the season on Monday.