Brandon Roy - House of Hoops Commercial

I'm loving these new House of Hoops commercials from Foot Locker with Brandon Roy, Deron Williams and Kevin Durant.  Here is the Roy version:

And while we're at it, we might as well give you the Deron Williams version as well:



And the Kevin Durant version:

Sacramento Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers Highlights 12/16

Rest Helps. Blazers Laugh in the Faces of Kings. 109-77

Are we surprised that the Portland Trail Blazers blew out the Kings tonight?  Not really.  This season, after a minimum of 2 days rest, they have blown out enough opponents that a 3 day rest almost guarantees a victory.  The team just looked reaaaaally in sync and refreshed.  During the 3 game skid, you could see some frustrations, but you could really see the exhaustion.  The game is officially back on NBA!

Quick Recap:

I missed the first half while I sucked down a french dip from the Deschutes Brewery in the Pearl and for whatever reason they had Marquette vs. Tennessee on every TV.  Anyways, I definitely caught most of it on the radio and the entire 4th quarter on CSNW.  What a showing from Mr. Brandon Roy again.  It was just weeks ago that everyone kept bringing up whether or not he should be more selfish and if he could average almost 30 points per game.  Well, he's answering those questions with authority.  Overall the team didn't shoot well, but defensively the Blazers completely controlled everything the Kings tried to accomplish.  Aside from John Salmons in the first half that is.

Game thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Oden, Aldridge and "Ghostface" Przybilla completely controlled the glass.
• Can anyone stop Brandon Roy right now?
• The Kings are sorely missing Kevin Martin.
• Nice to see Batum have a strong game.
• John Salmons is not capable of leading a team to wins.
• Neither is Francisco Garcia.
• And the Kings won't be missing Reggie Theus any time soon.
• Love the Bayless dunk!  (Dunk contest?)
• Good to see the phasing out of Outlaw.
• Bring on the Suns!
  

Plus/Minus Sheet:

Box score.

Blazer Dancers Pick up More New Outfits? Wonder Woman?

The Clippers game from Friday night was disappointing as hell, but at least the Blazer Dancers showed up in full force!  You've got to give it up to these new Wonder Woman inspired outfits right?

 

  

 

Poll Results: Overachieved? Underachieved? Just Right?

 

We asked our readers how they felt about the season so far and although voting results were pretty meager, it looks like we can all agree that the team is doing very well.  No one is disappointed at this stage in the year and rightfully so.  I would make the argument that the team has completely overachieved after the schedule they just endured.

What are your thoughts?

15 Thoughts vs. Sacramento 12/16

After three days off, I'm starting to feel a little revitalized.  Are you?  The Kings come into town tonight to take on "your" Portland Trail Blazers and I think we're all hoping that tonight is the perfect rebound opportunity.  There may be some snow and ice on the roads, but the Rose Garden should still be packed with eager fans.  Well except for all those yuppies in the 100's who are there just to grow their social status.  Let's bring some love and get these boys back on the right track!

1.  No Kevin Martin, still.  +1 Blazers
2.  An actual 3 day rest.  +1 Blazers
3.  Sacramento recently entering the coaches before x-mas firing contest.  +1 Blazers
4.  Kenny Natt in his first coaching gig, goes for 2 in a row!  +1 Kings
5.  ESPN Accuscore is blowing up the Kings.  +1 Blazers
6.  Remembering the Clippers loss vividly.  +1 Kings
7.  Roy going for his 4th straight 30 point effort.  Toss Up
8.  Retiring Mr. Terry Porter.  +1 Blazers
9.  Still not seeing how you are ever going to win with Salmons at the helm.  +1 Blazers
10.  I really want an Oden facial on Spencer Hawes.  +1 Personal  Satisfaction
11.  And I'm also hoping Spencer saw this video of his idol.  +1 Haha
12.  What's going on with Joel lately?  Toss Up
13.  I want more Bayless.  Toss Up
14.  Luckily the Blazers all drive Range Rovers.  -1 Icy Roads
15.  If you don't win this one, the next 2 weeks are going to be rough.  Toss Up

Totals:  Blazers 6   Kings 2   Satisfaction 1   Laughter 1   -1 Ice

Predicted Winner:  Blazers

Other Previews:

• The Shakedown from Bust a Bucket.
• The deep look from Blazers Edge.
• The enemy perspective from Sactown Royalty.

Follow Blaze of Love on Twitter!

We just wanted to remind you all to start following us on Twitter!  All of our posts are directly "twitterfed" through our account so it is definitely one of the easiest ways to stay up on Blazers news!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR TWITTER PAGE.

NBA All-Star Voting: Do it Now Dammit!

John Canzano, although incredibly annoying at times, has written something you should all take a look at.  He basically calls out the fans in this country that seem to need a player to get arrested, be a cancer to team chemistry, and a selfish, stat-mongering player on the court in order to vote them into the NBA All-Star game.  If a player is doing things the right way, we seem to not care, and in turn, never reward them.

So the early numbers for the NBA All-Star voting were released and Brandon Roy ranks 10th among Western Conference guards.  You are kidding me right? 

This is my call to you, to get your a** out there and vote.  You can vote EVERY DAY people!  And don't get intimidated by the voting system!  Don't think that you have to fill out the entire form either.  Pick LaMarcus, Brandon, and Greg and then click "submit".  It takes seconds!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE NBA ALL-STAR VOTING PAGE.

Blaze of Glory - 12/14/08 - Snow Edition!

The Blaze of Glory is your almost-daily link list of Blazer ridiculousness and info. If you ever have anything to add to it, make sure to drop us a line unless your name is Dwight Jaynes. (Kidding!)

Why the "snow edition"?  Because it's snowing like mad here in the pacific northwest!  And what does that mean?  Nothing to do but blog the Blazers!

• Luckily it was just his pinky.  The Roy injury.  [Blazers Blog]
  
• This interview with Oden has been making its rounds.  [NBA.com]
• And this is the video that prompted some of the questions.  [Hoop Doctors]
  
• Darius Miles has signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. Who cares.  [Seattle PI]
• The "Ghosts of Blazers Past" comic.  [Ball Don't Lie]
  
• Canzano is pissed that you aren't voting for Brandon Roy.  [Oregonian]
• The argument to give Bayless, Sergio's minutes.  [Swamigp]
• A festival of Trail Blazer pain.  [Deceptively Quick]
• Got to love Brandon Roy as the "line of the night".  [Give Me the Rock]
• I think we all know the answer to this one.  [DIME]
• The Ohio State trio should have stayed in school.  [Springfield News-Sun]

Blazers just Need a Break. Los Angeles "Clips" Portland in Double OT. 112-120

Ultimate frustration set in last night as we walked out of the Rose Garden.  Brandon Roy goes for a career high, LaMarcus plays as well as we've seen, and 4 free throw misses in the closing seconds costs the Blazers the game?  This one hurts.

Quick Recap:

The Blazers didn't play all that well the entire game to tell you the truth.  The first and third quarters were what we expected against a far inferior opponent like the Clippers but the second and fourth were the killers.  Roy basically did everything in his power to drive this team to a victory but was ultimately left out to dry.  Of course Zach Randolph had a HUGE game against his former team and of course he annoyed the hell out of all of us.  Once again, a buzzer beating three either cost us the game or only prolonged future misery.

Game thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Thank you Brandon for finally showing how good you can be.
• Thank you Greg for playing the way this team needs you to play.
• Thank you LaMarcus for playing just good enough.
• And the hell with the rest of this team.
• Baron Davis had a huge limp, and still dropped 27 an the regulation equalizer.
• Zach...you are still a black hole.
• I knew Al Thornton was impressive, but last night solidified that thought.
• We had some fun with Ricky Davis in the closing seconds.
• Time for a much deserved break.

Plus/Minus Sheet:

Box score.

15 Thoughts vs. Los Angeles (Clippers) 12/12

I've got just one sentence to say before tonight's game.  BRING THE DAMN ENERGY.  See you there!  Feel free to hit me up via "contact form" if you want to grab a beer at the game!

1.  78% on the lovely ESPN Accuscore.   +1 Blazers
2.  As Gavin said, the Clippers are the most talented 4-17 in the league.  +1 Clippers
3.  Is Eric Gordon really going to start against Brandon Roy?  +1 Blazers
4.  Oh, and Brandon has been on absolute FIRE lately.   +1 Blazers
5.  The return of Z-Bo!  +1 Rose Garden
6.  Wow, the Clippers are worse than the Kings.  +1 Blazers
7.  Three and a half days off since the Clippers last game.  +1 Clippers
8.  Zach Randolph talking about “value”.  +1 Haha
9.  Los Angeles gives up 99.3 a game and scores 92.5. Ouch.  +1 Blazers
10.  Time to start another home streak.  +1 Blazers
11.  Chances of Camby abusing Oden?  +1 Clippers
12.  Always stuck as “the other” Los Angeles team.  +1 Blazers
13.  Finally seeing Zach vs. LaMarcus.  +1 LA
14.  Baron Davis will abuse Blakeriguez.  +1 Clippers
15.  Me in section 111 laughing at the Clippers!  +1 Rose Garden

Totals:  Blazers 7   Clippers 4   Rose Garden 2   Laughter 1    LaMarcus 1

Predicted Winner:  Blazers

Other Previews:

• The Shakedown from Bust a Bucket.
• ClipperBlog has the enemy fire.
• Clips Nation has even more.
• Blazers Edge throws out the heat.
• Lovely pre-thoughts from Rip City Project.
  

WTF Opponent Photos: Clippers 12/12

We needed some more game day fodder, and what better thing to fill up space than to get some whacko pictures of our opponents' fans and experiences?  The pictures that fans take of themselves are phenomenal and need to be shared with the rest of the world.  Plus anything to discredit an opponent is always worth a look and a laugh.

(Baron...played.)

(Clipper Daryl and his ride.)

(Yes...TKE to you too bud.)

(Maybe we arrived just a little early?)

(Who knew Rufio and Zac Efron were Clippers fans!)

(Plaid hats and smirks!  Glad I live in Portland.)

(I hope we're sharing.)

(Have we ordered these outfits for the Blazer cheerleaders yet?)

Send us your pictures for tonight's game or any others in the near future! 

Too Many Road Games. Utah Outlasts Portland. 88-97

This young team looked completely exhausted last night.  I heard an interview this morning with Kevin Pritchard talking about the effort of the team and how they had "played hard" which I don't disagree with, but they lacked enough energy to hang with a well-rested Utah Jazz squad.  And guess what?  They return home tonight for a back-to-back and what I'm calling the final leg of an 8 game road trip.

Quick Recap:

I missed most of the first half and it doesn't sound like I missed much.  From what I could tell, the Blazers just couldn't get anything legitimate going at any point.  With an 11 point half-time deficit, I didn't ever get the feeling that they would be able to overcome it in the second half.  Brandon had some spurts, but no one else could figure much out against a team who had lost 3 of 4 at home.  A hot streak within the last 5 minutes gave fans hope, but defensively, it wasn't there.  Time for a big one tonight against the Clippers and then finally, some rest.

Game thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Travis Outlaw...I have no comment for you.
• 32 minutes for Greg seems way too many for a guy making zero impact.
• And only 16 minutes for Joel is not nearly enough.
• I knew Mehmet Okur would kill them.
• Milsap is turning into a beast in Boozer absence.
• Brandon and LaMarcus, nice work again.
• We need to get Rudy a massage or something, find that stroke again.
• Just pull this one out tonight, please.
  

Plus/Minus Sheet:

Box score.

Portland Favorite: The Side Door

In our quest to provide you with a ton of hot local spots around Portland, we bring you one of our favorite sandwich places.

Best Sandwich

The Side Door (425 SE Washington St) - We hit this place up on Tuesday night after that disappointing loss to the Magic and our spirits were almost immediately lifted.  First off, I must say that our waitress was one of the coolest waitresses ever.  She gave us options, worked with us, told us what was good/not good and was around just the perfect amount of time.

So what did I order?  The Stark Dip.  The most fantastic french dip I've had in years my friends.  They give you a solid stack of beef, cheese, and top all that with a horseradish aioli which is to die for.  Oh, and the au jus hits the damn spot as well.  Everyone else at the table with us gobbled down soups or other ridiculously delicious looking sandies and came away completely satisfied.

Plus, they have a full bar.  Enough said?

What is your favorite sandwich in Portland?

WTF Opponent Photos: Jazz 12/11

We needed some more game day fodder, and what better thing to fill up space than to get some whacko pictures of our opponents' fans and experiences?  The pictures that fans take of themselves are phenomenal and need to be shared with the rest of the world.  Plus anything to discredit an opponent is always worth a look and a laugh.

(The men in Utah are not really men.  Cute necklace, buddy.)

(A little overboard? Is that kid wearing camo?)

(Young white girls in the locker room...not good.)

(Where's your grill pimp!)

(They serve beer in the state of Utah? Hmm.)

(Memories...)

Send us your pictures for tonight's game or any others in the near future!

15 Thoughts vs. Utah 12/11

We are now looking way past the debacle from Tuesday night and are officially on to tonight's match-up with the Utah Jazz!  It seems unfair that the Blazers go on an east coast swing for 5, come home for 1 and then head back out on the road 2 days later for a battle with a west coast power doesn't it? You might as well just call it a 7 game road trip.  Luckily for fans, they've shown a ton of poise in difficult situations this year and we're hoping the boys bounce back strong.

1.  After 1 loss at home, Accuscore hates the Blazers.  +1 Jazz
2.  Utah won 37 of 41 home games last year.  +1 Jazz
3.  No elite center for Oden to hide from!  +1 Blazers
4.  No Carlos Boozer!  +1 Blazers
5.  Waiting for Sheed's prediction...  +1 Blazers
6.  Portland is 0-5 when giving up 100.  Utah averages 100.2.  +1 Jazz
7.  Luckily Portland is only giving up 94 a game.  +1 Blazers
8.  Also haven't lost 2 in a row since the Jazz dealt them a loss in early Nov.  Toss Up
9.  Ahh, a new team photo of the Nu Skin Jazz Dancers!  +1 Utah's Marriage Laws
10.  Deron Williams vs....Blake?  Sergio?  +1 Jazz
11.  Utah shoots just 34% from deep.  +1 Blazers
12.  But they have Kyle Korver.  +1 Jazz
13.  Milsap on fire lately!  +1 Jazz
14.  LaMarcus on fire lately!  +1 Blazers
15.  No Stan Van Gundy-esque traps in the works?  Toss Up

Totals:  Blazers 6   Jazz 6   Marriage Law 1

Predicted Winner:  Blazers (**Updated** Thanks to Bust a Bucket)

Other Previews:

• 15 Thoughts from the last Utah game.
• The Blazers Edge word.
• The enemy perspective at SLC Dunk.
• And a new Bloguin blog, True Blue Jazz.
  

A Trip Around the NBA - 12/10/08

Every now and then instead of focusing completely on the Blazers, we like to spread some love to our friends around the world covering the greatest game on Earth.

• Seven NBA movies opening up around X-mas.  [Cuzoogle]
  
• LeBron goes free throw line on us...again.  [Hoop Doctors]
• Oh, and HD is also doing another caption contest for a swingman jersey.  [Hoop Doctors]
  
• Antonio McDyess actually pulled out the "ball don't lie" quote?  [Truth About It]
  
• The return of the old Shaq?  [Fanster]
• A super duper man crush on Matt Barnes of all people.  [Ben's Suns Blog]
• Are the Lakers obsessed with the Celtics?  [Celtics Blog]
• The young and old of the NBA.  [Empty the Bench]
• The 10 best names in the NBA.  [Shark Guys]
• Sheldon Williams and Candace Parker elope?  [Fanhouse]
• I would agree...the Cavs are damn good.  [Josh Q Public]
  

Bad Defense, Super Shooting. Magic Snipe the Blazers. 109-108

First off, take a look at that photo.  With the game on the line, and one of the most clutch shooters over the last couple of seasons with the ball, slow as a goat, and a major threat from deep, how on Earth does he get that much separation?  Maybe some on-ball pressure Travis?

I really wasn't looking forward to writing this recap and it might actually carry a slightly different format than normal game recaps because I am still fuming even after a night's sleep.

Bad thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Defense was horrendous tonight.  I'd like to blame Outlaw for it all, but everyone is at fault here.
• How many times did we see zero rotations and layups or wide open three's for the Magic?
• Yeah, they may have shot the lights out, but who wouldn't when you have that many open looks.
• And yes, Hedo Turkoglu is way up on our "most annoying" list.
• Three guys not named Dwight Howard scored 20 points?
• Stop acting like a damn baby Greg. 
• Back to Outlaw.  The team needs you to play defense, not just worry about your g*d damn, one dribble, pull up signature, easiest in the league to guard, fade away.
• Nate, you were out-coached in the final minutes.

A couple of good thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Hell of a game from LaMarcus and Brandon.
• Bench play was pretty solid and the reason the team had a lead at one point.
• As clutch as Blake has been, probably should have kept Sergio in the game down the stretch.
• Nice work on Dwight.  He was basically a "non-factor".
  

Plus/Minus sheet:

Oden Rant:

Seriously big guy, it's time to act like a man.  You're not in high school anymore, you're not in college anymore and you sure as hell aren't hurt anymore.  When a big time challenge is in front of you, TAKE IT ON.  Stop disappearing each time one of the elite centers in the league shows up on your doorstep.

The second thought is about your attitude before games.  You get announced into the starting lineup and you WALK out from the bench showing ZERO emotion?  How can you not be somewhat excited to be the starting center for one of the most exciting teams on probably the #1 home court in the entire NBA?  It's absolutely baffling.

Third...what's with the pouting at the end of the bench?  So you are in foul trouble and probably not getting back in the game, who cares?  During timeouts, when the team is making a run, maybe you should join them in huddles?  Instead of standing 5 feet back crying like Big Baby, try saying "Nice job guys! Keep it up!", it might actually feel good and help get your a** involved.

You are proving to be not much of a teammate Mr. Greg Oden, and it's very disappointing.

Box score.

15 Thoughts vs. Orlando 12/9

It feels good to have the team back in town doesn't it?  The Orlando Magic follow "your" Portland Trail Blazers into town from the east coast and should give us quite the homecoming.  Orlando currently sits at 3rd in the east after winning 8 of 10 and looking mighty hot I might add.  But can they take down the number 2 team in the west?  (Damn it feels good to say that!)

1.  Dwight Howard going double-double in the first quarter the other night?  +1 Wow
2.  Blazers taking 8 of 9 from the east this year.  +1 Blazers
3.  Oden vs. Dwight!  Finally!  +1 Magic
4.  That ridiculous Rose Garden advantage.  +1 Blazers
5.  Orlando battling the ClipShow last night in a dewsy.  +1 Blazers
6.  Yahoo thinking this 10 day 5 game road trip won't be difficult?  -1 Yahoo
7.  Looking forward to a JJ Redick sighting!  +1 Crowd Participation
8.  Hoping the Blazers don't live up to a return home hangover.  Toss Up
9.  60% on the Accuscore.  +1 Blazers
10.  Battle of the bad point guards.  Toss Up
11.  Blazer Dancers vs. Dunking Dancers.  +1 Magic
12.  Points for vs. Points allowed.  Toss Up
13.  For whatever reason, Turkoglu kills Portland.  +1 Magic
14.  For whatever reason, Rashard Lewis stinks against Portland.  Toss Up
15.  A crew of 5 of us in attendance!  +1 Blazers

Totals:  Blazers 5   Magic 3   Yahoo -1   Crowd 1   Wow 1

Predicted Winner:  Blazers

Other Previews:

• Blazers Edge giving you the real deal.
• Bust a Bucket always shells out the Shakedown.
• Third Quarter Collapse has the enemy coverage.
  

Blaze of Glory - 12/8/08

The Blaze of Glory is your almost-daily link list of Blazer ridiculousness and info. If you ever have anything to add to it, make sure to drop us a line unless your name is Dwight Jaynes. (Kidding!)

• Why are people boo-ing Greg Oden?  [Red's Army]
• A winter sing-a-long album for the NBA.  [Cuzoogle]
• The Blake "winner" if you missed it.  [YouTube]
• Some Blazers on the town after the Celtics loss?  [Boston.com]
• I agree, Brandon Roy is a "thinking man's" star.  [Sports Illustrated]
• And I also agree that this is a fantastic time to be a Blazer fan.  [Trail Bloggers]
• Meager puts the Blazers into perspective.  [Blazers Blog]
• Greg Oden not quite a rising star in the NBA.  [Bleacher Report]
• A love letter to Greg.  [Sports Muffin]
• I didn't notice this initially, but LA, Roy and Oden are all in this commercial.  [Inspiration Room]
• Brandon Roy hits this list of most versatile players.  [DIME]

Blaze of Love's Portland Favorites

In case many of you missed Channing Frye's post about his "favorites" you should run over there and see where he likes to hang out on off days.  He actually has a pretty solid list of places to hang out or grab a bite to eat in Portland and I tend to agree with many of his choices.  Of course, I'm not going to tell you all that I eat at Lucier on a regular basis because you all know I'd be lying through my teeth.

His post did give us some inspiration to also talk about our favorite spots in Portland though!  These are the places you might catch us watching a Blazers road game, grabbing a pint with friends, or sucking down some of our favorite wings.  This list will be updated as time goes on as our favorites are always changing and new hot spots seem to like to pop up!

Best Pub
 
New Old Lompoc (1616 NW 23rd Ave) - If there is one place in Portland I would consider myself a regular, it would be the "Lompoc".  By far our favorite pub to grab a bite and a great beer.  Although it's on NW 23rd, don't be frightened.  I recommend the "Brewer's Club" for food and either a Condor Pale or an LSD to drink.  You head to this place on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon and you'll likely see our whole crew enjoying life.  If you haven't already, please check this place out soon.

Best Road Game Spots

Grand Central Restaurant and Bowling (808 SE Morrison St) - I watch games here only because they have a ton of HD LCDs that are viewable from any seat in the house (and it doesn't hurt that a buddy of mine is the bartender).  I advise that you sit at the bar rather than a booth since the service from the wait staff is awful.  Otherwise, great beer selection, cocktail list and the food is actually not too bad (I recommend the cobb salad.)  And if bowling is your gig, you can't beat couches, a dark setting and great music blown up on projection screens.

Best Wings

Morrison Hotel  (719 SE Morrison St.) -  The name screams "the Doors" and that's exactly why we took our first visit to this quaint little bar just a couple of months ago.  It's dark, yet comforting and you won't be overwhelmed by a ton of stuck up hipsters.  The bartenders are incredibly friendly and of course the wings are a "must have."  Morrison Hotel does it real by giving you the full wing instead of those previously split mini things.  The sauce is your classic buffalo sauce and they serve up blue cheese which is a must.  (BoL never goes ranch.)  And did we mention that the beer list is absurd?  A front-to-back 12x36in menu of worldly adventures to stop the burning of that fiery wing sauce.

Best Beer Selection...Ever

John's Market (3535 SW Multnomah Blvd) - If you consider yourself a "serious" beer drinker and haven't been to John's then your status as a hops connoisseur has taken an immediate step backwards.  This is the mothership of bottle beer or kegs-to-go.  The first time I walked into this palace, I literally fainted; I had heard the rumors, but they were actually true.  I'm sure you could walk into John's once a week for the rest of your life and never try every type of beer they carry.  Oh and we didn't even mention the wine selection.

Best Breakfast

O'Connors (7850 SW Capitol Hwy) - Seeing as we're from Montana, this place really struck a cord with us.  Their motto is "A place where Montanans meet the world" or something like that so we were instantly partial.  They serve up a cajun infused breakfast that comes with plenty of Portland flare.  The Hangtown Fry is to die for as long as you can handle fried oysters in the morning and the cajun bloodie mary will burn your mouth but leave you more than satisfied.  The daily specials are always worth a look and the wait staff is friendly enough.  You'll never be dissatisfied. 

Fuller's (136 NW 9th Ave) - You may recognize this one from Channing's list but is worth another mention.  If you want the classic breakfast, then Fuller's is exactly where you need to go.  Old style diner seating with super fast service (has to be with the lines) makes this place a instant classic in my book.  Stumbled on it one day with my brother and have been a regular ever since.

Best McMenamin's

Fulton Pub (618 SW Nebraska St) - I'm a little embarrassed to say that I frequent a McMenamin's but this place is actually worth it.  It doesn't feel like one of those tourist trap McMenamin's as it sits in a nice SW/Corbett neighborhood and is always filled with locals.  They serve up basically the same food as the rest, but it's the atmosphere that makes this our favorite.  Great staff and the old regulars always bellied up to the bar are enough to keep us coming back.  Oh, and their cajun fries come with a little extra seasoning.

Best Burger

Slow Bar (533 SE Grand Ave) - As much as it pains me to say this, the Slow Bar does have one of the best damn burgers you'll ever have.  If you can handle the posh hipsters and attitude from the servers, then please go try this burger.  The "Slow Burger" is made with Strawberry Mountain beef, aged gruyere, little onion rings and butter lettuce.  My mouth is actually watering right now.  But like I said, enter with caution before the mullets and skinny jeans attack.

Best Sushi

Ooki (11211 SE 82nd Ave) - That address may scare you somewhat since it is a Clackamas one, but trust me on this, there is no better sushi in all of Portland.  You can all go to SinJu or Masu East, but I'll be at my little gem down deep SE.  Freshest seafood at the most reasonable prices in town plus great service and the place is rarely overly packed.

More to come!  I'll try to throw in some pictures when I get the chance too.

What are your favorite spots?  I'd love to hear about them!

What a Road Trip Ending! Blazers Steal one from Toronto. 98-97

Can you say, HUGE WIN?  To finish up a road trip like this at 4-1, you have to think Nate McMillan is one happy coach.  The Portland Trail Blazers may have slipped up in Boston, but who hasn't aside from the Nuggets?  What a great 5 game stretch it was for a team that just a year ago struggled to beat the worst of the NBA on the road.  Nice work boys!

Quick Recap:

The Raptors jumped out to a huge 16 point lead early on in this game and you started to get the feeling that the Blazers were worn out from Friday's disappointment and just wanted to get back home to Portland.  Well then the second and third quarters changed those feelings in a hurry and the game quickly turned around in favor of the Blazers.  The 4th quarter was back and forth while we all watched Portland give up 2 ten point leds only to have Mr. Steve Blake drop the winning three with 8 seconds left.  I had so many bad feelings throughout this entire game, yet they still found a way to win.  This season is going to continue to be magical.  See you all tuesday night!

Game thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Oden is starting to make a difference.  Well, when he wants to that is.
• Even though Roy has been off for 2 games, he still drives this bus.
• Jermaine O'Neal looked all-star-esque today.
• Bosh needs to come out of this slump if Toronto is going to turn this around.
• Jose Calderon is quickly moving his way up the most annoying list.
• Jamario Moon is awful.
• Bargnani is slower than a bow legged donkey.
• Still want to trade Steve Blake people?
• Nice work today LA.
• If Toronto really does go uptempo, they could be really fun to watch.
• Come home and rest gentlemen, you deserve it.

Plus/Minus sheet:

Highlights for those of you footballing on a Sunday:

(I'm a fan of these highlights.  Good quality and a solid 6 minute recap from that whacky Canadien station, TSN.  The problem though?  They only show Raptors highlights until the last Blake shot.)

(And here are the "neutral" NBA.com highlights.  Your welcome.)

Box score.

Poll Results: The Return of Martell Webster

Our most recent poll posed a simple question to you asking whether or not you thought the return of Martell Webster would be a good thing or a bad thing.  Your answers:

Pretty telling results wouldn't you say?  Many of you really want to see Martell return which I tend to disagree with. 

My Take:

The kid just turned 22 the other day and for his career is averaging 8.2 points, 3.1 rebounds,  and 0.8 assists per game.  Hmmm.  For a 6th overall pick, that is not exactly what we all expected is it?  The one decent stat you'll see with him would be the career 40% three point percentage.

At this point, the team is sitting at 14-7 and has pretty much looked like a top 5 team in the west.  There is a rhythm starting to form that teams usually don't find until the 2nd or 3rd month of the season and when a former starter comes back from an injury, you completely jeopardize that. Especially one that has been under performing his entire career.

I'm on the Batum bandwagon.  Trade Outlaw, put Martell with the second unit or something.

**Update** - Martell is likely playing today!  We'll see how it goes!

Your thoughts?

15 Thoughts vs. Toronto 12/7

As you can probably tell, I'm refusing to talk about the Boston game.  There are way too many annoyances that aren't worth my time which is why we are jumping right into today's this morning's game.  The Raptors, fresh of a devilish road trip, head back home to take on "your" Portland Trail Blazers who are obviously just finishing up a devilish road trip.  It should be a solid battle with the big debate being whether or not Portland can bounce back after the loss from 2 nights ago?

1.  Bounce back time!  Toss Up
2.  Bosh picking the wrong time for a giant slump?  +1 Blazers
3.  Jermaine O'Neal's knees.  Toss Up
4.  Ooh ESPN Accuscore is back on it.  +1 Blazers
5.  That whole Toronto coaching situation.  +1 Blazers
6.  Raptors players keep saying "Give us some time!"  +1 Blazers
7.  Young Italian vs. Young Frenchman.  Toss Up
8.  Toronto gives up 102.3 points a game?  Eek.  +1 Blazers
9.  Calderon vs. Blake.  +1 Raptors
10.  Blazers have played more road games than any other team.  +1 Raptors
11.  Roko vs. Sergio!  +1 Toss Up
12.  Toronto only 3-7 as underdogs, Portland 10-0 as favorties.  +1 Blazers
13.  Still though, they do have Chris Bosh.  +1 Raptors
14.  Who the hell doesn't even have a page for their dancers?  -1 Raptors Org
15.  And who the hell plays basketball at 10 AM?  -1 East Coast

Totals:  Blazers 6   Raptors 3   East Coast -1   Organization -1


Predicted Winner:  Blazers

Other Previews:

• The Raptor's side from Cuzoogle.
• Sheed's Shakedown from Bust a Bucket.
• Our "Fireside Chat" with Pete Marasmitch.
  

Fireside Chat with Pete Marasmitch

Just thought I'd let everyone know about a quick chat we did yesterday with a Raptors blog sort of previewing Sunday's game.  My buddy Jeff of Pete Marasmitch put it together and it's a pretty cool format that we would like to keep doing.  Check it out!

Pete: Fair enough. What's your MVP list?
Kellex: LeBron is quickly distancing himself from everyone including Mr. Bryant. Bosh in there at 3rd or 4th in a close matchup with Roy.
Pete: Let's see how Boshy does the rest of the way (any more 40 pt games in him?). And what about Chauncey? He on the list?
Kellex: Hard to put Chauncey on the list even though his presence in Denver has definitely been felt. He just doesn't carry that "Nash" factor which is needed for PG's to win an MVP award.
Pete: Don't remind me of Steve. Poor, poor guy. He supposedly has the flu. I think he has a broken heart. Or suffocated in a sandwich bag.
Full circle!

Make sure to check out the rest of the burning chat here.

15 Thoughts vs. Boston 12/5

Is there really a need for 15 thoughts on this game?  This is going to be the first epic battle of the season and it just so happens to be against the defending champs.  There will be plenty of chatter from the bench, starters, and fans, so let's hope these young Blazers can find a way to just play ball.  And also hope that someone punches KG in the mouth...Joel, you're up!

5 PM tip-off people!  Make sure you find the closest sports bar near you.  I'll likely be at the Grand Central Bowl tearing it up on the many wonderful HD 50" LCD's they have floating throughout.  Come join me if you'd like!

NBA Players that wouldn't Pass as a Santa Claus

What if an NBA player wanted to dress up as Santa Claus?  I'm sure that players do it every year and appear at charity events as the big red round winter machine.  Those are players like Shaq or Dwight Howard who appear, steal the show and give the kiddies big ol' smiles and make X-mas a bundle of joy.  Well what if someone like Ron Artest showed up?

Here is the list of players guaranteed to make the worst Santa...ever.

Stephon Marbury -  Santa wouldn't sleep with his cousin's sloppy seconds.

Chris Anderson - If smoking "meth" isn't an automatic disqualification from being Santa, then I'm never having kids.

Ben Wallace - The goal of Santa is to NOT scare the hell out of the children. 

Allen Iverson - Most Santa's have at some point been in front of the mirror, you know, practicing?

Sebastian Telfair - Hats also make great handgun storage devices?

Robert Swift - Just look at the guy.

Kevin Garnett - Because this would make any young kid pee his pants.

Darius Miles - Sure, I like strip clubs as much as the next guy, but you are supposed to have reindeer with you, not Porsche, Trixie, Chastity, Lexxxie and Karamel.

Zach Randolph - See Darius Miles.

Stephen Jackson - Haymakers and gun tattoos?

Ron Artest - Killing dogs and beating fans are one thing, but what about rap albums?

Sasha Vujacic - Santa is supposed to be straight.

Amare Stoudemire - This is the season of giving, so expressing your selfishness to the world just weeks before X-mas is not acceptable.

Shelden Williams - A Santa hat will never fit on that gigantic forehead.

Tim Duncan - Because whiners don't get presents, so why should they give them?

Josh Howard - You can't street race Santa's sleigh while smoking a joint can you?

A Little Trail Blazers Memorabilia - 7-Up Bottle

Forget about the cheesy bobbleheads although they do add a little character.  The prize there is that un-opened 7-Up bottle commemorating the 1976-77 Chamionship team!  I have no idea how old this thing is, but it could be 31 years old!

The front has the logo with the quote "RED HOT AND ROLLIN" on it while the back has every score from every playoff game that year including the season record.  Pretty cool.

(Damn I need to dust!)

Anyone know any special history behind this bottle?  How old is it really?  Time to go do some Googling...

Blaze of Glory - 12/4/08

The Blaze of Glory is your almost-daily link list of Blazer ridiculousness and info. If you ever have anything to add to it, make sure to drop us a line unless your name is Dwight Jaynes. (Kidding!)

• Brandon Roy wants payback against the Celtics.  [DIME]
  
• Blazers making moves on the NBA's most valuable franchise list.  [ESPN]
  
• An open letter to Oden's neck beard.  [The Good Point]
• Nice conversation with Martell Webster.  [Trail Blazers Center Court]
• I think we're all fine with Oden as just "part" of a foundation.  [NY Times]
• Bayless dealing with life as a rookie.  [Hoops World]
• Big and small differences between Rose and Oden.  [CBS Sports]
• Q and A last night with Rip City Project.  [Truth About It]
• They sure are "road warriors".  [Statesman Journal]
• Mike D'Antoni knows the Spanish Connection well.  [Beyond the Beat]
  

A Trip Around the NBA - 12/4/08

Every now and then instead of focusing completely on the Blazers, we like to spread some love to our friends around the world covering the greatest game on Earth.

• The Chronicles of Bargnania?  [Cuzoogle]
• Remember Michael Jordan flirting with the Knicks?  [Ball Don't Lie]
• And the Yao Ming Transformer is amazing.  Priceless for sure.  [Ball Don't Lie]
• Wayman Tisdale seems to be doing better.  [Ben's Suns Blog]
• Besides Triana, who is actually going to replace Sam Mitchell?  [Love of Sports]
• Rondo the fantasy machine!  [Give Me the Rock]
• Al Jefferson and Telfair had a wager?  [Canis Hoopus]
• The British Erin Andrews?  [SportsbyBrooks]
• The LeBron to NY shirt.  [I LeBron NY]
• Kevin Garnett calls out Maggette.  Good.  [FanHouse]
• Phil vs. Bynum.  Not winning this one kid.  [Slam]

Stayin' Alive! Blazers Laugh at Washington. 98-92

The early east coast start wouldn't allow for me to catch the first half which turns out to be quite the bonus.  When you hand the Washington Wizards a 10 point lead with Nick Young on fire, I'm thankful I didn't have to watch that garbage.  You know the game is not going well when Wheelz is ripping Young every time the guy shoots, meaning he must be chucking up and making some ridiculous shots.  Either way, it's another road win baby!

Quick Recap:

Aside from an ugly first quarter, the Blazers assumed control, well sort of.  You never really got the feeling that the game was in jeopardy with Brandon Roy on the court, but the team also didn't seem to want to put the lowly Wizards away for good.  The Blazers keep finding ways to give just that extra push down the stretch giving them a slight lead and putting all of the pressure squarely on the opposing squad.  They did that again last night and inferior teams like the Wizards haven't shown enough prowess to mount any sort of final minute comeback.

Game thoughts in fantastical bulleted format:

• Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison are not leading men.
• DeShawn Stevenson didn't completely embarrass anyone.
• Andray Blatche has the sloppiest game in the NBA.
  
• Sergio and Rudy at the end of any quarter are magical.
• 20 straight games for Rudy with a three to start his career?  Damn.
• Solid effort from Oden.  Keep pluggin' big boy.
• It's time for LaMarcus to be more aggressive on the defensive boards.
• Travis Outlaw the three point specialist?
  
• Big thanks again to Brandon Roy for taking over.
• I think we are almost expecting this nightly which could bite us.

Plus/Minus Sheet:

Highlights for those of you Victoria's Secreting last night:


Box score.

15 Thoughts vs. Washington 12/3

**Update** After that embarrassment that was posted earlier, you now have a picture and a couple of links.  Oh and some bold type.  Damn work has officially pissed off my blogging.

(WARNING! This is the crappy BlackBerry version thanks to some nifty new internet blocking software at work.)

The Portland Trail Blazers probably face their toughest test of the season tonight.  Wait what?  Yes you read that right.  What I mean, is that after a huge win last night in New York, they play for the second night in a row and against one of the worst teams in the entire league.  Oh and the kicker?  The Boston Celtics sit just around the corner.  If these boys start looking too far ahead, then they could be embarrassed tonight against the Wizards; let's just hope that Nate has them focused. ‬‪

1.  The Wizards are flat out awful.  +1 Blazers‬‪
2.  ESPN Accuscore not showing as much love as it should.  +1 Blazers‬‪
3.  Washington is shelling out 102.2 ppg.  +1 Blazers‬‪
4.  In last year's match-ups, the home team always dominated.  +1 Wizards‬‪
5.  Caron Butler jacked up his knee last night?  +1 Blazers‬‪
6.  Arenas about to join Darius Miles on the jackass injury retired list.  +1 Miles‬‪
7.  Portland remains undefeated against the east.  +1 Blazers‬‪
8.  Juan Dixon sighting!  +1 Memories‬‪
9.  Portland is now 9-0 as the favorite.  +1 Blazers‬‪
10.  The most annoying NBA dancer page ever.  -1 Wizard Girls‬‪
11.  Washington actually b*tched about their schedule.  +1 Kidding Me?‬‪
12.  Roy struggling in Washington like he did last year?  Toss Up‬‪
13.  DeShawn Stevenson doing something completely annoying.  +1 Guaranteed ‬‪
14.  Blazers not looking ahead to the Boston game.  Toss Up‬‪
15.  Me starting to look ahead to the Boston game.  +1 Guaranteed‬‪

Totals:  Blazers 6   Wizards 1   Darius 1   Memories 1   Wizard Girls -1   Kidding 1  
Guaranteed 2‬‪

Predicted Winner:  Blazers‬‪‬‪

Knicks Try, Sort of. Blazers Hold Off New York. 104-97

The Portland Trail Blazers rolled into New York this afternoon looking to win their 5th straight and actually managed to do it, convincingly.  Nothing is surprising anymore with this team as they once again defied all odds to beat one of the highest scoring teams in the country by holding them 9 points under their average.

Quick Recap:

This game started out pretty ugly with the Knicks lighting it up front all corners of the arena.  The "paint" which is usually foreign to D'Antoni teams, was dominated early on by New York giving them a quick 10 point first quarter lead.  Luckily for Blazer fans, Brandon Roy picked up the entire team, tightened his Nike's, and kept the game manageable.  A second half 15-0 run proved why the Blazers might be worthy of that Hollinger ranking we spoke of just yesterday.  Within minutes, Portland almost turned this into a blowout but that becomes hard when your opponent continually tosses up 3's without a conscience.

Game thoughts in fantastical bulleted format: 

• Chris Duhon looked like the new Steve Nash tonight.  Not good.
• David Lee got punked by Przybilla soooooo many times!
• And the game ball should go to Joel as well.
• Did Oden even play in the second half?
• When was the last time Brandon Roy missed a 4th quarter shot?
• Batum  disappeared and Travis showed up.  
• The Spanish crowd was amazing to listen to.
• The Knicks really are shorthanded and it showed down the stretch.
• Rudy's crossover-pullback is amazing to watch.
  
• A hiccup tomorrow would be very bad before the Celtics game.

Plus/Minus sheet:

Highlights for those of you not functioning on east coast time:


Box score.

15 Thoughts vs. New York 12/2

Game 2 of the ultimate roadie continues tonight against the always Marbury-less New York Knickerbockers. After a convincing win against an Eastern Conference powerhouse, Portland now dips into a little mediocrity. A slip up in New York or Washington could turn this trip into tragedy very quickly especially with the Celtics and Raptors on the tail end of things. Put it to your Stephon-Z-Bo-less foes, my boys!

1.  New York scoring 106.4 points per game.  +1 Knicks
2.  New York giving up 108.8 points per game.  +1 Blazers
3.  Portland’s record when scoring 100?  +1 Blazers
4.  Nate Robinson dropped 45 on us last year.  -1 Groin Hurts!
5.  Battle of the bad point guards.  Toss Up
6.  David Lee attempting to be fancy while dunking.  +1 Chris Anderson
7.  ESPN Accuscore going 57% on us.  +1 Blazers
8.  Blazer fans oogling over David Lee instead of Channing.  +1 STFU
9.  Stephon Marbury sighting!  Toss Up
10.  Batum and those key, end of game minutes.   +1 Blazers
11.  Mike D’Antoni is crafty.  +1 Knicks
12.  Portland is 8-0 as a favorite this year.  +1 Blazers
13.  New York just dropped 138 on Golden State.   +1 Knicks
14.  Five game winning streak on the line here.  Toss Up
15.  Having the reigning Player of the Week on your side?  +1 Blazers

Totals:  Blazers 6   Knicks 3   Groin -1   Chris Anderson 1   STFU 1

Predicted Winner:   Blazers

Don't forget to check out Sheed's Shakedown over at Bust a Bucket!

All About the Holiday NBA Dancer Outfits?

The time has come my friends, for your NBA Dance teams to bring out those little holiday outfits.  Ms. Claus, Ms. Elf and hell, even Ms. Reindeer would be worth a look.  So before all those new 2008-09 red, white and fluffly outfits come to a court near you, we thought we'd give you a reminder of years past.

As always...enjoy!

 

  

 

How about a little video footage as well?


And just so you know, we'll have the updated versions once those come out so make sure you get back here soon.

Don't forget to check out the rest of our NBA dancers, including those lovely boy shorts.

Happy Holidays!

November Report Card - Portland Trail Blazers

The first full month is behind us and things look pretty good at this point wouldn't you say?  Possibly the toughest opening schedule in the history of the NBA posed no threat to the heart and work ethic of these young stud-muffins (Did I just say “stud-muffins”?).  With that ridiculous comment said, lets take a quick look at the month of November and see what the team can possibly improve on as the next and possibly even more difficult, month of December lies just around the corner.


Offensive-ness  B+

After the last 2 weeks, this score is creeping towards a full blown A.  Offensively, they continue to shoot the lights out from deep and on any given night seem to have another 1-3 players step up and make the difference.  The reason they don’t get the A?  They continue to live and die by that damn deep ball.  Teams in the past like the Suns or Warriors have gone down this road and the outcome is usually not satisfactory.  Just keep scoring 100 per game boys!  (8-1 when scoring 100 points.) 

Defensive-ness  B

For most of the month the Blazers were giving up way too many damn points.  In fact, for almost half of it, they were giving up more points on average per game than they were scoring which is remarkable considering their record.  They were also allowing opponents to shoot over 50% far too often but have finally pulled both numbers well down.  Greg and Joel have really formed a solid duo with either unit that controls the paint better than almost any team in the league.  They out rebounded Miami the other night 55-28. Eek.

Star Power-ness  A-

While Brandon Roy has been unstoppable, LaMarcus Aldridge has been so inconsistent that my bi-polar sister is getting annoyed.  They still deserve an A in this category as Roy is able to elevate any category into elite status these days.  Aldridge has also come on strong over the last week and embarrassed the hell out of RAW-sheed Wallace or what many are calling his idol.  For the first entire month of the season, I would say the friendship between these two has officially paid off in uncharted ways.

Oden-ness  C

I’ve been bagging on him a lot lately and have felt the wrath of Blazer homers far and wide.  (Just so we are all clear, I love criticism and in fact, welcome it over praise as it starts good banter and forces fans to research and become much more knowledgeable.)  He sits in the middle with a C because of his lack of toughness and intensity.  Well, he’s also been sitting on the fence deciding whether or not he really wants to be a dominant center in this league.  Luckily for you homers, he’s starting to tip towards that side. 

McMillan-ness  A

Coach of the Year anyone?  He deserved the damn award last year and if the next few months are similar in any way to November, it should be a landslide for Dr. Nate.  While the team was starting to really find a groove with Joel in the starting line-up, he switched it up and forced Greg into action.  The first game made this move look like quite the dewsy, and now, it almost looks ingenious. 

Overall-ness  A-

• Your thoughts on the first full month of the 2008-09 season?

Whoa Hollinger! Blazers 3rd on the Nerd Rankings!

Just last night we posted a screenie of Hollinger's ESPN NBA Power Rankings which are updated daily and he had the Blazers coming in at a wonderfully noteworthy 4th place.  Well after the convincing win over Detroit, they jumped the freakin' defending champion Celtics!

Your eyes must see this:

(yes click on it for full big boy version)

Keep in mind that his rankings are purely based on numbers rather than human error.  Many people like to argue over the validity Hollinger's nerd rankings, but he tends to be fairly accurate.  Go Blazers!

New Poll: Thoughts on the Return of Martell?

Don't forget to check out our latest poll down at the bottom of the page that asks you one simple question or actually just ask you to complete one simple sentence.

The return of Martell Webster is...