Sunday, July 10, 2005
Final Score: Blazers 60, Mavericks 82

Nothing would fall for the Trail Blazers summer league team on Sunday, and they suffered their first loss in the Reebok Vegas Summer League, to the Dallas Mavericks, 82-60.


Portland also got off to a slow start in their second game, against Golden State, but rallied with a huge third quarter and put the Warriors away. No such rally would come this time.

The Blazers, who shot 55 percent in their first game, and 51 in their second, could only manage 31 percent shooting from the field. In the first half they were just 7 for 30, for a 23 percent average.

A scary moment came early in the third quarter when Sebastian Telfair was hacked across the wrist on his way to the basket. No foul was called on the play, but Telfair immediately grabbed his right wrist and doubled over before heading to the bench.

Assistant trainer Geoff Clark kneeled in front of Telfair on the Portland bench for about 15 minutes working on the wrist. The two finally left the court for the locker room and then Telfair returned with a huge wrap and ice bag on the injury. The wrap was off by the end of the game and the diagnosis was a bruised wrist. Portland is off until Wednesday and Sebastian's status is up in the air.

The Trail Blazers, without Telfair in the second half never mounted a rally, as Dallas effectively shut down Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster. Outlaw, who scored 32 points in the first game on Wednesday, managed just 9 points on 4 of 16 shooting against the Mavericks. Webster, who struggled as well, shooting just 4 of 15, ended the game with 14 points.

The Trail Blazers big men were badly outplayed by Dallas' second-year man Pavel Podkolzine in this game. Podkolzine, a 7-5 giant, frustrated Seung Jin Ha into nine personal fouls (players can't foul out in summer league games, but teams are given a technical foul for every personal foul over six.) Nedzad Sinanovich, who played well in the win over Golden State, picked up six fouls, and Kris Lang, who has also played well so far, ended with 7.

New Trail Blazer coach Nate McMillian arrived in Las Vegas on Saturday night and dined with general manager John Nash, player personnel director Kevin Pritchard, and summer league coach Bill Bayno. He told me today he has had a chance to meet with most of the summer league players one-on-one, and is in the process of contacting the Trail Blazer veterans, who are not with the summer league team.

Before the game today McMillan spent most of his time shaking hands with friends and fellow NBA coaches, and speaking with Trail Blazer players. He told me he has actually gotten some sleep the last two nights after many sleepless nights in the last couple of weeks. His focus will now turn to assembling his staff, and the free agent signing period.

The baseline press tables was a who's who of NBA coaches and executives. Rick Adelman, George Karl, Mike Dunleavy, Scott Skiles, Brian Hill, Kiki Vandeweghe, Doug Moe, Marc Ivaroni, Joe Dumars, Danny Ainge, Willis Reed, Jim Paxson, and Rod Thorn were there, among others.

The Trail Blazers continue play in the summer league on Wednesday, when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland rolled over Denver 78-55 in the game before Portland's on Sunday. Former Oregon Duck Luke Jackson, who sat out most of last season following back surgery, looked strong for the Cavaliers. He had 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes.

Summer League Central

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