By Brian Wheeler, Trail Blazers Radio Play-By-Play Announcer
Wheeler: When looking at this season's training camp we've heard many a Blazer use the term "fresh start" to describe the mood. Is that how you feel about it? Take a look at what Mighty Mouse had to say.
Stoudamire: Yes, I do feel that way. It is definitely different for myself and everybody else in the sense that we have a whole new coaching staff. Anything that has happened in the past really doesn't matter now, things just matter from October 2nd on. I think it has been good for everybody.
Wheeler: Maurice Cheeks came to visit you in the off-season, and you've mentioned how impressed you were with him at that meeting. What exactly did you guys talk about?
Stoudamire: We just talked about what he wanted my role on this team to be. He wanted to know how I see things here in Portland and where I thought he could help me out. He stressed that we need to be on the same page, the point guard and the coach. We need to have an open relationship and have communication at all times. That was great to hear.
Wheeler: When you first came into the NBA you had a wonderful relationship with Isiah Thomas in Toronto, and now it looks like you're developing a good one with coach Cheeks. Is this a case of sometimes the best guy to relate to a point guard is another point guard?
Stoudamire: Yeah I think it is. I think that Maurice really understands what it takes to develop ball players. He was in Philadelphia with Allen Iverson and saw that development. Now coach Cheeks is here with that same system and philosophy. I don't see it being any different. His expectation for me here is definitely higher than it ever has been for me here. I'm willing to except those challenges. It's something that I look forward to.
Wheeler: You've also been named a team captain for the first time in your Blazers career. Does that solidify even more your leadership role on this team?
Stoudamire: I think it does. I think the guys look to me for that. That means that whether it's a good day or a bad day for me I always have to be positive and up for everybody else. That's one of the things that a good leader has to do. You've got to be able to lift everybody up when things aren't going well. You've got to be out there staying focused, being positive or whatever. If you aren't playing well, you just have to keep playing hard and working hard and good things will happen. My teammates will feed off me. I think I'll be a good leader for these guys.
Wheeler: So it sounds like we're going to see a lot more of the players running the show on the court rather than always having to look at the bench for instructions.
Stoudamire: I think you will see a lot more calling of the plays from the players out on the floor, and a lot more improvising from the players on the floor. We'll work out way out of bad situations through communication. That's one area that has needed work. Even though we've been a solid team for a few years we really haven't been communicating like we should. We're trying to get better at that. We've made a conscious effort so far to get a lot better at that.
Wheeler: How frustrating was the end of last season? You guys had the best record in the west on March 1st, yet you weren't even still playing on May 1st after getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.
Stoudamire: It was very frustrating for us. It was a long season. The last two months seemed like they were seven or eight months. You could just tell that it was really wearing on everybody. Not just the players, but the coaching staff, the fans, the organization, everybody. Anybody that had anything to do with the Blazers seemed to be going through kind of a funk. It was very frustrating for us, and it's something that we wished wouldn't have happened. All we can do is try to learn from it. We've had a tough couple of years. One year we lose an 18-point lead in game seven, and the next year we had the best record on March one and then are out before May. Maybe this third time is a charm. We've just got to keep fighting. One of the things they've stressed to us is mental toughness. Sometimes we tend to break down and maybe start pointing fingers when things are going wrong. That's something that we really can't do anymore.
Wheeler: Because of how you finished two years ago there were high expectations for last season. Now do you feel as if the so-called experts have written you off as title contenders?
Stoudamire: I think they have written us off. Everywhere I look they have the Lakers and Sacramento ahead of us and most have us finishing third in our division, and at best fifth in our conference. I do think most people aren't giving us a chance. As bad as people thought we played last year down the stretch, we still won over 50 games in a difficult conference. I know that we'll be back this year. It'll be interesting to see if some of those teams that climbed up last year will maintain it this year. I'm not worried about everyone else because I know we'll be ready on day one.
Wheeler: Tell me your impressions of the new additions- Derek Anderson, Ruben Patterson, Chris Dudley, and Steve Kerr.
Stoudamire: I think Derek is a great ball player and a great shooter. He's going to bring a lot to our team. I think Steve Kerr is always going to bring great perimeter shooting wherever he goes. He's one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history, and is a great clutch shooter. Chris Dudley has come in here and has surprised me so far. I knew Chris could rebound, but he's not bad around the bucket either. I think Ruben is a slasher-type player and is someone who is going to create havoc on both ends of the floor. He can make a lot of things happen.
Wheeler: We mentioned earlier that you'll be a Blazer captain for the first time and so will Rasheed Wallace. What kind of season do you expect from him?
Stoudamire: I think that Rasheed is going to have a great year. I'm looking for him to exceed everyone's expectations of him. It's not far fetched to say he should be among the league leaders in scoring and rebounding. If it's one thing I'd like to see him do more in his game it's rebound. I think he can go from 8 or 9 a game to maybe 11 or 12 a game. He can definitely give that to us. He's at a point now that the only way he's going to get better is if he wants to get better. He's had success in the NBA and it's easy to be content with that. But, if Rasheed wants to step up into the elite category those are the things he's going to have to do.
Wheeler: A lot of talk in the NBA has centered on some of the new rules. Now, of course, teams can play a zone defense. Some think guys like you won't be able to penetrate as easily. Do you think the new rules will affect you at all?
Stoudamire: I don't really look for the new rules to affect me. They have some new rules that might be a negative to me, but they also have some that will be a positive to me. I like the rule that only allows teams eight seconds to get the ball across half court. I can put pressure on guys and maybe cause them some problems. If you can shoot the ball, basically, none of these new rules will really affect you. If you're a decent shooter you'll be all right. I think I'm a decent enough shooter where none of those rules will really affect me.
Wheeler: Talk about the other new additions to this year's roster... Derek Anderson and Ruben Patterson. What will they bring to the mix?
Stoudamire: I always want players who will play hard, who love to play, and who will play as a team. When you are talking about chemistry issues these things have never been a question with these two guys. It was the exacta we were looking for this summer.
Wheeler: Will this Blazers team miss Arvydas Sabonis?
Stoudamire: I think we will miss him at first. Everybody has always had something to say about Sabas, but when he's played 20 to 25 minutes a game, and has been healthy, he's been very effective. He's a big presence on the floor. Offensively he can make plays and can pass the ball. I think we will miss him until somebody steps up. We'll always miss his offense. What we need right now is a defensive presence. I think we're trying to find that.
Wheeler: As two-time champs the Lakers obviously enter the season as the favorites to win another title. Where do the Blazers fit in as championship contenders?
Stoudamire: That is our ultimate goal, obviously. When you get humbled the way we've been humbled that last couple of years you kind of have to go back to square one. We know we're good enough to get there, and now we have to start taking some minor steps to get better. Eventually we can turn those minor steps into major steps. I just don't want to see this team get ahead of itself and start patting each other on the back if we have early success. It only counts when you get to the end of the year. That's what we're focusing on.
Wheeler: Adversity tests even the strongest competitors and last season certainly didn't live up to anyone's expectations by the time it was all said and done. Is there a renewed commitment with everyone in the organization to get this club back among the elite in the NBA?
Stoudamire: There was a lot of finger pointing when the season ended. I'm very proud of Bob and very proud of our off-season. It would have been simple to sit around and spin and point fingers at others. Simply, it went wrong and you've got to fix it. Bob went right back to work. A lot of people said this team was so old and has no flexibility and no ability to get young. The next thing you know Zach is tearing up the summer league, Derek Anderson is on board, and Ruben Patterson is on board. Bob just refused to sit and get caught in the mud slinging and just got right back to work.
Wheeler: While we're on the subject of predictions, will this be Damon Stoudamire's finest NBA season?
Stoudamire: I think it'll be my best year on a winning team. Will I exceed the numbers that I put up in Toronto? I don't know. I'm not really looking for that. I'm just looking to get back among the league leaders in assists like I used to be every year, and get about 16 or 17 points a night. Those are attainable goals. As long as I'm on the floor it can happen.
That's all up to me now. It's not up to anyone else but me. It's something that I'm very much looking forward to.
Wheeler: Thanks Damon, we appreciate your time.
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