NBA.com: Blogtable: Hot Start, Staying Hot
“I believe this time the Blazers will remain constant. Their starting five is as good as ever, Damian Lillard improved again and finally arrived in the point guard elite. And LaMarcus Aldridge is a beast of a power forward. But the most important thing is that they finally have a bench mob. Chris Kaman and Steve Blake fit perfect and they help with their experience.”
Trailblazers.com: The Same, And Different, Steve Blake
“The biggest difference between this team Blake joined, as compared to his first and second trips to Portland, is the expectation of greatness. The innocence, in many ways, is gone. That happens when you win a playoff series and bring back a very solid core of players. Like many of his teammates, Blake embraces the high standard the team is being held to this season. ’This year we know we’re good, and everyone else knows it too. We expect it from ourselves. The team chemistry and talent is just awesome. It’s a fun group to be around. It’s a great system, we’ve got a great coach, and we’re going to keep getting better and better. Hopefully, I will too.’”
Forward/Center: Three Out Of Five ESPN Analysts Call Portland ‘Contenders’
“Portland’s improved defense, which is currently ranked 8th in the NBA in points allowed per possession, seems to be the determining factor in designating the Trail Blazers as “contenders,” which makes sense. Defense and bench play have been the primary knocks with regard to Portland’s legitimacy as a player in the Western Conference, so if those areas have been addressed, there’s not much of an argument to be made that the Trail Blazers can’t be legitimate contenders.”
“‘We all go home in the summer and work on our games and try to get better,’ he said. ‘But there's only so much you can do. RoLo changed everything.’”
“In the first 13 games of this season, it's clear that the veteran tandem has come to rely on one another. The Blake to Kaman two-man game has become a staple coming off the Blazers' bench. Blake and Kaman pass the ball to each other more than either of them pass to any other teammate.”
Oregonlive.com: Mike Dunleavy Foul On Damian Lillard Wasn’t ‘Cheap,’ It Was Priceless For Trail Blazers
“‘When you have situations like Golden State, and kind of what we had tonight, it lets you know the person standing beside you will go to war with you and has your back,’ Lillard said. ‘And that goes beyond basketball.’”
“ESPN has released the first edition of Hollinger's Playoff Odds for the 2014-15 season. Developed by former-ESPN guru John Hollinger, the system famously gives a percentage chance for each team to make the playoffs, win their division, hold the top seed in their conference, make the finals, or win this year's championship. We know you're burning with curiosity about the Portland Trail Blazers assessment, so here you go:
Odds of Making the Playoffs: 99.5% Rank #1 in Western Conference
Odds of Winning Their Division: 99.1%, Rank #1 in Division (and Conference)”
ESPN.com: Up And Away: His Spring Fadeaway J
“ Back at the University of Texas, LaMARCUS ALDRIDGE'S signature shot was his jump hook. But his coach, Rick Barnes, told the 6-foot-11 power forward that he'd need a countermove in the NBA, so they began watching film of Tim Duncan and Rasheed Wallace for inspiration. "Tim and Sheed both fade, so we took a bit of both guys for my fadeaway," says Aldridge, now 29. "Guys can't block it because I get it so high." The proof? Since the start of the 2010-11 season, the Blazers' three-time All-Star has led the NBA in made fadeaways. Here's how Aldridge unleashes the shot.”
Ripcityproject.com: Damian Lillard Takes His 3-Point Shooting To New Highs
“The first is that Lillard is delivering this staggering performance even with increased attention. Teams are trying harder than ever to run him off the line, yet despite this focused effort by the opposition, Lillard is having his best start to a season. This is what the great players do – they are able to perform even when they are the primary focus of other teams.”