Hornets.com’s 1-on-1: Portland’s Zach Randolph, Mike Rice
January 30, 2007
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Portland forward Zach Randolph
Q: What are your thoughts on the Hornets and tonight’s game?
A: They played us tough, (Jannero) Pargo made some big shots for them down the stretch. He got hot in the forth quarter and it was tough to stop him.This is the NBA – you have to be prepared for that. We fought the whole game; we just couldn't finish at the end.
Q: You’re posting career-highs in many categories, this season. How gratifying would it be selected as an All Star?
A: It would be a great accomplishment. Any player would love to make it and play with the best players in the league. I just take it one game at a time and try to contribute in any way possible to help this team get wins.
Q: What are your thoughts on some of the young players on the roster? What type of pointers have you given them?
A: Play hard, be aggressive and play the whole game. We’ve got a lot of talent on this team. We’re young… we just have to keep working hard.
Q: Who is the toughest power forward that you have faced? How do you prepare yourself for that battle?
A: Kevin Garnett. I try to match his intensity and play with a lot of energy, because that’s what he brings every time he steps on the court.
Q: I understand that growing up you idolized Michael Jordan. What big man would you compare your game to?
A: Karl Malone, Elton Brand, Charles Barkley. Post players that have played big for their teams. Their toughness and work ethic are things that I respect about those guys.
Q: What areas do you feel that you still need to work on to take you to that next level?
A: Everything from ballhandling, post work, footwork and getting quicker on my feet.
Rice
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Portland broadcaster Mike Rice
Q: Even though casual fans may look at Portland’s 19-26 record and think ‘struggling team,’ based on what most people expected from the Blazers entering this season, would you consider this a pretty successful first half to 2006-07?
A: I think (Portland head coach) Nate McMillan, or any coach, has a goal of getting into the playoffs. But when you win 21 games like the Blazers did last season, you have to take (progress) in steps. The fact that we have 19 wins right now – although Nate wouldn’t say it – he’s achieved a new attitude for this team. They don’t expect to lose (a lot of games) like they did in the second half of last year, when they only won six games after the All-Star break.
I would call what has taken place a step in the right direction. But we still don’t talk about the playoffs, like the Hornets will, when they get Chris Paul back. Our expectations are not to that (stage), even though the Blazers have 19 wins and are only about three games out of that eighth spot right now. Our primary goal still is to improve.
Q: What do you think are the biggest reasons behind Zach Randolph’s resurgent season? He has been a significantly better player compared to last season.
A: Zach is a guy that thought if he works really hard in the summertime, he would improve each season. What held him back (in 2005-06) was that he had a knee operation and came in a little bit overweight and out of shape. This summer, for the first time in two years, he had a chance to get himself into shape before the summer started.
He was ready to go from the outset this season, plus the Blazers are a young team that looks to Zach for scoring – and that’s what Zach does better than anything else. He averages about 20 shots a game and is the go-to guy. They probably would like him to play a little more defense. But right now he probably should be considered a little bit more for the All-Star team than he is. He’s kind of a forgotten guy on a forgotten team.
Q: How confident are you right now that Brandon Roy will go on to win the Rookie of the Year award? He seems like he is getting more of an opportunity to shoot and contribute than most of the other rookies.
A: Well, he deserves that, simply because he can do a lot more than the other rookies. He can play defense, while some of the rookies find it difficult when they come into the league to check anybody. He’s our best defender against perimeter guys, and will check the Ray Allens of the league.
Brandon makes good decisions because he went to college for four years, and didn’t skip it short. He’s had the full college experience. Whereas a lot of rookies have deficiencies in some areas, we leave him in the game for several reasons. He can rebound, he can play defense as a guard, he can shoot – he has his shooting percentage up quite a bit now.
Even after missing a lot of games early in the season, he’s by far the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.
Q: What is your assessment of No. 2 overall pick LaMarcus Aldridge? His minutes have been somewhat unpredictable from game to game, but do you see him getting to play more consistently in the latter part of the season?
A: I was with the Blazers when we had Jermaine O’Neal, and he had players playing in front of him that prevented him from getting a lot of playing time. It wasn’t that Jermaine couldn’t play in the NBA – and I knew that, because I watched him in practice every day. It was just that it was a Blazers team that had a numbers crunch at his position.
Right now, LaMarcus is in a similar situation. He is playing behind Zach Randolph at power forward, and Zach is getting about 40 minutes a night. At the center spot, they have Jamaal Magloire and Joel Przybilla, who is probably our best defender.
Everyone wants to see LaMarcus get more minutes, because he can do a lot of things that the other players can’t. He can run the floor like no one else we have at power forward or center. He’s playing better defense and is learning how to use his strength better.
So I think you’re right: As the season goes on, you’re going to see his minutes go up, especially if the Blazers make a trade and move one of the big guys.
Q: How realistic is it for the Blazers to think they can make a push at a playoff berth given the edge in pro experience that many of the other teams have, including the Hornets?
A: I think with certain teams, they’ll start to play better if you put pressure on them to make the playoffs. But maybe not this team. I think this is a young team that is still trying to impress the coach and earn minutes. We have a number of second-year guys, like Jarrett Jack and Martell Webster, who are all trying to fit in and find their roles.
If you put the pressure on every game, I don’t think they’d play as well. Veteran teams would rise up to that (challenge).
I think if another 10 games go by and the Blazers are still only three games out of the eighth spot at that time, then you’ll start hearing talk about the playoffs.
