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Rival Report: Trail Blazers TV Play-by-Play Broadcaster Mike Barrett
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com November 12, 2009 Throughout the 2009-10 regular season, Hornets.com will be interviewing writers from other NBA websites to obtain unique insights on the Hornets’ opposition, prior to home games at the New Orleans Arena. With the Hornets hosting the Portland Trail Blazers at 7 p.m. Friday, we caught up with Trail Blazers television play-by-play broadcaster Mike Barrett. Barrett also writes an informative and entertaining blog on TrailBlazers.com. Hornets.com: Portland is headlined again this season by All-Star shooting guard Brandon Roy, who is off to another excellent start individually. After all of the various accolades he’s received in just three-plus NBA seasons, what is the next step in Roy’s progression? What areas of his game is he focusing on to ascend to the next level of stardom? Barrett: Brandon continues to say that he wants to be a much better defender this season. Actually, the entire team has committed itself to that end of the floor. It is amazing listening to Roy talk, because you’d think you were listening to a rookie who hadn’t achieved anything in this league. He’s extremely humble, but is undoubtedly the leader of this team. Going out in the first round to Houston in the playoffs didn’t sit well with this crew, even though many believe they overachieved in winning 54 games. They all agree, led by Roy, that defense can get them over the top.
Barrett: Greg is progressing very nicely, and it seems every night we're seeing improvement in his game. Last week he had a terrific battle with Tim Duncan, and actually finished with better numbers in the win. People forget that Greg is only 21. He came in about 12-15 pounds lighter this season and is completely healthy following the normal two years it takes to come back from microfracture knee surgery. He’s the first to say he's got a lot to learn, and he still struggles with foul trouble. It's a concern, but the coaches know it's just about footwork and being in the right place on the court. Nate McMillan started this season just telling Oden to concentrate on the defensive end of the floor. But, already we've seen the team look to get him the ball in the low post. He's just starting to unlock some of the offensive moves he spent all summer working on. He's incredibly strong, is a terrific shot blocker, and runs the floor better than people think. The biggest improvement, however, has come between his ears. He was clearly feeling the pressure of expectations last season, and is probably way too hard on himself. The attention he receives actually seems to embarrass him at times, and he wants to earn any praise he receives. He's much more comfortable with himself this season, and that's showing on the court. It was painful to watch him deal with the weight of the world on his shoulders after being the top pick in the draft. The knee surgery that wiped out his rookie season just added to that. But, we're seeing a lot more smiles on his face lately, and that's great. Hornets.com: The headline-generating acquisition of Portland’s offseason was the free-agent signing of point guard Andre Miller. Miller had been coming off the bench early in the regular season behind incumbent Steve Blake, but recently joined Blake in the first string. What impact has Miller made so far? Barrett: Miller has been great, and he and Steve Blake truly seem to enjoy playing together. There's no rivalry there or anything like that. And, with the recent change to the starting lineup, Miller is now starting with Blake and Brandon Roy. Roy has moved to the small-forward spot, and Miller has been setting the offense. In the past, McMillan called just about every play from the bench, but he's got an amazing amount of trust in Miller and is now letting him call most of the offense. The biggest impact Miller has had on this team is reflected in fast-break points. Portland has run a very efficient, but very deliberate offense in the last couple of years. They've always talked of running, but really haven't embraced that philosophy. The first game Miller started the team recorded 12 fast-break points – a lot for this team. The second time he started the team scored 21 fast-break points. Ironically, in that game Miller also led the team in scoring with 21. It takes time when you bring in a new quarterback, but things are starting to click with he and his teammates. Hornets.com: Speaking of the bench, Portland may have the most talented group of reserves in the NBA, a cast that includes Miller and quality substitutes Travis Outlaw, Rudy Fernandez and Joel Przybilla. As the Blazers attempt to advance in the West playoffs in 2010 and become an elite team, do they view this strength as a potential reason why they may be able to overtake some of the other powers in the conference? Barrett: It's a very good “problem” to have. It's difficult for NBA coaches to deal with 10-man rotations, but that's what Portland has. Jerryd Bayless has gotten into the mix lately, and you've already mentioned Przybilla, Outlaw, Fernandez. And, Martell Webster, who was moved out of the starting lineup to make room for Miller, is a very talented small forward. Nicolas Batum, who started at small forward last season, is out for a few months following shoulder surgery, and that was a big blow to this team. But, it's nice to have people able to step in and take his place. Clearly, depth is vital when you deal with the inevitable injury bug. When it strikes, the Blazers will be ready. Can McMillan keep everyone happy? That's the biggest question, but everyone seems to be on the same page. It's all about sacrificing for the ultimate goal.
Barrett: They drew a very tough matchup with Houston in the first round last year. For several reasons, the Rockets were just a pain in the neck to this team last season. Ultimately, the only thing you can control is what you do, and these guys realize the best way to advance deeper into the playoffs is to claim a higher seed. They were dominant at home, but now want to be a better road team. That's the goal. This is still a very young team, but they're not using that as an excuse any longer. Hornets.com: Within the past year, usage of social networking media has become widespread in the NBA. Who are the Blazers’ most entertaining and active players using Twitter or other platforms? Barrett: Probably Travis Outlaw and LaMarcus Aldridge. They've both done some Twittering, and both are always on their computers. Greg Oden also has a blog and enjoys that. Quite predictably, the older players on the team aren't into the electronics like the younger players. Joel Przybilla tells me he hardly ever goes online, and has a dinosaur of a cell phone. Hornets.com: In your job as the TV voice of the Blazers, you interact with the team’s players frequently. Who is the best interviewee on the Portland roster? Barrett: Well, I've got to say Brandon Roy. Last summer he was given the Magic Johnson Award by the Pro Basketball Writers, which honors the player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation with the media and fans. Brandon always talks after games, and if you don't come up with a great question, he bails you out with a terrific answer. He's just exactly who he appears to be, and that's why he could run for governor in the state of Oregon and win in a landslide. People just love him. But, I also have to say that I don't think there's a bad interview on this team. I've never honestly been able to say that. They're all such nice, well-spoken men. Walking into the Portland locker room, you don't have to pick and choose to get a good interview. I'm sure that's a biased opinion, but these guys just get it in so many ways. That's exactly the way Kevin Pritchard designed it. Character is a huge factor in choosing players for this roster. We've learned the hard way how vital that is. Of course, you can have great guys who aren't great interviews. But, these guys seem to have all of the positive off-the-court attributes covered. Even if you're not a Blazer fan, you would have to admit that this is a very likable team. Hornets.com: What’s one thing we might be surprised to know about the Blazers? Barrett: They're absolutely never satisfied, and on the team bus after a game you can't tell if we just won or just lost. That's amazed me in the last two seasons. Being so young, and so inexperienced, you would think youthful emotion would cause this team to ride the wave up and down. But, they don't. They've got that even-keeled emotional outlook. They let themselves celebrate briefly after wins, and after crushing losses never lose perspective. That's a tribute to McMillan, who has preached that from day one. |
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