Jonah BallowWolves Editor/Writer
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Wolves @ Blazers 8 PM - The Rose Garden
WHERE TO WATCH: FS NORTH
WHERE TO LISTEN: KFAN 1130
Scouting Report:
Big Picture:
The winning vibe has returned to the Northwest with the revival of the Portland Trail Blazers. After posting a 54-28 record last year, the Blazers vaulted back into the postseason with an incredibly deep roster. Portland did not rest on its laurels and acquired point guard Andre Miller despite missing out on signing Hedo Turkoglu and Paul Millsap. Surprisingly, the Blazers are only 3-3 to start the 2009-10 season. Head coach Nate McMillan continues to adjust the starting lineup in search of offensive consistency.
Backcourt:
McMillan started Steve Blake, Miller, and Brandon Roy against the Spurs on Friday night. The change resulted in 49 combined points and eight assists as Portland defeated San Antonio 96-84. Rumors of chemistry issues swirled around this Blazers squad heading into the season with the addition of Miller. There might be some concern of too many cooks in the kitchen. Regardless of the perceived turmoil, Portland can lean on the strong leadership of Roy. Entering his fifth season, Roy is ascending to superstar status by averaging 25.2 points per game and he scored 42 against Houston on Halloween night. The shooting guard is silky smooth on the perimeter with tremendous range on his jumper. The Blazers have several scoring options but there is no doubt there offensive success is based on Roy’s production in the backcourt. Defensively, Corey Brewer will attempt to limit Roy by forcing him to shoot contested jumpers. Jonny Flynn owns a speed advantage against Blake or Miller, which should allow the rookie to find space in the open floor.
Frontcourt:
Portland features a formidable frontline with LaMarcus Aldridge as the focal point on the blocks. Aldridge likes to face up and shoot from 17 feet as opposed to playing with his back to the basket. On October 31, Aldridge scored 27 points on 13-for-16 shooting from the floor in the loss to Houston. Next to Aldridge is the shot-blocking force Greg Oden. At 7-feet tall, Oden patrols the paint from a defensive standpoint and will look to control the glass. Oden does not present a polished game in the paint, scoring most of his points off loose balls and rebounds. Wolves’ fans witnessed a complete 180 from the frontcourt on Friday night. Al Jefferson, Oleksiy Pecherov, and Ryan Gomes rallied together to score 63 points against Boston but only recorded 18 in the loss to Milwaukee.
What To Look For:
Portland is riding an eight-game winning streak over Minnesota. Last year, the Wolves battled the Blazers in three of the four games and hope to snap a five-game losing skid. Expect a motivated Minnesota team after head coach Kurt Rambis voiced his disappoint in the lack of effort on Friday. The Wolves must receive a balanced attack from the starters with support off the bench. Portland can turn to its second unit for an added offensive boost. Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw are dangerous options that will try to change the flow of the game in favor of the Blazers.
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