Sitting 11 games under .500, and mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the Portland Trail Blazers had very little to play for heading in to last night’s contest against the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

However, any time Portland hosts the Lakers at the Rose Garden, no matter the situation, there’s always something to play for, and that something is pride. So even though Rip City was missing three starters (Nic Batum, Wes Matthews and JJ Hickson), they would attempt to derail Los Angeles’ playoff push behind All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and rookie sensation Damian Lillard.

Even though Portland fell short at the end of the game, Damian Lillard put on a show, going head to head with Kobe Bryant, trading punches all the way until the final buzzer.

Hot First Quarter

Lillard got the game going strong by pacing the Blazers in the first quarter, scoring 17 of his career-best 38 points in the frame. Damian knocked down three deep threes, to go along with three mid-range jumpers, and a pair of free throws, to help Portland put up 41 points in the first quarter, staking the Blazers an 8 point lead.

The rookie also got his teammates going by dishing out an amazing 7 assists in the first quarter alone.

It was apparent from the tip-off that Portland wasn’t going to go down without a fight, and the rising star that is Damian Lillard wasn’t afraid of who the opponent was. Even if that opponent happened to be Kobe Bryant, who was keeping pace with the young kid, putting up 17, of his season-high 47 points, in the first quarter.

Taking the Lead in to Halftime

Lillard kept his shooting touch going in the second quarter, scoring 8 points, while keeping the Lakers, temporarily, at bay.

Portland’s second half performance looked nothing like the team that took to the court for the previous 24 minutes.

Whether it be highlight reel type dunks, or his now signature step back jumpers, Damian Lillard was not going to be slowed by the Lakers sporadic defense Wednesday night, and was looking like the Rookie of the Year that he should be.

With Bryant notching 11 more points in the 2nd quarter, and both teams putting up 28 in the frame, Portland headed in to the locker room up 8 points, and in full control.

Stumbling through the 2nd Half

Whether it be experience, or fatigue, or just plain getting out played, Portland’s second half performance looked nothing like the team that took to the court for the previous 24 minutes.

This lapse, however, did nothing to slow Damian Lillard’s quest to keep the Lakers from the postseason, and his hot touch stayed with him well in to the second half.

Scoring 9 of Portland’s 21 third quarter points, Lillard seemed to be all the fight Portland had left.

Needing just 4 points to record a new career high in points (previous career high was 36 points) the rookie seemed poised to add another accomplishment to his already impressive first season in Portland.

A Career High or a Win?

The bottom seemed to completely fall out on the Blazers in the fourth quarter, as Los Angeles methodically made their comeback, and created a comfortable lead heading in to the last few minutes of play.

Lillard had tied his career high of 36 points with just under 7 minutes to play, but seemingly had more on his mind than just setting a personal record; he wanted to win.

At this point in the game you could see where Bryant’s veteran experience distanced himself from Damian Lillard’s fresh faced first season.

Bryant all but iced the game after a clear path violation was called against Damian Lillard that sent Kobe to the line for two free throws, and also gave LA the ball (where Kobe hit a long jumper on that ensuing possession).

The Lakers ended up cruising to a 7 point victory, and kept their playoff hopes alive.

Lillard’s Accomplishment

Lillard did end up scoring that final basket to give him 38 points on the night, good for the most points he’s scored in a game during his career thus far, but the sting of defeat left a sour taste in his mouth.

If any silver lining can be taken from his performance it’s that Portland has a rising star on their hands, one who will dazzle fans on a nightly basis as long as he’s donning the black and red of Rip City.

Watching him go toe to toe with one of the game’s best is a testament to his drive, and motivation, to be a superstar. His comments from the beginning of this month about his ability to be an All-Star, and a league MVP, seem less and less far-fetched each time he takes the court.

His future is bright and Rip City will enjoy watching him light up the Rose Garden for years to come.

Agree? Disagree? Hit me back below. I welcome your feedback.

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After slowly watching their record dip well below the .500 mark, the Portland Trail Blazers finally started getting back to some winning basketball.

Even though the previous week saw a split (a loss to Denver, then a win against Minnesota), one aspect of Portland’s game is incredibly different; that change lies with the play of the Blazer bench.

Putting up league worst numbers for points off the bench (by a very large margin, at that), Rip City’s reserves have been a liability all year. Nolan Smith is hardly looking like an NBA caliber back up point guard, Luke Babbitt can’t find his three point stroke for two consecutive games, and Meyers Leonard is too much of a raw talent at this point.

Damian Lillard continues to impress. (Photo: Bruce Ely/The Oregonian)

All of those factors, along with the awfulness that was Ronnie Price, put immense pressure on the starters to produce at a high level, each and every night.

Then Eric Maynor was traded to Portland, and that bench was sprung to life. Sure, it took a few games to really get the chemistry going, but moving forward Maynor provides the kind of spark Portland so desperately needed for its second unit.

With a 7 game losing streak in the rear view mirror for Portland, things should be looking up as they work through the last two months of the season. Playoffs may still be out of reach, but Portland sits in a much better position than they were predicted to be, so don’t count these guys out just yet.

Now, on to the weekly awards.

First Star: Damian Lillard (3/2: W vs. Minnesota)

In Brandon Roy’s homecoming (he didn’t play but got a weak standing ovation) it was Portland’s current big time rookie that put on a show for the Rose Garden crowd.

In a team high 39 minutes, Damian Lillard poured in 24 points–on 9-18 from the floor, including 2-5 from long range and a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line–while adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists, to go along with no turnovers. A very efficient night for the newly minted Rookie of the Month for February, Lillard continues to shine for Portland.

Second Star: JJ Hickson (3/2: W vs. Minnesota)

With just two games on the week, and one victory, the recognition comes solely from Portlands matchup against the Timberwolves.

JJ Hickson, Portland’s own double double machine, was up to his old tricks yet again this past Saturday night as he recorded his 32nd double double on the year.

In 27 minutes, Hickson notched 18 points–on a staggering 7-8 from the field, including 4-7 from the charity stripe–while grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds, to go along with 3 assists.

Hickson’s outstanding play this year will certainly earn him some offers from teams around the league, looking to benefit from the type of motor JJ displays on a nightly basis.

Third Star: Eric Maynor (3/2: W vs. Minnesota)

The newest addition to Rip City comes in for the Third Star this week for the incredible effort he displayed against Minnesota.

Maynor logged 31 minutes Saturday night, and while scoring just 7 points–on 3-7 from the floor and 1-2 from deep–dished out a game-high 12 assists, and grabbed one rebound, off the bench.

The assist total was his highest in a Blazer uniform, and showed that Portland’s bench may very well be improving with the addition of the guard. Maynor won’t be expected to dish double digit assists each night, but this kind of production, from a backup point guard, will be welcomed with open arms whenever he’s on the court.

Dunk of the Week: Meyers Leonard vs. Denver Nuggets

There was at least one thing to write about from Portland’s matchup against the Nuggets last week, and it was Meyers Leonard’s posterizing dunk over former Trail Blazer Andre Miller. Sure, Miller is considerably shorter than Leonard, but it still brought the Rose Garden to their feet. Enjoy!

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Heading in to the All-Star break—and the unofficial halfway point of the year0151the Portland Trail Blazers found themselves trending in the wrong direction. They had lost three straight games, were witnessing their record continue to fall below .500 and had seemingly lost some of the mojo that had them in the improbable hunt for the playoffs.

With trips to Miami and New Orleans to close out a six-game road trip, Portland was looking to salvage some sort of momentum. Against the defending champs, however, that momentum gain seemed unlikely; the more feasible win could come against New Orleans.

LaMarcus Aldridge had a strong showing against the Miami Heat.

The game against Miami was much closer than expected, as Portland established itself early and held a lead for most of the game. With LeBron James displaying, arguably, the best five to six-game stretch in NBA history, Portland’s lead was erased and the reigning MVP proved, once again, he’s the best basketball player on the planet as Miami downed Portland 117-104.

LeBron James’ incredible performance aside, Portland’s lack of defense and bench help (just 12 points) doomed the Blazers over the course of four quarters.

The following night’s game against the Pelicans (or Hornets, I guess) was a blowout for 48 minutes, with Portland losing by 36 points (99-63). Exhaustion could be an excuse, as they had played in Miami the night before, but no team, even with Portland’s roster, should get beaten by 36 points; let alone against a team who notched just its 19th win of the year through 53 games!

Admittedly, this week was one of the toughest in the Rick’s Picks history when I was searching for notable performances. As you’ll see, the weekend’s All-Star festivities play a bit of a role this week.

Now, on the awards.

First Star: Damian Lillard (2/12: L @ Miami)

The only game that provided any semblance of star power was Portland’s matchup with Miami, and Portland’s new point guard was up to his old tricks, scoring at will.

Damian Lillard, in 39 minutes, put up 33 points on 10-of-18 from the floor, including 3-of-8 from long range, and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. He also added three assists and one rebound. While the rebounding and assist totals were strangely low for Damian, the 33 points was just four points shy of his career high.

The Weber State product was hot all night long, and just couldn’t miss. If not for the torrid streak LeBron James was in at the time, Portland might’ve been able to ride its rookie point guard to a victory, snapping its losing streak.

However, that was not the case, and Lillard’s performance goes by the wayside as Portland couldn’t put together a solid second half.

Second Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (2/12: L @ Miami)

Portland’s lone All-Star, LaMarcus Aldridge, was the second half of the scoring power, along with Lillard, against Miami last week.

In 37 minutes of action, Aldridge recorded 29 points on 13-of-20 from the floor and a perfect 3-of-3 from the charity stripe. He also added five rebounds and one assist. Again, you’d like to see the rebounding and assist totals a little higher than they were, but when both teams shoot over 50 percent, those numbers tend to be a little smaller.

Damian Lillard won the All-Star Skills Challenge.

Still, the production out of Aldridge gave Portland a fighting chance well in to the second half. This kind of offensive showing is what Portland fans have grown to love out of the forward, and he continues to prove he is the cornerstone of this basketball team.

Third Star: Damian Lillard (All-Star Weekend)

This week I got a little creative with the Third Star designation and will be awarding it to Lillard for his performance at All-Star weekend in Houston.

Lillard played in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge last Friday and displayed his talents on the national stage. The point guard logged 27 minutes in the game, and had 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting. He shot 2-of-10 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the free throw line while adding five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Stuffing the stat sheet is Lillard’s specialty and Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge was no different.

During the next night’s festivities, Lillard participated in the Skills Challenge against the likes of Tony Parker, Jrue Holiday, Jeremy Lin, Brandon Knight and Jeff Teague.

Unphased by the star power competing against him, Lillard, in the finals against Jrue Holiday, notched a 29.8-second run to win this years Skills Challenge.

Dunk of the Week: Terrence Ross (2013 Dunk Contest)

This week’s Dunk of the Week isn’t from a member of the Blazers, but rather a product of the city of Portland. Here is Terrence Ross’ highlights from his win at the All-Star Weekend’s Dunk Contest. Enjoy.

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Each and every week I sit down to write this column I feel like I’ve seen a different Blazers team take to the court over the previous week.

Some weeks the non-existent bench shows signs of life, or Damian Lillard shows why he could be an all-world point guard, then other weeks Portland seems lethargic, Nic Batum’s wrist costs Portland crucial possessions, or that non-existent bench lives up their namesake.

This past week, as Portland began a torrid 6 game road trip, old problems began to show their face again; there’s one problem in particular that will not bode well for Portland on this road trip, and that’s defense.

In all but one of the Blazers‘ four game this past week, they allowed the opposing team to score over 100 points (in their lone win, Minnesota still managed 98 points).

You can’t win games by routinely allowing teams to score in the triple digits, it just won’t happen.

So, by the end of the week, Portland witnessed it’s record dip below .500 for only the second time since the middle of December, and happen to be slumping at the wrong time, right before the All-Star break.

While it may seem ideal to work out the problems during the break, it’s much more optimal to head in to the time off with a head of steam.

With Miami on tap next for Portland, that head of steam seems highly unlikely.

The next few weeks should provide some insight in to Terry Stotts’ mettle, and his true worth to this franchise.

Now, on to the awards.

First Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (1/4: W @ Minnesota)

Damian Lillard continues to wow the crowds in Portland (Photo: Bleacher Report)

On a nightly basis, Portland’s All-Star continues to shine brightest for this young team. After working off some of the early season rust, Aldridge has settled in as the primary option for this roster.

In 39 minutes against the Timberwolves, LA put up 25 points–on 12-17 from the floor and an uncharacteristic 1-5 from the charity stripe–adding 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks and a steal in Portlands 100-98 win.

The win kicked off Portland’s 6 game road stretch, but would be the only time they’d notch a win all week.

Aldridge’s contributions against Minnesota powered Portland for all four quarters, further proving he was well deserved of a spot on this years Western Conference All-Star team.

Second Star: Damian Lillard (1/4: W @ Minnesota)

It’s beginning to feel redundant, and frankly irrelevant, to continue to point out that Damian Lillard is just a rookie, and seems far beyond his years even though he only has just over 50 NBA games under his belt.

What the dynamic Lillard brings to the court, on a nightly basis, is one of the main reasons why Portland is battling for the 8th spot in the west, just past the half point in the season.

Last Monday night, against Minnesota, his talents were on full display, yet again, as the rookie poured in 21 points–on 9-17 from the floor and a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line–while also contributing 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

A stat stuffing performance from the point guard out of Weber State, and it certainly helped Portland secure a win in their first of a 6 game road trip.

Third Star: JJ Hickson (1/6: L @ Dallas)

While LaMarcus Aldridge has routinely killed Dallas during his time in Portland, it was JJ Hickson who put in the A level effort for Portland last Wednesday night.

Seemingly playing for a big contract next year, Hickson has shown an incredible motor all season long, proving to be the double-double machine scouts thought he could be so many years ago.

In 33 minutes, Hickson tallied 14 points–on 5-9 from the floor and 4-5 from the charity stripe–and grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with one steal.

Yet another double digit rebounding night for Hickson, who fits perfectly in Portland’s frontcourt alongside LaMarcus Aldridge.

Neil Olshey proved to make very sound decisions in last years offseason, so re-signing Hickson, again, should be one of his top priorities heading in to this summer.

Dunk of the Week: Meyers Leonard vs. Minnesota

Meyers Leonard reminds Blazer fans why he was worth the number 11 pick in the draft with this monster alley-oop slam. Enjoy.

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If you’re waiting for this year’s Portland Trail Blazers squad to give in and settle for a lottery pick, you’re looking in the wrong place. “Give up” is not a part of this team’s vocabulary.

Portland started last week off with another loss to the lowly Washington Wizards, extending its losing streak to six games. Their last win had come against the Miami Heat, and as triumphant as it may have been at the time, it seemed like it occurred ages ago.

Nicolas Batum earned his second career triple-double against the Clippers. (Photo: Bruce Ely/The Oregonian).

With a home game against Indiana, as well as a back-to-back against the Lob City Clippers, the Blazers’ chances at breaking the losing slump seemed bleak; however, bleak it was not and Portland was able to get back to its winning ways with a 100-80 (Chalupas!) win over the Pacers.

The marquee Saturday/Sunday matchups against the Clippers still loomed, but Portland was back to .500 after watching its record deteriorate over the past couple weeks.

Even when Clippers point guard Chris Paul doesn’t suit up, Los Angeles is a force to be reckoned with. Sporting one of the best records in the league, Lob City still has the likes of Blake Griffin, Caron Butler, Jamal Crawford and Eric Bledsoe, to name a few. On top of all that, playing a home game against them, then flying to LA to take them on the very next night, is a less-than-ideal scenario for the Blazers.

Portland made the most of its home game and put on a show for the crowd at the Rose Garden Saturday night. Down 100-91 with 2:38 to play, Portland seemed to be headed to another loss. However, riding a three by Damian Lillard and two clutch free throws by JJ Hickson, Portland outlasted the Clippers 101-100.

On the last shot of the game, a mid-range jumper from Jamal Crawford clanked the back rim and Nicolas Batum grabbed his 10th rebound of the game, sealing his second career triple double (the first came earlier in the week against Washington).

Talk about a wild ending.

The magic did not carry over to the next night, as Portland seemed gassed from the get-go and couldn’t keep pace with the up-tempo Clippers, dropping the second game 96-83. Ending the week at 2-2 was a very welcome sight for a team that had just endured a six-game losing streak.

Now, to the weekly awards.

First Star: Nicolas Batum (1/26: W vs. LA Clippers)

Week in and week out Nic Batum continues to prove his worth to the Trail Blazers, and his recent production is earning him every penny of that new contract. It’s also earning him the respect of his teammates, including youngster Damian Lillard.

Big win tonight for us… Congrats to @nicolas88batum on his second triple double . Not an all star but playing like one… #RipCity

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) January 27, 2013

In this past week alone, Batum notched his first and second career triple doubles. One in a loss against the Washington Wizards, in which Batum wasn’t as thrilled about the achievement since the Blazers lost, and the second one came in a win on Saturday night against the Clippers.

This edition of the Batum triple double was much more meaningful as it came in a victory, and as soon as Nic grabbed his 10th rebound of the game—as time expired—he didn’t stop clutching the basketball. Grinning from ear to ear, you could tell this feat meant a lot more to the forward from France.

In 41 minutes Saturday night, Batum scored 20 points on 7-of-15 from the floor—including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc—and he shot 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. He also added 12 assists, 10 rebounds, one steal and a block to power the Blazers to the victory.

Rip City is glad to have Nic back in black and red, and he certainly is making good on his new contract.

Second Star: JJ Hickson (1/23: W vs. Indiana)

A double-double machine, Hickson was back at it last Wednesday night against the Pacers, helping Portland bust out of the 6 game losing streak.

J.J. Hickson played a big role in Portland’s blowout over  Indiana. (Photo: Bruce Ely/The Oregonian).

In 30 minutes of play, Hickson dropped 14 points on an incredible 7-of-10 from the floor. He also added 13 rebounds and three assists in the Blazers’ 100-80 win over visiting Indiana.

Hickson’s high energy style of play is evident each time he takes the court, and it never looks as though the forward takes any time off. He’s been a pleasant surprise for the Trail Blazers since last year, and while it will take a lot to keep him around, Rip City is hoping Hickson is in for the long haul.

Third Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (1/27: L @ LA Clippers)

Portland’s All-Star continues to log quality minutes on a nightly basis, and in a game that saw the Blazers in a hole early, he continued to impress.

Sunday’s matchup with the Clippers was more a show of what L.A. could do after a loss than Portland capitalizing after a big win.

Aldridge did everything he could to keep Portland competitive, but it ultimately proved to not be enough as the Clippers cruised to a 96-83 victory.

In 39 minutes, LaMarcus scored 21 points on 9-of-14 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. He also added 11 rebounds, four assists, one steal and a block as he proved to be Portland’s only bright spot on Sunday.

Dunk of the Week: Damian Lillard vs. Washington

Lillard put his dunking ability on display last Monday night as he posterized Nene in the 4th quarter.

Enjoy.

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It’s been a mediocre start to the season for the Oregon State Beavers‘ basketball team, and you can tell they are suffering from some post Jared Cunningham withdrawals.

What is there identity? Who’s the go-to scorer? Where is Cunningham’s replacement?

These are the questions that have been left unanswered most of the season, as different players have shown up, or disappeared, at numerous times throughout the beginning of this ’12-13 campaign.

Craig Robinson and the Beavers have had a tough start to Pac-12 play this year.

The Beavers were 10-4 in out of conference play, while preparing for the Pac-12 schedule to start, and underwhelmed as their weak schedule dragged on. An early win over Purdue, coupled with the close losses to Alabama and Kansas, seemed like ages ago once they took to the court for their Pac-12 opener against rival Oregon.

After dropping the opener to Oregon, and subsequent matchups against Arizona State and Arizona, the Oregon State Beavers are left scratching their heads in search of an identity for the rest of the season. Two more losses at the hands of UCLA, and USC, did nothing for this teams confidence and 0-5 in conference play was the last place they thought they’d be coming in to the season.

So who’s done their part, and who hasn’t? Let’s take a look at the three players who have overachieved this year, as well as one player, in particular, who has underachieved.

The Overachievers

Devon Collier 

26.1 min./gm, 14.4 ppg., 6.8 reb./gm, 19 total blocks, 20 steals

The Junior forward from the Bronx is showing solid signs of progression this year, and fans are starting to see why he was such a highly touted recruit from basketball powerhouse St. Anthony High School.

His activity on both ends of the court have allowed Collier to dominate the competition early on. If he continues to increase his workload, and shows he can sustain the production, we might see Collier be the go to scorer for Oregon State during conference play.

Roberto Nelson

29.6 min./gm, 16.1 ppg., 2.7 ast./gm, 3.0 reb./gm, 45% 3pt percentage, 21 total steals

With the departure of Jared Cunningham to the NBA, many Beaver fans expected Roberto Nelson to instantly pick up the slack and display, on a nightly basis, his incredible potential. A pure scoring mentality is what Nelson operates with, and it’s easy to see why he could find more success without another “alpha” guard on the roster.

Devon Collier has had an impressive start to his 2012-2013 campaign. (Photo: Jason DeCrow / AP)

He’s shooting the best from long range on the team this year (I’ll get to Ahmad Starks in a second) and is the leading scorer on the team. He may not be overachieving, as he was expected to shoulder more of a load this year, so this recognition really is a tribute to his ability to not fold under the pressure be the leader this team so badly needs.

Eric Moreland

29.5 min./gm, 10.3 ppg., 10.9 reb./gm, 61% FG percentage, 38 total blocks, 13 total steals

The only player on the roster averaging a double double (by a long shot, too), Moreland has been a pleasant surprise for Beaver Nation this year. Coming off of a 2011-12 campaign in which he broke the freshman record for blocks in a season, as well as the record more most blocksby any class in a season, Eric Moreland was poised to have a breakout sophomore season.

Aside from a brief suspension for violating team rules, Moreland has been mainstay in the Beavers lineup, night in and night out. A consistent top tier defender, Moreland also attacks the glass like none other on this Beaver roster.

His potential is sky high, and we are beginning to see what just one year of maturation does for something with Moreland’s kind of ability.

The Underachiever

Ahmad Starks

29.7 min./gm, 11.9 ppg., 1.9 ast./gm, 2.5 reb./gm, 39% FG percentage, 41% 3pt. percentage, 18 total steals

Starks has been maddening for the Beaver basketball team this year. There are stretches where he can display his lights out shooting from long range, and then even longer stretches where he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.

At the beginning of the year, Starks went several halves without registering a single point; something that caused coaches, players, and fans alike to wonder what happened to the shooting prowess of the 5’9″ guard out of Chicago.

His 39% field goal percentage is downright awful, something his 41% from long range hardly makes up for. And seeing as how he registers more rebounds than assists per game, Starks is hardly living up to his potential for this team.

Last year may have spoiled Beaver fans with the high level of play Starks displayed, especially towards the end of the year, and it’s apparent he’s having a hard time adjusting to life post-Cunningham. Even with a scorer like Roberto Nelson next to him, Starks isn’t having the same success from years prior.

Maybe a breakout game, or two, will help kickstart Starks. But whatever it is, Beaver Nation is hoping it happens soon, or else this team may be in for a long rest of PAC-12 play.

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The Cars sang about letting the good times roll, and about a week and a half ago, after the Portland Trail Blazers stunned the defending champion Miami Heat, on primetime television, this song should’ve been blaring at every Blazer practice.

Portland sat five games over .500 (20-15), had a firm grip on the 8th spot in the West, and all seemed to be heading in the right direction for this young, benchless, team. That is, until they seemingly stopped remembering how to play basketball as if aliens were sent to steal their basketball talent (a la the Monstars from Space Jam).

Heading in to the previous week, Portland was hoping to get some of it’s talent back (sans Michael Jordan‘s help) after dropping games to Golden State and Oklahoma City. Two losses to two of the stronger teams in the West is nothing to be ashamed of, but Portland was hoping to avoid spiraling out of control.

However, spiral out of control is exactly what happened, and Portland just put the finishing touches on a hellish week that saw them lose three more games against arguably weaker talented teams.

The Blazers did not have an easy time against any teams this past week. (Photo: Bruce Ely/The Oregonian)

Their grip on the 8th spot in the West is slipping.

With a road game against Denver, and home games against Cleveland and Milwaukee this past week, Portland was looking to rid itself of the poor play and get back to their winning ways. But once again, the Blazers stumbled at every turn and have become a blunder on both offense and defense, making it painfully hard to continue to watch this team play “basketball”.

A road overtime loss to Denver (their first OT loss of the season) was supplemented with losses at home to both Cleveland and Milwaukee. After the week you’d swear you could hear the groans from the Rose Garden all the way in Beaverton. This team has officially lost its identity and is struggling to get back to the high they experienced after the Miami game.

Despite the subpar play of the team as a whole, there were a few performances that stuck out over the course of the week that prove this team isn’t all bad.

First Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (1/15: L @ Denver)

At this point, with the accumulation of losses and general discomfort in Portland, Aldridge‘s play has been more of a campaign to get him to Houston for the All-Star game. This isn’t to say his efforts have been solely to stuff his stat sheet, it just seems to be more newsworthy than the Blazers’ current state of affairs.

In last week’s matchup at Denver, Aldridge logged 45 minutes of action, put up 28 points (on 10-21 from the floor, including a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line) while adding 8 rebounds, 6 assists and a block.

If Aldridge’s recent performances net him a trip to the All-Star game — his second in a row — then Portland will have a little more to be happy about that their abysmal record would indicate.

However, I’d trade wins for All-Star appearances any day.

Second Star: Damian Lillard (1/19: L vs. Milwaukee)

Damian Lillard sure has spent a lot of time in this column, and while he’s taken a few weeks off (thanks to the outstanding play of Aldridge, Matthews and Batum) he’s back to proving why Portland selected him No. 6 overall in last years’ draft.

Damian Lillard returned to the all-star list this past week. (Photo: David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images)

He has, however, been a little streaky lately. But you can’t deny the playmaking ability he provides while on the court for the Blazers.

In last weeks game against the Bucks, Lillard put up 26 points (on 9-21 from the floor, 3-9 from three point range and 5-6 from the charity stripe) while adding 10 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal and a block in 42 minutes of play.

The rookie logged his 6th double double of the season and has been every bit of the upgrade over Raymond Felton Portland so badly needed.

While many critics are tabbing him as the early Rookie of the Year favorite, he’ll be able to show the country what he can do in Houston as an inevitable selection to the Rookie/Sophomore game is surely on the horizon for Lillard.

Third Star: JJ Hickson (1/16: L vs. Cleveland)

Last Wednesday night, Hickson and the Blazers welcomed in JJ’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, to the Rose Garden.

Hoping to escape with a victory over the team that parted ways with him a few seasons ago, JJ had to settle with proving that his talent was something the Cavaliers should have never taken lightly in the first place.

In 31 minutes of action, Hickson tallied 13 points (on 5-8 from the floor and 3-6 from the line) and added 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and a steal. The double double was Hickson’s 23rd of the year, and teams around the league are taking notice of JJ’s high octane style of play and will surely inquire about his availability before the trade deadline.

Dunk of the Week: JJ Hickson vs. Cleveland

This week’s top dunk sees JJ Hickson absolutely obliterate Cleveland forward Alonzo Gee. Gee’s expression after he gets posterized says it all. Enjoy.

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After winning 10 of their last 13 games, the Portland Trail Blazers ran in to a bit of adversity this past week. With three out of their four games at home during the week, Portland was hoping to build on its already impressive season record.

The week started out strong with a gutsy overtime victory over the pesky Orlando Magic, a team who played a lot better than their 9 game losing streak would suggest.

After a couple days off in the middle of the week, Portland was set to square off against LeBron James and the defending champion Miami Heat on primetime TV. James, in particular, had always shined bright while playing at the Rose Garden so it seemed Portland was set to be on the wrong side of the highlight reel.

However, after an abysmal first half, the Blazers, led by Nic Batum and Wesley Matthews, sparked a furious comeback that saw Portland escaping the contest with a 92-90 victory. Some timely three point shooting, and stifling defense, allowed Portland to stay competitive in the second half, sending Miami packing with a loss and leaving the Rose Garden in a frenzy.

The high would not last all week as Portland dropped its final two games, a tough road matchup against the surprising Western Conference contending Golden State Warriors, and they also dropped a closely fought battle against the Oklahoma City Thunder at home Sunday night.

Nic Batum had an impressive showing this week. (Photo Credit: Don Ryan / Associated Press)

Still, Portland sits at 20-17 on the year, 8th in the West, and are starting to come together as a team. Aldridge’s play is improving (Portland badly needs this to remain) and as Lillard continues to build on his impressive rookie campaign, the other pieces of the puzzle (Batum, Matthews and JJ Hickson) are showing no signs of slowing down, even with the high amount of minutes each are logging.

Question is, how long can they keep it up? A question we’ll surely revisit over the last 4 months of the season.

Now, onto the awards.

First Star: Nicolas Batum (1/10: W vs. Miami)

Two straight weeks taking in the top honors, and Nic Batum has made Neil Olshey’s decision to match Minnesota’s offer seem like a no-brainer.

In Thursday’s matchup against Miami, Batum paced Portland in the first half to avoid a blowout at the hands of the defending champs. It was his solid play that allowed Portland to trail by just 13 going in to the locker room at half time.

Logging 42 minutes on the night, Batum put up 28 points-on 8-15 from the floor, including 3-9 from long range and 9-11 from the charity stripe-while adding 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block. Talk about stuffing the stat sheet, the frenchman made an impact in any way he could Thursday night.

Because of Nic’s solid play thus far, Portland is proving to be a more competitive bunch than many critics were willing to give them credit for coming in to the season. If this high level of play continues, Portland could see a playoff berth come mid-April.

Second Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (1/7: W vs. Orlando)

As noted above, Aldridge’s play over the past few weeks has been more reminiscent of his All-Star campaign from a year ago. His scoring efficiency is starting to rise, and his rebounding totals, something he’d struggled with early on, are starting to increase as well.

You’d think he was just splitting more of the rebounding totals with glass monster JJ Hickson, but Hickson’s numbers have remained relatively the same in that category.

Aldridge has had quite a few impressive games this season.

In last Monday’s game against Orlando, Aldridge once again displayed his knack for recording a double-double, and tormented the Magic all night. While playing in 42 minutes, LA put up 27 points-on 12-22 from the floor and 3-3 from the free throw line-while adding 10 rebounds and 5 assists in Portland’s 125-119 overtime victory.

While he does still lack a truly dominant post game, Aldridge’s ability to hit the mid and long range jumpers is the key to his increased level of play.

Third Star: Wesley Matthews (1/10: W vs. Miami)

It certainly is nice to have a healthy Wes back in the starting lineup, and his performance, specifically late in the game, against Miami went above and beyond to prove this point.

The box score doesn’t do Matthews justice to how much of an impact he had against the defending champs. In 40 minutes Matthews had 18 points-on 7-18 from the floor, 3-8 from long range and 1-1 from the line-while adding 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

While that is a solid line, it might not scream MVP worthy for the week; however, it was Matthews’ late game heroics that give him the nod here this week.

With just under a minute to play Matthews buried a 3 point field goal to tie the game at 88 a piece, finishing a furious 2nd half rally led by the Blazers. Then after an easy Chris Bosh bucket at the other end, Matthews executed a timely step back, breaking Ray Allen’s ankles, and dropped another 3 point shot that gave Portland a 91-90 lead. A lead they would not relinquish in the final seconds, as they topped the Heat 92-90.

Dunk of the Week: Nicolas Batum vs. Miami

Batum soars the middle of the key in this high flying dunk last Thursday against the Heat. Enjoy.

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Now that the holiday season is finally over, and I’ve had my fill of eggnog, ham and more eggnog, Rick’s Picks makes a triumphant return to recognize the weeks’ best Portland Trail Blazers performances.

Since I’ve been gone, the Blazers have been making a mad dash up the standings in the Western Conference.

Led by Rookie of the Year front runner Damian Lillard, All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge and dark horse contender for Coach of the Year Terry Stotts, they’ve won 12 of their last 17 games and are sitting at 18-15 on the season.

Three games over .500 through 33 games is outstanding production for a team that many believed would finish in the cellar of the Western Conference.

The Portland Trail Blazers took down the New York Knicks on the road. (Photo: Anthony Gruppuso/USA TODAY)

Over this past week, Portland embarked on a four-game road trip and was hoping to escape relatively unscathed. With games against the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies, at least two losses seemed extremely feasible.

However, Portland continued its high level of play, getting productive contributions from different parts of the team each night, and kicked off the trip with a big victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, overcoming 45 points from Carmelo Anthony.

The Blazers followed up the big victory over the Knicks with a dud against Toronto the following night, but they were able to bounce back with victories over both the Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves (sans Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love, but a good win nonetheless).

Portland’s solid week of play kicked off with rookie point guard Damian Lillard taking home Rookie of the Month honors for the month of December; his second such award this year. It’s no doubt that there are big things in store for this kid, and the energy he brings each night for the Blazers is unparalleled.

Now to the awards.

First Star: Nicolas Batum (1/1: W @ New York)

Portland kicked off its four-game road trip with a tough matchup against one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks.

It was Portland’s first contest against the Knicks, and its only trip to Madison Square Garden, so being able to record a win would be an incredible achievement for this young team.

One of its budding stars, Nicolas Batum, helped assure Portland would stay competitive throughout, and continued to build on an impressive 2012-13 campaign.

Logging 40 minutes, Batum scored 26 points on 7-of-13 from the floor, including an incredible 6-of-12 from three-point range and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe. The Frenchman added four rebounds, six assists and one steal to power the Blazers to a very impressive 105-100 victory despite Amar’e Stoudemire’s return to the Knicks and an offensive flurry from Carmelo Anthony.

While Batum has been up and down for most of the season, his high level of play recently is one of the main reasons why Portland is in the playoff hunt at this point in the season.

Second Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (1/4: W @ Memphis)

After a fairly dismal (by typical LA standards) month of November, the forward has started to find his groove for this year’s Blazer squad. Now, while his scoring may be down (Wesley Matthews, Batum and Lillard are all taking some of his points) his rebounding totals, as well as shot percentage, are starting to climb, and are proving to be worthwhile improvements to the offense.

This past Friday night, against Memphis, Aldridge put up 15 points on just 5-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line, and he added 12 rebounds, three assists and an astounding five blocks in 38 minutes of action.

Wesley Matthews is finally healthy for the Blazers. (Photo: AP)

It wasn’t his efficiency from the floor that is taking home the credit this week, but rather his efforts on the glass—both offensively and defensively—and the five blocks that are deserving of all the recognition. Seeing as how Aldridge was paired up with the likes of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, the rebounding and blocks jump off the page even more.

Third Star: Wesley Matthews (1/5: W @ Minnesota)

Matthews’ performance against the Timberwolves this past Saturday night isn’t necessarily “Third Star” worthy based strictly on his stats, rather, it’s more of a testament to his good health.

Matthews had been off and on the injury list over the last few weeks, and his return to the Portland lineup has been met with open arms.

The Blazers weren’t necessarily losing any games because of Matthews’ absence, but with the lack of depth that goes along with this year’s version of the team, getting a starter healthy and back in the lineup is crucial to the continued success of this team.

In 36 minutes of play, Matthews was able to put up 26 points on 8-of-15 from the floor—including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc—and he was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. Adding two assists and a block, Wes helped push Portland to its third victory in four games, allowing them to end the road trip with a 3-1 record.

Dunk of the Week: Ronnie Price to JJ Hickson

This week’s dunk of the week comes from Portland’s game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Ronnie Price finds JJ Hickson for a huge alley-oop finish.

Enjoy.

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It’s no simple task to accurately rank this year’s Portland Trail Blazers‘ squad, and their performances over the last week exemplify this statement.

With games against Toronto, San Antonio and New Orleans on tap for Portland, it seemed feasible they’d be able to escape the week with at least two wins. San Antonio possessed (at the time) the best record in the West, so that game was essentially chalked up to an easy win for Greg Popovich’s savvy veterans.

However, that wasn’t exactly how it went down last Thursday night.

Going toe-to-toe with Spurs point guard Tony Parker, Damian Lillard was once again being baptized by fire in his rookie season, and like so many of his outings this year, Lillard impressed. You could even go so far as to say that the young Weber State product out played Parker allowing the Blazers to cruise past the Spurs by a final score of 98-90.

With a victory over Parker in his rear view, Lillard did something even more impressive against the Hornets Sunday night in hitting a game winning three pointer as time expired in the 4th. A first, and certainly not last, achievement for Lillard who continues to build on his Rookie of the Year resume.

And now to the week’s awards.

First Star: Damian Lillard (12/13: W vs. San Antonio)

As mentioned above, Damian Lillard excelled in his showdown with Spur point guard Tony Parker this past Thursday night.

Lillard could bring the ROY back to Portland this season. (Photo: Associated Press)

The rookie logged 40 minutes of action and contributed to the win by pouring in 29 points, on 11-22 from the floor, 2-6 from beyond the arc while hitting all five of his free throw attempts. Lillard added 7 rebounds and 6 assists as Portland cruised by the Western Conference powerhouse, San Antonio Spurs.

Lillard’s maturation, and progression, through just 23 games this year, has been one of the season’s early story lines, and if he continues to have a big impact on this Blazer’s squad, there’s no doubt he’ll be awarded Rookie of the Year honors come next summer.

With so many past drafts leaving Portland fans scratching their head, it\’s been refreshing, and exciting, to see a draft pick find as much success as Damian Lillard has. It’s definitely a lot more comforting seeing those #0 jerseys around Portland than it was to try and deal with all those #52′s floating around in the past.

Second Star: LaMarcus Aldridge (12/10: W vs. Toronto)

When the Blazers returned home from their brutal 7 game road trip on December 8th, they showed the lingering effects in a home blowout loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings.

Returning to the court two days later to take on the Toronto Raptors, Portland found a renewed sense of self and laid the wood on the visiting team.

Despite setting a record for missed threes (0-20!), it was the play of LaMarcus Aldridge that powered them to victory.

Aldridge, playing 39 minutes, shot 11-19 from the floor and shot a perfect 8-8 from the charity stripe in a 30 point, 12 rebound, 2 steal and 2 block performance.

Seeing Portland’s All Star put up numbers that they’ve grown familiar with, was reassuring given the minor slump he’d been mired in for the few games before the contest against Toronto.

Third Star: JJ Hickson (12/16: W vs. New Orleans)

Despite Lillard’s last second heroics, it was the play of one of Portland’s big men that allowed the Blazers to keep the Hornets (Pelicans?) at bay last Sunday night.

JJ Hickson, a pleasant surprise on this year’s squad, recorded his 5th straight double double in the game, scoring 24 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. The forward, who played 31 minutes, shot 10-14 from the floor, 4-6 from the free throw line, while also adding 3 assists and one block.

Bringing Hickson back for the 2012-13 Blazers was one of Neil Olshey\’s crowning achievements this past summer, and Hickson is not letting anyone regret that decision. In 23 games, Hickson has recorded a double double in 13 of them; impressive numbers for a once promising forward who had been trending in the wrong direction before Portland gave him a second (or third) chance.

Dunk of the Week: Nicolas Batum and JJ Hickson vs. New Orleans.

Nic Batum and JJ Hickson hooked up to orchestrate a monster alley-oop dunk in Sunday’s contest against the Hornets. Enjoy.

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