NorthWest Sports Blog brings you daily features on Oregon, Washington State, and BC amateur and pro sports teams.
Bryant Knox previews the five biggest games remaining in the Portland Trail Blazers’ season. The Blazers began the year exceeding expectations, but they’ve since lost momentum, including a seven-game losing streak in the month of February. If the team wants to play past April, they’ll have to find wins against the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and yes, the Charlotte Bobcats.
NWSB Writer Bryant Knox recaps the biggest ‘What If?’ questions in Portland Trail Blazers franchise history. ESPN recently aired its documentary “Going Big” about the Blazers drafting Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan, but this is just one of many situations in which Portland saw itself moving in a completely opposite direction. Kevin Durant, Larry Bird, Chris Paul and Bob McAdoo could have all been Blazers.
NWSB Insider and Portland Trail Blazers writer Rick Stella gives us his weekly Rick’s Picks, naming the All-Star performances showcased in Rip City. Portland opened the new season in stunning fashion, going 2-2 over their first four games, with one of the wins being notched against the Lakers. Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum earn All-Star recognition.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers Oct. 31 matchup against the LA Lakers. The theme is going to be youth vs. experience. The Blazers have one of the youngest teams, while the Lakers have a veteran lineup looking to win right away. Damian Lillard versus Steve Nash is going to be fun for fans to watch, but the battle between LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol is going to be the key matchup. Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard are questionable.
NWSB Writer Bryant Knox recaps the Portland Trail Blazers’ first preseason game of the 2012-13 season. The Portland Trail Blazers played the opener against the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night, and with a score of 93-74 in Rip City’s favor, you can’t help but feel good about what you saw in the team’s performance. Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard both played well in their first NBA action.
NWSB Writer Bryant Knox makes Portland Trail Blazers predictions as we approach the 2012/2013 NBA season. The Trail Blazers are a young, inexperienced group, but with so much potential waiting to be let loose, there could be some surprising results in 2013. In the news J.J. Hickson has been named the starting center. LaMarcus Aldridge is returning to full health. Damian Lillard will compete for Rookie of the Year.
NWSB Insider and Portland Trail Blazers blogger Jon Irwin tells us the five players that make up his all time starting team in the next chapter of our Moments In Time series on Northwest sports teams. The players mentioned on this list include: Bill Walton, Brandon Roy, Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace and Clyde Drexler. That sounds like a dream team to me!
NWSB insider Blair Thomas brings us his analysis on the Gonzaga Bulldogs newest addition to the NBA, and more specific, the Los Angeles Lakers family. British Columbia, and Gonzaga product Robert Sacre was taken with the 60th pick by the Lakers, in a move that could be more benefitial to the Lakers depending on what happens with Pau Gasol. Sacre follows fellow Zags members Rony Turiaf, and Adam Morrison as members of the Lakers.
NWSB Insider and Portland Trailblazers writer Blair Thomas has an opinion on the 2012 Rip City hiring of new GM and former Los Angeles Clippers GM Neil Olshey who yesterday was named to the same role on Monday, just three weeks after his team was eliminated in the second round of the NBA playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs and a regular season record of 40-26. Here are a few reasons to love it and hate it in Rip City.
NWSB Insider and Seattle U Redhawks blogger Blair Thomas tells us what it is that goes into being able to answer the question. Why am I a die hard fan of the Seattle U Basketball team?! Seattle University has tradition that other mid-majors in this region don’t have, plus Coach Cameron Dollar and his flock will begin WAC play in November.
NWSB managing editor Q brings us his Love Em & Hate Em recap from Friday night’s game between the Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers. The Blazers took the Lakers down to the wire, but just couldn’t pull it out in this one. LaMarcus Aldridge and newcomer J.J. Hickson both played well while Jamal Crawford continued to slide.
What a week for Shaquille O’Neal. He’s basically saying our Victoria BC boy Steve Nash doesn’t deserve two NBA MVP awards. In 2004-05, Nash took a 29 win team from the season before, and with a majority of the same key players as the year prior (minus Stephon Marbury), turned that squad into a 62 win team and the best regular season record in the NBA. Nash’s second MVP came as a bigger surprise to many around the league.
