NorthWest Sports Blog brings you daily features on Oregon, Washington State, and BC amateur and pro sports teams.
Bryant Knox recaps the 2012-13 NBA season with grades for every Portland Trail Blazers player. LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, JJ Hickson, Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum all played well in the starting lineup. Meyers Leonard and Eric Maynor showed signs of potential off the bench, while the rest of the reserves struggled more than they succeeded.
Bryant Knox breaks down which NBA prospects the Portland Trail Blazers should target in the 2013 NBA draft. If PDX can enter the top 3, Nerlens Noel has to be on their radar. Big man Alex Len will be tough to obtain, but with a draft-day deal, he could be a target. Michael Carter Williams, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cody Zeller should also be on Portland’s radar.
Bryant Knox breaks down three spots where the Portland Trail Blazers need an upgrade. With JJ Hickson’s future up in the air, starting center is the obvious one. Eric Maynor’s future is also questionable in Rip City, so backup point guard is a priority as well. Wesley Matthews has become a very good player, but neither he nor Will Barton are great enough to hold down the 2-guard spot by themselves.
Bryant Knox grades the job that Portland Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey did during the 2012-13 season. The good is highlighted by Damian Lillard, JJ Hickson, Eric Maynor and even Roy Hibbert. The bad is reserved for the depth, or lack thereof, that the team was depth. The Nicolas Batum contract and the drafting of Meyers Leonard look good, but are still up for debate.
Bryant Knox breaks down his predictions on which Portland Trail Blazers will be gone for the 2012-13 season. Portland’s year was filled with ups and downs. Players such as Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge excelled, but others can’t quite say the same. The likely candidates to be gone are Luke Babbitt, Nolan Smith and Jared Jeffries. The more questionable ones are JJ Hickson, Elliot Williams and Eric Maynor.
Lillard’s Big Night 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 [...]
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers April 10 matchup against the LA Lakers. Portland took down the Lakers to start the year, but this LA team has seen a drastic change since the All-Star break. Whether Kobe Bryant is a scorer or a facilitator will play a big role in this one. Nicolas Batum, Steve Nash and Wesley Matthews are questionable, while Metta World Peace is out.
NWSB Insider and Portland Trail Blazers Blogger breaks down Wesley Matthews’ post-game interview following the loss to the Houston Rockets on ESPN. Matthews has emerged as the vocal leader on this team. LaMarcus Aldridge has always been quiet and Damian Lillard doesn’t have the experience, leaving Matthews to encourage this team along the way. Matthews spoke candidly about this team’s effort Friday night, and he set the tone for what needs to happen down the stretch.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers April 7 matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. These two teams have established a history, with the most dramatic game taking place back on Jan. 29. Portland won the game on a last-second shot. Now, Portland is officially out of the playoffs, but Wesley Matthews has urged his teammates to continue playing with pride. The key matchup will be between Dirk Nowitzki and LaMarcus Aldridge. Nicolas Batum is out
NWSB Insider and Portland Trail Blazers Blogger breaks down what you can expect with PDX officially out of the playoffs. Following the loss to James Harden, Jeremy Lin and the Houston Rockets, Portland is officially playing for a spot in the lottery. The team will certainly rest injured players such as Nicolas Batum, so expect to see youngsters Meyers Leonard and Victor Claver earn more time. LaMarcus Aldridge should continue to be the leader, as Damian Lillard’s inexperience could be a problem while staying motivated.
Bryant Knox previews the Portland Trail Blazers April 5 matchup against the Houston Rockets. The Blazers will be back on national T.V. (ESPN) for the second time in just over a week. Last time didn’t go so well against the Brooklyn Nets, and the team will look to restore its image with a young, energetic roster. The key matchup is going to be at the shooting guard spot. James Harden and Wesley Matthews will have the potential to score a lot of points in a up-tempo system.
NWSB Insider previews the Portland Trail Blazers’ March 3 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. PDX has lost five straight, and is giving up more than 111 points per contest during that stretch. The playoffs are more than a long shot at this point, and you have to wonder how motivated this team is following a game where they turned the ball over 16 times. The key matchup will be between Zach Randolph and either LaMarcus Aldridge or JJ Hickson.
