Blogging the Blazers - Game 2

I was actually at Game 1, but the less said about that the better.

So tonight while I'm watching the game and recovering from a cold, we're going to give this game blogging a shot. Here we go...

7:11 Tip off – Batum makes a great defensive play on Artest. Nice block to get us going followed by an easy open jumper for Roy. Good start. Unfortunately, Artest hits a shot with Batum right in his face.

7:12 Blake looks aggressive and is being physical with Brooks. Nice drive peeling Brooks off and getting an easy lay up.

7:14 Blake sags off Brooks and get caught playing catch up. He’s got to stay in front of Brooks tonight to be effective.

7:15 Double team catches Artest off guard resulting in shot clock violation. Nice awareness from LA and he follows up with a sweet move on the offensive end. He’s so long he should be able to get a jump hook off over anyone.

7:16 Chill out Portland fans. Roy tried to take the charge but was inside the circle, Battier screened him legally and it was a good call.

7:20 Now you can get pissed. Blake and Brooks get tangled and Brooks was as much to blame but the call goes against the Blazers. Blake immediately hits a 3 to prove a point. He’s going to have to shoulder more of the burden to get us going.

7:22 YAO MISSED. OMFG YAO MISSED!

7:23 Out of bounds off Portland? You’re telling me that between the 6’8” Batum and the 7’6” Yao, the rebound get tipped out by Batum? Egregious.

7:28 What does Roy have to do to get a call? Just curious. It would be nice if David Stern would just write him a cordial letter explaining why full body contact from the defense isn’t a foul when he drives.

7:30 Holy crap, I just figured it out. Aaron Brooks looks like a cross between Chris Rock and the Joker. You could probably throw in a little Reese Witherspoon. Creepy.

7:34 Am I more surprised by the fact that Mutombo went down or that he lasted this long? Poor guy. I can’t explain it, but I like Mutombo. I’m not sure it’s even possible to dislike him. The Blazers are going to have to fight the “Win One for the Gipper” syndrome. Yikes.

7:40 Greg calmly hits two free throws after the wait. Smooth. And followed by a spectacular steal and dunk from Rudy. Woo!

7:44 Dagger from Roy! Everyone knows he’s going to drive inside as the clock winds down on the first quarter. Nice change of pace. Hitting the shot helps.

7:46 Yes! Both Oden and Joel in the game. Let’s knock some teeth out. Good drive by Travis results in easy jumper over Yao.

7:51. Yo Von. You know what happens when you go 1 on 3? You get your fro-hawk packed. Word.

7:59 Rudy and La work so well together, I’d like to see them on the floor together more often. Lineup right now is Blake, Fernandez, Roy, LA, and Oden. Scratch that, cheap foul on Oden brings Travis in.

8:07 Rocket have taken the lead off of good physical play and slow defensive rotations by the Blazers. We’re not finding the open men, we’re not pursuing, and our help D sucks.

8:08 Aldridge is keeping us in the game right now. Dude is on fire. This type of play is why he could be a superstar. Plus, he looks pissed. LA never looks anything. Still, Yao is sitting while the Rockets inch ahead. I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

8:14 What a sweet mini-run by the Blazers. That’s the passion, the fire, the uprise! Good defensive stretch to pair with that run and gun.

8:16 Statement time. 12.2 left and we’re coming out of a timeout. We must execute…eesh. Well, we got the drive, but Roy misses a difficult layup. At least the Rockets didn’t get a last shot as we head to the half.

8:34 What a way to start the half with Roy tricking Yao into taking a silly foul. But you’ve gotta hit the foul shot. Gotta.

8:36 If you have three players in the paint boxing out, and none of them go after the rebound, then what have you accomplished? A layup for Scola.

8:38 Why the hell do we start first and second quarters so cold? I swear it takes the team 6+ minutes to get rolling. That won’t cut it in the playoffs. You spot the other team a quarter’s worth of lackadaisical play and you will lose, period.

8:42 Scola is a greasy-haired douchebag. I just had to get that out.

8:43 Joel flops and buys a 4th foul on Yao. I don’t like it, but I’ll take it. Meanwhile, Roy blows down the lane for an easy layup. Gold.

8:45 Blake turns a bunch of grab-assery into a layup because he was, you know, paying attention. Amazing things happen when you pay attention.

8:52 It’s becoming more apparent that Brooks completely carried his Oregon team. He’s good. NBA good.

9:00 You know that quick 7 point lead? Gone. You know that momentum? Gone. It’s a one quarter game. Thankfully, it’s a one quarter game in which Yao and Scola have 4 fouls. So we’ve got that going for us.

9:04 That was a man dunk from LA. You could see extra mustard on that one. He still looks pissed.

9:05 You know that quick 5 point lead? Gone…

9:07 Flubbed oop on the offensive end and a foul on the defensive side. Pull it together Blazers. You’ve got this game if you don’t get tight.

9:12 What we need right now is effective passing and ball movement. Maybe it’s just me but that doesn’t scream Joel and Greg together.

9:14 We’re going to have to score close to 100 to win this game. There’s 7 minutes to go and we’ve got 81. It’s going to be close.

9:21 Good news, we’re hanging in there. Bad news, 5:30 to go and we’re in the penalty.

9:23 Good news, Roy is hitting shots and free throws. Bad news, Aldridge has 5 fouls.

9:24 That was the single most athletic thing I’ve ever seen Oden do. Literally leaps around Yao, grabs Roy’s miss out of the corner of the rim and backboard, and jams it home. Gorgeous.

9:27 I usually wouldn’t comment on a commercial, but they’re showing the players on the bus ride to the rally at Pioneer Square. What a scene. I don’t care if I have to lie, cheat, and steal, I’m there next year.

9:29 Greg fouls out. Joel has 5 fouls. Aldridge has 5. We better play solid D now while we can.

9:30 Blazers playing with real intensity now. Blake boxes out Scola. Roy hits a prayer three. Brooks gets forced into a turnover. Hammer that last nail in, baby!

9:32 Roy out jumps Yao for a rebound. That’s what your all-star does. Enjoy it, Portland. This one is special.

9:34 An Outlaw steal/dunk seals the game. I’m not necessarily the biggest Outlaw fan, but he always seems to make the big fourth quarter play. Awesome.

9:41 How does this sound? Aldridge - 26 pts, 12 boards. Roy – 39 pts, 7 boards.

9:43 Is Brooks for real? These threes are ridiculous! Every single one of them is shredding net. The game is still in hand, but I’m not as confident as I was at 9:34.

9:46 Rudy's free throws to ice it…YES! Portland is alive and kicking in the post-season. Rip City!