Subscribe to Trail Blazers Fan News

Around The World: April 10

04/10/12

Written by: DHawes22

April 10

Trailblazers.tv: Video: Trail Blazers 89, Warriors 94

Trailblazers.tv: Video: Aldridge Blocks Buddinger

Trailblazers.tv: Video: Hickson Climbs The Ladder

Trail Blazers: Rockets Put away Blazers
"For Houston, Goran Dragic, who was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday, did just enough to snuff out every Portland charge. He scored 22 points, on 8 of 14 shooting, and also dished out 7 assists. Yes, he'll be a free agent this summer. Yes, I expect Portland to go after him in a big way. In my opinion, he's a much more realistic option for the Blazers, and I think he'd be perfect addition to this team. He's never been handed the keys to a team, playing behind Steve Nash in Phoenix, and behind Kyle Lowry in Houston. But, he's ready to be put in the driver's seat to run a team."

Trail Blazers: Aldridge: 'We have to keep working'
“Me personally, if I’m going to play, I’m going to be motivated. I don’t need to be in no playoff race to be motivated. This is our job and this is what we love to do so I think guys should come out and still play hard every night.”

Oregon Live: Blazers-Rockets: A little bit of everything, including 3-goggles, for Marcus Camby in return to Portland
“I got caught in the emotions of cheering for my current team,” Camby said. “Not trying to show up the R.G. faithful.”

Oregon Live: Houston 94, Portland 89: Goran Dragic spurs Rockets past Blazers
“I think we have eight (games) left,” Blazers guard Jamal Crawford said. “And I’m pretty sure we have to win all eight. Honestly. We have to win out. There’s no other way.” With eight games left — including five on the road — the Blazers (27-31) trail the Denver Nuggets (31-26) and Dallas Mavericks (21-26) by 4½ games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. As if that weren’t daunting enough, the Phoenix Suns (30-27) and Utah Jazz (30-28) also are ahead of the 11th-place Blazers and eyeing the postseason."

Oregon Live: Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge flies to Colorado to have ailing hip looked at
"Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge continues to have trouble with his ailing right hip, which has been giving him trouble for several weeks."

Columbian: Rockets Hands Blazers 94-89 Loss
“He has so much passion for basketball,” Camby said of Canales. “He has a lot to give to the game.”

Portland Tribune: It's not over for Blazers, but getting close
“It seemed like we were in a funk,” Portland center Joel Przybilla said. “I don’t know why that was. It happens in a long season. You’re going to have games where you’re a little flat.”

Rip City Project: Game 58 Recap: Blazers 89, Rockets 94
"It’s also why, when asked about his choice to burn the Blazers’ timeouts to draw up plays and teach his guys a lesson or take advantage of a learning opportunity or whatever it is that coaches do in those situations, Canales balked at the question saying that a three makes it a five point game, and a steal and another three makes it a two point game. Every game is a winnable game is the attitude. Every game is another chance at getting back into the Playoffs. That the Playoffs have come and gone a month ago and nobody wants to admit it is what is frustrating to me."

Blazersedge: Media Row Report: Rockets 94, Blazers 89
"Goran had what I've grown to expect out of him over the last five or six weeks," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "He goes out there and gets 22 and 7 and you go, 'Solid game, Goran.'"

Ultimate Rockets: Dragic nails his Portland audition as Rockets beat Blazers. Can the Rockets also win the fight — will they fight — to keep him?
“It was a little bit different,” said Dragic after the Rockets knocked off the Trail Blazers, a team desperate for a point guard and with the cap room for a spending spree. “Before, they never asked me this type of questions. ‘Are you going to come to Portland?’ Still, all the doors are open. We’re going to see what is going to happen this summer. I feel great in Houston. Hopefully, I’m going to stay in Houston.”

Ball Don't Lie via Chicago Tribune: Derrick Rose reportedly injured ankle Sunday, wore walking boot Monday, is game-time decision Tuesday
"Rose showed some rust in his Sunday return, missing 18 of his 26 field-goal attempts, turning the ball over eight times and not really getting on track until the third quarter; any setbacks he suffers from here through the end of the regular season can only make it more difficult for him to find his rhythm and round into form, whether they result in missed time or merely in degraded performance. It looks like we'll have to wait until tip-off of tonight's nationally televised rematch to find out which, if either, this latest tweak signals."

Ball Don't Lie: Metta World Peace almost cost the Lakers a win with this terrible pass (VIDEO)
"Lakers broadcaster Stu Lantz, who's been around the NBA since he was drafted in 1968, said it was the worst play he's ever seen in his life. While that might be a bit of an exaggeration — Smith would have had to do something really amazing to make World Peace pay — it was pretty stupid. Enough, in fact, that I can't think of any reasonable explanation for why he might have decided this pass was a smart one."

DIME: Daily Fantasy Basketball Diagnosis: 4.10
"Goran Dragic finished with 22 points, two rebounds, seven assists, three steals and four three-pointers. He shot 57 percent (8-14) from the floor and 67 percent (2-3) from the free-throw line, and had two turnovers. Since becoming a starter exactly a month ago, Dragic has averaged 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.1 threes per game, while shooting 52 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free-throw line. Those are top five numbers. Kyle Lowry‘s return shouldn’t damage Dragic’s fantasy value too much the rest of the way. "

SLAM: Post Up: No Days Off
"Houston completed a 4-0 road trip by holding the Blazers to 40 percent shooting and riding 22 points from Goran Dragic, who is averaging 21 and 8 assists over the last week. LaMarcus Aldridge (20 points) kept Portland close by hitting a 3-pointer with 9 seconds left to cut the Rockets’ lead to 92-87, but it was simply too little too late for PDX. Jamal Crawford stepped into the starting lineup for Nicolas Batum (knee tendinitis) and scored 18 points, but Houston’s 1-2 punch of Kyle Lowry (13 points) and Chas Budinger (15) provided enough punch off the bench to top the Blazers. And peep this stat from the AP recap: “The Rockets are 18-0 this season when they keep an opponent under 90 points.”

ESPN: Fact or Fiction: Rose's health should be Chicago's main concern.
"Fact. A 15-7 record without the reigning MVP is mighty impressive, but they're not taking four out of seven from the right proper South Beachers without Rose. Why Thibodeau played him for 38 minutes in his first game back is beyond me. Any serious relapse/reinjury Rose suffers in the last 10 or so games would wholly torpedo Chicago's title hopes. Is that risk truly worth the reward of securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs?"