Apr
21
Too Soon To Get Down On Brandon Roy
By sarahhecht Posted in: BrandonRoy
Brandon said this. Brandon said that. Blah, blah, blah.
An incredible performance in the Rose Garden on Tuesday night silenced any anti-Roy chatter. And rightfully so.
A steady babble of opinions followed Roy’s public comments on playing time after game two. Frustration ran rampant. It was hard to understand why Roy, who hadn’t been performing on the floor, would risk disrupting the locker room with somewhat selfish words during a playoff series.
Whatever the reason, be it disappointment, anger or simply the need to vent, his rant worked.
Brandon played 24 minutes of fantastic basketball. 6-for-10 shooting, 16 points and 4 assists doesn’t seem like a line delivered by a man uncomfortable in his role. In fact, it’s the exact opposite, it a game played by a focused man.
“I played with more confidence tonight,” Roy said. “Played a little tougher and just mentally locked in.”
So why the sudden change of direction? And why the change so rapidly on the heels of a public outcry?
The answer to those questions lie in the fans of Brandon Roy. The faithful who welcomed him to the Rose Garden floor with an ovation louder than the one heard in his famous playoff return last year, just seven days after surgery.
“Tonight from the moment I came in the building everybody was positive and then it carried over into the court,” Roy said. “My teammates is right there. I finally was able to break through.”
The power of positivity claimed victory over the negativity flitting through Roy’s mind. Crediting a close friend from college with the support to keep fighting adversity he said, “tough times don’t last, tough people do.”
The change in mentality was evident post-game in Roy’s demeanor. From his brilliant smile to the tone of his voice. He felt it tonight. It’s a beginning not an end for Roy who vowed to continue to move forward.
“I’m gonna keep coming with that bounce and that energy.”
A promise made to Trail Blazers fans far and wide. He’s fighting. He’s balling. He’s bringing it. And most importantly, it’s too soon to get down on Brandon Roy.
As Roy left the locker room LaMarcus Aldridge summed up the feeling of the Rip City masses.
“Way to hoop, B.”