LATEST STORIES FROM MIKE BARRETT'S BLOG
Martell Comes Alive
7 hours ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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We just saw, in a span of less than 24 hours, what's great about the NBA. You don't have to wait long to make amends for a bad game. Following a very disappointing loss in Golden State on Friday night, the Trail Blazers were able to put that game way behind them in blowing...
Blazers Dodge a Bullet
3 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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Sometimes you have to take a loss along with a learning experience. Other times, you get to enjoy a victory along with the glaring example of what not to do. Fortunately for the Trail Blazers, they were served the latter on Monday night at the Rose Garden.In total control since early...
Blazers Get Tough in NC
7 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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They haven't all been works of art, but road wins are road wins. This one, however, turned out to be a costly win.In the first half Travis Outlaw played only 50 seconds before limping off the court. When he went straight to the locker room, we knew it was significant. When PR man...
Blazers Roll in Minny
10 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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There was probably a bit of a fear of a let down by the Trail Blazers. And, it was discussed several times that Minnesota was coming off two embarrassing losses and would likely be extremely determined to get a victory on the home floor, where they've been better this season. As...
Trip Off to a Good Start
11 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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The Trail Blazers shocked us on Sunday with their sudden ability to run, gun, and push the tempo under just about any circumstance. Tuesday, in the first game of this road trip, they did an about face. Rather than attempt to run with a struggling team, who’d much rather run, the...
Blazers Hit High Gear
13 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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This is an impressive looking box score. The Blazers shoot 50 percent from the field, 47 percent from behind the three-point line, 90 percent from the line, collect 49 rebounds, 35 assists, score 21 fast-break points, grow a lead to as big as 28, and coast to a 116-93 win.I know the...
New Lineup Downs Spurs
15 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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A new wrinkle against an old nemesis did the trick.It wasn't a masterpiece, by any means, but the Trail Blazers were able to put together a wire-to-wire victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at the Rose Garden, winning 96-84.The Blazers, who won last season's series...
Atlanta Breaks Through at Garden
18 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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The Portland Trail Blazers lost only seven times at home last season, and created an atmosphere of invincibility at the Rose Garden. One of the losses came as a result of a last-second bank-in three pointer by Orlando. The other loss took a total collapse by Portland at the free-throw...
Blazers Grind Out Road Win
20 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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Following the loss in Houston on Halloween, the Blazers recommitted themselves to the defensive end of the floor. Nate McMillan, and others, called out the team for surrendering 111 points to the Rockets, and for allowing their backcourt to go for a combined 69 points.Sunday night...
A Statement Win for Denver
23 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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The NBA season is very long, but this one will sting a while. No one should need to be reminded how much games against division rivals mean, even if it is October. For the Denver Nuggets, it's a very impressive start to the NBA season. They've started with two victories over...
Plenty of Positives in Opener
25 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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On opening night at the Rose Garden on Tuesday, the positives certainly outweighed the negatives (there were a fair amount of both), and the ultimate goal was achieved. The Trail Blazers beat the Houston Rockets and got the season started with a win.In the third quarter it looked like...
Triple Threat
27 days ago by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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For all that we've talked about, and there's been plenty during the off season, it pretty much boils down to this- Portland's version of the "big three" is healthy, happy, and motivated. The table is set, and the cupboard is full. Even though it takes more than...
A Very Positive End
October 22, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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If it's true that you're only as good as your last game, then the Trail Blazers are fine after all. Of course, it isn't that easy. But, Thursday night went a long way toward answering a lot of questions and calming some nerves. Yes, it's only the preseason, but stuff...
Shorthanded Blazers Fall
October 21, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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The frustration of a 108-97 blowout-loss to the Utah Jazz at the Rose Garden was somewhat tempered by the fact that this is just the pre-season. But, Nate McMillan showed signs of frustration after the game, saying, "we can't just flip a switch." Obviously, the Blazers...
A Much-Needed Exhibition Win
October 19, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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Considering all that is expected of the Trail Blazers this season, is it possible to say a pre-season win was a big victory? In this case, absolutely.It wasn't just that the Blazers came from 12 down in the final eight minutes, it was how they came back that made this victory seem...
Suns Can't Spoil MC Party
October 15, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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Everything was perfectly nostalgic on this night- even the end result. Playing inside Memorial Coliseum for the first time since 1995, the young Trail Blazers were blitzed by Steve Nash, the oldest player on the floor, which was very fitting during this throwback celebration. Nash...
Live Stream Will Include Games
October 13, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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In an attempt to give fans an alternative way to view games, while adding more content to this website, Trail Blazers president Larry Miller announced on our Courtside radio/tv show Monday night that the franchise will be the first NBA team to begin streaming games live online.I will...
Oden Shines Again
October 08, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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"This is going to be my time. Time to taste the fruits and let the juices drip down my chin. I proclaim this the preseason of Greg!" Okay, the quote was lifted from George Costanza, as he was proclaiming the "summer of George," but work with me here (and, I'...
Advantage Second Unit
October 07, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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In many ways this was a typical first exhibition game for two NBA teams. There were moments of impressive execution, mixed with a bit of sloppy play. There were also several signs of the players having heavy legs following training camps, individuals looking to regain their stroke...
Hungry Blazer Fans Pack the House
October 05, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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This has been said repeatedly since last night's event- there are a lot of NBA teams who would love to get close 16,500 fans to a regular-season game. Blazer fans, showing how starving they are to get a look at this team, bypassed a beautiful Sunday evening outside to flood the...
Comfortably Strung
October 03, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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This has been the most intense, most competitive training camp I have seen since I started covering these things back in 1992. But, as everyone has mentioned during the last five days or so, this camp has had its share of light moments too. In short, this team looks hungry, mature...
Individual Battles Begin
September 30, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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Any training camp on Nate McMillan's watch is always going to be intense. We all know that, and we've seen it in past years in Portland. Even if it's true that he has lightened up on the gas pedal, at least a bit, in the last two camps, this year things are off to a torrid...
Off and Running
September 29, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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Monday was a long day for the players. Not because they were asked to do an incredible amount of stuff, but because they were all suited up and couldn't play. After all, training camp didn't begin until Tuesday morning. This was just Media Day.Everything was supposed to begin...
Media Day Kicks Off Week
September 28, 2009 by
Mike Barrett's Blog
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To me, this is always an odd way to kick off the first official week of the NBA season. Every team does it, and it's very necessary, but it's still a bit of a strange day. But, then again, I always thought it was weird that we had picture day during the first week of school...
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