I'm not much of an NBA fan anymore. Once Michael and Scottie were gone, and the Bulls went from championship to a 13-37 finish in the strike-shortened 1999 season, my relationship to the NBA could be described as love/hate.That said, the Trail Blazers could be a team I follow the rest of the season.
Let's be honest. The Bulls are going nowhere, at least this year. And until they find some help for Derrick Rose, they won't be much of a factor in the NBA for quite some time. So for now, if I follow professional basketball at all, I'll at least have an eye on the Blazers.
Last night, Brandon Roy scored 52 points in a 124-119 win over Phoenix last night. The former rookie of the year is quietly having another excellent season, averaging more than 23 points per game, nearly five rebounds and more than five assists. LaMarcus Aldridge has lived up to being the second overall pick, and the former Texas forward has been a great compliment to Roy down low. And now, Greg Oden is healthy.
This is a young, fun basketball team that anyone can get behind. It's an unselfish team that gives maximum effort night in and night out and believes it can soon contend with the top teams in the Western Conference. At 17-10, they're starting to turn the corner, and they're starting to raise eyebrows around the league. They haven't beaten a powerhouse team like the Lakers or Celtics yet, but all that matters in the NBA is that they qualify and do damage in the playoffs.
I'm not going to reschedule my life to watch every Trail Blazers game, but I can at least commit to checking their box scores. And if they can get me back into the NBA product, it's good for the league in general.
People like Scott will watch the games no matter what the circumstance or which teams are playing. But I'll watch if Portland is on the court.
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