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PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers are starting to
feel the weight of expectations that they didn't even create.
|  | | Portland's Scottie Pippen looks to pass between Phoenix's Jason Kidd, right, and Randy Livingston, left. |
Some of the Blazers cautioned even before the season that the
team had the talent to win an NBA title, but still had to go out on
the court and prove it against the Western Conference, which is
overstocked with good teams.
Nearly a quarter into the season, the Blazers are 15-5, the
third-best record in the league behind the Los Angeles Lakers
(15-4) and the Miami Heat (14-4). But the Blazers lost to both of
those teams in the past week, and Portland is just 3-4 in its last
seven games against teams with records of .500 or better heading
into Wednesday night's games.
Injuries have been a problem. Point guard Damon Stoudamire
missed his first start of the season in Tuesday night's 86-76 loss
to Miami with a bruised left knee, but he practiced Wednesday at
full speed and was expected to play Thursday night against
Minnesota. Scottie Pippen and Detlef Schrempf have been slowed by
minor injuries, Brian Grant is struggling to get in game shape
after undergoing offseason knee surgery, and reserves Bonzi Wells
and Jermaine O'Neal are still on the injured list.
"It's just a matter now of going through a bad time and
figuring out how to put it together," Grant said. "We're not
really stepping up to the challenge, but we'll get there. We'll
have to get everyone healthy and then going about figuring out
what's going on, and then fix it."
Scoring and shot selection have been problems for the Blazers.
They're not running as smoothly on the fast break, and that has led
to a somewhat predictable halfcourt offense. Portland hasn't
reached 100 points in its last eight games after hitting the mark
six times in its first 12 games. Tuesday's point total was nearly
20 fewer than the Blazers' season average, and it was the team's
lowest output since an 86-76 loss at Houston last April 15, a
stretch of 35 regular-season games.
During the season-opening stretch when the Blazers went 10-1,
they shot exactly 50 percent from the field and never less than 41
percent in a game. Over the last nine games they're averaging 41
percent, and have been held under 40 percent six times.
"Are we playing below par? Yes," said Portland coach Mike
Dunleavy. "We started the season at a high level, but we have
(regressed). We have to figure out how to get back there and get
even better. And we have to do it in a short time."
After hosting the Timberwolves on Thursday night, the Blazers
play Pacific Division rivals Sacramento, Seattle and Phoenix, which
have a combined record of 36-15.
The Blazers have a starting lineup that will earn $53 million
this season, more than most teams' entire payrolls. That has led to
big hopes, and Lakers coach Phil Jackson derisively calling
Portland "the best team money can buy." That was before the
Lakers easily beat the Blazers 93-80 last Friday.
The Blazers are marked men, and they know it. Teams are playing
a little harder against them because they've been tabbed one of the
league's best. But right now they look anything but championship
material.
"There has been a lot of hype about us being this or that, but
is any of that relevant?" Greg Anthony said after Tuesday's loss.
"We're not playing anywhere near the level we can. But I'm not
worried about it. We've got a lot of season left, and we all have a
lot of confidence in each other. We will get it done."
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