I believe this is one of the most promising games in the last couple of seasons for the Portland Trail Blazers. And no, not just because it was won with Brandon Roy on the sidelines. It was much more than that:

• Portland was tough. Tough. All night long. When they got an elbow in the chops, the Blazers gave one right back. They made several subtle physical statements, right from the first Boston possession of the game, that they would take no crap Tuesday night. That’s a huge step forward for the Trail Blazers — a quantum leap, really, because it was a step many thought they couldn’t make. They’ve been soft at times in the past — and may again be soft. But Tuesday they showed that they CAN play tough, too.
• I don’t even know where to start with Greg Oden. He met the physical challenge and became a huge factor in the game. Boston does not have anyone big enough to guard him. He keeps offensive rebounds alive and he seals the middle on defense. Every game he shows you something more on offense. He hit a face-up jumper and a FINGER ROLL(!!!!) Tuesday night. Sorry, but executed perfectly, there’s no prettier shot in basketball than the finger roll. You probably grew up watching George Gervin drop them in from the middle of the lane, like in the greatest Nike commercial EVER (“The one thing I could do was finger roll.”) Beautiful stuff. But I can still remember Wilt Chamberlain, when he wasn’t close enough to dunk, could finger roll with incredible accuracy. It’s a great shot because a tall guy with long arms can get the ball past a defender and make a shot almost unblockable by using it — and draw a lot of fouls in the process. If you’re still not on the Oden Express, that’s fine. Just be careful what you say about him because at some point, you’re likely to look pretty foolish (SIDEBAR TIME!!!! — Once there was a sportscaster at KGW (8), a legendary pioneer in Portland, named Doug LaMear. Doug was a good guy, but back in the day when most of Portland was frustrated by Bill Walton’s politics and his inability to play many games without getting hurt, LaMear suggested the Blazers ought to trade Walton for “(noted naturalist) Euell Gibbons and a six-pack of carrot juice.” It was funny stuff and ended up in Time Magazine, even. Except a year or two later when Walton was leading Portland to its only NBA title, nobody thought it was too funny then — by that time good ol’ Bill had become Portland’s favorite hippie center. Careful what you say now, folks — if he doesn’t get seriously hurt, this guy Oden is going to be a monster. END SIDEBAR)
• Steve Blake made huge shots and defended some very tough guys.
• Joel Przybilla and Oden played together for a few minutes and it was VERY effective. I liked the look of Oden with the ball on one side of the lane and Przybilla crashing the rim from the weakside. In the playoffs, I’d be tempted to use the two centers with Aldridge in a tight, three-man, two-position rotation.
• Playoffs? You better believe it.
• I think Nate McMillan, deep down, must have loved this game. Finally, his team captured some of the coach’s physical toughness. It will be interesting to see if it was a one-night wonder or a long-term addition.

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Tags: Bill Walton, Boston Celtics, Brandon Roy, Doug LaMear, Dwight Jaynes, George Gervin, Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, Nate McMillan