The Trail Blazers supposedly end a five-game road trip with a game Tuesday night in the Rose Garden. But is it really a home game?

A lot of long-time NBA coaches will tell you, no way. Portland turns right around and goes to Utah the following day for a Thursday night game. The stop home for a single contest against a very good team is much more likely to seem like a sixth road game in a row.

On top of that, after the Thursday game at Utah, the Blazers play the following night back home against Zach Randolph’s Clippers. That will seem almost like a seventh straight road game. To be home you actually have to be able to do more than repack your suitcase. Otherwise, it’s just one more destination, only this time without room service.

But don’t confuse me with one of those people who complains the Trail Blazers have been handed a rough schedule. This is the NBA and everybody has it rough. It’s a traveling circus for about six months for every team in the league. And you almost have to experience it to realize how difficult it is.

And what happens to players is that when they finally get home from a long trip, they have families demanding their immediate attention. There may not be a lot of rest the first few days while heads of households deal with all the usual parenting, husbanding and home owning duties we all must face. Yes, pipes burst, cars break down, kids need attention and stuff just needs to get done around home — even if you’re an NBA player.

As tough as that swing through the East was last week, I’d expect this week’s schedule to be every bit as rough.

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