Subscribe Feed (RSS)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.
even if you’re an NBA player
Not the Blazers though! They all live on Mount Olympus and thrive on nothing but blue-green algae and peeled grapes! You make it sound as though…they’re human.
Please…
I still cannot get over that at 14-7, they’ve only played 7 home games and they’re #2 in the west.
Hi Dwight,
All this talk about the schedule is getting old. I’m glad that you pointed out how other teams have back to backs, etc. We are not the ONLY traveling circus. You are right though about hotel living and then the quick pit stop at home. Fans forget about time zones and such. It takes its toll on the body no doubt. I doubt that the guys would mind a weekend in the sun right about now (especially if it didn’t include playing hoops). Keep on blogging!
At least Portland doesn’t have the circus or the rodeo to send them out for weeks on end.
Going on the road can’t be that rough considering the throngs of available women cruising the arenas across the country. And these “ladies” are unbelievably hot. I believe Magic Johnson said, “The hardest part about going on the road in the NBA is trying not to smile when you kiss your girlfriend/wife goodbye.”
C-T-C
Hello Dwight and all NBA fans !
Dwight,I have a question for you that has bugged me for years.
The Lakers play the Clippers and it is called an away game even
tho they didn’t leave town.
If it came down to let’s say 2 games separation from them and us
at the end of the season,couldn’t you look back at their “away”
games and say it game them an unfair advantage ?
Plus now with Sonics gone,doesn’t this add further to Blazers
traveling the farthest of all teams to their “away” games ?
I looked at a map of the US with the NBA teams logo’s superimposed on top of the states that have teams and it looked mighty lonely up in the Northwest.
And the Lakers have a distinct advantage due to more teams
so close. Am I the only one who frets over such a trivial thing ?
And what’ with the Blazers getting blitzed every year with a bad
schedule ?
Thank you for your valuable opinion.