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Blazers building a foundation for Oden

This Portland team never seems to run out of surprises. After winning 13 games in a row and 14 of 15, its latest stunner was to rally from a 14-point deficit to overcome the Bulls in Chicago.

It's time to consider two pertinent questions: Are the Blazers for real? Is this success merely an aberration?

Why they're for real

# Travis Outlaw has an unstoppable step-back jumper. He was 9-for-19 for 21 points and, at 6-foot-9, is as quick as a guard.

# Jarrett Jack is a powerful and tenacious defender, as well as being a clutch scorer. He came up with 7-for-13 shooting, five assists and 17 points.

# LaMarcus Aldridge couldn't find the range — he went 6-for-17 — but pulled down 13 rebounds and had 14 points.

# Martell Webster is an excellent unguarded shooter: 5-for-13 for 13 points.

# Steve Blake is an underrated point guard: 5-for-8, an assist and 13 points. He didn't play much in the second half, but the Blazers' ball movement was much snappier when he ran the show.

# Channing Frye is a superior mid-range shooter: 2-for-4 for four points.

# James Jones' jumper didn't make the trip to Chicago — 1-for-4 for eight points — but he's an ornery defender. In fact, his block of Ben Gordon's jumper in the last minute of the second OT led to the game-winning three-point play by Jack.

# Joel Przybilla is an accomplished rebounder, screener and shot blocker, but his impotent offense severely curtails his playing time.

# And then there's Brandon Roy, who's easily the team's best player. He went 7-for-15 with six rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, a block and zero turnovers for 25 points. He's much smoother than he was last season, and he's also cool-headed, savvy and totally comfortable being Portland's main man. He can stroke the 3, drive and finish, drive and dish, play adequate defense, deliver accurate passes and play with admirable unselfishness — plus he's the team's most effective low-post player.

#Roy is rarely spectacular, but he's the kind of guy who comes up with whatever's needed for a win — from a big shot to a big rebound, from a crucial assist-pass to the recovery of a loose ball. In other words, he's a winner. Some day, he just might merit serious consideration as the league's MVP. That's how good he is.

In finding a way to win, the Blazers demonstrated courage, resilience and resourcefulness. Aldridge, Roy, Jack, Outlaw and Jones all came up with clutch plays.

Nate McMillan kept trying different combinations until he found the winning one.

Why they're an aberration

# Aldridge and Outlaw are both swift but soft, and Przybilla represents the only powerful front-court player. That's why the Bulls were able to corral 18 offensive rebounds, including several vital ones.

# Webster is too passive in his mostly futile attempts to defend high-screen situations.

# Frye can't handle under pressure.

# Their zone defense can be easily dissected by three or four sharp passes.

# They don't score many easy baskets. For the game, Portland managed only seven successful layups, while missing four. By contrast, the Bulls converted 13 layups, and missed 10. That's 11 attempted layups for the Blazers to 23 for the Bulls.

As a result, the Blazers live or die by the jump shot. Against the Bulls, they shot 43.8 percent, including 11-for-22 from downtown. However, as the season progresses, it'll be increasingly difficult for them (indeed, for any team) to out-shoot their opponents on a consistent basis.

So then, what does the future hold for the Blazers? It's entirely conceivable that they'll squeeze into the playoffs. But to do so they'll have to beat out Utah, New Orleans, Golden State or the Los Angeles Lakers. Improbable, but not impossible.

What this team needs to be an authentic contender is a sturdy big man in the middle. Indeed, if he's all that he's hyped to be, Greg Oden is a perfect fit for the Blazers. If this comes to pass, the Blazers will be a force to be reckoned with by the 2009-10 campaign.

Now that the trade winds are blowing, here's a list of those players most likely to be dealt in the upcoming weeks, along with their market value.

Straight Shooting

Shawn Marion (9 out of 10 on the value scale): The Suns need to make a major adjustment if they hope to seriously challenge the Spurs. Other than scraping their entire run-and-gun game plan, trading Marion is their most viable option.

Marcus Banks (5): Always had All-Star talents, and somebody just might gamble that he now has the mind-set to match.

Tracy McGrady (10): He's too fragile and not a workable partner for Yao. The Rockets should be able to get two starters plus a top draft choice.

Wally Szczerbiak (6): Unhappy coming off the bench for one of the worst teams in the league. Wants to play, shoot and win. Ironically, his production on Seattle's second unit has cemented his role for the team that decides to obtain his services.

Eddy Curry (6): Even given his considerable limitations, he would thrive as the No. 1 inside-option once he escapes the constant media scrutiny (as well as Zeke's mindless mind games) in New York.

Stephon Marbury (4): A bad penny that will turn up somewhere sooner rather than later. Must be surrounded by strong, no-nonsense leadership.

Mike James (5): For him to put up good numbers, he has to be the main man.

Ron Artest (8): Worth a gamble for a veteran team on the verge of championship contention. But a significant gamble nevertheless.

Mike Bibby (7): Gritty jump-shooting point guard whose less-than-average athleticism accentuates his not-so-slow decline. Still, a useful backup for a championship-caliber team (like Boston?).

Chris Mihm (3): Will be glued to the end of the Los Angeles Lakers bench now that Kwame Brown is back. Can still function as a semi-valuable backup on the right team.

Kenyton Martin (4): A big-mouth with a bogus game, rendered irrelevant with the return to health of Nene.

Vince Carter (7): Lots of sizzle, precious little steak. Unilaterally wins one game every two weeks.

Jason Kidd (9): More self-involved than his stats or media-demeanor indicate. Can still propel a near-contender to the top.

Samuel Dalembert (6): Afflicted with chronic brain-lock.

Ben Gordon (8): No matter what he says, will always be unhappy coming off the bench. Too bad that's exactly where he belongs. Time for the Bulls to obtain a genuine post-up scorer.

Kirk Hinrich (7): Worn down by Skiles constant carping. Can he make a full recovery in Chicago?

Juan Dixon (6): Anybody need a dynamic scorer off the bench?

Reggie Evans (5): Anybody need a ferocious rebounder who is too short to defend and can only score on layups?

Pau Gasol (8): If the Grizzlies continue losing even with Mike Conley running the show, Gasol just might revert to playing with a noticeable lack of intensity. Yes, he's soft and slow, but he's a large, warm body who can amass numbers.

Damon Jones (3): One-trick pony.

Mark Madsen (2): A too-short big man running amok who can only be useful in short rotations against carefully selected opponents.

Darko Milicic (3): Who cares? Not him.

Jermaine O'Neal (8): Worn down by banging with bigger centers for so long. Could be an effective spot-player for a top-notch team.

Smush Parker (1): Worth more in the Rucker League than in the NBA. How incredible is it that Riley didn't do his homework?

Nate Robinson (6): Wild as the wind, and just as powerful and destructive. Still, a dynamic scorer in limited minutes.

Malik Rose (6): Still a warrior.

J.R. Smith (3): A high-flying, 3-point specialist who is not worth the trouble.

Jason Williams (4): His expiring contract is worth more than his expiring game.

Vox Populi

Hey Charley, I agree with you that competitive sports can reveal a lot about a player's moral fiber (or lack thereof). Can you put together a squad of NBA All-Star knuckleheads? To qualify, the guy has to be very talented but also such a knucklehead that his behavior ultimately screwed up his career. — Jeff, Singapore

Here's the current lineup:

Ron Artest: Frittering away his immense talents with his out-of-control behavior and his out-of-control verbiage.

Marcus Banks: Has as much sheer talent as any point guard in the league, but can't get along with anybody. Should be a perennial All-Star.

Stephon Marbury: The ultimate grouch who could easily have been better than Nash and Kidd.

Damon Jones: Too much self-aggrandizing chatter and not enough bull's-eyes have him on the verge of oblivion.

Ruben Patterson: Couldn't keep his hands to himself — on and off the court.

Smush Parker: Should have been perpetually thankful to get a shot at the big-time comp and big-time money. Instead, he barely went through the motions when he wasn't getting the playing time he thought he deserved. A classic case of how quickly humility turns to arrogance.

Kenyon Martin: More interested in being a faux gangsta than in being a real player.

Dishonorable mention: Darius Miles, Darko Milicic, Jamaal Tinsley, Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson.

Here are some all-timers:

Danny Fortson: Was better suited to be a muscle-goon for the mob than an NBA player.

Isiah Rider: Stashed his boyz' stolen goods and never learned how to tell time.

Latrell Sprewell: Couldn't feed his family on $14 million. Hasn't played since. But at least he has stayed out of jail.

Tommy Hamilton: At 7-foot-2 (Boston 1979-80, plus one game in 1980-81 for Portland), he could have been rich and famous, if only he could have kept his weight below 400 pounds.

Michael Ray Richardson: Could resist everything but temptation.

The captain of the all-knucklehead team has to be Reggie Harding (Detroit 1963-68), all 7-feet, 255 pounds of him. This was the guy who once put a mask over his mouth and tried to hold up a store in his own neighborhood. "Come on, Reggie," the store owner said. "I know it's you." Still, Harding took the money and ran.

Travels with Charley

Speaking of trades, here's another CBA classic:

The coaches and GMs had convened in Columbus, Ohio, for the annual CBA draft, which was to be televised to all of the cities in the league. However, on the day before the gathering, Jay Ramsdell, the boyish commissioner of the league, had been aboard a plane that had crashed in a wheat field in Iowa. As the draft commenced, his whereabouts remained unknown.

Ramsdell had been a friend of mine. He was smart, humorous, pragmatic, cynical and an all-around nice guy. I was incensed that the draft and its accompanying hullabaloo hadn't been cancelled. And once Jay's charred body was found and identified, my rage only increased.

Still, the franchise owners argued that so much money had already been shelled out for the draft extravaganza that they had to continue. Thoroughly frustrated and disgruntled, I made a feeble protest by passing on the initial five rounds of the draft.

But then, the coach of the Quad City Thunder said he was interested in obtaining my sixth-round selection. Mindful of Jay's constant sense of the absurd, I offered the pick in exchange for a Quad Cities sweat suit, size XXL. The deal was done.

Somewhere up in commissioners' heaven, I knew Jay was chuckling.

But I also knew that he was laughing loud enough to shake the heavenly rafters when I finally received the sweat suit and it was size L — the pants barely reaching below my knees and the shirt sleeves dangling above my elbows!

In homage to Jay, I made a neat pile of the sweats, doused it with gasoline, and set it afire.

 

Read more at http://msn.foxsports.com

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