Behind the Locker Room Door: Game 2 vs Houston

[alex42083]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/04/behind_the_blazers_locker_room_16.html

If there was ever any question what the tone of the Trail Blazers would be before Tuesday's crucial Game 2, it was answered the minute the locker room doors were opened to the media 90 minutes before tipoff.

Seated at the front of the room, with his back to all the locker stalls, was point guard Steve Blake. With his hands intertwined behind his head, he sat about five feet from a television, watching the nightmare that was Game 1.

To put it mildly, Blake is a fiery guy, one who leads the team in kicking over the metal bench on the team's practice court and the one who last season in a fit of rage threw a folding chair like a discus at a practice in San Antonio. When coach Nate McMillan told him to go pick up the chair, Blake did. And threw it again.

Even though his back was to the locker room door entrance, his rigid posture and fixed stare on the television screen oozed intensity. Do I approach and risk being treated like a San Antonio folding chair? Or do I heed to the do-not-disturb vibe Blake has been putting out ever since Game 1, when his Houston counterpart, Aaron Brooks, went for 24 while Blake muddled in mediocrity?

In the Portland media circles, Blake is not regarded among the friendliest guys on the team. He can be short with answers, and as he admits, he doesn't suffer fools easily. However, I have always had a good relationship with Blake, even if it has included some short answers or a couple warnings that I was asking a question that he felt was out of place.

So, I felt fairly confident when I approached him from behind and asked if I could join him in watching the tape of Game 1. Pleasantly, he obliged, and I pulled up the chair in front of Brandon Roy's locker.

The game was in the third quarter, with Houston up 74-53. I ask what he can get out of watching this again.

"Right now I'm just watching how they defend the pick-and-rolls, seeing if I can pick up anything,'' Blake said.

 

[alex42083]

And sadly, this is the last Behind the Locker Room Door that Quick will write.

It is with a touch of sadness, a touch of relief and a sense of accomplishment that I announce this as the last installment of Behind the Blazers Locker Room Door ... at least for this season.

The NBA's postgame format in the playoffs just isn't conducive for the access needed to pull off this venture. The top players, for instance Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge on Tuesday, are pulled out of the locker room and taken to a sterile interview room, where they sit in front of a microphone.

You can get that anywhere ... NBA-TV ... ESPN ... KGW.

And in a way, I believe the series has run its course.

 

[Wheels]

Props to Quick on the series this year.. many GREAT stories. I loved the thign with Rudy a few weeks back

"You know?"

"No I dont Know"

"Me Neither"

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Through all the bumping and grinding, Blake's right shoulder continued to take a beating. He dislocated the shoulder while fighting through a screen on Jan. 14 in Philadelphia, and it has bothered him since, often to the point where he will go through entire practices without using his right arm: shooting, passing and dribbling left handed.

"The pain is not as bad when you win,'' Blake says, managing a smile.

I was not aware his shoulder was still hurting him that much.

Gramps...

 

[Crimson the Cat]

1 Turnover in 68 minutes. Wow.

 

[hasoos]

1 Turnover in 68 minutes. Wow.

Yea if anything it shows that the Blazers really cut their own throats in game one by missing shots they normally make. That and failing to rebound misses.

 

[Public Defender]

Yea if anything it shows that the Blazers really cut their own throats in game one by missing shots they normally make. That and failing to rebound misses.

That, and failing to play defense.

 

[Foulzilla]

I hope he decides to pick these back up next season. They've been mostly fantastic. Most interesting stuff I've read in a long time.

Perhaps he should consider it as a weekly thing instead of per game. It would be less of a burden for him to come up with stuff to write that way.

I do understand his reasoning for stopping them for the playoffs.

 

[hasoos]

The Blazers really need Oden to be more mentally aware of what it takes to not get in foul trouble. Joel can't keep up this many minutes against Yao. Luckily, 3 days between games will help us out.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Joel likes to toss back a few brews. My man crush on him just grew a little.

 

[THE HCP]

I hope Quick gets fired in the offseason!

 

[hasoos]

I hope Quick gets fired in the offseason!

Yea you joke about that. But the reality is, that most newspapers are going out of business, as they are an out of date media outlet. I would be very surprised if many newspapers survived the next half of decade, if any at all.

 

[alex42083]

Yea you joke about that. But the reality is, that most newspapers are going out of business, as they are an out of date media outlet. I would be very surprised if many newspapers survived the next half of decade, if any at all.

Newspapers will be around, whether it's in paper form or just online is another question. Someone has to report on local issues/politics/sports. The problem is newspapers are giving away their content for free online without getting any compensation back.

 

[Brittany_Loves_LamarcusA]

i had a feeling the behind the locker room door articles were going to end