WEEK IN REVIEW
Last week’s record: 3-2
OFFENSE
The overall numbers aren’t going to blow away anyone, but keep in mind that they produced road wins with which Portland has previously struggled. The Blazers have melted down at Indiana in recent years, have had to scrape their way to victories at Memphis, and were facing motivated opponents fighting for playoff spots against the Pacers and Milwaukee. But there are still reasons to be concerned. Most of the offensive letdowns occurred on the bench, where Rudy Fernandez is struggling with his shot and Travis Outlaw was not available to provide a spark while starting in place of the injured Nicolas Batum. And the back-up point guard spot is messier than ever, with Sergio Rodriguez and Jerryd Bayless taking turns on the bench while the other stumbled on the court. The bench’s numbers for the week: 21.4 points on 37-of-105 shooting (.352). Grade: B-
DEFENSE...................................
