Trail Blazers defeat Hawks in exhibition game at Sprint Center
By DAVID BOYCE
The Kansas City Star
Portland rookie center Greg Oden shuffled his feet a few times and was called for traveling. Rookie point guard Jerryd Bayless had several unforced turnovers.
“We are young,” Portland general manger Kevin Pritchard said.
But the Trail Blazers also have talent, enough to make a legitimate run for at least the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Portland showed some of those flashes in the first and third quarters when the starters played considerably in a preseason game against Atlanta on Friday night at the Sprint Center.
The Trail Blazers won 102-80, but the biggest winner might have been the Sprint Center.
A crowd of 12,457 paid ticket prices ranging from $10 in the corner upper deck to $200 for courtside seats. And the majority of the lower deck $90 seats were filled.
“This is an amazing arena,” Pritchard said. “It’s certainly a top-five arena for NBA games. It has an intimate feeling and a lot of amenities around here that make it really special for pregame and postgame.
Considering they weren’t watching the star-studded Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers, basketball fans in Kansas City proved they have an interest in NBA basketball.
“It was nice to have NBA basketball in Kansas City,” said Tre Truelove, who spent $90 for a front-row seat. “I think they would have had more of a crowd if Miami was here with Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers.
“I thought Portland looked good and Oden looked great.”
Friday, Kansas City was witnessing the future of the NBA in the Trail Blazers.
Oden, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft, missed all of last year because of knee surgery.
“It was a difficult feeling knowing I wanted to be out there and help the team,” Oden said. “But I had to do what I had to do to get myself right.”
He appears to be completely back. Oden has played in all three of Portland’s preseason games, which have come in a four-day period.
“I have had no problems with the knee,” Oden said.
And that’s extremely good news for the Trail Blazers, who are counting on Oden to be the defensive enforcer inside and score a few points in the low post.
“He can play both offense and defense,” said Portland guard Brandon Roy. “I think a lot of people expect him to be effective defensively, but I think they are going to learn quickly he can be a threat offensively.
“Just how strong he is he commands a double team. Greg brings a lot, and as he gets his legs back he’s going to bring everything that this team missed last year.”
Portland already has a young nucleus ready to take off. Roy and forward LaMarcus Aldridge are entering their third season but are already showing the polish of veterans because of the experience they have gained.
For most of last season Portland was in the hunt for a playoff spot before tailing off after the All-Star break and finishing 41-41.
“We are young, but we are a confident group,” Roy said. “We feel we got a lot of pieces to be successful. Our confidence level is high, and we have high expectations of ourselves.
“At the same time we have to be realistic and know we have to work hard to achieve our goals.”
In the first quarter the Trail Blazers showed flashes of their bright future. Oden had a nice dunk early to give Portland a 10-4 lead. Travis Outlaw nailed a few outside shots.
And Roy showed the court composure that he could be mentioned in the same breath as New Orleans’ Chris Paul and Utah’s Deron Williams.
Finally, there is Bayless, who has the makings of being a star. Bayless and Roy have the potential to give Portland one of the most dynamic backcourts in the NBA two or three years from now.
Bayless made a few highlight-reel plays early in the fourth quarter when Portland’s lead grew to 82-67.
The best thing for Bayless is he has a teammate in Roy who he can learn from.
Of local interest, former Missouri Tiger Thomas Gardner played 12 minutes and scored two points for the Hawks.
Former MU great Larry Drew is an assistant coach for Atlanta. Also, Maurice Evans, who played high school basketball in Wichita, scored four points for the Hawks.
