...Brandon Roy, an All-Star shooting guard, has been playing extensive minutes at small forward, which nightly has forced him to guard bigger, stronger players. On the team's recent trip, the 6-foot-6 Roy gave up length against Rudy Gay (6-8), Peja Stojakovic (6-10) and Marvin Williams (6-9), or brawn against Charlotte's Gerald Wallace and Atlanta's Joe Johnson.
The physical Wallace, in particular, seemed to tax Roy. When told that it appeared Wallace was a load, Roy fluttered his lips.
"You're telling me," he said. "You're telling me."
Roy lifted weights after Wednesday's game in Minnesota, an uncharacteristic game-night practice.
"I might have to start doing that regularly," Roy said after battling Wallace in Charlotte.
The chore of guarding small forwards has eliminated one of Roy's strengths -- getting in the passing lanes to make steals. Roy has led the Blazers in steals the past two seasons, but he did not record a steal on the five game trip, and has just one steal in the seven games since moving to small forward. In the five games he started at shooting guard, Roy had three steals.........
