Portland Trail Blazers

[gary_gnu]

Honoring the World Champions of 1976-1977

 

 

Portland ruled the basketball world in 1976-77, displaying an exciting brand of team basketball and claiming the NBA Championship. After a decent 49-33 regular season, the team made the most of its first appearance in the playoffs, running all the way through the postseason.

 

This was the first year of Head Coach Jack Ramsay's reign. His decade with Portland would solidify his reputation as one of the league's most creative skippers. This was also the season that four former ABA teams-the Denver Nuggets, the New York Nets, the Indiana Pacers, and the San Antonio Spurs-were brought into the NBA under a merger agreement. The merger, in turn, led to a tremendous reshuffling of star players, and Portland acquired an enforcer, 6-9 Maurice Lucas, with the second pick in the ABA Dispersal Draft. But Lucas didn't come without a price. The Blazers had to give up Geoff Petrie and Steve Hawes to Atlanta for the No. 2 pick. More shuffling went on when Portland sold Sidney Wicks to Boston.

 

With a revamped lineup and a cast of young players who were quickly gaining confidence, the team was very strong through the first half of the season. Walton and Lucas represented Portland in the 1977 NBA All-Star Game, although Walton missed the game with an injury. But the long campaign eventually took its toll, and the Blazers faltered in February and March, tottering to a 10-16 record during those two months. They turned it around at the right time, however, with a 5-0 mark in April that catapulted them back into the playoff picture.

 

The fan phenomenon known as Blazermania was beginning to catch fire, too. On April 5 there were still a few tickets available in Memorial Coliseum when Portland played the Detroit Pistons before 12,359 fans. That was the last day a fan could just walk up and buy a ticket. From that point on, and continuing into the mid-1990s, every Portland home game was a sellout. Capacity was 12,666 through 1988, when it was expanded to 12,854 and then eventually 12,888.

 

The Trail Blazers' road to the championship rolled through Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. The team hit its stride in the Western Conference Finals, eliminating the Pacific Division champion Los Angeles Lakers and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in four straight games.

 

Portland entered the NBA Finals as the underdog to the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Julius Erving, the spectacular forward who was reinventing the game with his gravity-defying slam dunks. The Sixers put the Blazers in a hole by taking Games 1 and 2 in Philadelphia. Back home at Memorial Coliseum, however, Portland thrashed the 76ers by 22 points in Game 3 and by 32 points in Game 4. The Trail Blazers then won a third straight game by beating the Sixers back in Philadelphia.

 

Game 6 took place on June 5 in Memorial Coliseum. The Sixers got 40 points from Erving, but the Trail Blazers closed them out, 109-107, to claim the NBA title. Walton scored 20 points, yanked down 23 rebounds, handed out 7 assists, and blocked 8 shots in Game 6, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Finals.

 

Walton was the star and the most recognizable of the Blazers, with his flamboyant personality, his counterculture leanings (which fit in with the general ambience of mid-1970s Portland), and his intense, intelligent style of play. But the Trail Blazers' victory was the triumph of a well-balanced team over a collection of more brilliant individual talents. This was in line with the trend of the decade, which had also seen the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, and Warriors win titles on the basis of cohesion rather than individual dominance.

 

Lucas led the Trail Blazers in minutes played and scoring, averaging 20.2 points. Dave Twardzik, a 6-1 guard, set a club record for field-goal percentage, notching a .612 accuracy mark. Walton set the team record for rebounding, clearing 14.4 boards per game. He also set a Portland all-time mark for blocked shots with 3.25 per game. Second-year point guard Lionel Hollins ran the show, leading the team in both assists (4.1 apg) and steals (166).

[gary_gnu]

DURANT -OR- ODEN

 

WHO WILL IT BE AT #1?

[howard_the_duck]

I still believe the Blazers were screwed on 2000

[revi]

With Brandon Roy.. the future seems to be brighter.. A quiet but effective future superstar in the making.. No flash but gets the job done..

 

But what happened in the last few months, would make the Portland fans salivate more because the Blazers have the right to make the first pick in this year's draft.. Oden or Durant? Nuff said..

 

I am very excited for the Blazers' future.. I believe they are the team to watch out for next season.. :thumbsupsmiley:

 

IMO, Portland would get Oden.. If their best center is Magloire, then, I suggest they get Oden.. Oden is a workhorse and seems humble enough to work hand in hand with Brandon Roy.. LaMarcus Aldridge can also combine for a twin tower combination look that has worked for the 80's Rockets and the Spurs before.. Durant ain't too shabby either.. But good centers do not come by often.. As they say, you can't teach height..

 

Let us wait for the drama to unfold.. :thumbsupsmiley:

[pr0nmast3r]

Get Oden, trade Zach to get Conley and some pieces

[clubber_lang]

@ revi Got no love for Jamaal Magloire? Come on! He was an All Star a few years ago! Hehe!

 

Yep, Oden is so going to be No. 1. Plus, he is a bit lucky coz he is in a town where people cheer their players even during their lowest point. If he landed in Boston or New York, he'd be the next Ewing in terms of fan appreciation...

[gary_gnu]

2007 NBA Draft Just Eight Days Away

 

 

DURANT -OR- ODEN

 

WHO WILL IT BE AT #1?

[clubber_lang]

I really feel it would be Oden.

 

Reports have it that there are talks between Portland and Washington regarding a Randolph-for-Jamison trade...

[gary_gnu]

Historic Night For Portland

 

By Jim Taylor

trailblazers.com

 

 

New York, NY -- Speculation turned to reality Thursday night as the Portland Trail Blazers selected Ohio State center Greg Oden with the first pick in 2007 NBA Draft.

 

Oden, along with Texas freshman Kevin Durant, were the focus of one the most intense debates in NBA Draft history of which franchise-making player would be taken first.

 

"I know we're going to be connected for a long time now," said Oden. "So, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden, you just have to get used to the names together."

 

As expected the Seattle SuperSonics snapped up Durant, the NCAA College Player of the Year, with the second pick.

 

"He's a really, really good player," said Oden. "I'm a pretty decent player, so I hope things work out. I would love to get way more championships than him."

 

Oden joins a rapidly improving Portland line-up which includes Brandon Roy, the NBA Rookie of the Year, and LaMarcus Aldridge, a first-team NBA Rookie Team selection.

 

"Just being around those guys, they're all really great," said Oden. "They did have a bad rep, but I think Brandon and LaMarcus kind of turned that around. I'm hoping I can come in and just help push that along some more."

 

Oden is excited to begin his professional career after leading Ohio State to the NCAA Championship game that ended in a loss to Florida.

 

"I think the next level is going to really difficult, but I think as long as I improve and keep working hard I can play pretty well," said Oden.

 

Does being the number one pick in the draft take the sting out of the Buckeyes loss to the Gators?

 

"No, not at all, I still lost," said Oden. "They still won two National Championships, in a row, and that doesn't change. This feels good, but it's two different categories. I'm always going to have that memory of that loss forever.

 

Oden, who's battling a cold, might be in need to a little rest and relaxation after an exhausting few weeks leading up the draft., but still has a sense of humor at his post-draft press conference.

 

"I think I get like two days to relax before I have to start practicing for Summer League," said Oden. "Hopefully, I get to go back and pack because I think I get kicked out of my apartment the 6th and I don't think they want to have to throw my stuff out."

[TidusJanus]

Aldridge,Roy,Oden ---> SOLID CORE!!!

[webslinger]

man this team is going to rock d nba w d solid line up adding frye and francis w it.... u got d best 5 on d floor w oden, roy and aldridge. on d bench u got magloire and outlaw backing up d big man....

 

i can compare dis 5 w d core of drexler and porter company.... 2nd to dat wen pippen was in portland w rasheed.

[ixnay]

They got Greg Oden. At the end of the day, that's all that really mattered. At the team's draft party, fans stormed the court in celebration of landing an athletic 7-footer who is a supreme defensive talent and an absolutely great guy. This is the start of a great run.

[gift_of_game]

I still believe the Blazers were screwed on 2000

 

I guess the point there was, Commish would not allow the JailBlazers to get a crack at a championship, giving the Lakers get ALL the calls and breaks to help them overcome a 15-point half-time deficit and take that deciding 7th game.

[MRyoso]

josh mcroberts!

 

heheh

[howard_the_duck]

I guess the point there was, Commish would not allow the JailBlazers to get a crack at a championship, giving the Lakers get ALL the calls and breaks to help them overcome a 15-point half-time deficit and take that deciding 7th game.

were they the jail blazers at that time already?

 

i know they became the jail blazers after dallas beat them on the first round... 2002 yata yun