Blazers' All-Star grades
Nothing has been easy for the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
After beginning the season with high expectations, Portland watched its plans of winning the Northwest Division and making a return trip to the NBA Playoffs nearly go up in flames as major injuries — and a little drama — took a serious toll.
With 27 games to go, though, the Blazers still have a chance at extending their season.
And with the NBA All-Star break having come and gone, The Columbian grades Portland’s roster from top to bottom, while also looking ahead at what remains.
LaMarcus Aldridge
Grade: B
Position: Power forward
Stats: 17.2 pts., 8.3 reb.
Year: 4
It might be hard to believe, but Aldridge has been the Blazers’ most consistent player this season. While Brandon Roy has battled injuries and everyone from Martell Webster to Andre Miller has struggled with consistency, Aldridge has been Portland’s go-to player more often than not. Yes, his game is still developing. And, yes, he sometimes could be tougher and make better use of the lower block. But Aldridge has not slid backward. Moreover, his ability to hold down the center position while still delivering on the offensive end is a positive sign for the future.
Nicolas Batum
Grade: B+
Position: Small forward
Stats: 8.9 pts., 4.0 reb.
Year: 2
A shoulder injury forced Batum to miss Portland’s first 45 games of the season. But in the 10 contests since he has returned to the lineup, the native of France has shown that last season’s promise was just the start. Batum has improved his range and touch on the offensive end, while his lockdown defensive capabilities have not disappeared. It is somewhat dream-like to ponder what a healthy, experienced Batum could do for the Blazers a few years down the road. Right now, though, Batum is still just showing glimpses of things to come. If he can stay away from the inactive list, Batum could soon become one of the best in Blazerland.
Jerryd Bayless
Grade: B-
Position: Point guard
Stats: 9.3 pts., 2.3 ast.
Year: 2
In many ways, Bayless has vastly improved when compared to his rookie self. He has developed an outside jump shot, improved on the defensive end, and shown the ability to dominate when he has the ball in his hands. Bayless has scored in double figures 21 times this season. And the career-high 31 points he poured in during a victory over San Antonio on Dec. 23 momentarily validated his selection as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. But Bayless still has issues. His main game relies on lane penetration — which can easily be defended in the NBA — and he is becoming a shoot-first, pass-second point guard.
Steve Blake
Grade: C-
Position: Point guard
Stats: 7.6 pts., 4.0 ast.
Year: 7
Blake posted a career year last season, averaging 11.0 points and 5.0 assists. He was rewarded with Portland’s starting point guard position when the 2009-10 season began. Since then, little has gone right. Blake has struggled to find his shot, and he has sometimes been lost in the Blazers’ guard rotation. But Blake’s liabilities on both ends of the court have been offset by effort and commitment. He is still dangerous beyond the arc when his shot is falling. And his workman-like attitude and determination have helped Portland maintain a smooth, even level during a season of upheaval.
Dante Cunningham
Grade: B
Position: Small forward
Stats: 4.1 pts., 2.1 ast.
Year: 1
Undersized and unknown, not much was expected of Cunningham when the season began. He did not record a minute during the Blazers’ first six games, and it appeared likely that Cunningham would spend the 2009-10 campaign buried on the bench. Then the injury train pulled into town. After centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla were lost for the season, Cunningham has teamed up with fellow forwards Juwan Howard and Jeff Pendergraph to hold down the middle. Moreover, Cunningham plays the type of energetic, scrappy ball that coach Nate McMillan preaches. And as the rookie’s minutes have increased, so has his production.
Rudy Fernandez
Grade: D
Position: Shooting guard
Stats: 8.4 pts., 2.8 ast.
Year: 2
Along with Andre Miller, Fernandez has been the biggest disappointment of the season. The Spanish native came into training camp tired and overworked, and he has truly never recovered. Initially plagued by back pain, Fernandez has shown flashes of his rookie brilliance. But he has made little to no progress in key facets of his game — defense, shot selection, lane penetration — that already were sore spots. Fernandez, 23, still has time and youth on his side. But he is sliding toward becoming a one-dimensional player. And he is nowhere near to delivering on his promise and potential.
Juwan Howard
Grade: A-
Position: Power forward
Stats: 5.9 pts., 5.0 reb.
Year: 16
Where would the Blazers be without Howard? Pretty much nowhere. Originally signed as backup insurance, Howard has been a saviour. The 16-year veteran has played in 47 games while starting 23. And while his numbers do not stand out, Howard has. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward has matched up against the best centers in the NBA since Oden and Przybilla went down. Factor in his reliable outside jumper, intelligent defense, on-the-court coaching skills and positive locker-room presence, and Howard has been the most valuable player on this year’s team.
Andre Miller
Grade: C+
Position: Point guard
Stats: 13.5 pts., 5.3 ast.
Year: 11
The numbers look good, but Miller has been a disappointment. His career-high 52-point performance against Dallas on Jan. 20 spoke volumes about what the veteran guard can still do on the court. And he is the best the Blazers have to offer at the point guard position in terms of passing, court vision and leadership. But Miller’s age is beginning to catch up with him. He has looked a step slow all season, and his shot selection has often been questionable. A rocky, dramatic start did not help things. And while Miller has definitely made progress, he still has fallen short of expectations.
Greg Oden
Grade: B
Position: Center
Stats: 11.1 pts., 8.5 reb.
Year: 2
Take away the season-ending knee injury, and Oden’s grade would likely be an A. He was playing the best basketball of his career prior to fracturing his patella Dec. 5 against Houston. And the former No. 1 overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft was finally beginning to fulfill awesome potential. Oden had improved nearly every aspect his game, primarily his shooting touch and shot-blocking skills. Meanwhile, intangibles such as confidence and body control had skyrocketed. But everything came to a crashing halt when Oden suffered his second major knee injury in two seasons. Now, it is all about next season. Again.
Travis Outlaw
Grade: C-
Position: Power forward
Stats: 9.9 pts., 3.5 reb.
Year: 7
It has been a lost season for Outlaw thus far. After beginning the year with a bang, Mr. Fourth Quarter fractured his foot Nov. 14 against Charlotte. Since then, Outlaw has been in no man’s land. And considering that he is in his final contract year with the Blazers, more questions than answers are available about Outlaw’s lease on life in Portland. However, Outlaw is expected to return to the lineup later this month. And a strong finish — one in which he keys a late-season run that results in a playoff berth — could give Outlaw new life in black and red.
Jeff Pendergraph
Grade: B-
Position: Power forward
Stats: 2.8 pts., 3.1 reb.
Year: 1
Pendergraph rivals fellow rookie Cunningham for the biggest surprise of the season. Like Cunningham, Pendergraph was basically an afterthought when the season began. And like Cunningham, Pendergraph has seen his role significantly increase thanks to attrition through injuries. Strong-willed, brawny and bruising, Pendergraph has provided muscle for a Portland team often accused of being too soft. But that has become Pendergraph’s only calling card as of late, and his offensive production has tailed off while his playing minutes have decreased.
Joel Przybilla
Grade: B-
Position: Center
Stats: 4.1 pts., 7.9 reb.
Year: 10
Przybilla symbolizes the Blazers’ up-and-down season more than anyone. He was moved from a starting position to a reserve role when the season began. Then when Oden went down, Przybilla was called upon to reassume his starting role. He delivered, again playing like the tough-as-nails, no-nonsense center who captured the heart of a 2008-09 team that won 54 games and made the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2003. But Przybilla’s run ended Dec. 22, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Dallas. While the Blazers have carried on, Przybilla is eyeing training camp in 2010.
Brandon Roy
Grade: A-
Position: Shooting guard
Stats: 23.1 pts., 5.0 ast.
Year: 4
The best player on the Blazers was having the best year of his career prior to a hamstring injury that has forced him to miss 12 consecutive games. Still, it is hard to find fault in Roy’s performance or effort this season. He carried Portland through its toughest stretch of the year in December, when the team was adjusting to the loss of Oden and Przybilla. He has improved in a variety of key statistical categories, including average points (23.1) and field-goal percentage (48.4). And he is the unquestionable leader of a young, unproven Blazers team. Where Roy goes, Portland goes.
Martell Webster
Grade: B
Position: Small forward
Stats: 10.8 pts., 3.9 reb.
Year: 5
After missing nearly the entire 2008-09 season due to a foot injury, Webster has rebounded to become a major — if inconsistent — part of Portland’s success this year. His defense has improved immensely, while he has regained his shooting touch from 2007-08. Some nights, Webster is one of the best in the building. But despite possessing All-Star talent, the Seattle native has yet to touch his ceiling. Still, Webster is averaging career highs in points and rebounds, and he has been the only Blazer besides Miller to play in all 55 games.
Patty Mills
Grade: Incomplete
Nate McMillan
Grade: A-
Position: Coach
Year: 5
McMillan’s fifth year with the Blazers has thus far been his best. When the season began, McMillan was trying to smooth egos while find playing time for a deep, talented roster that was stacked up four high at some positions. Fifty-five games later, Portland’s coach has navigated his team through the roughest of waters while still keeping the ship pointed in the right direction. The dramatic blowup with Andre Miller has been McMillan’s only bad move. And while issues such as player rotations and offensive tempo still exist, it is hard to find fault in McMillan’s performance this season.
All-Star Break honors
Most valuable player: Juwan Howard
Most improved player: Nicolas Batum
The best: Brandon Roy
Biggest surprise: Dante Cunningham, Jeff Pendergraph
Biggest disappointment: Andre Miller
Growing up: LaMarcus Aldridge, Martell Webster, Greg Oden
Staying put: Steve Blake, Joel Przybilla
Questionable: Jerryd Bayless, Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw
