No Brandon Roy?
For the Trail Blazers Friday night, no problem.
Drawing from major contributions by nearly everyone, Portland took out the Orlando Magic early and rolled to a 102-85 victory at the Rose Garden.
Roy sat out the game with a sore right hamstring, but the Blazers have grown accustomed to going without a full complement of players in what has to be one of the most injury-riddled campaigns in NBA history.
“When we hear someone’s not playing, it sucks for him, but we’re kind of used to that around here,” said Steve Blake, who came off the bench for 18 points and six assists. “You push forward, and develop a mindset toward a different kind of game.”
The Blazers (25-16) hit the midway point of the regular season with just the right kind of performance against an Orlando bunch that isn’t playing like the team that reached the NBA Finals a year ago.
It was the end of a run in which Portland played nine of 10 games at home. The Blazers were 6-4 in those games despite missing a legion of injured regulars, including Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, Travis Outlaw and Nicolas Batum.
“The guys keep rising to the occasion,” Portland coach Nate McMillan said. “It’s been a collective effort. We just keep stepping up.”
The Magic (26-14), losing for the sixth time in eight games, misplaced their 3-point shot. They were 2 of 17 from beyond the arc in the first half, 7 of 30 (.233) for the game. That from a team that entered the game sixth in the NBA in 3-point percentage at .367.
“We couldn’t get anything going,” Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. “The first half tonight was similar to the second half at Denver (in a 105-87 loss on Wednesday). It just got away from us. We got totally outplayed.”
Free-throw shooting (10 of 20) hurt the Magic, but the biggest thing was the inaccuracy from 3-point range.
“Even good-shooting teams aren’t on every night,” Portland’s Andre Miller said. “Tonight just wasn’t their night.”
It was Portland’s, though, even without the services of Roy, who sat out the game with a tender hamstring. The Blazers jumped out to a 24-14 lead after one quarter and increased it to 52-32 at the half.
Orlando’s best stretch came in the first three minutes of the second half, with a 10-2 run that closed the gap to 54-42. Portland scored the next seven points, and the Magic never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
“Great basketball by our guys,” McMillan said. “Tonight it was everybody again. The first unit did a great job of establishing (itself), and the second unit got (its) rhythm in the second half.”
Portland shot .471 from the field, made 11 of 21 from the 3-point line (.524), won the rebound battle 42-38 and committed only nine turnovers.
“They played tremendously,” Van Gundy said. “They played as well as you can play the game — with tremendous energy, great unselfishness and ball movement. They worked very hard defensively, and played at a speed and quickness level far exceeding ours.
“I told our (players) afterward, that was a great team we played tonight. They were fantastic.”
Martell Webster led the way with 24 points — two shy of his career high — and nine rebounds, but he had plenty of help. Point guards Miller (19 points, nine assists) and Blake (18 points, six assists) were terrific, and LaMarcus Aldridge (14 points, 14 rebounds) pounded the middle with authority.
With converted power forward Juwan Howard drawing primary coverage, Portland blanketed Orlando’s Dwight Howard and held the all-star center to 11 points — including 3 of 10 from the line — and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes.
“It started with Howard and included Jeff (Pendergraph) and LaMarcus,” McMillan said. “We tried to mix up our defense on him. The guys did a good job of beating (Dwight Howard) to a spot and making him work. The guards did a good job with double-teaming and also in defending the three. They did a great job of rotating out.”
Though Orlando won the points-in-the-paint battle 44-32, much of it came in the fourth quarter when the game was decided.
“We did a good job of not letting them have anything easy in the paint,” Webster said. “Everything they had down low. we made them work for. Particular guys (read: Howard) weren’t going to get a shot. We executed our game plan perfectly tonight.”
Or as Van Gundy put it, “Every time Dwight got good position, they fouled him. It’s a game plan we’ve seen a lot, and when you go 3 for 10 from the line, that’s a game plan you’re going to continue to see.”
Summed Orlando guard J.J. Redick: “On both ends of the floor, they just kicked our butts.”
Vince Carter was 1 of 7 from the field and had five points in his 22 minutes — the eight-time all-star was 2 of 21 in his two games against Portland this season — but he wasn’t the object of Van Gundy’s wrath afterward.
“When you get beat the way we did, I’m not going to start on one guy or another,” the third-year Orlando coach said. “There’s enough blame for the 11 of us to handle. Trying to single one guy out would be pretty difficult tonight.”
Aldridge had three points and one rebound in Portland’s 92-83 loss at Orlando on Dec. 19. It was much different this time. Aldridge had his 13th double-double of the season two minutes before halftime.
“In the first game, I didn’t get any touches,” said Aldridge, who was 1 of 7 shooting in that one. “They took me out of the game by double-teaming me. I knew it was going to be different tonight. We had schemes to get me the ball in different spots, and it worked out. Last game, they fronted me and came with Dwight the whole game behind me. This game we had Juwan, so they couldn’t do that.”
Things went so well for Portland Friday night, Blake even buried a 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left that guaranteed fans a free chalupa at their local Taco Bell.
“I had heard them chanting the possession before that, but I wasn’t really thinking about it that time,” Blake said. “Then when we got to the locker room, some guys were like, “The fans owe you.’ “
Webster said he feels the Blazers are playing their best ball as they enter the second half of the season.
“We’re tenacious, resilient,” said the small forward, who was 8 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range. “Guys are, night in, night out, putting forth their best effort. We’ve had to compensate for a lot of losses, but we’ve done a great job of that.”
What can Portland expect on its upcoming trip, which begins Monday at Washington?
“We went 3-1 on our last road trip,” Webster said. “Going undefeated would be great.”
NOTES: Roy said he hopes to play against the Wizards, but it’s possible he will have to sit out the first game or two on the trip. ... Orlando had won eight of the previous 10 meetings between the teams. ... Second-year guard Jerryd Bayless, in his first career start, was the only Blazers who had an off night. Bayless finished with one point on 0-of-6 shooting in 20 minutes. ... McMillan on Miller, who made 8 of 14 from the field and had a superb floor game: “His plus/minus ratio lately is off the charts, especially for this game. He is making things happen, taking advantage of situations, making good decisions.” ... Miller, on the Blazers being on 50-win pace at the midway point: “Knowing the amount of injuries we had, that’s pretty good. We just want to continue to pick it up and finish the month off strong. This is the toughest part of the season, December and January. It’s an opportunity to pick things up going into the second part of the season.”
Announced attendance was 20,650, the 94th consecutive home sellout for the Blazers dating back to Dec. 21, 2007. ... Portland equalled its midway-point pace of each of the last to seasons. ... The Blazers are 11-5 the last 16 games and trail Denver (25-14) atop the Northwest Division. ... Portland's 11 treys ties a season high ... Webster has scored in double figures in eight straight games for the first time in his career. ... Blake's 18 points tied a season high. ... Portland led from start to finish for the fourth time this season.
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