A fluff piece on toughness...

One of the things I really love about this years team, in contrast to every team we have sent out there since Brian Grant left town, is the somewhat subtle undertone of toughness exhibited by the entire roster, one through twelve. Toughness is called a lot of things by different writers (swagger, aggressiveness, will, and "enforcer mentality" come to mind...) but, to me, it is less about bravado, muscle, or retaliation than it is simply about confidence.

More than ever, I see the guards driving the lane to draw defenders, and either getting to the line or dishing to open wing players, or big men right at the hoop. Joel's offensive numbers are a testament to this, as are the wide open looks that Rudy, Nic, and Travis are seeing on a nightly basis.

Obviously, Joel and Greg have been relentless in their rebounding and shot blocking/changing. The difference between subbing Greg in for Joel (not Channing) cannot be understated, as the opposition never gets a break from that defensive threat near the basket.

Also, is it just me or is Brandon looking to dunk more? Roy has always been a guy that can find a shot at the hoop, but he seems to be using his added muscle to finish in ways I didn't think he had in him until this year.

Many would be quick to credit Nate and Maurice for this, and they wouldn't be wrong, but I think the presence of Greg and Rudy this year may be the biggest reason the Blazers "collective cojones" have grown like a grinch heart this year.

With Greg (for me) it is less about his frame, his dunk and his ball hawking defense, and more about the cred he must have earned from the team as he weathered the injury, embraced the rehab, and rolled with constant tedious media angling. He has shaken off the Bowie comparision and the "bust" labels and kept his eye on the prize. This hasn't been lost on his teammates, and it doesn't shock me that his return has inspired a higher level of play from the rest of the team.

With Rudy, I agree with what I am hearing from a lot of expert observers, in that his movement without the ball, and willingness (eagerness?) to initiate contact has had an immediate impact on Roy, Blake, Sergio, and Travis. I see all of those guys moving around without the ball more, and creating better looks for themselves and others.

Having this kind of metality from so many players enables Nate to run a 10 man roster, and the result of that is high-energy, tough play for all 48 minutes, evidenced by the fact that we have stuck around in close games, and more recently, put teams away that did not match our level of toughness/energy, or were playing with lesser lineups due to injury.