Observations from Staples Center

Here's my 2 cents worth:

• Greg Oden is starting to really affect the game...ON THE OFFENSIVE END.  There was a noticable improvment on the offensive end when he was in the game.  We got more open looks because the defense was worried about him.  When he gets decent post position, his jump hook is a nice weapon.  He also gave Gasol the butt backdown that Shaq used to give us...that was nice to see.  He worked hard for position and when the team moved the ball around to find the right angle to get it into him, he usually made the defense pay.  That being said, Greg has got to work a little better at creating the right angles for his teammates to pass the ball into him.  Right now, that direct pass into the post from out of bounds is the best entry pass he is getting.  Also, he needs to hold his screens a little longer and make his body more square to the defender...it would help if the guards cut closer to Greg in order to wipe off their defender...right now it looks like a phantom screen.
• Blake missed so many WIDE OPEN shots I stopped counting.  He usually won't miss those.  Those are usually good shots.  When they stopped falling in the 3rd quarter we were cooked.
• We have got to stop switching the big man on the guards out top.  Kobe killed us every time we did that....Pierce did too the other night.  If we do need to switch, then the big man needs to close the space harder or guys like Kobe are going to be shooting wide open 15 footers all night long....they are too good to let them do that.
• I love how scrappy Rudy is.  His on ball defense is better than advertised.  However, when he is closing out on a shooter, he seems to raise his hand to the side of the player shooting....it's weird....I'm not sure if he is worried about getting a foul, but it is not effective at all.    I don't understand, why he doesn't put a hand up in the shooter's face or go for the general trajectory of the ball.
• Brandon Roy was sorely missed in the 3rd and 4th quarters.  When a team starts to go ice cold, they usually turn to their star for points.  Roy is our guy in those situations and we could've been a lot closer to start the 4th quarter than we were if he had played. 
• I could not believe that Nate did not pull Sergio after he dribbled from the backcourt to the frontcourt, dribbled around for 10 seconds, did not pass it once, and then took an 18 foot jump shot that barely hit rim.  
• In the 3rd and 4th quarters, some L*ker fans near me, kept asking each other, "why don't they (Blazers) take it inside?"  My sentiments exactly.   
• I saw Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon walked right by me into the arena.  There were 20 paparazzi in their face.  I know they are rich, but that is an annoying trade off.  I noticed that Jake got out of the car first (a Camry Hybrid) and walked into the arena, then Reese followed him 30 seconds later....maybe they do this so the paparazzi can't photograph them together?  By the way, she is like 5'2".   Also, saw Jerry Buss.  That dude has some seriously weird color of red hair...doesn't look natural at all. 
• Staples was packed.  I looked around the arena and there was not one seat empty...even in the nosebleed sections.  I asked a L*ker fan if it normally this crowded.  He said, no, that the Blazers are big draw.  The Blazers are bringing in road crowds even with Roy out.
• Also, I saw a number of fans wearing Blazers gear.  In fact, 2 guys courtside, behind the Blazer's bench, had Blazer jerseys on.  Still not as much as the L*ker paraphernalia we see at the Rose Garden, but we are making headway.