I can't believe I'm saying this.  Charles Barkley is right!  During halftime, Barley again criticized the Blazers for being a "jump shooting" team.  The key point he made was, until Portland can establish the post to manufacture points easily, Portland can't be taken as a serious contender.

Now do I think Portland can make the Western Conference finals?  You bet.  I even they think they have a shot against the Lakers.  But that was during the preseason.  That was when Greg was getting touches in the post.  After the regular season started, the Blazers players and coaching staff are doing to Greg Oden, a potential beast on the block, what McMillan did to Sergio a year ago.  That is, "you miss a shot or make a mistake, and no more ball for you!"  I realize Chuck Hayes and Nene are good defenders, but they are both much smaller.  I realize both have good hands, but Greg needs experience in the trenches with guards and other players swiping at the ball.  He needs to learn how to hold on to the ball.  He needs to learn how to go his moves before the double team come.  But this has to happen with a concerted effort from the other players to get him the ball. 

And what about Lamarcus Aldridge?  If Greg's not being established in the post, I understand.  This is because Lamarcus is in the post, dominating the paint, right?  Nope.  He took 14 shots tonight and almost every one of those shots were jumpers or fade-aways.  He even shot a high arcing rainbow fade-away jumper over Kenyon Martin (that was pretty nice...) 

What I'm saying is, you've got to get one of these bigs (be it Lamarcus or Greg) in the post and just take it to the defense.  And when I say post I don't mean, having your back to the defender for a couple seconds and then turning around to shoot a jump shot.  I mean actually going to work.  Taking the ball right at the rim to the heart of the defense.  Why was Carmelo so succesful tonight?  He took it to the blazers in the paint.  And the dude is a small forward.  Imagine if our bigs (Lamarcus and Greg) could consistently establish the post.   Brandon, Martel, and all of our other guards could take less shots (and much easier shots) and we would be shooting at a much higher percentage.  That's the thing with "jump shooting" teams.  One night you're blazing hot, on another you're shooting 30%.  I love Brandon to death but the truth is, he takes us to the playoffs while Lamarcus's and Greg's polished post games take us to the championship ceremony.