This was and is a year for the Blazers to grow into a team with a future of challenging for titles. With the way the Blazers finished the year we all got tingly feelings, and to be honest if it wasn't for a miracle by Finley we very well would still be living the dream. But we have gotten what we wanted experience, and lessons that will pay dividends for our future championship runs.

These are my humble thoughts starting from the top(KP) in regards to our playoff experience, and work my way down. Not to say the playoffs are over for us, but I do not see 3 wins in a row happening for our beloved Blazers.

KP: For the long term potential of this team he very well made all the right moves, but that will yet to be seen. I think it is apparent that in the future KP will need to have a greater willingness to add a player, most likely a smaller piece to tweak a roster during the season. I think as a team is older, and more mature this makes more sense, because the window for the team to adjust markedly improves. Example 1 John Salmons, would have been a tremendous need fit for our team. I won't beat the topic to death, but look what the guy has done for the Bulls. This is the closest I would ever get to critquing KP, I think he is the gold standard. This summer may show us why KP did not pull the trigger on Salmons. Realistically our window isn't now, it's 2 years from now, don't be greedy and go for instant satisfaction. Not only that, but who could have forseen our increase in level of play in the final month of the season.

On a 2nd note we have to trade a SF and a PG this summer. We can expect guys to be good team mates for only so long. I truly feel we will see a blossoming of any players from those positions we trade. No different than what we have seen with Von, or what I feel we will see from Diogu. But you can only play so many guys, and you keep the players that fit with in the team and give you the style of play that you believe will translate into wins. I thought this position jumble may have been cleared out at this years trade deadline at the pg position at least, but I would think we will see those moves made this summer. I love all our players, and do not wish to see any of them leave, but for players to recieve their fair opportunity and to keep team accord it must be done.

Nate: There is another reason I think of Nate as Sarge, he's stubborn. He coaches his players with a mindset of a former player, and that is you don't mess with guys playing time and their confidence. That is unless you are a rookie, or your name is Sergio. You have to earn it with Nate, but once you do, he will be loyal. This loyalty has paid huge dividends during the season and has led us to a 10+ game average improvement year over year for the last 3 years. Nate has shown us through the latter part of the season that he will give up control once you show him he can trust you. The example to me is his loosening of the reins in playing a more fast paced offense that can be more turn over prone. Key word is show, that doesn't mean once that means on a consistent basis, and then he will pull the trigger on change. I believe this is crucial for the stability of the team, and players for consistency and security as to players roles on the team.

But, I do not agree that this is the same way a coach should treat his team in the playoffs. You don't have the luxury to ride out a player struggling, or a series of mismatches. Nate in my opinion is learning just like the players in what works and does not work in the playoffs. To be fair he has a bunch of guys that haven't played in the playoffs so coaching players with such an irregularity of play has got to be difficult. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see Nate has been averse to throw a rookie in a playoff game that he has not completely gained the trust of definsively over 1 of 2 guys that have long time loyalty points in the final 5 minutes of the game. But, Blake has been getting burnt out there, to the point that Roy was put on Brooks and Blake was put on Battier, and it worked. Rudy is a better scorer and just as good on defense but with more height and athleticism. Rudy is not a rookie, Olympic games and cup play in Europe has shown him how to play, and his ability to play with huge pressure. He has lacked consistency due to the gruelling NBA season compared to what he was used to in Europe, but that goes out the window come playoffs. I expect to see a greater consistency with Rudy next year, now that he will know what to expect. I am sure that Espana fans want Nates head right now, but I think they will see a Nate with faith in Rudy next year. I love, love the lineup of Roy, Rudy, LMA, Travis/Martel/Batum, and Oden next year. This should be our final 5 minute of the game players. I think we will see that early on next season. I think Nate has made mistakes like everyone else on the team. I think he will learn from those mistakes and we will be a better team, and go further in the playoffs next year because of it.

Roy: Played the way we would hope. He wasn't perfect, defensively I would like to see a greater consistency in effort through out the game. I also would have liked to have seen just a little more faith (I stress little) in his team mates in minutes 5-2 at the end of the game.

Rudy: great feel for how to play playoff basketball. He seems to be calmer than any other regular season game I can remember. He will have many opportunities to show what he is capable of. I expect a break out year for Rudy next year with the addition of a mid range game, a greater ability to create his own shot, and more consistent play as noted previously.

GO: Great play, atletically we are truly starting to see what GO is capable of after microfracture. I wish that Pete Newell was still alive to work with Oden. I'm sure there is someone who is or will come out to replace Pete's camp. Oden needs to cut down the cheap fouls by only attempting to take the ball at the top of the shot, and avoiding contact with guards. We'll see refs lay off once he shows us that next year. I would love to see us pick up a Kareem/Ewing type coach to groom Greg. I understand that is Lucas' job, I just don't know that he is the optimal guy, and his health has made him unavailable so I may be flat out wrong. Think about this, when was the last summer GO could truly work on his game? I would say it would have been the summer after his junior year of high school. He broke his wrist going into his freshman year of college, and was sick most of his summer he was drafted before hurting his knee. Last summer he was limited due to rehab. GO is good now, I can't wait to see him after a summer of fine tuning to what he has learned he needs to know to excel in the NBA game.

Props to Dave: Dave noted that we needed 3 options to win a title, because in the playoffs teams will make adjustments to take away options 1 (Roy) and 2 (LMA). I would say that once again Dave has shown his genius through what we have seen in this years playoffs. I think with a summer of work GO will be that option. I also believe Rudy can be that player too if needed.

Joel: 0 complaints 0 issues, Joel is a true vet, he is consistent and a leader. Like Blake I feel this will be Joel's most productive year, not to his fault, but because of the up and coming beast that has been backing him up.

Blake: Solid play, but an apparent limitation definsively due to his lack of athleticism. In the playoffs your star player controls the game more. This has neutralized some of Blakes effectiveness.This is true also of the regular season, but it is amplified in the playoffs. I think this will be the best year we get out of Blake, and that we will see more of a Rudy Roy back court next year. The largest reason not to is defense, and Blake's is not an improvement over Rudy's. Tied in with the fact that Rudy is a greater offensive threat. Blake is key to our team, but I believe we will start to see a transition next year. We also have a wild card with a guy named Bayless. It will be fun and interesting to see how this and any moves we make all play out.

LMA, Travis, and everyone else: I think it is funny how different playing in the playoffs truly is. Everyones weakness' they have fought and overcome through the regular season seem to hit the reset button come playoffs and the struggle to work through those same issues starts anew. I think you have to have grace with everyone, and focus on the learning points as much as possible to shorten the curve come next years jaunt in post season play. In the same way those players over came their struggles in the regular season; they to will overcome the similar issues they have had in the post season. If I picked out one thing to work on for anyone it would be a stronger use of LMA in final moments of games to ready him for the times he may need to be the man because Roy is being triple teamed. LMA just seems to be averse to taking the big bucket, no different than KG, and he's above average,(sarcasm font) even though I can't stand his act.

Refs: We always get talked about as not being a major market, and thus a ref slant. I say youth has more to do with it than anything. We are not a small market. Is Cleveland a small market? No, well Portland's market is larger than theirs so why all the small market talk. We are a mid market, I would say a greater issue is that we are on PST so the East coast bias can tend to rain. I only mention this becasue in my opinion teams from major markets do tend to get a little love with calls, and even with a vet team in the late 80's early 90's we didn't get the calls a top team would have liked to have recieved. That's our stake, we will get more calls as we get older, and wiser. But, the bottom line is the Blazers will eventually play well enough a little ref slant on occasion will not matter.

Our playoffs are not over, but the mountain to climb has gone from a Mt. Hood to an Everest, and I just don't see it happening. I look forward to seeing us win game 5 in Portland, and what magic may come after that.

 On a side note I really did not care for our final true play of the game that lead to a Outlaw missed 3. For 1 as previously noted, I did not understand how Rudy was not on the floor for that shot, and secondly I felt that we should have controlled our own destiny. Play for the final shot, shoot a 3 with enough time to possibly launch another quickly if you miss. Not pass it in and heave it. In respect of Nate this could have been fault of Travis, and not Nate, I do remember this happening in a game near the midway point. But timing of the shot being taken had to of been discussed with the team during the timeout. You have a team of guys with only 1 guy on the court who truly wants to shoot it (Rudy wasn't playing). Show faith in them, that they can make the bucket and push it to overtime. Don't encourage the helter skelter nature of the team that Nate had previously noted after game 2. If you lose it's because you missed, not because you missed a rushed attempt in hopes of getting a stop and possibly getting the ball back. I realize there are a lot of senarios and everyone has an opinion. Just my vent.

Looking forward to June/July, and the magical makings of KP's final tweaks through the draft and trades. Sorry to the die hards for selling out and calling the season early. Maybe I'm just guarding my heart from getting stepped on any more for this year.