Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune chalks up Rudy Fernandez's slump to loneliness and a poor fit with Nate McMillan's system... ------------------------- "It’s a tough situation for me," Fernandez confided Monday after the Blazers’ practice session. "I miss my family and my friends. Yesterday was a hard day. My (25th) birthday, and I was by myself." A year ago, Fernandez had countryman Sergio Rodriguez as a teammate. And Rudy’s family visited a couple of times, as did his girlfriend and a coterie of friends. "It’s been a tough year for Rudy," coach Nate McMillan said. "He is without Sergio (now with New York), and his mother was here a little more often (last season). I’m sure that’s tough." ------------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter PS Discuss also in the FanShots thanks to DrScience.