or Rudy or Sergio or Channing or scrubs (I'm kidding, sort of).

I know this may seem really controversial making a post about NOT trading our players and all, but I saw this and it reinforced just how awesome what we have right now is.

After 8 games (small sample size, but probably big enough to start showing some trends), the Blazers have the 6th highest bench scoring average at 35.0 points per game and the 5th highest efficiency differential from the bench, a +9 over the rest of the league.

Our bench is proving to be the reason we stay in games and ultimately pull ahead. There are only 10 teams whose benches give them positive differential, while the other 20 teams can point to their bench as a reason for losses. This stat isn't a pure indicator of greatness as Chicago and Memphis are two of the teams ahead of us, but leading the pack is Utah followed by the L*kers. That is good company, those two teams are always talked about as being so deep!

Obviously a good chunk of that (see 28.5 points per game) is coming from the dynamic bench duo of Rudy and Outlaw. DANG!!!

Does this change your opinion on trading anyone? Does it fortify your opinion that we shoudn't trade anyone? Is this the stupidest fanpost you've ever read? Now I need to make a poll.

I'm very intrigued to see what happens when Webster and his 13 points per game come back. Will it give us fits or make us better?

Fantasy and stat geeks... this site is pretty sick. http://www.hoopsstats.com/ 

Yeah, I'm straight ripping this off from the Morning Sports Page, who have been conducting this poll on the air waves this morning.

Who is your favorite Blazer?

Not who's the best... just who is your favorite. Maybe comment why, if you feel like it.

This one is very simple. There is no room for debate. There is no right or wrong.

For me this is a tough one. I'm loving me some Rudy right now... but I think it's too soon for me to give him my full fledged favorite endorsement. I've gotta go with Roy... the dude is a stone-cold killer.

No JD this morning? Busters.

Oden is everywhere right now. I'm thrilled to have him and expect him to have a great year. It's interesting to ponder how this team would fare if we were never to get him. Last year we "overachieved" and went 41-41. Now Roy and Aldridge have another year under their belts, and each should really come into their own games this year. Would we make the playoffs without Greg Oden? Am I the only one that thinks we would've made it anyway, that he just makes it a lock?

I had a dream last night. Or maybe it was a nightmare. Nate McMillan resigned. He quit citing that he had worked so hard on JJack that he just couldn't muster doing it anymore. Definitely a nightmare.

That reminded me that he didn't sign the extension he was offered... is that a frightening prospect to anyone still?

Dwayne did an interview with ESPN the Magazine (via TrueHoop's daily bullets... where else?) and had very nice things to say about the Blazers Spanish import.

Link.

Personally, I love it when other players talk about how great one of the Blazers players are. To me it has even more meaning coming from a former Finals MVP.

It's a pretty short blurp, but enough to put a smile on your face.

Read away.

The NBA did its Rookie Transition Day thingy today.

I don't know what that means, but the net result is that we get this pic of Rudy in Red.

Here's the link. Couldn't post an image, and I don't know why. The link will open in a new window.

Got this via Oregonlive's Blazers Blog. Good job, fellas.

Does Rudy look like Matt Dillon in this photo to anyone else?

via images.absolutenow.com

I was thinking that I'd ask everybody here what current Blazer they're most excited to see this upcoming year. But that got me thinking that very few people would choose LMA, what with Oden, Rudy, Roy, Bayless, etc, etc. And that got me thinking that whenever we talk about our big 3, our core... it always seems that LMA sorta plays the 3rd wheel.

Is he the most expendable least desired of the big 3? If so, why? Why aren't we more excited about him?