Playing the Clippers Just Makes Me Sad

Travis Outlaw and Steve Blake used to play for the Blazers. They were important parts of a winning team and culture. They played hard and made important plays in big games.

Now they're on the Clippers, and I just feel sorry for them. I know these guys get paid millions of dollars to play a game, but it still must be soul-crushing to go from Portland to a situation like the Clippers. It's awkward to see them playing for someone else, kind of like running into an old friend or lover who has fallen on hard times. Remember when the games used to mean something? Remember when we cared?

I'm happy for the win, though. And I'm happy to see our younger players getting lots of playing time and performing well. I have a serious basketball crush on Malik Hairston. And I'm digging our newest call up, Cedric Jackson. He plays hard, plays good defense, and is athletic. Down the road, the team is definitely going to need a 3rd PG on the roster; he could certainly be a valuable asset in that regard.

Looking Forward:

OK, we've taken care of business, winning three games that we should have won. Tuesday night we play the Heat in Miami. This is one of the games I have marked as a swing game. We have a realistic shot at winning, but it won't be easy. Miami is by no means a great team, but playing on the road is always difficult, and they're fighting for their playoff lives, as well. We can't waste opportunities for wins; we can't lose these swing games.