The Oregonian (Jason Quick) reports (via blog): In Greg Oden’s world, everything, and everyone, is seemingly against him. “It’s like, dang, can I ever do anything right?” Oden says. His body has been besieged by injuries during his two seasons in Portland, the most prominent setbacks to his knees. His right knee required microfracture surgery in September 2007, forcing him to miss all of his first season. Now, his left knee is threatening to put an end to this season. On Feb.12, in what seemed like an innocuous collision near the free throw line with Golden State’s Corey Maggette, Oden suffered a chipped left kneecap. Since then, everything has been a mess. The Blazers admit they misplayed the injury, announcing Oden’s status was day-to-day, when in fact, team doctors and trainers knew from the start they were dealing with a potential long-term injury.
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Melo scores 38, Nuggets beat Blazers 106-90
The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony scored 38 points in his return from a one-game suspension for refusing to come out of a game last weekend, and he led the Denver Nuggets past the Portland Trail Blazers 106-90 Thursday night… Brandon Roy scored 22 points for the Trail Blazers, who were trying to ascend to the top of the division this late in the season for the first time since 2001. LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 points despite an upset stomach… The Nuggets had Anthony back in uniform, but were without another starter, Kenyon Martin (lower back), and also backup point guard Anthony Carter (hip), both of whom are day to day.
Roy leads Blazers over Pacers 107-105
The AP reports: Brandon Roy was a bit taken aback when he got a call with 1.7 seconds left that would alllow the Trail Blazers to potentially beat the Pacers on a pair of free throws. But he wasn’t too stunned to make the shots, and the free throws were among Roy’s 28 points in Portland’s 107-105 victory over Indiana on Wednesday night… Marquis Daniels had 28 points for Indiana. Troy Murphy had 11 points and 13 rebounds for his ninth straight double-double. A 14-0 run early in the fourth quarter gave the Blazers a narrow lead, which they held until T.J. Ford’s jumper put the Pacers back up 99-97.
Rockets sign James White to 10-day contract
Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has signed guard/forward James White of the NBA D-League’s Anaheim Arsenal to a 10-day contract. White becomes the 12th Call-Up of the season.
White (6-7, 200, Cincinnati) was averaging 25.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.18 steals in 34 games (33 starts) for the Arsenal this season. At the time of his Call-Up, White was tied for first in the D-League in points per game and was ranked tied for 12th in the league in field goal percentage. White posted 30 or more points in 12 contests with the Arsenal this season, including a season-high 47-point performance against Houston’s D-League affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers (1/20/09).
Originally selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (31st overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft, White had his draft rights sent to Indiana. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in eight preseason games with the Pacers before being released prior to the regular season. White signed with the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 3, 2006, and was assigned to the Austin Toros of the NBA D-League on Dec. 15. In 15 games (11 starts) with the Toros, White averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists. White was recalled twice by the Spurs and averaged 8.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists in six career games (two starts) with San Antonio. His experience also includes a stint with Turkish champions Fenerbahçe, where he averaged 8.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists.
At the University of Cincinnati, White earned Honorable Mention All-Big East honors as a senior. He finished his collegiate career ranked 44th on Cincinnati’s all-time scoring list with 1,088 points. White played his final three seasons at Cincinnati after spending his freshman year at Florida, sitting out the 2002-03 campaign at Cincinnati under NCAA transfer rules.
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Greg Oden injuries continue
The Oregonian (Joe Freeman) reports (via blog): The news just keeps getting worse for Trail Blazers rookie Greg Oden and his mysterious ailing left knee. The Blazers, after evaluating their starting center earlier in the day, announced Monday evening that Oden will miss another seven to 10 days because of his lingering left knee issues. Oden, who chipped his knee cap when he banged knees with Golden State’s Corey Maggette Feb. 12 in Oakland, has missed the Blazers’ last seven games. According to the Blazers’ latest timeline, Oden will miss between four and six more games, which includes pivotal matchups against playoff contenders Denver, Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers. If he sits out the maximum 10 days, Oden will return just before the team’s five-game East Coast trip later this month.
Roy, Aldridge score 26 each, Blazers beat Spurs 102-84
The AP reports: Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 26 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 102-84 victory over San Antonio on Sunday night, spoiling the return of Tim Duncan to the Spurs. The Spurs didn’t even play Duncan in the fourth quarter after Portland led by as many as 29 points. The All-Star forward had missed the last three games with a right quad injury. Steve Blake added 15 for the Blazers, who won their ninth straight at the Rose Garden Arena. Portland is 24-5 at home this season… Duncan, who leads the Spurs with an average of 20.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, had 14 points in his return.
Roy scores 19 as Blazers beat Wolves 102-82
The AP reports: Brandon Roy scored 19 points in only three quarters against Minnesota, leading Portland to a 102-82 victory over the listless Timberwolves on Friday night… Rudy Fernandez added 18 points for the Blazers, who snapped a five-game road losing streak by sending the sputtering Wolves to their eighth-straight home loss. Travis Outlaw and LaMarcus Aldridge each added 15 points and Sergio Rodriguez had 12 for the Trail Blazers, who built a 19-point lead through three quarters and were never threatened… Mike Miller and Craig Smith each scored 16 points to lead Minnesota, which continues to struggle without Al Jefferson in the lineup.
No Duncan, but Spurs beat Blazers 99-84
The AP reports: With Tim Duncan sidelined for the second straight game with a leg injury, Tony Parker scored 39 points in a dazzling encore to his 37 the previous night, and the Spurs continued Portland’s misery in San Antonio with a 99-84 win over the Trail Blazers on Wednesday night… Matt Bonner added 15 points and Michael Finley had 13 for San Antonio, which held Portland to 37.6 percent shooting from the floor. It was the second straight night San Antonio held its opponent to under 40 percent, and the Spurs improved to 10-0 when that happens… Brandon Roy had 14 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 13 for the Trail Blazers.
Artest scores 21 to lead Rockets over Blazers
The AP reports: The Houston Rockets got a validating victory on Tuesday night to continue climbing up the Western Conference standings. Ron Artest scored 21 points, Aaron Brooks had 20 and the Rockets moved past Portland in the West with a 98-94 victory over the Trail Blazers. Luis Scola had 15 points and 11 rebounds—his fifth straight double-double — for the Rockets, who came in trailing Portland by a half-game for fourth place in the conference… Brandon Roy scored 24 and LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points with eight rebounds for the Blazers, who’ve lost nine of their last 10 games in Houston.
Blake 14 first-quarter assists, Blazers beat Clippers 116-87
The AP reports: Steve Blake tied an NBA record for assists in one quarter when he handed out 14 during the first period in the Blazers’ 116-87 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. San Antonio’s John Lucas set the record of 14 assists during the second quarter against Denver on April 15, 1984… “When I run the floor like that and Blake passes you the ball like that, what can you do?” said Aldridge, who had a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds.