It was one of those love-hate moments. For the past few months, I’ve been barking about the Portland Trail Blazers being devoid of physical emotion and toughness. The Blazers were forced to bark back on Monday night.
I loved seeing Portland take a stand against the Los Angeles Lakers – a series that is constantly chippy. I loved seeing Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw display some much needed chutzpah in the final seconds of the third quarter.
I just hated to see it come at the expense of Rudy Fernandez laying under the basket in pain and clutching his chest after taking a hard foul from Lakers Trevor Ariza. It was a scary time. You never want to see that happen to any player – a guy carted off on a stretcher with his neck and body stabilized.
It’s that time of season. Games will be physical from here on out.
No need to see a fight. But I’ll take the Blazers getting fired up any day.
I’ve seen this happen before. So has Channing Frye – who was in the thick of the pushing and shoving between the Blazers and Lakers. Sure he thought back to New York just as I did.
Back in December 2006, Frye was with New York when the Knicks and Denver Nuggets “brawled” at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks took exception to the Nuggets running up the score in a blowout when then-Knick Mardy Collins grabbed J.R. Smith around the neck on an open layup.
Soon players were shoving, posing, throwing punches and both benches got involved in the end. Frye was one of 10 players tossed, while avoiding a suspension. Seven others weren’t so fortunate.
It was a nasty incident. Didn’t have to go there. But it happens.
I’ll never forget watching from the pressbox at MSG as Carmelo Anthony threw a haymaker at Jared Jeffries only to backpedal all the way down to the other end of the court to hide behind his teammates.
A real tough guy.
Luckily, cooler heads prevailed at the Rose Garden on Monday night.
Here’s the footage….getting fired up versus getting into a fight:
pic via: bleacher report
I dont even know what to say. That was frightening to see Rudy there and having the medical staff asking if had feeling in his face. I like how they all banded together when faced with an aggressor. I wish they all would have huddled around Rudy after the skirmish but i was deeply pleased to see Monty Williams lead a prayer with the team hands all in. That was real. You could see LaMarcus unrelentlessly clench his jaw throughout the prayer.
Ariza blindsiding Rudy on a fast break dunk attempt when your down thirty against your rivals in their house???? He is lucky he wasnt the one leaving on a stretcher. Rudy hopefully will check out of the hospital today, which is wonderful. Go Blazers.
Well Wendell…the Blazers sure ‘got defensive’ last night. I was a radio listener so didn’t see it play out but it sounded like the Blazers D had been shutting down Kobe, Gasol, and company leading to the frustration foul and Blazers coming to Rudy’s defense. You can debate whether the Blazers were running up the score while only in the 3rd quarter, but I like the fact that they seemed unapologetic for not letting up on those cocky Lakers. I’m glad to hear that Rudy’s doing well and look forward to the intensity and competitiveness of the Laker rivalry heating up in the near future. A little gas on the fire per se.
thought the blazers rallied nicely…..and was also happy to see coach monty help put everyones hearts in the right place.
ariza is off the hook. the word is still out on odom, but i imagine he’ll get at least a game.
yeah dave….as i said. it was good to see that fire, i just don’t like someone having to get burned that bad in order for portland to muscle up.
will be interesting to see if this plays out in the playoffs – the laker being a #1 seed and if the blazers end up at #8.
for now,it’s just fans against fans.
just got word: odom suspended for one game.
Very nice Los Angeles Lakers information. I hope to be in Los Angeles for a game this spring.
appreciate that….
if you will be at staples to see the lakers this spring, that can only mean one thing: you’ll be on hand to see them in the finals.