Mens Basketball Wire

Don’t look now, but the youngest team in the NBA is also the hottest. The Portland Trailblazers are owners of the longest win streak in the league this season at 11 games, after offing the slumping Supersonics on Christmas day. The Blazers have been at the center of streaks of good and bad luck this season, after surprisingly winning the first pick in the draft in the lottery, grabbing Greg Oden with it, then seeing him have to sit out the season with knee problems. Had they lost another 50 games this year, like they did last year, most people would have understood. However, the youngsters have overcome adversity and are currently just a half game out of first place in their division, where they trail the Nuggets.

Currently, the team is in seventh place in the west, but are only four games behind the struggling Spurs, who lead. While the team isn’t centered around any one superstar, guard Brandon Roy is leading the team with 19 points per game, while big man, LaMarcus Aldridge is good for almost 18 and 7.6 rebounds. The team is probably the deepest in the league, with 9 players averaging double digit minutes per game. Everyone plays substantial minutes on the team, including rookies, Taurean Green (6 minutes) and Josh McRoberts, (2 minutes). Even journeyman Raef Lafrenz averages over 8 minutes per game, and averages over 2 points and almost 2 rebounds, and is shooting almost 50% from the field.

Whether the team can keep up the pace remains unknown, but the youngsters can play, and are in a good position to make the playoffs this year. And they are doing it without their star center. The weather in the Pacific Northwest may not be sunny, but the future of the team certainly is.

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