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Portland Trail Blazers

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» Thursday, April 18 2013

Joe Freeman: #Blazers Damian Lillard said he plans on competing for Team USA this summer and participating in Basketball Without Borders. Twitter @BlazerFreeman

Portland Trail Blazers, Team USA, Damian Lillard 

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has accepted Team USA Men's Basketball National Team mini camp invite, his agent Eric Goodwin informed CSNNW.com. Director of USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo told CSNNW.com in late February that he had his eyes on Lillard as a participant candidate, but added that he hadn't decided yet. Colangelo eventually did reach out to the soon-to-be Rookie of the Year and he got a commitment. “I just can't wait to go be a part of it,” Lillard said. “I'm going to go out there and try to prove something.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, USA Basketball, Team USA, Damian Lillard 

Q: How would you assess the first seasons of Olshey and Stotts? A: “I think they’re both doing a very good job. Obviously, here at the end of the season, we’ve had — injuries can really get you. Between Wes (Matthews) and Nic (Batum) and (LaMarcus Aldridge) having issues with his ankle and so forth, there’s just been, that can always — especially when you don’t have as much depth as you would like — that can really hurt you. I think you saw Terry institute that new brand of basketball to start out the season. I think it’s, as compared to the styles we’ve had previous seasons, I think it’s a refreshing, unselfish style. In terms of what Neil did, I think we did very well on the draft. I don’t think there’s any question about that. And I think getting Eric Maynor at the trading deadline, that was a nice move. So we’re positioning ourselves with the future, with cap room, draft picks, flexibility. So it’s going to be a very interesting offseason.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Coaching, Paul Allen, Neil Olshey, Terry Stotts 

Q: Were you surprised that the team was in playoff contention for so long? Paul Allen: “I think everybody was. For example, Damian is a better player than we even anticipated. I think I said this before the draft. So that was good. The way to team gelled and played a different style, with more flow, more movement, style of basketball, that was encouraging to see. Now, here in the latter part of the season, our defense has not been up to the standards we want to have in the future. So we’re going to have to look at different ways to explore improving that for next season.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Allen, Damian Lillard 

Q: Is it safe to say you still enjoy owning the team and have no plans to sell it? A: “That is correct. In spite of strange reports from unknown places.” Q: Did you read that story? A: “I read some of it. And I was disappointed again [laughter in the room]. Secret meetings that never happened. Yeah, I read enough to say, ‘Not accurate. Extremely, extremely inaccurate.’” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Paul Allen 

Q: Where do you stand on the Sacramento-Seattle basketball relocation situation? A: I think there was a league announcement that said there wasn’t going to be a decision at this owner’s meeting. If there was, I would be back in New York, talking to people and forming my final opinion. I think it’s a tough call. Because, although I supported the Sonics staying in Seattle when they ended up leaving, I think in general, there’s some feeling that if there’s good fan support in an area and there’s good political support sufficient enough to have a state-of-the-art facility, that’s more than enough to keep a franchise in the same place. Then you can get all the parameters of who’s made the best offer, who hasn’t made the best offer, all those things. So it’s a very difficult thing. And, of course, Steve Ballmer is a very good friend of mine. I think he’d be a great owner. So I reserve my final decision.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Paul Allen 
 

» Wednesday, April 17 2013

The 31-year-old veteran admits he has lost a step or two due to various knee injuries and surgeries, but he says he is not retiring at the end of the 2012-13 season after only appearing in 38 games. He wants to play a couple more years and he realizes Portland might not be the right fit for him going forward. CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Jared Jeffries 

“If my role is to be similar to this year, just to do that, then I would have to make a decision,” Jeffries told CSNNW.com. “But I would like to play. I feel like my knee responded well and I feel like my knee feels good enough. Coming into this year, just getting the chance to be on this roster and being in a good situation was what I was looking for. But how I feel physically right now, I want to see if I can play a couple more years.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Jared Jeffries 

A job in the NBA front office or coaching is in his future, but he says that will always be there. He made it clear, right now it's about getting the most out of his playing career before he doesn't have anything left. “I feel better than last year,” he said. “Last year my knees felt so bad. So far it's been good, maybe it's the result of not playing that many minutes, but whatever I can do to elongate my career, play a longer career in less pain, I'm with it.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Jared Jeffries 

He played it from when he was a young boy to age 14, and still reminisces about it with his brother. Especially now that his NBA dreams have become a reality. “There’s a Drake song where he says, ‘Started from the bottom, now we’re here,’” Lillard said, referring to the popular hip hop artist. “People always quote that song on social networks and stuff, and me and (Houston) always talk about it. It’s like, we really started from the bottom. We really did. That’s where it all started for me.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard 
 

» Tuesday, April 16 2013

Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum will miss the team's remaining two games of the season to rest his sore right shoulder, his agent Bouna Ndiaye told CSNNW.com. The 6-8 small forward had an appointment Monday morning in Los Angeles with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the surgeon who performed successful surgery to repair a torn labrum on that same shoulder in October of 2009. According to Ndiaye, Dr. ElAttrache concluded there was no further damage and that surgery was not required, but rest is. “He'll be healthy soon,” Ndiaye said. “He just needs to get some rest. The good news is there is no surgery needed. We were glad to hear that.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Injuries, Nicolas Batum 
 
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