If you look back at the history of the NBA, teams that are winner’s year in and year out and contenders for long stretches of time generally have a one-two punch. A duo that is so talented and has a certain chemistry together that regardless of who you put around them they will always be among the top teams in the league. I’m thinking of the Stockton and Malone’s, the Jordan and Pippen’s, the Magic and Karim’s, the Shaq and Kobe’s, the Bird and McHale’s, the Thomas and Dumars’, the Russell and Cousy’s, etc. etc.
Could Rudy Fernandez and Brandon Roy of the Portland Blazer’s be developing into the next great NBA duo? When I watch Blazer games these days i’m amazed at how well Rudy Fernandez has adjusted to the NBA game, and specifically how well he seems to play off of the team leader Brandon Roy. When they are on the court together he picks his spots to score, and selflessly feeds Roy when Brandon’s got it going. And more and more lately, this is reciprocated by Roy. When they are not on the court together, both seem to pick up their scoring. This could be expected of an all-star caliber player like Roy, but I was more than a little surprised when Roy was hurt recently and missed a stretch, to see Rudy step up his scoring outputs. Rudy generally did this by not relying so much on the outside shot and start taking his man off the bounce.
The scary part about the great chemistry right now between Roy and Fernandez is that if Greg Oden ever develops into the force inside the paint that the entire world has predicted, this great Blazer duo could turn into the next “Big Three”. When a team goes from a great duo to a great trio, you start talking championships and at times even ‘dynasty’. It’s a little early to make any such premonitions for the Blazers, but if Oden develops as hoped this trio could turn into a sustainable force in the NBA a-la Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. How would you like that Blazer fans?
For those of you that missed last night’s game between the Portland Trailblazers and Golden State Warriors, there was one specific play that had me off my seat that you’ve just got to see! It was an inbounds play by the Blazer’s. Rudy Fernandez was inbounding the ball, and tossed a beautiful alley-oop pass to Brandon Roy who crammed it in traffic. I’ve watched the replay over and over and cannot believe how far Brandon Roy cocks the ball back before dunking it. It’s one thing to do that on a fast break dunk, but to load it up like that off an inbounds lob pass is just ridiculous!
Check it out for yourself if you missed it:
