TEAMS TO WATCH

The time may not be now but for sure it will not take too long before the Portland Trail Blazers and the Memphis Grizzlies become the new powerhouse teams in the NBA. These two teams had continue their massive rebuilding which is very promising as of now and the potential is likewise very intriguing indeed. Their current win-loss records this season does not truly reflect what is in store for both the Blazers and Grizzlies in the near future.

Between the two, the Rainy City squad seems on track for a better finish in the 2008-09 campaign. Portland is presently running second to the Denver Nuggets in the Northwest Division with a 20-14 slate. The Blazers had become a must-watch team in the league due to its exciting brand of play anchored on several young turks led by the ever-improving Brandon Roy. Coach Nate McMillan had assembled a young team which will be a force to reckon with in the near future. All the bases had been covered and it seems just a matter of time when they will figure prominently in the changing of powers in the Western Conference.

The Blazers had reloaded with the proper tools in all positions. Last year’s number one draft pick over-all Greg Oden starts at the pivot with veteran Joe Przybilla as the prime back-up. They had a young slew of dynamic frontline men in LaMarcus Aldridge, Channing Frye, Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum and Ike Diogu. Then they have a strong backcourt brigade composed of Roy, Steve Blake, Rudy Fernandez, Sergio Rodriguez, Jerryd Baseless and Martell Webster. Oden, Batum, Fernandez and Baseless are the rookies in the team.

So far, Roy is the key to the team’s sudden uprising this season. He had displayed an outstanding consistent performance on and off the court. His leadership too had incredibly improved not to mention his penchant for gutsy clutch plays which resulted into some big games won by the Blazers early this season.

On the other hand, the Grizzlies are struggling in the current season. They are occupying the cellar in the Southwest Division with an 11-23 mark. But the basketball pundits likes what they see in this young squad. It’s hard to believe but Memphis had three rookies on their starting five. Marc Gasol is the leading pivotman (in lieu of the injured Darko Milicic), Darrell Arthur is the starting small forward and the sensational O.J. Mayo is the permanent fixture at the off-guard spot. For sure, these three newbies will represent the face of the Grizzlies for the next several seasons. Mayo, who is the leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year honors, had surprised many with his veteran-like attitude towards the game. He has an A-game that is truly refined. His only weakness thus far is his shot selection in which he forces the issue sometimes.

Besides the freshmen, the Grizzlies had in their possession one of the most athletically-gifted pair of wingmen in the league in Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick. Both of them are a throwback from the old school. Watching these two high flyers in action is like seeing the NBA in the 80’s all over again wherein the likes of Julius Erving, David Thompson and Dominique Wilkins dominated the air waves with their electrifying hangtime, above-the-rim showtime and human highlight film acts.

Obviously, the only drawback of the Grizzlies is the lack of a locker room voice or in short, a leader. Someone to help nourish the development of Mayo, Gasol and Arthur. They had employed the services of Steve Francis and Darius Miles this season but clearly they do not fit to be leaders.

Once they find that missing link, beware of the Grizzlies as they will for sure contend not only for the Southwest Division title but as well as the Western Conference crown.