Brandon Lang
Wednesday ...
10-Dime Portland Trail Blazers - When you're in a do-or-die situation, like the Blazers are tonight, you tend to play your absolute best. I know youth has been a concern in this series, but the fact remains this is a Blazers team that is well-coached, that has scorers, that has paint presence and that quietly remained one of the top Western Conference teams throughout the 2008-09 campaign.
Houston could have wrapped this thing up the other night, in Game 5, especially when the Rockets opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run and had their largest lead of the game, 68-64. But showing plenty of poise, the Trail Blazers stared adversity - and elimination - in the face and emerged victorious after Houston's offense crumbled.
Portland's composure in that final period stemmed from its ability and willingness to attack gaps in Houston's defense, and that's the type of confidence it has no choice but to display if it wants to stave off elimination once again, and take this series back home for Game 7. The Blazers' aggressive ways created fouls and opened up their deadly shooters from the perimeter.
If Portland can do that in the first quarter tonight, it will silence the crowd and immediately steal the momentum for the game. That's what we want, as we're going to see both teams win two quarters apiece. Then it comes down to the final few minutes, and which team can play the best defense. I want the dog in this do-or-die contest.
Free pick - Chicago Bulls (See daily video for your analysis on this game)
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