Streak finds Roy shining

After slump a month ago, shooting guard gets his groove back

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Dec 21, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

It seems like ancient history, but remember Brandon Roy’s five-game minislump from Nov. 23 through Dec. 2, when mortal seemed a step up?

During that spell, Roy was 18 of 68 (.294) from the field and 4 of 18 (.222) from 3-point range and averaged 9.4 points.

Since then, he has been one part Michael Jordan, one part Steve Nash while carrying the Trail Blazers to a nine-game win streak going into tonight’s date with Denver at the Rose Garden.

Roy has scored 24 to 29 points in eight of the nine games, averaging 24.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting .518 from the field.

“We’re talking about a guy who, through a stretch of a week or so, couldn’t find his rhythm,” coach Nate McMillan says of the 2006-07 NBA rookie of the year. “Part of growing for a second-year player in this league is learning how to bring it every night. He got his rhythm back, he’s learning how to play against the double-team, and he’s just taking over games.”

If he keeps this up, can the NBA just retire the Western Conference player of the week award and name it in Roy’s honor?

• Though Roy is listed as a shooting guard, he is serving as a de facto point guard, handling the ball in the halfcourt offense, breaking down his defender off the dribble and creating scoring opportunities either for himself or for teammates.

“I’ll take the ball after a rebound on the break, but if we’re in a (halfcourt) set, we want Brandon with the ball creating, and I’ll go spot up,” Steve Blake says. “You can’t play any better than he’s been playing. When he plays like that, it makes everyone else better. That confidence is running through the whole team.”

After struggling with his shot early, Blake has caught fire the last three games, making 15 of 22 shots, including 6 of 11 treys. Many have come on set-ups from Roy.

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