In Garfield High alum Brandon Roy's national coming out party, he didn't have a great statistical game, shooting 6-23. But anyone who watched the Blazers 89-79 win instead of just looking at the boxscore saw that he was clutch when it mattered.
The turning point was a 18-4 Blazers run at the beginning of the second half. During the run, the Blazers scored 10 baskets. Roy either scored or assisted on 8 of them.
It wasn't just Roy's brilliance pushing the Blazers, it was overall team effort. The Blazers were getting to every loose ball, were forcing steals and getting offensive boards, and the Sonics seemed disinterested.
One on key possession during the run, Kevin Durant drove, drew contact, didn't get a foul, and then lay on the floor complaining while the Blazers went the other way.
They got a quick shot off, it appeared to be heading out of bounds, but Roy leapt face-first into the first row of seats and scooped the ball behind him to Steve Blake. Durant still wasn't back on defense. As he arrived, Roy crawled out of the row of seats, took a pass back from Blake in the corner, and--unguarded because the Sonics still hadn't realigned their defense after Durant's belated appearance--drained a three pointer.
Blazers won their 11th in a row. Video highlights here.
You can buy that collectible ceramic bank for $85 at Gasoline Alley Antiques
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