Is anyone else getting really psyched waiting to see the Celtics take on the Trailblazers on Friday night? I know I am!!
There are really only a handful of games that I can't wait to attend or watch during the regular season. When the Celtics were bad all those years it was always San Antonio, New York and New Jersey. So after last year I took a look at the schedule and besides opening night and the Lakers game, this is the one game I had circled on my calendar.
Portland is going to be the NBA World Champions within 5 years, I'm convinced of that. They have some of the best, mature-for-their-age-and-experience players in the league today in Oden, Aldridge, Roy, Rodriguez and Fernandez and in the couple of times I've watched them this year they have impressed. Watching the current NBA elite take on the future NBA elite this Friday is going to be a joy for me as, unlike the Cavs, Lakers, and Pistons, Portland is a very likable team.
The matchups I look forward to seeing are:
Oden vs Perk - Perk has a knack of playing big men, big time and I am really interested to see what Oden can do when faced with some tough, Eastern Conference, big man style defense that is at it's pinnacle when it is Perk doing the defending. Very interesting matchup.
Roy vs Ray - Roy is probably my favorite player not on the Celtics and the sky is really the limit as to just how good he could get. He may not be flashy and flamboyant like Kobe or huge and powerful like LeBron but Roy is one of the best young basketball players in the league.
Aldridge vs KG - I think KG should come out way ahead here but Aldridge is a player made in the same type of mold as KG and it should be fun to watch as Aldridge's game seems to be growing year by year.
Should be a great game!! I really can't wait.