I enjoyed the game leaving only for a few minutes to watch the Jimmy Durante scene at the beginning of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" on another channel.
Watching Chris Paul deal on the Blazers is fascinating and frustrating. I mean the last 2 games he was working them with his mind. Let's hope it was a good learning experience. As soon as he went out, the Blazers went crazy dropping 38 in the 4th quarter.
Other observations: How in heck does Travis Outlaw get mentioned in trade talks? He is gold. Is there anybody in the league who elevates higher on a jump shot? He came up huge tonight.
Bayless also went nuts for 19, bringing the energy. It was also endearing watching him talk with the pretty woman who interviewed him afterwards. He seemed shy and respectful in a good way and I appreciated that.
Have you ever seen a team more free of jerks than this year's Blazers? Everybody is fun to root for and they're on TV 3 or 4 times a week. On to Dallas with the Blazers currently in 4th place in the West. They are fan-worthy and entertaining. I'm even growing fonder of Mike Rice although he still makes it about him in the really exciting moments. But he knows the game and he can be funny.
Go Blazers.

Travis was not an asset on defense down the stretch. But he made his shots, big shots.

Bill- I'm glad you're coming around on Mike Rice. Can't you just smell the Scotch on his breath? Love his old-school style...

What a game. So glad I didn't turn it off in the 3rd like so many others did. I hope the Blazers don't get short-sighted and trade Bayless at any time. What a stud, what a gamer. And I would agree with Bill that trading Outlaw would be fools gold... so many moments when he's the best player on the court, or at least the only one with anything working.

basically, what Bill said.

The thing with Mike Rice started when one broadcast was technically haywire - actually painful to watch for the eyes. Afterwards Mike said the game looked fine from where he was sitting. That stirred the old banquet captain in me: If the customer is getting screwed, you must at least appear chagrinned about it.
That led to noticing a habit of making the game simply a verification of Mike's proclamations as to what would happen next. That was annoying, especially when he was wrong.
But I'm over all that now. He can be funny. Here's a line I wrote for them, if they want. Next time they're in Los Angeles and one of the Lakers dives or flops just say, "If there's an actors strike, he'll have to go on injured reserve."

Hey Bill, another sports headline reports Michael Phelps now being a pitchman for Rosetta Stoned