Portland Trail Blazers’ Brandon Roy expresses frustration over his playing minutes
Brandon Roy used to be the face of the Portland Trail Blazers once. But the guard, without whom, the Trail Blazers couldn’t even imagine to step on the court until the very last season, has now been reduced to just another ordinary player on the bench.
Roy had to undergo surgeries on both his knees midway through the season, which ruled him out for almost two months.
Ever since Roy came back into the Portland line up midway through the season, Coach Nate McMillan has been bent on preserving his super-star. Unluckily for Roy though, Portland has found a successful combination in his absence, prompting McMillan to use him only sparingly or when the things have not been going Trail Blazers way. The fortunes however have not gone Portland’s way so far in the post- season. His reduced minutes still, have become a little inexplicable.
On Tuesday night, the fourth year guard eventually gave vent to his feelings. Talking to the media, the three-time All-Star said.
“There was a point in the first half and I was thinking, ‘You better not cry’, I mean, serious. I mean, there was a moment where I felt really sorry for myself. Then I was like, nah, you can't be sorry for yourself. I'm a grown man, but there was a moment there that I felt sorry for myself. Especially when I think I can still help.”
The Blazers are currently battling with the Dallas Mavericks in the best-of-seven first round playoff series and are trailing 2-0. The fact which has made these defeats even more frustrating for the Blazers’ fans is the reduced role of Roy.
In the first two play-offs’ games were with the Dallas Mavericks; Roy grasped the court for a combined duration of 34 minutes only. Both games proved to be a disaster for 27 years old though as he could not showcase his scintillating ball play. In the first game, Roy played for 26 minutes and was only able to score two points; three assists with two rebounds. In the second play-off game at American Airlines Centre on Tuesday, he was allowed only eight minutes at the court, in which he could not even score a point.
To make the matters more complicated, the Trail Blazers had raved about pitching Roy against Jason Terry before the playoffs began, keeping in view his effectiveness in hounding Terry during the two regular season games. At the moment however, McMillan seems to be sticking to his more durable options.
Terry, who incidentally is a very good friend of Roy, also expressed his surprise at Roy’s reduced minutes.
“He's so dangerous; we definitely don't want to get him going.”
In the regular season, Brandon Roy averaged 12.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
Roy however indicated that the best thing for him now is to swallow the bitter pill and wait for things to happen.
“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little hurt, or disappointed, but the biggest thing is to keep moving, to try and keep my spirits up. But it's tough, man. I just ... I just always thought I would be treated better. That was a little disappointing for me.”
Tags: