| 13 April 2010
They don’t like it anymore than you do. But no one really has a choice when it comes to playing without Brandon Roy on the floor for at least the next week.
After learning Roy will be sidelined with a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee that leaves him uncertain for the Playoffs, it’s now on Rudy Fernandez and Martell Webster to shoulder that load while occupying Roy’s spot in the starting lineup.
That's no easy task.
On Monday night, Fernandez got the nod to start his first game of the season. Will that be the case without Roy in the Playoffs, or is Webster the better fit with the starting unit?
Just another decision the powers that be must make in the Roy-less era.
“I won’t approach it any different, because if I approach it any different that means my mindset is different based on whether I am starting or not,” Webster said minutes after finishing with 9 points and a block off the bench in the win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“I approach the game the same way, whether I’m starting or coming off the bench.”
After the game, Webster’s heart was still heavy after learning about the severity of Roy’s injury from Brandon during their halftime talk. That’s when Roy explained the knee felt similar to an incident he suffered back during his days as a junior at the University of Washington.
“Once he told me that I knew what was going on.”
For Rudy, it was a game that saw him go scoreless in the first half, and chip in 9 points and 4 rebounds in the end. Rudy also finished 2-6 from beyond the arc. Much like Webster, Fernandez knows the absence of Roy puts the pressure on the rest of the team, including himself.
“He (Nate McMillan) said keep shooting. I probably had more confidence and I was happy with that,” Rudy said when asked what changed for him in the second half.
“It’s a tough situation for us. Now we need to play more together and be aggressive.”
That aggression – along with impressive outings from both Marcus Camby and Andre Miller – is what helped salvage a win over the Thunder with postseason seedings at stake. It was Portland’s 50th win of the season. But now with Golden State coming to town on Wednesday, the focus seems already set on the first round of the postseason.
Who knows how many wins will come then.
Webster has started 49 games for Portland this season, making him the likely choice to start in place of Roy come the Playoffs. That’s a decision McMillan eventually must make and it could come down to match-ups. Either way, Martell will be ready to go. Yet even he knows it’s just not the same without Roy out there.
“A lot of life kind of drops out of the team, because we love having him on the team and his presence is a definitely felt not only on this team but around the league. It’s unfortunate for us,” Webster began.
“We have to go out there and play like we did tonight. It’s simple. It just got a little bit harder now that Brandon is out. Maybe we get him back. Who knows? We just have to rally together and that’s what we’ve been doing a great job of and that’s what we have to continue to do. The chemistry is still strong out there. That’s the thing about this team. When one of our comrades goes down the rest of the team steps up.”
Ironically enough, it’s up to Martell and Rudy to step up in place of Brandon. That goes for the one who starts in his place. That goes for the other providing relief at the two spot off the bench.
“There’s a big difference,” Rudy said when asked how he approaches starting versus coming off the bench.
“I’m on the court for more minutes and I have to stay aggressive and play hard when I’m on the court. I don’t know. That’s a question of the coach [if he could start to open the Playoffs]. I’m ready for everything. I’m ready to play minutes and I’m ready to play. I’m ready.”
As Martell Webster got ready to head home and exit the Blazers’ locker room, he thought about the idea of opening the postseason without Roy available. After all the injuries this season, he knows it’s hard for Brandon to come all this way only to have to sit and watch his team go at it alone.
Webster didn’t want to say either way if he thinks Brandon will give it a go. It’s like it hasn’t sunk in yet.
“It’s tough. It has to be a decision not only through our medical staff but through Brandon. If he’s not comfortable, he’s not going to play on it,” said Webster shaking his head.
“That’s just how it is.”
photo: oregonlive
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