BLAZER VICTORY TAKES WINNING YARD EFFORT

You’ve heard this, or variations of it: A winning season begins after the last game of the year before.

The Blazer victory over a hangover from last season’s first round loss to New Orleans was the first step.

Humbling for a team to get spanked by an organization that finished this season a wreck driven by LeBron in LA, though no one says as much.

To support a Blazer victory this year, I dedicate my yard to show the steps needed to advance.

The first steps seem huge at first, and to make it more challenging, they are slippery. The wrong step here might be the last, but it’s the only step to take.

Once a team settles into familiar terrain, it changes. Flat slippery stone turns into wobbly bricks.

The embarrassment of the Pelican series loss last year turned into a good pounding for the OKC Thunder and Westbrook this year. Lillard showed he was up to the task of carefully placing one foot after another.

And dropping threes from the warning track.

Like life its own self, the slippery steps turn into wobbly bricks before turning into a whole ‘nother problem like flat stone with marble sized pine cones from a deciduous redwood tree.

It takes a new skill set to navigate these, just like it takes new skill sets to compete at each round of the playoff.

Denver’s Jokic reminds me of these pavers with the sneaky tricks he learned from having them played on him. When you go pro early, the tricks start right away, like the secret elbow, the unintentional knee in the thigh.

Former Blazer Will Barton took it to a sassy level by sticking his nasty finger in a Blazer eye.

Just when you turn the corner, what do you find but more steps. They might wiggle, be glazed and slippery, or too big a step to take.

The Blazer victory isn’t assured in any playoff game, any half of basketball, any quarter, or minute. What is assured is they will fall sooner than later if they don’t take care of their biggest threat. His name is Curry, not the Blazer Curry.

Warrior Curry knows the right steps and can do them forward and backward. He can float over the wiggles, torch the slippery, and tidy things up before anyone notices he’s raked them like winter leaves.

The chance for a Blazer victory tonight hinges on playing keep away from Curry. If he can’t touch the ball, he can’t score; if he can’t score at least someone else has to try.

The biggest goal in all of basketball is winning an NBA title. Do that with a team and you’re wearing that crown for life. Just ask Barkley how that fits him.

The Blazers want that golden ring as bad as anyone, maybe more given the last time they were in the west finals was nearly twenty years ago, and the fluke title came in 1977.

Instead of going big picture and getting it all tonight, why not focus on what needs doing? No golden ring, bag of diamonds, or platinum bar. Instead, take a few agates and put them in the same bag you carry for all the marbles.