The Post Up: Brilliant, B-Roy

by Holly MacKenzie

Friday, Friday. Brandon Roy, Brandon Roy.

And it’s pretty late Thursday night, but I’m not really in the right frame of mind to be writing this, so let’s keep this short.

We will be back to normal (or, as normal as the Post Up ever is), this Monday.

I went out tonight for dinner with some girls I went to high school with, and didn’t get to watch the games, really. I’m back in Nova Scotia where every single bar shows every single hockey game known to man on the televisions and rowdy guys get angry when you ask to turn one TV to basketball. Usually I convince the waiter to change it for me, but I wasn’t in the mood to try and befriend our female server to see if she’d be a champ and do it.

That being said, Chris O’Leary did watch both games this evening and he sent this email about game number one, between the Magic and Spurs:

Stack Mac,
While you were out getting tanked with your friends and neglecting SLAMonline readers, you missed my favorite Dwight Howard moment of the season thus far. *

adidas loving it.There was a story told at the start of the game about how when Dwight was younger, he broke his leg trying to dunk (I may be garbling the order/details of the story, but the gist of it is intact. The closest thing I could find to this story online came from a workout mag/site or something). His friends made fun of his dunks and they were labeled Reggie Miller dunks. This in itself made me laugh. What took it from good to great was that the story was being told from the sidelines by Cheryl Miller.

Reggie might argue in his defense that he wasn’t in the NBA to dunk and that he built a pretty solid reputation on his three-point shooting ability and clutch play late in games. But then he’d have to speak to defend himself and since the sound of his voice is akin to Ping Ping trying to take a Shaq-sized dump, I wouldn’t listen. I heard enough of him already during the Brandon Roy show tonight.

*I will say that the usage of the word “tanked” was a little excessive. There was absolutely no Frank the Tanking going on.

Hopefully some of you caught the game and were able to witness this apparently hilarious moment of the broadcast. I hate sideline reporters, but Cheryl Miller is one of the best if they’ve got to have them.

Chris Bosh talking about the booing in Toronto makes me sad. I don’t like hearing the crowd boo either, but man, the Raptors have been such a tease this year. They’ve got to do something quick and I’m not talking about a coaching change.

Jermaine O’Neal breaks me the most. He’s the oldest guy on the team with the most NBA experience by far and he is laying it out on the court every single game. Sure, his stats may not be amazing offensively each night, but defensively you know he is going to bring it. His intensity and heart is something the rest of the team needs to find fast. I just wanted more for him, because he had such high hopes and expectations coming into this situation and because he has worked so very hard this past offseason to get back onto the court.

I feel lucky I’m able to watch how he conducts himself with his teammates and with the media each night. He’s a good one. A good one stuck in a tough situation.

Sorry for that rant, I was defending J.O. to a friend this evening, if you were wondering.

So, Brandon Roy went OFF in the Portland/Phoenix game and finished with 52 points to lead the Blazers over the Suns. Close fourth quarter, some of which I did see, but other than that, well, fill each other in here because I cannot give many more details other than to say Roy was brilliant.

I like the Blazers, but I was rooting for the Suns. I think it’s their uniforms. I’ve been on a Syracuse kick and I have decided to officially give my heart to ‘Cuse when it comes to NCAA ball, so for now, I’m living in an Orange world.

Dwight was back tonight! Yay! For Dwight, for the fans, for the Magic and for my fantasy team.

Not sure what else happened tonight, besides the news that Brand is out a week. Eek.

I’ve got to rest my head now. It’s been a lonnng night. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. See you Monday a.m.