<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Go ahead and call them "roaches," like Minnesota's Ricky Davis did. Or don't think about them before you play them, like Lakers coach Phil Jackson did. Or pick them to repeat as the NBA's worst team like so many pundits have. The Trail Blazers are listening and watching to how they are perceived. And as demonstrated by their latest surprise -- an encouraging 101-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night at the Rose Garden -- the Blazers are set on proving they are worthy of loftier attention than is being given. "Pretty soon people are going to start thinking about us more," coach Nate McMillan said. "I think they are thinking about us now, but I think they will come in and really focus on us, and then we will have to make that adjustment." At the moment, a rejuvenated and growing Blazers fan base will wait for that day of reckoning . . . once they are done enjoying a 3-2 start that has accelerated thoughts of how quickly this young group can grow into a legitimate winner. "The fans should be excited, we are," McMillan said. "We are excited about our chances if we play the right way, which is together and hard." On Wednesday, the Blazers did both, exhibiting unified defense that contained everyone but Kobe Bryant (32 points), and playing hard enough to get 33 free throw attempts (10 more than the Lakers) and displaying enough scrap to scramble for 13 steals. It was enough to open the eyes of Jackson, the unabashedly aloof coach of the 4-2 Lakers, who answered a question after the game about what he thought of the Blazers. "You know, I haven't thought about them," Jackson said. "I watched them tonight. They were pretty impressive." And no one was more impressive than Blazers forward Zach Randolph, who continued his torrid start to the season with 36 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three steals and only two turnovers in 38 minutes. "He's playing All-Star minutes and playing at an All-Star caliber," said Martell Webster, who started in place of injured Brandon Roy. "He's definitely the key for us." Randolph made 12 of 23 shots from the field and 11 of 12 free throws, finishing one point off his career high. It was the third time this season Randolph has had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, and it came one game after he had 35 points and 13 rebounds against the Clippers on Monday. It is the most dominant stretch by a Blazer since February of 2001, when Rasheed Wallace had games of 42, 32 and 35 points. And it was the first time a Blazers player has scored at least 30 in back-to-back games since Damon Stoudamire scored 30 in consecutive games in February of 2005. After a miserable season last year of bickering with McMillan and favoring his surgically repaired right knee, Randolph has shown a focus in establishing post position, while leaving his favorite love -- his jumper -- to spot situations. "I attribute that to his conditioning," McMillan said of Randolph's inside presence. "And basically him following the coaches, because where we feel he can be most effective at is him playing in the paint. But his conditioning allows him to work and get position and finish." Randolph, who has never been shy to keep track of his statistics, says he is more focused on winning. And he acknowledged he is more willing to take instruction from the coaching staff. "Last year I was . . . you know, it was a new coach, and it was difficult to adjust to him," Randolph said. "But this year, I know what he expects and I am doing what he wants me to do." </div> Source
