If you could choose any Blazer from any era to take the final shot of a championship game who would you choose? Roy, Sabonis, Drazen, Rider, Bates, Drexler, Porter,etc....any other Blazer? This means that player would have to create their own shot not just take the shot. I've seen some of the greats in my 30 years of watching the Blazers. Drexler was great but often struggled at end of games to create a good shot open shot because his dribbling was so so. Unfortunately I only saw Sabonis in his decline but he was still amazing. Terry Porter was very good but not great at creating his own shot. Rider was damn good but who knows how much partying he did the night before, I'll pass. My choice would be Roy. The kid is simply amazing with his change of speeds and being able to create space to get off a good shot.
The memory fades, and Roy is the flavor of the month, but honestly, considering the parameter of having to be able to create the shot, get it off, and make it, I'm going to go ahead and pick Brandon Roy. Here's hoping he gets more than a few chances to show it.
My memories get kind of fuzzy once you get past the Drexler era, but I have to go Roy ... TP seemed to have a knack for timely shots too if I recall
I'll go with Brandon as well. But in terms of just an open shot and not having to create, Porter was so clutch. Even Rider was pretty good down the stretch when his head was right, and Scottie hit some pretty big shots for us as well. But if it's down to a one-on-one situation with an ISO up top, Roy is the man.
Got the 1st part right. But Danny Ainge #2? Before Roy, the big talk was how this franchise never had a superstar who could get his own shot at the end of games. We didn't have it in the early 90's, and we didn't have it in 2000. #2 is Terry Porter #3 Zach Randolph (you said it was just the final shot, right?) #4 Clyde Drexler #5 Scottie Pippen #6 Rasheed Wallace #7 J.R. Rider #8 Jim Paxon #9 Steve Smith #10 Kiki Vandeweghe No Damon, no Uncle Cliffy
My memory is just fine from 1970. And it is still Roy because he is the most versatile. (Drive and shoot with either hand, pull up for the mid range, take the 3....He can take whatever the defense gives him.
maybe my memory is fuzzy (or its the nyquil talking) but I thought Ainge was pretty good in the clutch with his quick jumper. dunno. Porter I dunno about...Drexler would always choke in the end of games.
Was this that unbelievable quadruple overtime game in which the Blazers eventually lost? I was at that game and it was Sabonis for three that tied it at the end of regulation. Seems like he may have hit another clutch shot in one of the OT periods as well......I was exhausted after that game...It was wild. Man, I loved Sabonis, but I'll still go with Brandon Roy in this one instance. bwbw
Loved Sabas.. but man, I don't know how many heartbreakers I had to see when he would get stripped at the end of ballgames and he would flail his arms calling for fouls. It was frustrating, but he's still one of my all-time favorites. Love the Sabas video, too. Can't ever go wrong with a John Crotty, Blazer cameo appearance.
I'm no youngster and I say Roy as well. It's not just that he hits game winners, it's that he hits them in a variety of ways.
Your thread title should have been: "Who Has the Ball in Their Hand at the End of the Game?" Because that is what you meant. There have been a lot of Blazers that were money with their shot. Bigs often get overlooked, and Walton and Sabonis would have been excellent options to take a last shot, for example. Who gets them the ball? As for what Blazer in history I pick to get the ball to, down 1 point, 15 seconds to go? Brandon Roy.
