Oregon Public Broadcasting

The National Basketball Association goes on a brief hiatus this weekend for its annual All-Star game festivities.

For much of the league it's an opportunity to rest and regroup for the late season push to make the playoffs.  And for what is now the Northwest's only NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers, this season offers the best post-season opportunity in six years.  Andrew Theen reports.

A playoff push is new for all the Blazers.  Right now the squad is squarely in the playoff hunt, but even a small losing streak could jeopardize their chances.  And they are hard at work.

That's why assistant coach Dean Demopoulous is pushing the top overall draft pick from 2007, Greg Oden to work harder. 

A knee surgery sidelined the seven footer all of last year, and so far this year Oden's play is inconsistent.  He still shows his vast potential, but more often than not Oden is on the bench because of too many fouls. 

Blazers star Brandon Roy says Oden is just going through his NBA growing pains.

Brandon Roy: "He just got to keep playing.  Every night is going to be up and down, I'm in my third year and I have them.  So my thing with him is to just keep playing.  Don't think the game so much, just go out them and have some fun."

Wednesday night Oden had one of those "fun nights."  He registered double digits in points and rebounds for the 16th time this year, the most of anyone on the Blazers. 

The Blazers' post-season hopes this year don't ride on Oden's broad shoulders.  Veteran Joel Przybilla is the most consistent center on the squad, and is mentoring Oden.

Joel Przybilla: "He will listen, that's the thing about it.  He listens to everything I say and tries to take it all in and use it to his advantage."

Przybilla says he's not usually a "rah-rah" type of motivator, but he picks his times to offer the youngster some advice.

Joel Przybilla: "Certain times, certain situations I'll tell him little tips to do little things  about how to play certain guys because a lot of the guys in this league I've played against so many times, but it's all new to him." 

The temptation to trade some of the Blazers abundant young talent for a veteran and maybe a more solid chance at the playoffs looms over the franchise. 

Trades discussed in the national media often involve the Blazers.  The NBA's trade deadline is February 19th, but legendary Blazers broadcaster Bill Schonely has some advice for the Blazers' management.

Bill Schonely: "Let this team alone.  If you're going to make any changes or make any trades at all you do it in the off-season.  These guys have worked so hard.  Day after day, night after night.  They deserve to be let alone and see what they can do."

It's hard to argue that the first half of the season has been anything but a success. Every home game has been a sellout -- despite the tough economic times -- and the Blazers are fourth in the Western Conference even though they've never been at full strength.

Head coach Nate McMillan said the team is doing everything he's asked of them so far.  But McMillan is a former player, and he knows the NBA is a league dominated by veteran teams, and those teams tend to peak as the playoffs draw near.

Nate McMillan: "It's going to get tough and going down the stretch we're going to have to be sharper.  You know we've done some good things and we've put ourselves in position to have a shot at the playoffs, that's our goal and our guys each night we just continue to try and improve."

One  player who continues to improve is third year star Brandon Roy.  Roy has two dramatic buzzer beating shots and a 52 point game in the first half of the season. 

He is going to Phoenix for his second straight all-star game, but Roy is not the only Trail Blazer.  Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez play in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge, and Fernandez is also in the Slam Dunk Contest.