Rudy Fernandez News

Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 4:59 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 4:59 p.m. Coming off Chris Paul's best season and consecutive playoff appearances, the New Orleans Hornets had high expectations entering 2009-10. Coach Byron Scott was the first casualty of those expectations.

Greg Oden sure looked like a franchise center Wednesday night. Oden had 18 points and 11 rebounds in three quarters to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 107-84 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez sounded uncertain about his role on the team during an interview before the start of Sunday's contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Rose Garden.

Portland hopes to build on an impressive win in its last outing when it shoots for a ninth consecutive win over a reeling Minnesota Timberwolves club at the Rose Garden.

Last season, the Nuggets soldiered to the Western Conference finals, in part because they had one of the best benches in Basketball.

For all that has changed, this has not. But then, homecoming games are supposed to be sure things.

All the preseason talk about the Portland Trail Blazers' depth at the point guard position has amounted to little positive action during the team's first two regular season games.

News: Andersen finished Wednesday's opener against the Jazz with just two points, six rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes.

Change came early with the opening tip. That was not Joel "the Thrilla" Przybilla with the opening tip.

This team was built for this season. Since coach Nate McMillan came south from Seattle in 2005 and Martell Webster was drafted that same season.

For the third consecutive year, the Portland Trail Blazers will begin a season without one of its key players.

Steve Blake, left, will start at point guard opening night with Andre Miller, center, coming off the bench.

Jerryd Bayless, who scored 11 points, drives to the basket against Denver Sunday night at the Rose Garden.

Teams can only be predicted to do well so many times, and that distinction is starting to wear thin for the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers had a healthy dose of practice on Monday, running about 30 minutes longer than most days, but certainly were not the healthiest group.

Greg Oden had 16 points and seven rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers erased a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 98-96 in a preseason game Sunday night.

The seemingly innocuous signing of an injured second-round draft pick has created a surprising three-way competition for the Trail Blazers' 15th and final roster spot less than two weeks before the regular season opener.

The Portland Trail Blazers exercised their fourth-year option on center Greg Oden and third-year options on the contracts of guard/forward Rudy Fernandez, forward Nicolas Batum and guard Jerryd Bayless.

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Patrick Mills, a second-round draft pick in 2009, the team announced Friday.

Brandon Roy waits for the ball to be inbounded as the Portland Trail Blazers face the Phoenix Suns in a preseason game at Memorial Coliseum.