By John Hollinger, SI.com Blazers vow better behavior, but return same shady characters Trail Blazers at a Glance Head coach: Maurice Cheeks 2002-03: 50-32 Key Additions SF Travis Outlaw (draft) Key Losses PG Scottie Pippen (Bulls) C Arvydas Sabonis (retired) SG Antonio Daniels (Sonics) Projected Lineup Starters Reserves PG D. Stoudamire J. McInnis SG D. Anderson Q. Woods SF B. Wells T. Outlaw PF R. Wallace R. Patterson C Z. Randolph D. Davis The Portland Trail Blazers come into this season vowing to turn over a new weed, er, leaf, after yet another successful campaign was marred by myriad examples of antisocial behavior. Changes to the management reflect that commitment. General manager Bob Whitsitt, whose ability to evaluate talent was matched only by his inability to evaluate character, stepped down in the offseason, making way for the new team of Steve Patterson and John "Beautiful Mind" Nash to rebuild a kinder, gentler Blazers team. It will also be a younger team, as two members of the old guard moved on. Arvydas Sabonis re-retired to Lithuania and left a 300-pound void at the center spot, while Scottie Pippen, last year's makeshift point guard,澵igned with the Bulls. Reserve guard Antonio Daniels also left as a free agent. But what's more notable is that the first time in eons there hasn't been a notable offseason acquisition, as owner Paul Allen finally is澵tarting to feel the pinch of the luxury tax. Any improvement on this year's Blazer team will have to come from within. STRONG SUIT Post scoring. The Blazers乸lways have温ad outstanding size and strength, going all the way back to the Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas combo in 1976-77. This year will be no exception. Last year's two starting forwards are at their best when they go to the low blocks. Rasheed Wallace is a long-armed 6-foot-11, which makes his shots virtually impossible to block, or even bother, when he goes to his turnaround from the left block. They only thing keeping him from dominating nightly is his tendency to pass up easy shots in the post and drift toward the perimeter. Meanwhile, his partner in crime Wells Bonzi (on the court, at least; off the court, that honor goes to Damon Stoudamire) punishes opponents in the low block, especially when he is able to play his natural shooting guard position. However, he may end up at small forward again this year unless the team can make a trade prior to the season. Ruben Patterson is also effective in the post, especially if he can regain the energy he showed in a stellar 2001-02 season. But the best weapon on the post may be third-year forward Zach Randolph, who was buried deep on the bench for much of last year. But don't let that fool you: he combines a 260-pound frame with great hands and a feathery soft touch. Randolph's emergence in the playoffs was one of the key reasons Portland nearly pulled off an unlikely comeback from a 3-0 deficit against Dallas, and his role will expand greatly this year. While the Blazers have several players who can also score on the perimeter, including Wallace and Wells, their offense historically has run from the inside out. Look for Wells, Wallace and Randolph to have their number called on the blocks on the majority of Portland's offensive sets this year. WEAKEST LINK Backcourt. Pippen was an odd choice as a point guard, given that he was a 37-year-old forward with creaky knees, but it's hard to deny how much better Portland was at both ends of the floor with him running the show. The Blazers need to replace the lift that Pippen gave them, but they head into the season choosing between two濵 nappetizing options. Behind door No. 1 is Stoudamire, who lost the job last year by shooting 38 percent and getting lit up more often than the tiki torches at the Old Lahaina Luau. However, Stoudamire averaged 15 points and沲ive rebounds (an immense total for a 5-foot-10 guy) in the Dallas series filling in for an injured嘭ippen, and that gives him the inside track on the job for this year. Behind door No. 2 is Jeff McInnis, who came to Portland last year and immediately forgot how to shoot. McInnis slumped to 17 percent on 3-pointers, and supplied turnovers in abundance, but is? inches taller than Stoudamire and, at just 29, probably has a bounceback year in him. If he can rediscover his 2001-02 form -- 14.6 points and 6.3 assists per game -- the Blazers' problem is solved. A third option would be to move Derek Anderson to point guard, shift Wells to shooting guard, and go with a massive front line of Wallace, Randolph and Dale Davis. The limited ballhandling ability on the court would be a concern, however, and once one of the frontcourt guys checked out, the Blazers would still have to substitute either Stoudamire or McInnis into the game. BURNING QUESTION Will they change their stripes ... or wear them? The Blazers vowed to change their behavior this season, but the task isn't as easy as it sounds. Due to the湶 nflated contracts of many of their bad apples and a reluctance to settle for漤ennies on the dollar in return, they烀eren't able to unload any of the "Jail Blazers" in the offseason. Of particular concern is the fact that Randolph and Patterson are both still on the roster. Randolph sucker-punched Patterson last year in practice, giving the team another black eye in addition to the one he gave Patterson, and it seemed毪eyond necessary濳o unload one before the season. With Randolph's rising star, Patterson was obviously the guy to go, but his sex-offender status and multimillion dollar contract generated little interest. Additionally, Patterson, Wallace, Stoudamire and Qyntel Woods were all arrested last year and remain on the roster, while Wells earned multiple suspensions thanks to his general surliness. In fact, for all the Blazers' talk of cleaning house, the three players who left were among the minority for whom character wasn't an issue. OUTLOOK Blazing a new trail. Portland's transition to a more fan-friendly team is stuck in neutral, but they are making a less obvious transition from age to youth. They'll miss Sabonis in the middle and Pippen at the point, but with younger weapons like Wallace, Wells, Randolph and Anderson, the Blazers should still have enough juice to tie the NBA record with a 22nd straight season in the playoffs. -- 我实在搞不懂... 有人那麽白目还可以当版主... --

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