And it gets better

Was it just two days ago that I wrote about the dysfunction affecting the Blazers? I didn't exactly outline a plan for getting things back together, but I gave suggestions that could have been summed up like this:

1. Don't bench Zach. Believe in him. Let him prove the media wrong.
2. Stop pulling Jarrett Jack for R-O-Y, let them play together.
3. Play Przybilla and Aldridge more that Magloire.
4. Develop a rotation again.
5. Get Rodriguez into games, if only for a few minutes, to get a spark.

So we pulled out a big win at Sacramento in overtime tonight. Let's see how many of the things I suggested--in different words, of course--were done.

1. Zach played 45 minutes, had 32 points, 15 rebounds, and was 12-15 at the free throw line. Check.
2. JJ played 45 minutes and R-O-Y played 42 minutes. Jack had 17 points and 8 assists, R-O-Y had 23 points and 5 rebounds. Check and check.
3. Przybilla only played 15 minutes (with 4 fouls...he has to learn how to stay out of trouble) but Aldridge played 20, so they totaled 35 minutes. Magloire only played 24. Another check.
4. I don't think we really had a rotation, it seemed like McMillan played everyone, a lot. But it was an overtime game. No check.
5. Sergio played 5 minutes, hit one three-pointer and had one assist. I didn't get to watch, so I don't know how much energy he infused, but I have to believe it was something. Check.

It looks like we did four of the five things I (sort of) called for in that post on Thursday. And we won. More importantly, we showed effort and heart in coming back to send it to overtime and then finishing it away from home. That's the biggest thing. It looks like we might have our fire back, which is pretty good, because without it we'd just be the Portland Trail.

(Lame joke to end with, but I'm pretty excited, so it stays.)