Blazers Playoff Notebook: McMillan Struggles to Find an Advantage

PHOENIX -- The Suns and the Blazers both held practice Saturday morning in preparation for their Game 1 match-up Sunday night in Phoenix. Following are selected quotes from the Blazers' media availability; also see the Suns report.

• Portland had yet another injury situation arise, this time the ankle of Marcus Camby, which the big man rolled during practice on Friday. It won't keep him out of Game 1, but it did keep him away from the media on Saturday. Nate McMillan was asked about how he and his team deal with yet another injury to his team.

"We're kind of numb to that now," Mcmillan said. "You know so many things have happened to us, and we've had to play through this all season long. We'll be ready to go [Sunday]."



Share • Speaking of injuries, you may have heard that Brandon Roy is out for the series after undergoing knee surgery on Friday. McMillan was asked about how he plans to overcome the loss of his best player.

"The way we've always done, all season long," McMillan said. "Rudy [Fernandez] will be in that position, we will try and take advantage of what Rudy can do. We can't worry about Brandon being out, we've got to play this game and we've got to make sure that we're together. We understand our game plan and we go out there and execute it on both ends of the floor. We've had some guys that are capable to step in and play and win games and put us in the position we're in now with all the injuries we've had, and we'll have to do it again."

• McMillan was asked how he plans to defend the Suns' pick-and-roll offense, which is obviously one of the best in the league.

"Defense starts on the ball," Mcmillan said. " And if you do a good job of controlling the ball, then you've got a chance to stop any offense. It's going to be important that our weak side is tight and that we get out to their shooters. Not only recovering to the three-point line, but rebounding the ball with them spreading you out, a lot of times it gives them offensive rebounding. And they've done a good job of getting second shots so we've got to limit them to one contested shot and then rebound the ball."

• LaMarcus Aldridge, also asked about defending the pick-and-roll, had a slightly lighter response. "That's tough," Aldridge said. "If we had the answer to that, I think every team would buy it from us. But no, you've just got to live with your rules. Be aggressive on the ball, load up, and when they pass it out, just try to close out as fast as you can."

• McMillan was asked where his team might have an advantage going into this series, and he paused, seemingly struggling to find an answer. "We'll see ... we'll see," Mcmillan said. "We know what we're up against, and each night I think it's going to change. I think the second game will be different than the first, and the third will be different than the first and second. It's going to be about making adjustments throughout."

• Rudy Fernandez, on moving into the starting lineup as Roy's replacement: "I think it's an opportunity for me to play more minutes on the court, but I think my role is the same inside the team," Fernandez said. "Probably I'll have more shots, but we need to play together because without Brandon ... well, he's a big player for us."

- Andre Miller talked about defending Steve Nash, and said that trying to be overly-physical with him, as many often suggest, isn't always the best way to go.

"No not really, because he's clever with the ball," Miller said, when asked whether he would try to be more physical with Nash. "So you kind of have to contain him, know when to push up on him and know when to give him some space. A lot of guys get caught up in pressuring him and trying to body him and be more physical, but that normally doesn't work because he's too clever with the ball, so you've got to just contain him and allow the defense to work for you."