By Dan Christopherson  


Mark down the date, Trail Blazer fans:  April 21, 2009.   There may be dozens upon dozens of playoff wins in the Blazers' future, and maybe a championship banner somewhere down the road.  But Tuesday night's all-heart 107-103 victory over the Rockets goes down as the first.  The first time Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden and their band of Blazer brothers can bask in some playoff glory.

And, oh, what a memorable breakthrough.  For the second straight game, Houston applied some serious pressure by hitting exactly half of its shots.  Granted, Yao Ming only put up six of his own, a puzzling number for a player who tossed a perfect game in the opener.  But while Yao disappeared, once again Aaron Brooks fueled the Rockets with 23 and they had they had a fighting chance to go up 2-0 in the series.

It's just that Brandon Roy and the Blazers fought harder.  It became Roy's game to win or lose, and there was really nothing the Rockets could do about it.  Portland's two-time all star personally saw to it his team would not fall behind 0-2 with a 42-point outburst, tied for the second most in franchise playoff history.  Not a bad way to win your first playoff game.

What fans saw Tuesday night was Brandon Roy planting the playoff seeds that may someday yield an NBA championship in the Rose Garden.  The guy simply WOULD NOT LOSE.  How many Trail Blazer superstars in the team's 40-year history have shown that kind of leadership and resolve in playoff battle?  Put Bill Walton in that class.  Clyde Drexler?  He definitely carried Portland to the highest levels, but when his Blazer teams were on the championship doorstep in '90 and '92, Clyde could have used another pillar of strength on his side who simply wasn't going to exit the court without finding a way to win.

As this season has unfolded, we've seen Roy emerge as one of those rare "refuse-to-lose" team leaders.  Michael Jordan had that in him.  Bird.  Magic.  In today's game, put that ball in Kobe's court, LeBron and Dwayne Wade, too.  And while Roy hasn't won on those players' level quite yet, we're seeing the champion in him starting to break out.   Just ask the Houston Rockets.

Better yet, ask Kobe Bryant.  I watched Roy and Kobe go at it in the Blazers-Lakers final regular season showdown.  Roy didn't give an inch to the great #24.  He looked right though him all game, and didn't back down when Kobe tried to exert his will in the fourth quarter.  It was almost as if Roy realizes now that he doesn't need to take a back seat to anyone, ANYONE in the league.  The Blazers might not quite be at that championship level, but Roy senses it is time to lead this group by fearing no one, and carrying his teammates home when necessary.

Tuesday night was one of those times.  Ron Artest launched an array of fadeaways early, Von Wafer went off in the middle and Brooks got in a shooter's zone late.   Brandon Roy took all that in, snatched the ball, stepped back and shot Portland into a 1-1 series tie.  He wasn't leaving the Rose Garden floor without it.  And he found a way to lead 'em there.

Of course, it was a team effort.  LaMarcus Aldridge played like an All-Star, attacking the Rockets' defense inside and opening things up for Roy, Rudy and Steve Blake to do their outside damage.  Greg Oden's numbers won't jump out at you, but he locked arms with Yao Ming at one point and rattled him, and that rebound-dunk off a Roy miss all-in-one-motion was a turning point.  

It's only one victory.  It's mission accomplished for the Rockets, taking one game in Portland and heading back to Houston with homecourt advantage.  Coach Rick Adelman will have them ready for Game 3 Friday, and the Blazers will have to be even better to stay in striking distance.

But if they do, they have the one player in this series who can carry his team to victory in the clutch:  Not Yao.  Not Artest.  He's #7 in Blazer red and black.  Brandon Roy just got his first taste of playoff success.  No telling where it's going to take the Blazers next.