What are your thoughts about the Trail Blazers as the season approaches? How do you feel about their playoff/title chances?

Cliff Pfenning: The Blazers are a playoff team, and a contender to host a first-round series. They're a year older, have playoff experience and a legitimate MVP candidate in Brandon Roy. The big deal this season is how they play with expectations of moving up and winning in the playoffs. They were an underdog last year. Not so this season.

Do you feel that holes in the roster still need to be addressed, and if so, can they be addressed?

CP: The team's big hole is in the center, where Joel P. can play defense, but score not a lot. Greg Oden is still a project--at least till midseason. I think that he'll become a beast as the season wears on, very much a young Shaq because of his size. He just needs some Shaq attitude.

How do you feel that they compare with the Celtics, and the rest of the NBA?

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