TwistedFans Sports Blog

Portland is so entertaining
but not in a good way. A few highlights from an article about their loss to the Wolves last night. They're in a virtual tie with the Wolves for the 4th playoff seed.

But as usual with the Blazers, the focus Sunday wasn't just on their play. The game marked the return of reserve forward Zach Randolph, who was suspended for two games and fined $100,000 for punching teammate Ruben Patterson in the face during practice earlier this week. Randolph entered the game with about three minutes left in the first quarter to boos from the crowd. Patterson came into the game a minute and a half later.

Patterson said earlier that he accepted Randolph's apology and vowed not to retaliate. ''He's my teammate, he made a mistake, and I can't retaliate, trying to fight him or beat him up, because I'm on probation, so I would get in trouble,'' Patterson said.

Randolph's punch was the latest in a string of problems the Trail Blazers have had on and off the court this season. Just in the past week, rookie Qyntel Woods was cited for mari*uana possession following a traffic stop in Portland, while Wallace settled a misdemeanor mari*uana possession charge from a traffic stop in Washington back in November.

Patterson is on probation for a modified guilty plea he entered involving charges of sxeual assault on his nanny. ... Blazers team owner Paul Allen, who rarely comments to the media, said the team will address unacceptable player conduct head-on. ''The community deserves a team of which we can all be proud and I am fully committed to improving the Blazers' conduct on and off the court,'' he wrote to The Oregonian newspaper.

Posted12:15:31 AM by Kevin |