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U.S. Women’s Open: Weather delays play C2 | Baseball: Barry Bonds hits 750th career home run C5 | Classified C8

C SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2007 SPORTS EDITOR: MARK HESTER • 503-221-8548 [email protected] SPORTS 2M ON THE COURT, BEHIND THE SCENES

A BIG HAND FOR PORTLAND

Greg Oden fit right into Portland on Friday as he attended a rally downtown and answered questions during a news conference at the Blazers’ practice facility in Tualatin. “I’m lovin’ it here,” he said.

Thousands jam Pioneer Courthouse Square Thursday to welcome Greg Oden to Portland | Page One

To gain an appreciation for the 7-foot star, compare your hand to the actual size of his

BRUCE ELY/THE OREGONIAN Don’t get greedy; Trades could help Oden just arrived raise East’s profile

By JOE FREEMAN By GEOFFREY C. ARNOLD THE OREGONIAN THE OREGONIAN TUALATIN — Greg Oden dissected the NBA players he would Portland and Seattle didn’t just remake their rosters Thursday most like to dunk on. Nate McMillan revealed that he never envi- night, they also tilted the balance of power in the Eastern Confer- sioned Kevin Durant in a Trail Blazers uniform. Kevin Pritchard ence. marveled at the young, up-and-coming roster he has helped as- The trades engineered by the Blazers and Sonics involving well- semble. established stars Zach Randolph and Ray Allen could be the first of But perhaps more than anything, the Blazers seemed to focus on several offseason deals that alter the 2007-08 NBA season. two themes Friday afternoon during a news conference welcoming Seattle’s trade of Allen to Boston and Portland’s decision to ship Oden, the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, to Portland: the controversial Randolph to New York should improve the line- Championship and patience. ups of the Celtics and Knicks, teams that missed the playoffs. So The Blazers believe they have drafted a player in Oden who can will competitors in the East be more aggressive in the free agent help deliver the franchise its first NBA championship since 1977. and trade markets? They just caution that it will take some time. Teaming Allen with Paul Pierce and third-year forward Al Jeffer- “We were not after the MVP of the league, we were not after the son catapults Boston into the upper echelon of the Atlantic Divi- rookie of the year,” said Pritchard, the Blazers’ . sion. Pierce had been demanding that the Celtics bring in a veter- “The most important thing we were after was a player that leads us an scorer instead of relying on another young player, and executive to a championship. And I don’t mean a championship in the next MICHAEL LLOYD/THE OREGONIAN director of operations Danny Ainge did just that. Pritchard | Drafted Oden with championship in mind Please see BLAZERS, Page C7 Please see NBA, Page C7

Rookie Jordan dives into the Timbers’ starting lineup in a hurry By BOAZ HERZOG The Timbers knack for creating scoring opportuni- Jordan drawing a foul from a defender for a rookie. THE OREGONIAN ties, helping add punch to an offense he had beaten. “I dare myself athletically, to see Next up: Miami at Portland, 7 tonight One of the inside jokes among Port- that ranked at the bottom of the Unit- Jordan, 21, has exceeded the expec- what I can do that I didn’t know I could land Timbers players this season is ed Soccer Leagues’ First Division last tations of the Timbers coaching staff. do,” he said. that rookie forward Bryan Jordan can too quick, he always tends to hit the year. But not his own. Jordan has always been eager to never stay on his feet for a full game. turf.” With two goals, he is tied with Speed may be Jordan’s best physical confront — and overcome — chal- “He outruns his body sometimes,” But the 5-foot-8, 155-pound Jordan Leonard Griffin for second in team asset. But more than anything, Jor- lenges. veteran Timbers midfielder Tom Poltl has always bounced right back up. Jor- scoring behind Andrew Gregor. Two of dan’s patience, dedication and stub- He described himself as “a little said of the Oregon State alumnus. “If dan has sparked the Timbers Gregor’s five goals, however, have born determination have thrust him daredevil” growing up in the Southern people bump him or he turns a corner (5-2-3) with his bursts of speed and come on penalty kicks resulting from into the Timbers starting lineup, rare Please see TIMBERS, Page C5