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Detroit Pistons coach Flip Saunders isn't surprised to see the Portland Trail Blazers developing into a rising power in the Western Conference. In fact, it wasn't that long ago when the Trail Blazers were ready to have Saunders lead their resurgence. In 2001 when Saunders was coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Blazers were prepared to offer him a five-year, $30 million contract to fill their then-vacant head coaching position. However, Saunders instead signed an extension with the Timberwolves.Portland had some interest in Saunders in 2005, but the Blazers instead hired Nate McMillan while Saunders waited for an opening in Detroit.The Portland job was intriguing to Saunders because of the team's potential, which is starting to come to fruition now as the Blazers are back in the playoff hunt out West."Even at that time they struggled, they had assets," Saunders said. "What they have done is, they've done a good job of taking those assets and they decided to start over.

The last few years, they've done a great job in the draft. Good draft picks, young kids ... those guys have really developed." Especially second-year guard Brandon Roy, who was named to the Western Conference All-Star team earlier this month. The reigning rookie of the year leads Portland in scoring (19.7), assists (5.8 ) and steals (0.93) this season. Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups has been impressed with the play of Roy. But he has even more blown away by the way the young Trail Blazers play with the kind of confidence and poise you would expect from a team with more experience. "They play right," Billups said. "They play together, they play hard, they play defense. It don't seem like nobody is out there trying to be 'the man.' A lot of different guys have big nights for them. I love their team, I really do."

Roy is questionable for Friday's game after not accompanying the team on its flight to Detroit due to a family emergency in his hometown of Seattle. ... The Pistons need a win to avoid being swept by the Trial Blazers for the first time since the 2002-2003 season. ... Since coming to Detroit, ex-Blazer Rasheed Wallace is 6-3 against his former team. ... Friday's game will feature three players in their respective team's regular rotation who made the jump from high school to the NBA: Portland's Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw; and Detroit's Amir Johnson.

Tonight, they'll face one of the NBA's most athletic clubs, the on-the-rise Portland Trail Blazers. Think of it as the difference from playing with a kitten to petting a tiger. "They're young, athletic, and I think (guard Brandon) Roy's developed into a four-quarter closer guy, an All-Star type player," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said Thursday. "I think all their young players play with a great amount of energy and confidence."

Roy is a question mark for tonight. He scored 28 points to help the Blazers to a 100-97 victory in Portland, then immediately left for his home in Seattle to tend to a family emergency. He was not on the Blazers' flight to Detroit, but could come in sometime today. Roy is averaging 19.7 points, 5.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds. He gets a lot of help from LaMarcus Aldridge, who averages 18.9 points and 7.5 rebounds.

The Blazers beat the Pistons, 102-94, on Nov. 13 in Portland. Aldridge had 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Portland franchise appears finally to be headed on a correct course, after years of languishing with on- and off-court issues. At one time, during the dark period, the Blazers courted Saunders to be their coach. "Even at the time, when they struggled, they had assets," Saunders said. "And I think what they have done is a good job of taking those assets and (deciding) to blow it up and start over."

Of all the surprise teams in the NBA this season -- including New Orleans in a good way and Chicago in a bad way -- none has been more surprising than the Portland Trail Blazers, who play at the Palace tonight.The Blazers' mix of athleticism, youth and a strong offense has made them a Western Conference playoff hopeful one year after finishing with just 32 wins. Going into Thursday night's games, the Blazers -- who lost No. 1-overall pick Greg Oden before the season -- were tied for ninth place in the formidable West. They opened the season 5-12 before going on a 13-game win streak that insiders reported was sparked by an intense practice filled with skirmishes.

That doesn't surprise Pistons coach Flip Saunders, who said sometimes a good fight is just what a team needs. "That happens probably to every team at some point in the season," Saunders said. "You're going to have some type of situations when you go through rough stretches. Everyone becomes a little bit edgy, and that's a positive. It shows the competitive juices of a team, and that a team is not satisfied playing and collecting a paycheck, but they want to get out there and compete." Since the 5-12 start, the Blazers, led by newly named All-Star Brandon Roy and fellow second-year player LaMarcus Aldridge, have gone 23-8."I've been in situations like that (fight) in Portland and D.C., college, high school," said former Blazer Rasheed Wallace. "That's what happens. It depends on the players and their mentality. Some players might take it (personally). Some players might leave it on the court."

Wallace said he hasn't been too impressed with the Blazers' rise because "they haven't done anything. They went on a little win streak, but when they have a better record than when I was there, that's when they'll have done something." The Blazers' best record with Wallace was 59-23 in 1999-2000, meaning they'd have to go 31-3 the rest of the season to meet his approval.

DRIBBLES: Lindsey Hunter wasn't at practice Thursday as he continues to fight a flu bug.

Milkdud wrote:Hey nasty hows summer going down there? Ive spent a fair amount of time in Surfers.

GenshiYagyu wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Nasty only speaks in News Quotes. Try communicating to him through the Detroit Free Press. Then he'll respond in a letter to the editor that he'll post here.

The skinny: Portland began the season 5-12, then improbably went 17-1 over its next 18 games from Dec. 2-Jan. 9 to stand 22-13. Since then, the Trail Blazers are 6-7. Of that 13-game stretch, the first seven games were on the road