several long

losing streaks

JOE FREEMAN

There have been franchise-defining moments, streak-busting victories, brawls and, perhaps more than anything, a strong sense of progress during the first half of the Trail Blazers' season.

But as the team hits the midway point of 2008-09 tonight against Milwaukee at the Rose Garden, there remains an unmistakable truth about this franchise on the rise. Despite all the optimism and positive developments, the Blazers need a win tonight merely to secure the same first-half record (25-16) as they had through 41 games last season.

And you know how that ended. The Blazers sputtered in the second half, going 16-25 to finish 41-41 and out of the playoffs.

Is that an ominous sign for a Blazers team that holds the sixth seed in the Western Conference and admits that anything less than a playoff berth would be a disappointment? Not necessarily.

A look back at the first half of the season reveals that this team has excelled through challenging circumstances and matured through trying times, traits that seem to show the Blazers are poised for a second-half run that could propel them to their first playoff berth since 2003.

The Blazers were carried by an improbable 13-game winning streak last season. This season, they have persevered through injuries, last-second heartbreakers and see-saw stretches to show consistency and surprising toughness.

Opening night to forget

It all started with a disastrous season opener. With anticipation as high as it's been in Portland in years, the Blazers imploded on opening night before a prime-time national television audience.

After sitting out last season because of microfracture knee surgery, center Greg Oden injured his foot and played just one half. All-Star guard Brandon Roy had a forgettable night, missing his first nine shots, and the Blazers were overwhelmed by the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, 96-76. It was the fewest points the Blazers had scored against their rivals in franchise history.

Asked afterward if the game could have gone any worse, coach Nate McMillan said simply: "No."

Oden would miss two weeks with his injury, unsettling news for a team that had to play 16 of its first 24 games on the road --the most daunting early season road schedule in the NBA in 20 years. But the black cloud would quickly dissipate as the Blazers revealed a trait --resiliency --which has carried them throughout the season.

Streak busters

After the season-opening debacle, the Blazers made a 180-degree turnaround in the next game, their home opener. They withstood a last-second shot to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 100-99. The victory ended the Blazers' 12-game losing streak against the Spurs, a characteristic that would become a trend for a team that has shown a penchant for dismissing past failures.

Already this season, the Blazers have ended seven of their eight longest losing streaks. In addition to the win over the Spurs, they have ended an 11-game losing streak to the Phoenix Suns, a seven-game losing streak to the Boston Celtics and lesser streaks against Houston (five), Orlando (four), Sacramento (three) and Golden State (three).

Two of the streaks were rebuked in dramatic games that simultaneously furthered Roy's All-Star reputation and became part of Blazers lore. After starting the season 1-3, the Blazers were in desperate need of a victory against the Rockets at the Rose Garden. Roy came to the rescue when he gathered an inbound pass from Steve Blake with 0.8 seconds left and swished a 31-foot prayer at the buzzer, delivering the Blazers a 101-99 win.

And it was Roy again, in one of the most memorable performances in Blazers history, who helped end the losing streak to the Suns. In perhaps the most exciting game of the season, Roy scored 52 points --the second most in franchise history --to lead the Blazers to a 124-119 victory over the Suns.

"This might be the top performance I've seen," Blake said afterward. "I'm not sure what else (compares). Nothing comes to mind."

Blazers fight back

But it would not be the only defining moment of the first half. A justified knock on the Blazers, dating to last season, was that while they are a high-character, high-ceiling team, they might be too nice. A two-game span at the turn of the year seemed to put that notion to rest, perhaps revealing as much about the Blazers' growth as any stretch this season.

The first sign of the we're-not-gonna-take-it-anymore mantra came as the Blazers did the unexpected, beating the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics despite playing without Roy, who missed his first of four games with a hamstring injury.

In the first half, Oden drew a technical foul when he pushed All-Star guard Ray Allen into the stands on a layup attempt. Later, Aldridge showed some fire when Kevin Garnett bumped and elbowed Aldridge as he walked toward the Celtics' bench during a timeout near the end of the game. Aldridge responded by slapping the back of Garnett's head.

"That was huge," backup center Joel Przybilla said after the game. "We're not going to back down from no one, and it shows the growth of this team right now."

One game later, the Blazers lost to Toronto but furthered their mean streak. Midway through the third quarter of a tight game, Przybilla got into an altercation with Tyson Chandler that featured shoves and an elbow from Chandler. The two were separated and Chandler was ejected.

"I don't think we've been taking people's (stuff) or anything, but I think guys are just fed up," Aldridge said after the Toronto game. "I think (Chandler) took a cheap shot, and Joel reacted. Kevin Garnett took a cheap shot at me and I reacted. We have to respond."

Responding is something the Blazers have done all season. That brutal early season road schedule? The Blazers went 15-9 in their first 24 games, winning eight road games. They have not lost more than three games in a row this season. When Roy missed four games, the Blazers went 2-2 in his absence, defeating Eastern Conference powers Boston and Detroit.

But the toughest test is yet to come. The Blazers have not had a winning second half since 2004. And in the three full seasons McMillan has coached the team, it has won just 30.9 percent of its second-half games, going 38-85.

Rudy Fernandez, the dazzling talent from Spain, has developed into a fan favorite and reliable long-range shooter. He was voted into the All-Star dunk contest. Nicolas Batum, the rookie from France, has become a surprising starter and defensive force. Aldridge is on the verge of becoming an All-Star. Blake, the under-appreciated point guard, is having the best season of his career. The list of individual contributions goes on and on.

The Blazers appear to be deeper and more poised than last season. Can they reverse their second-half failures and fulfill their playoff ambitions? The final 41 games hold the answer.

Joe Freeman: 503-294-5183;

joefreeman@news.oregonian.com

To read his Behind the Beat blog,

go to http://blog.oregonlive.com/

behindblazersbeat/

-- Joe Freeman: 503-294-5183;

joefreeman@news.oregonian.com

To read his Behind the Beat blog,

go to http://blog.oregonlive.com/

behindblazersbeat/