Trailblazers bandwagon already rolling

I looked forward to the Nov 19 Bulls-Blazers matchup because it was my first chance to see a whole Portland game.

While most people turning on the TV looked forward to Greg Oden's first NBA home game, I looked forward to seeing a rising team that played great without the Norse God.

I also couldn't wait to see the guy I think about when I hear "Rookie of the Year."

Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!

Rudy Fernandez doesn't start, so he's not gonna get Derrick Rose-like stats, but he already has the game of a talented five-year veteran. He shoots pull-up 3s with the gall and confidence of James Posey.

Remember the guard who played fearlessly against the NBA's superstars in the U.S.-Spain gold medal game? It was Rudy.

He's not the only guy from that Spanish national team on the Blazers; Rudy's running mate, Sergio Rodriguez, is just another quality bench player on one of the deepest teams in the league.

You might know what Roy and Aldridge are capable of, and you know that the Norse God is much older than 20. But what about the other guys?

The starters against the Bulls were Joel Przybilla, LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Brandon Roy, and Steve Blake. Przybilla blocks shots, the rookie Batum is super athletic, and Blake is a good "game-manager" point guard. 3 guys you might not think of as NBA starters.

But Nate McMillen is experimenting with all sorts of lineups, and this group of 5 ran all over the Bulls. The game was over only 6 minutes into the first quarter.

Fernandez came into the game cold and nailed a long 3. He didn't score much, but you can tell that he has high awareness on the court. He's 6'6", listed at the 2, but he can initiate the offense and bring the ball up like a 1.

Oden was able to get solid inside position against a Bulls team lacking in the post. It was nice to see him getting after the rebounds given his injuries. Once he learns how to play NBA ball and develops some offensive game, he could be the next great center. If he achieves greatness, he could be the next Patrick Ewing, for want of a comparison.

Let us not forget Travis Outlaw, who is basically a starter on this team. Then there are Channing Frye and Rodriguez, who have limited roles but make the most of the playing time they get.

Ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is a legit 10-man rotation! This is rare in the NBA, where the normal model is, play your best players as much as possible (remember the Suns' 6-man rotation of the last few years?...maybe this was part of what wore out Steve Nash).

Roy is unquestionably the star here, but there are several rising stars. This is a real team, not just a few talented stars with some other guys to fill out the roster. All 10 in the rotation are averaging 15 minutes or more a game.

And Martell Webster is still injured! When he comes back, they'll have an 11-man rotation...

Young across the board, deep, good chemistry, impressive coaching, almost infinite lineup potential. This team will be in the playoffs. It's only a question of how much better they'll be in April than they are now.