Trail Blazers beat writer Jason Quick took time out of his whirlwind schedule to answer a few questions for Rip City Basketball. Quick's "Behind the Locker Room Door" series on OregonLive.com is a candid, personal, and always revealing look at the Blazers players and staff off the court.
Scenario: You are the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers in the year 2189 AD. It is Game 7 of the UBA (Universal Basketball Association) Finals and you are on the road battling the Jupiter Juggernauts. You are down 2 with 4.5 seconds to play in regulation. Using the latest PITP (Player in their Prime) technology, you have the power to bring back any former Blazer player in the height of his career. Who do you call forth to take the last shot, and why?
I'm not familiar with the PTIP technology, but off the top of my head I would chose Brandon Roy, who has a slight edge over Clyde Drexler. I chose Brandon because he is a proven commodity in clutch situations, can finish with either hand and is a good free throw shooter. Clyde wasn't as good of handler as Brandon, which could create some problems. Overall, Clyde is a better player, but I take Brandon in clutch situations. Plus, the 1991; playoff loss at the Lakers, during which Clyde passed to Porter for the final shot - which wasn't that great of a shot... you gotta have the stones to take it there. I think I lost some of my late-game confidence in Clyde there.
We often hear about the importance of team chemisty, glue guys, the 'heart and soul of the team' guys, and 'locker room' guys. Strictly from a standpoint of winning basketball games, how important is it for guys to get along?
How important is chemistry? It's important, but not as important as talent. There are all kinds of factors that go into making a winner in the NBA, but there are two things you should always remember about this league: The NBA is about the players, not coaching; and generally, talent wins. Those talented Blazers teams in the late 1990's and early 2000's didn't have great chemistry, but they kicked ass on the court. There was locker room divide about who should start - Steve Smith or Bonzi Wells - there was frustration over the volatility of Rasheed Wallace. There were guys like Dale Davis who were continually late and didn't practice. There was nearly zero respect for the coach, Mike Dunleavy. But they were as talented as any team out there, and thereby they won big.
Looking back at all the questions you have asked NBA players and coaches throughout your career, what question caused you to be the most nervous and/or uneasy in the moment? Can you recall a time where you were emotionally impacted by a particularly difficult question you proposed to a particularly difficult player or coach?
Hard to pick one. There was an interview one year in San Antonio with Rasheed Wallace that got pretty tense. I think he got kicked out, or got another technical, and I was asking him questions, and like always he was giving me no answers. During this charade, Steve Smith - who had been traded to the Spurs before that season - came in to say hi to his former teammates. He chuckled at the sight of me once again trying to get quotes from Rasheed, to no avail, and made a comment like, "Still at it Quick, huh?" I said something to the effect of "One of these days he's got to explain his actions," which really set off Wallace. He said 'Why should I talk to you when all you do is write bad things about us cats?'' That started a back-and-forth that continued to escalate to the point that Steve Kerr and Rick Brunson got between us. Brunson in a non-threatening way encouraged me to leave the locker room repeatedly, standing in front of me. The next day, I told Brunson that I could hold my own and I didn't agree with his actions. He said he was protecting me. "You never know what he is going to do" he said, referring to Wallace.
Other uneasy moments: Asking Darius Miles if he came to practice with alcohol on his breath; and telling Greg Oden I thought he had been underwhelming, and what he thought of his play his first season.
Best dunk you have ever seen in person...
I can't pick one. Brandon Roy had a pretty good one at the Clippers one year - can't remember the guy he dunked over - and I can remember Darvin Ham throwing one down one year in Milwaukee that made me audibly gasp. There was also a Dwight Howard dunk at the Rose Garden early in his career that was thunderous, which was made even more so by the microphone on the basket.
Greatest basketball shoe of all time...
I'm not into that.
The 2011-2012 NBA Rookie of the Year will be...
Hard for me to say considering I haven't seen many of them. But like what I've seen from Rubio and Irving.
Which two teams will play in the 2011-2012 NBA Finals? And the winner?
Miami vs. OKC. I really like the Bulls, too, but Miami looks really good right now. Always been a fan of OKC's roster. Miami wins it. I hate writing that, but they look nice. Would be happy for Spoelstra, though.
Top three NBA websites you frequent on a daily basis...
1. True Hoop; 2. Hoopshype; 3. blazersedge
Oh, the joy of the "Power Ranking." Completely meaningless, yet utterly facsinating. I recently created a "Power Ranking" of my current rotation of breakfast cereals. What did it accomplish? Nothing. But, Cookie Crisp has looked a lot sharper this week after falling two spots due to increased sogginess in its last three outings. 
