by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
For NBA stars, there’s probably nothing harder to accept than the realization that they’re no longer the proverbial “Man”.
When injuries take this all-important status away — but leave guys with enough to play, but not quite enough to dominate like they once did — it can be especially difficult to deal with.
Welcome to Brandon Roy’s life.
Roy was upset with head coach Nate McMillan’s distribution of minutes last night in Game 2, as the Portland Trailblazers went down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks. Brandon barely played, and when he did, he had almost no impact on the game whatsoever.
The Oregonian reports:
The urge to break down came in the first half of the Blazers’ 101-89 defeat to the Mavericks. It was in part because of the humiliation of being the Blazers’ last substitute, chosen to play after Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez, and even Patty Mills. And it was out of frustration of being used in the most throwaway of fashions: 2:36 at the end of the first; 3:06 at the start of the second; not at all in the third; and 2:17 at the start of the fourth. All told, the three-time All-Star played a scoreless 7:59, missed his only shot from the field, missed both of his free throws, and made one turnover.
“There was a point in the first half, and I was thinking ‘You better not cry,”’ Roy said. “I mean, serious. I mean, there was a moment where I felt really sorry for myself. Then I was like, nah, you can’t be sorry for yourself. I’m a grown man, but there was a moment there that I felt sorry for myself. Especially when I think I can still help.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little hurt, or disappointed,” Roy said. “But the biggest thing is to keep moving, to try and keep my spirits up. But it’s tough man. I just …. I just always thought I would be treated better. That was a little disappointing for me.” Earlier in the day, Roy said he is frustrated that people think his biggest obstacles are his knees. His knees, which were both operated on in January, feel good, he says. It is his mental game that needs work, Roy says. He needs to find a rhythm, regain the confidence in his shot. It’s why he spent the eve of Game 2 working out in American Airlines Center from 7-8 p.m. Roy said he believes he can still help this team, but he can’t do it the way McMillan used him on Tuesday.
For the series, Brandon Roy is averaging a paltry 1 point, 1.5 assists, and 17 minutes per game. He says that he does not plan on speaking to Nate McMillan about his ever-diminishing role.
For Blazers fans, to see their former superstar fade away like this, along with their team’s backs now up firmly against the wall in the series, that’s gotta be especially tough.
