Patterson Prepared To Stay Inactive Unless He Gets 25 Minutes Per

Ruben Patterson on Tuesday said that he is prepared to spend the rest of the season on the inactive list unless the Trail Blazers find a way to play him 25 minutes a game.

Patterson, who was suspended last week for two games, then placed on the inactive list for complaining about his playing time, is scheduled to meet in Portland with Blazers general manager John Nash and coach Nate McMillan either Thursday or Friday.

Nash and McMillan on Tuesday said the meeting will be to determine whether Patterson can accept a reserve role in which he plays limited minutes behind Darius Miles and Zach Randolph. Patterson averaged 19.3 minutes in the first eight games this season -- down from the 28 minutes he averaged last season -- which included an average of 16.3 minutes in his past three games.

Nash said if Patterson can accept the role that McMillan envisions, he will be reinstated to the active list. But Patterson on Tuesday said he is not willing to continue to get fill-in minutes while the team continues its youth movement.

"I don't think my role of playing 13 or 15 minutes a game is acceptable," Patterson said from his home in Columbus, Ohio. "I deserve to play 25-plus minutes, but if they want me to play 12 minutes (like he did in his last game against New York), then they can just put me on the inactive list. I mean, those are rookie minutes."

McMillan said he can't foresee Patterson getting 25 minutes a game.

"I think those are starter minutes," McMillan said. "I don't know how you can give someone off the bench 25 minutes. I mean, he's at a position that Miles (38.5 minutes a game) and Zach (37.8 minutes) are playing."

Via Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers

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Controversial Call Helps Blazers Edge Hawks

Josh Smith showed off his leaping ability last year by winning the NBA slam-dunk contest, but some may still doubt he can jump so high without help.

In a controversial call, official Phil Robinson said Smith grabbed the rim to make an offensive rebound with 7.2 seconds left, giving Portland the ball for Darius Miles' winning shot in a 77-75 victory over Atlanta on Sunday.

Miles' bank shot over Zaza Pachulia with 1.3 seconds left gave Portland the win, ending the Hawks' two-game winning streak, but everybody was talking about the ruling on Smith's rebound.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson called it "bogus."

"The guy never even hung on the rim," Woodson said. "I went back and watched it on the tape. It was a bad call."

Smith said he asked Robinson for a clarification.

"They said I grabbed the rim and pulled up to get the rebound," Smith said. "I was shocked."

Asked if he touched the rim, Smith said "No, I didn't. ... That's the call they made. I had to go with it."

Added Atlanta's Al Harrington: "I was standing there. I didn't see him grab the rim. I don't know what (Robinson) saw there. You've got to love our refs, man. They do a great job night in and night out."

Via ESPN

Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers

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Webster Vents Frustration At Lack Of Playing Time

After only seeing 44 minute of court time for the season thus far, Martell Webster is trying to stay positive.

"It's horrible," Webster told The Oregonian. "In high school I was playing every minute I possibly could, which was satisfying for me. Then I come in here and you're not the man anymore. You don't [get] the big minutes."

Portland coach Nate McMillan told Webster to stay ready, although he didn't play him in three consecutive games. Webster got a shot in a blowout loss to Miami on Wednesday and made a splash. In the final 7:24, he scored a career-high 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field, including three three-pointers and two cathartic dunks.

Portland lost 100-79, but McMillan said he'd continue to look for situations where the rookie could contribute after the explosive performance.

"I think he wanted to send a message," said McMillan. "The stat sheet doesn't lie. The young fella can stroke the ball."

Via Seattle Times

Portland Trail Blazers

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