Hoops News & Notes

It's that time again, and I can't really contain my excitement over my Ducks, but we'll get to them in a little bit. First, news and notes from around the league and some Blazer stuff.

• LaMarcus has officially become the starting center and has played really well so far. Another solid 28 minutes in last night's win, 7 points, 9 boards, and a block. Needless to say, we really like him.
• I haven't decided what I'm cheering for, the Blazers are dangerously close to finishing in about 9th place in the West, thus not making the playoffs and eliminating any chance to be in on the Oden/Durant sweepstakes. It's a minute chance anyway, so I lean towards the winning games side of things.
• Brandon Roy, well, there's just no more discussion. I'm pretty sure his name is already engraved on the trophy.
• Isiah Thomas just got an extension from the Knicks. I don't even have a joke, pretty much says it all by itself.
• I can't really comprehend how any team can be 51-5 over any stretch of games, and I feel like a complete ass for thinking Phoenix is still going to beat them in a few months and I wouldn't put it past the Spurs. With The Other Guy unavoidably detained for another couple weeks, you have to put up with me making ridiculous claims like these without any repercussions.

And now onto my Duck related thoughts,

• No, they aren't as good as they played last weekend. That's the best I've ever seen any Duck team play...ever.
• If Malik decides to play that hard and Bryce Taylor has it going, they're going to be an awful tough team to beat by anyone.
• The Pac 10 Tourney means a ton, regardless of what people may say about it. Five days ago the Ducks were a 7 seed at best and looking at a potential 1 and done scenario. Now they're a 3 and they've got cupcake city the first round (Miami of Ohio was 15-14 entering the MAC Tourney), and a Winthrop/Notre Dame winner in round 2. As long as they don't have one of those ice cold games (certainly possible), that's cruise control into the Sweet 16 game with Wisconsin, which would be epic.
• Please, for the love of God, someone beat Florida before the Ducks have to play them. That would be a horrifying match up.
• I currently have Florida, Georgetown, Kansas, and Ohio State in the Final 4, but the picks aren't official until Thursday morning. If you think that Florida isn't going to be changed to "Oregon" by then, well, you're kidding yourself.