The BulleTin • Thursday, april 8, 2021 A7
NBA
DEAR ABBY
Write to Dear Abby online at dearabby.com
or by mail at P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Dear Abby: I’m in my late
20s, married and happily
child-free. My best friend
recently became pregnant,
and I am having a hard time
with it. I don’t enjoy children,
and it feels like I am losing
my best friend. All she wants
to talk about is the baby. I’ve
tried hinting that I’ll be here
when she and her husband
need a break from being
“Mom and Dad,” but she con-
tinues to talk on and on about
the all-consuming baby.
I know this is a big change
and a huge part of her life,
but I also know she has
plenty of other support for
this child. I would hope she
realizes that I do not care for
children or wish to be around
them. How can I let her know
— without offending her —
that the last thing I want to
hear about are diapers and
prams?
— Child-Free in Wisconsin
Dear Child-Free: I am
sorry you feel so negative
about the topics of babies and
children, because your intol-
erance will eventually isolate
you from friends and peers. If
you voice what you are think-
ing, you will alienate your
best friend, who is rightly
thrilled to be embarking on
the adventure of parenthood.
Because her talk about ba-
bies, diapers and the process
she’s going through affects
you like nails on a chalk-
board, limit the conversations
and visits you have with her.
Do NOT write her off, how-
ever, because it is possible
that in time she will be reach-
ing out to you, craving con-
versation that goes beyond
the playpen.
Dear Abby: As the pan-
demic has forced many to
work remotely, I feel certain
I’m not the only person with
this dilemma. I have been
working from home since
last March. My fiance, on
the other hand, has a man-
ual labor job in a skilled
trade. Abby, it seems like ev-
ery other day he picks a fight
with me because he thinks
I should have the house
clean, chores done and din-
ner cooked when he returns
from work, despite the fact
that I have been working at
my job all day.
He equates my being home
to me being able to take care
of all the chores. He criticizes
me and calls me lazy and
other names all the time. Re-
gardless of what he thinks, I
have a demanding job in an
IT field, which is no less de-
manding because I’m home.
It involves numerous confer-
ence calls all day.
I have an opportunity now
where some of us can come
back to the office, but be-
cause I have an autoimmune
disease, I’m hesitant. Should
I go back to the office to keep
the peace or remain working
from home, which I actually
enjoy? I have talked to him
about this repeatedly, and it
not only doesn’t seem to be
getting any better, it’s getting
worse. Your thoughts?
— Telecommuting in Florida
Dear Telecommuting:
Your physical health must
come first. If returning to
the office will endanger your
health, you must stay home
and protect it.
Your mental health comes
next. Your fiance appears to
be having a chauvinistic fe-
ver dream in which he has
been transported back to the
1950s. For the last quarter
of a century — and more —
men have been helping their
partners with the “chores”
he’s harassing you about. If he
can’t dig deep and find it in
his heart to chip in, then for
the sake of your health and
your sanity, PLEASE rethink
this engagement, because it is
unhealthy.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
Where do Blazers go from here after another
loss to a Western Conference contender?
BY AARON FENTRESS
The Oregonian
The Portland Trail Blazers
look less and less like a title
contender every time they face
a team with legitimate title as-
pirations.
Tuesday night provided yet
another example. The Blazers
had a chance to get their sec-
ond win this season against
an elite Western Conference
team, but fell flat during a 133-
116 defeat at the Los Angeles
Clippers.
It all began with the Blazers’
cotton soft defense allowing
47 points in the first quarter
and then continuing to bleed
points into the second quar-
ter. Granted, the Clippers shot
the ball extremely well, mak-
ing 72% of their shots in the
first quarter including 7 of 11
threes. But their hot shooting
wasn’t the only issue.
“I wasn’t as much concerned
with how they shot the ball at
the beginning,” Portland coach
Terry Stotts said. “After that,
I thought the first 16 minutes
was, frankly, a little embar-
rassing.”
The Blazers (30-20) trailed
62-36 with 8:35 remaining in
the second quarter. This after
two games ago losing 127-109
at home to Milwaukee (32-18).
Between those two games, the
Blazers hammered the Okla-
homa City Thunder (20-30), by
the score of 133-85 on Saturday.
And there you have the Blaz-
ers’ season in a nutshell. They
can look dominant against
weak to solid teams, yet wilt
against contenders. Portland
is now 1-7 versus the top five
teams in the Western Confer-
ence and 3-10 against NBA
teams with 30 wins or more.
That includes two victories
over Philadelphia (35-16).
The Blazers are still await-
ing the Jusuf Nurkic who was
dominant at the NBA bub-
ble last summer to arrive this
season. Since his return from
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Los Angeles Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. (8) battles Portland Trail Blazers’
C.J. McCollum (3) for a rebound Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
a broken wrist on March 26,
Nurkic has been on a minutes
restriction. He missed Tues-
day’s game with knee inflam-
mation. So, it could be argued
that the Blazers are still not
whole. But a more astute ques-
tion at this point is: Will they
ever be, and if so, would it truly
matter?
The Blazers have issues that
Nurkic won’t fix. He is a better
defender than Enes Kanter, but
not enough to single-handedly
transform the 29th-rated de-
fense into one capable of rank-
ing in the top half of the league
in the second half of the sea-
son, as Stotts had hoped.
Especially when the Blazers
are sacrificing size by running
with a three-guard lineup of
Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum
and Norman Powell. Stotts
pointed out that he couldn’t
complain about the team’s of-
fense on Tuesday against the
Clippers (34-18). The Blazers
trailed 73-66 at halftime after
roaring back to make it a game.
But defensively this team
might never be able to match
up well against teams with
greater length.
One positive from Tuesday
was the Blazers’ fight. They in
fact got to within 84-82 in the
third quarter.
“To cut it to two on the road
against a team like that was a
pretty impressive effort,” Stotts
said. “So, that part of it was very
encouraging.”
What’s discouraging is how
the good teams are finding
ways to disrupt Lillard. The
Clippers went after him Tues-
day and he finished with 11
points on 2-of-14 shooting. The
byproduct was more shots for
Powell, who scored 32 points.
McCollum scored 24.
“I think that’s what’s so spe-
cial about me being on this
team, any given night that
three-guard lineup can go off
and provide an offensive spark,
depending on how the game
flow is going,” Powell said.
But the Blazers aren’t go-
ing to win very many games
with Lillard scoring 11 points.
In fact, they are 2-4 this sea-
son when he scores under 20
points, and both wins were
blowout victories against weak
teams, Sacramento in February
and the Thunder on Saturday.
“I know he gets frustrated
by not having clean looks and
being double-teamed, and peo-
ple taking the ball out of his
hands,” Stotts said. “Because
of that, Norman had a very
good night. CJ had a very good
night. But my biggest concern
is that it’s very frustrating for
Dame. Even though the team
is scoring, he wants to be in-
volved, and it’s up to me to
help him get quality shots, and
it’s up to the team to help him
when teams are doing that.”
Powell said the Blazers can
use him or McCollum to bring
the ball up more often to allow
Lillard to run off screens to get
open for shots.
“I can make plays off the
bounce for myself and other
guys, when the defense col-
lapses and kick it out, finding
guys,” Powell said.
Still, as Stotts said, they can’t
complain too much about the
offense overall. The main prob-
lem remains the defense. The
communication, dedication,
commitment and desire that
have been talked about over
and over this season don’t ap-
pear ready to magically mate-
rialize. If all of that wasn’t there
on Friday against the Bucks, or
Tuesday against the Clippers,
why would it show up later?
According to Powell, Lil-
lard called out the team in the
second quarter for not being
physical enough and allowing
the Clippers to take advantage
of them. His words led to the
Blazers making the game closer
before halftime. Powell added
that it shouldn’t take the star
player to motivate the team to
play better.
“We’ve got to have that
mindset at the start of the
game,” Powell said.
That’s been said numerous
times by several Blazers players
this season, yet the same prob-
lems seem to pop up. Stotts said
execution, effort and communi-
cation were issues on Tuesday.
“It’s something that we con-
tinue to talk about, it’s some-
thing that we definitely have to
get better as individuals and as
a team,” Powell said. “Defense
isn’t just two guys on the ball.
It’s everybody helping one an-
other and communicating.”
By Madalyn Aslan
Stars show the kind of day you’ll have
DYNAMIC | POSITIVE | AVERAGE | SO-SO | DIFFICULT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021: Daring,
enterprising and generous, your desire for intellectual stimulation will be ful-
filled. This year, you travel more for business and pleasure, satisfying restless
urges. Your job or volunteer activities could go through changes, which will
make you reassess your goals. Friends can give you helpful advice, but make
your own decisions. If single, dating sites give you confidence. If attached,
spontaneous getaways are a must. LEO makes you feel optimistic.
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
Part of you wants to curl up and retreat into dreamland. Take your
time getting ready to face the day. Surprising communication lifts you up.
You’ll feel like yourself in no time at all. Tonight: Look for something you
misplaced.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
Join an online group that addresses a secret passion. Drum up
confidence to join in the conversation. A frustrating moment may cause
you to vent. Find a friend who can calm you down. Tonight: Tea party with
aromatic blends.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Starting a side business could cross your mind. Throw around ideas
with an experienced friend. Offering consulting services might be a good
place to start. Let people know what you are good at doing. Tonight: Remi-
nisce with an old classmate.
CANCER (June 21-July 22)
Prepare for a serious talk. Confrontation is not your cup of tea, so be
friendly and tactful. Remember to cancel magazine subscriptions before
your free trial ends. Travel plans may fall into place. Tonight: Satisfy your
sweet tooth, but don’t overdo it.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)
Be discriminating when visiting websites or reading blogs about fi-
nancial planning. Avoid get-rich-quick schemes that will cost you more than
you earn. You may be too trusting. Misinformation could steer you wrong.
Tonight: Unwind on the sofa.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Don’t wait for someone to make the first move. Take a risk and ask for
what you need. Those you love will jump at the chance to help. A romantic
interlude could take you by surprise. Tonight: Heavenly foot massage.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Turn over a new leaf. Send your bad habits packing. Avoid fad diets
or quick weight-loss plans. Calm down nervous energy that makes you fear-
ful. Think positive thoughts, and actions will follow. Tonight: Dance to retro
disco music.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Talking to kids and grandkids will bring a smile to your face. If there are
no children around, go to a park where you will hear playful laughter. Some-
times you find joy in the most surprising places. Tonight: Shop for sales.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Maintain that balance between work and family despite continual
challenges. Enthusiasm for being of service may cause you to lose track of
time. Tell people to alert you so you can come up for air. Tonight: Complete
unfinished business.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Your ability to juggle activities will only go so far. Be honest about
how much multitasking you can do. An online gathering may get your cre-
ative juices flowing. Explore your writing abilities in new mediums. Tonight:
Reach out to someone you love.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Be practical, but do not deprive yourself. Purchase an item that will
make you happy but will not break the bank. Avoid overpriced items and
obvious rip-offs. Search for enticing bargains and one-day sales. Tonight:
Rehearse a speech or presentation.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
You will be noticed today by people you want to impress. Take extra
time to present the best look possible. Show someone your appreciation.
A gift or offer to take them out is always welcome. Tonight: Improve your
fitness routine.
“There was no regrets for me personally. I felt like the
decision that I made was the right decision. I missed being
around my boys.”
Ducks
Continued from A5
The four Oregon players
who opted out are at peace with
their decisions, as is Deommo-
dore Lenoir, who opted out and
chose to return when the sea-
son was restored.
But that didn’t make it easy
for them to sit out last fall or re-
move their frustration with the
manner in which the Pac-12
went about handling the pan-
demic last summer compared
to its peers across the Power 5,
FBS and AAU.
“When it came down to it in
August we were told the season
was canceled, we were super
frustrated as seniors,” Breeze
said. “I could tell the whole
Oregon coaching staff was
frustrated because they did ev-
ery type of process we could to
make it to where we could play
but then the Pac-12 still for
whatever dumb reason, they
decided to call off the season.
“We said our goodbyes; we
were hugging the coaches, hug-
ging the players. Us seniors, we
thought we were never going
to play for Oregon ever again.
I moved out of my apartment,
moved back to Lake Oswego,
was living with my parents, get-
ting ready to start training and
getting ready for the NFL pro-
cess. Mentally I was checked
out and then five weeks later I
get a phone call like, ‘Hey you
got to be here tomorrow; we
got practice tomorrow, we got a
game in four weeks so you got
to be here to start training.’ It
was such short notice and that’s
really what it came down to.”
Breeze will be one of the
more fascinating cases to watch
in this year’s draft. He closed
the 2019 season on a tear and
earned Rose Bowl Defensive
MVP honors. Had he played
in a full 2020 season, there’s a
chance he’s no less than an all-
Pac-12 performer. But teams
will have minimal game tape
and some impressive measur-
ables from pro day to base his
evaluation.
There’s also finite game film
for Jevon Holland, though he’s
widely projected as a second-
or third-round pick. Having
played both free safety and
nickel and served as the pri-
— Former Oregon Ducks cornerback Thomas Graham
Sean Meagher/The Oregonian file
Oregon’s Jevon Holland (8)
during a game against Califor-
nia in Eugene in October 2019.
Holland opted out of the 2020
season and is expected to be se-
lected in the 2021 NFL draft.
mary punt returner for the
Ducks, Holland offers a lot of
versatility for a safety.
“I knew what I was capable
of and the level of play that I
have, especially throughout
the last couple of years and feel
like I put in the work,” Hol-
land said. “When the situation
came to be I decided to go with
the opt-out. It wasn’t really a
gamble. I wasn’t gambling any-
thing. I knew the outcome was
going to be what I was going to
put down and I went out and I
did that.”
Of Oregon’s players who
opted out, Graham has by far
the most film to go off of. He
was a three-year starter and
improved each season. The
cornerback also played in the
Senior Bowl to give a more cur-
rent showing of his talents on
the field in lieu of the season.
“There was no regrets for
me personally,” Graham said.
“I felt like the decision that I
made was the right decision. I
missed being around my boys.
It was a little difficult because I
missed playing with them.”
Shedding a few pounds and
running the 40 in the mid-4.4s
will help Graham’s cause.
Lenoir was the only Oregon
player to opt out and then back
in to last season. His produc-
tion fell, with 30 tackles and
an interception in seven games
last season, but it was due more
to teams avoiding throwing in
his direction.
The outside corner felt he
became a smarter player by
coming back for another sea-
son.
“I feel like my IQ gradually
went up with me coming back
and having the experience that
I was able to gain from coach
(Rod) Chance,” Lenoir said. “It
made me want to be more of
a leader, knowing I was one of
the oldest guys coming back.”