Blazers showing early promise

Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden, left, works against Sacramento Kings Mikki Moore in the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game at The Rose Garden in Portland on Tuesday. (Associated Press)

PORTLAND — For anyone still wondering what the fuss was about, the Portland Trail Blazers’ preseason opener Tuesday night pretty much explained it.

There were Greg Oden dunks off offensive rebounds, and dominant blocks on defense.

A Rudy Fernandez lob dunk followed by a lob reverse layup, and later a Fernandez bounce pass through a player’s legs — made with fundamental ease — to set up a LaMarcus Aldridge dunk.

And by the end, there was a near-sellout Rose Garden crowd of 19,321 chanting “Roo-dee!” and “Oh-den!”

And to think, the 110-81 win over Sacramento was only a preseason game.

“I saw a lot of good things out there,” said Blazers coach Nate McMillan. “But I also saw a lot of areas where we need to get better. ... What we want to do is continue to work. This game was about seeing what we look like tonight, and tomorrow we try and build.”

There was plenty on which to build: An offense that out-scored Sacramento 89-50 after the first quarter, and a defense that limited the Kings to 29 percent shooting and 10 assists while blocking 10 shots.

At the center of it were Fernandez and Oden, each of whom had highlight-reel moments that showed why Blazers fans have been clamoring for their debuts.

Oden finished 5 of 8 from the field for 13 points with five rebounds and two blocks, and showed in several moments the power he brings to the floor. Kings center Spencer Hawes drew three fouls in less than three minutes to start the game while defending Oden, and forward Mikki Moore drew his third foul midway through the second quarter doing the same.

By halftime, Oden had two dunks after pulling down offensive rebounds, and made a pair of free throws after grabbing a third board.

“I thought, for as long as he’s been out, it’s a step in the right direction,” said Kings coach Reggie Theus. “Greg causes problems. He’s got great size, and I think they played him well.”

Fernandez also caused a slew of problems off the bench in the third quarter, when he and former Spanish national teammate Sergio Rodriguez showed instant chemistry together. Rodriguez found Fernandez for a lob dunk and later set him up on a spectacular lob reverse layup as the Blazers started the period on a 28-9 run that put them up 81-59 with 1:38 remaining.

But it was Fernandez’s passes that generated the most excitement, whether it was a lob to Martell Webster for a fast-break dunk or a bounce pass through Kings forward Jason Thompson's legs that set up an uncontested layup for LaMarcus Aldridge.

“People thought he was just a scorer, but tonight he showed that he can pass, and that’s something we’ve been able to see in practice,” said Brandon Roy, who 14 points and seven assists. “He’ll thread the needle. He has the confidence to make passes that other guys don’t. He’s a tough player. I love the energy and the swagger that he plays with.”