Dramatic situations seem to suit Roy

Brandon Roy (7),Steve Blake (2), LaMarcus Aldridge (12) and Joel Przybilla (10) wait for the referees’ decision about Roy’s game-winning three-pointer in the Blazers win over the Rockets on Thursday. (Greg Wahl-Stephens/The Associated Press)

The Associated Press Brandon Roy (7) shoots over Houston’s Ron Artest during overtime Thursday night. It was Roy’s shot at the buzzer in OT that gave Portland the victory.

TUALATIN, Ore. — One sentence told Steve Blake what was about to happen Thursday night at the Rose Garden.

With 0.8 seconds remaining and the Portland Trail Blazers down by a point, Blake was presented three options to inbound the ball for a game-winning shot attempt against Houston.

One was to find Rudy Fernandez, who was cutting to the corner. Another was to toss a lob at the rim to LaMarcus Aldridge. But after Brandon Roy approached Blake before the play, only one option was considered.

“I’m gonna get open,” Roy told him.

And unless you were living in a cave all day Friday, you know exactly what happened next: Roy took the pass from Blake and threw up a 31-foot, fadeaway 3-pointer as time expired with Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest rushing to contest the shot and knocking Roy to the floor. It went down without appearing to so much as graze the rim, giving the Blazers a 101-99 win over the Rockets.

Of Blake’s three options, that particular shot may have had the least chance of succeeding.

Yet it was the only option Blake wanted.

“It’s one of his roles on the team,” Blake explained.

And that would be ... miracle worker?

That title is becoming more fitting as Roy’s career progresses.

He has made a habit of making dramatic, game-deciding situations favor his teams, dating back to his college career at the University of Washington.

In one of his most memorable performances, Roy buried two game-tying shots against Arizona — first a 3-pointer to force overtime, then another 3-pointer between two defenders to force a second overtime — before the Huskies finally lost 96-95.

But that was just the setup for a pro career during which Roy’s flair for taking over games has already approached legendary status.

There was his 16-point fourth quarter at Miami last season that rallied the Blazers from a seven-point deficit.

Then came a December win over Toronto, when an ailing Roy left the court briefly to dry heave before rallying Portland in the final period.

And before Friday night, Roy’s signature moment was a three-minute span against Atlanta, during which he scored eight points, forced two turnovers and blocked a shot to rally Portland from a six-point deficit.

But even those spectacular performances fall well short of Friday night.

And it became even more spectacular because Roy had to dig deep for the game winner twice, drawing comparisons on ESPN to Indiana guard Reggie Miller’s famous eight-point-in-8.9-seconds rally against New York in the 1995 playoffs.

The first came on a 21-foot jumper with 1.9 seconds remaining, putting Portland up 98-96 and seemingly in control of the game.

But after a timeout pushed the ball to mid-court, the Rockets managed to throw a direct pass to center Yao Ming on the baseline, which turned into a three-point play and a 99-98 Rockets lead after Roy fouled Yao on the shot.

The play bothered Roy so much that he said he lost sleep over it even after the game. And Blazers coach Nate McMillan could tell how badly Roy wanted to make amends.

“I’m looking at Brandon’s face as he ran up to the ball,” McMillan said, “and it was like Blake only had one option.”

In fact, Blake said he did not question the play as Roy cut from the low post straight to the perimeter, turned to his left after receiving the pass and calmly threw up the game winner.

It’s the same unquestioned decision making Blake said he made while playing in Washington with former All-Star Gilbert Arenas — no matter the situation, just get him the ball.

“Brandon has that confidence,” Blake said. “Some guys want it; some guys don’t.”

And Roy has never left any doubt the category in which he fits.