Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins, left, goes to the basket against New York Knicks' Robin Lopez, center, and Kristaps Porzingis, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
PORTLAND — Saturday night will be the scene for yet another reunion for Portland Trail Blazers fans and a fan favorite in another uniform.
“It’s good to be back,” New York Knicks center Robin Lopez said upon returning to Portland where he spent two successful seasons. “There’s lots of good memories here. I enjoyed my time. I’m excited to come back as a Knick and go get a win.”
Lopez follows LaMarcus Aldridge’s complicated return and the warm welcome of Wesley Matthews to Portland.
Unlike the other two, Lopez had a couple of days in town and was able to visit some of his favorite spots in his old neighborhood.
Robin Lopez talks about the "great memories" he had in Portland, putting off his mascot beef for one night and how his cat Prince Edward Zephyr is enjoying New York.
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“I stopped by Powell’s, I had to,” Lopez said. “(I) did a little Christmas shopping for my mom.”
Lopez also plans on another change coming to Portland as a visitor: He’ll shelve his beef with the opposing team’s mascot out of respect to the time he and Portland’s mascot Blaze shared together.
“I think I’m going to take it easy on him,” Lopez said. “I think it’s a little grace period of a season or so. I’m not sure if he is going to approach me or something in that regard, but that’s how I feel at least.”
Whether Blaze feels the same won’t be seen until pre-game.
And although it’s a good bet that Lopez’s reception will more closely resemble Matthews’ return where fans cheered him, even when he made shots against the Blazers, he’s taking a modest approach.
“You know, I’m not really trying to expect anything,” Lopez said. “I remember what it was like before I came to Portland with numerous Sideshow Bob taunts.”
Lopez and the Knicks are enjoying relative success for the first time in several seasons. The addition of Lopez, the electrifying play of rookie Kristaps Porzingis and a healthy Carmelo Anthony are reasons why.
Lopez said multiple times how happy he is with his new team and being in New York. His cat, Prince Edward Zephyr, is enjoying the new setting as well.
“He’s doing OK, I think he likes being in a bigger city with more minds to mold, more hearts to win,” Lopez said. “Poupin (his brother Brook’s cat), I’m not sure how he feels about that.”
If the crowd gets hostile, Lopez said he’s prepared.
“I’m kind of accustomed to that,” Lopez said. “I’m cut of an imposing figure, pretty noticeable with the hair. So, I’m usually kind of a flash point for attention from the crowd. That’s something that’s fun about things like this.”
Lopez was in Portland for their first playoff series win in 14 years and helped propel them to back-to-back 50-win seasons after coming from New Orleans in a trade in the summer of 2013.
Throughout that time, the Blazers had many high points, accomplishing things the fans hadn’t’ seen in decades. Appropriately, Lopez was asked about for a favorite memory but couldn’t pick one.
“There was a lot of great memories, with the guys, with the fans, I think it’s kind of similar to New York,”Lopez said. “No matter whether it’s an exhibition game, up 20, down 20, I think the fans can, when you make small 5-0 run, that the fans can really get behind you. That’s really cool. it’s something I appreciate about the fans in New York too. “
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