Zach who? That’s what Blazer fans are saying these days. While former Portland star Zach Randolph continues to make excuses for why his new team in New York continue to stink it up to the tune of the East’s second worst record (8-18) behind only the Heat, the Blazers aren’t missing him at all.

After a slow 5-12 beginning to a rebuilding season without 2007 first overall selection Greg Oden due to right knee surgery, the NBA’s youngest team has caught fire reeling off 10 straight improving to 15-12 after a hard fought 99-96 home win over first place Denver Friday night to suddenly pull within half a game in the Northwest Division.

Many of those victories have come on their home floor where they improved to 12-3 thanks to a balanced attack which had five players in double figures including leading scorer Brandon Roy who finished with 18 points, five assists and three rebounds.  

Their 12 victories at Rose Garden rank fourth in the NBA behind defending champion San Antonio (13-1), Dallas (13-2) and the revamped Celtics (13-1) who are all tied with 13 W’s on their respective home courts. Pretty elite company, huh?

“Who would have thought Portland would do that?” the 23 year-old Roy pondered to the Associated Press about the franchise’s longest winning streak since 2001-02 when they won 12 in a row. “You’d think it would be Dallas or Phoenix.”

During the streak, the Blazers have won seven of 10 in front of their supporters who must be ecstatic with the direction this promising club is heading in.

Playing alongside last year’s NBA Rookie of The Year is second-year power forward LaMarcus Aldridge who chipped in with 18 (8-of-16 FG), eight boards and five assists last night. The 22 year-old second-year big man who starred at Texas has improved leaps and bounds more than doubling his scoring from 9.0 PPG to 18.5 PPG and hiking his rebounding from five to almost eight (7.7 RPG).

“We’re a young team but we’re growing up. We’re maturing a lot during this win streak,” Roy also noted. “If you watched tonight it wasn’t just a young team that’s hot. We had to work for this and face adversity, but we came through.“

Just like the Knicks circus on Seventh and 33rd where the real life version of Dumb and Dumber (Jim Dolan and Isiah Thomas) continue to ripoff and disenchant fans?!?!?!?!?!

Wait till Oden joins the Blazers next season.

In their three-point win over Denver, they outscored the Nuggets 39-10 off the bench with James Jones (14 pts) and Travis Outlaw (12 pts) each getting into double digits.

Even ex-Knick Channing Frye is contributing these days putting up a respectable eight, 10 boards and two assists in over 20 minutes. Oh btw, the Blazers were plus-eight with him in the game while on the same night at Charlotte, the Knicks were suffering their latest defeat where they were minus-16 with Eddy “Fat Albert” Curry and minus-13 with Randolph.

How much of a non-factor has Curry become? He only played 18:21 last night scoring 11 and five rebounds. Here’s the kicker. He didn’t even pickup a foul while the Bobcats were opening up as much as a 27-point lead before hanging on for a 105-95 win.

The Knicks are the NBA laughingstock. Mean time, the Blazers continue to earn respect from peers.

“They are very confident and I think they’ve matured very quickly. They have very good composure for close game situations,” Nuggets coach George Karl pointed out after his team fell by three. “They also have the ability to explode on you with the 3-ball. When you’ve got [Martell] Webster and Jones, they’re always able to hit three to four threes on you in any situation.”  

Even Carmelo Anthony came away impressed:

“It’s hard to say they’re creeping up on teams. They are a hot team and they are playing well right now. Everything they throw up is going in and they are playing together right now.“

It proves that if you use your head, you can actually successfully rebuild a team the right way. Try telling that to the two leading bozos at Penn Plaza. 

One other thought. Who would you rather have? Aldridge or Tyrus Thomas? I wonder what my Chicago buddy John Giagnorio would have to say.

Never mind.