• Oden's knee still center of attention
He chatted with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. He introduced First Lady Laura Bush at a Helping America's Youth conference. And, yeah, there also was the haircut.

• Pointing to the future
A quick way to make Kevin Pritchard and Nate McMillan squirm is to ask about the Trail Blazers' stability and long-term prospects at point guard.

• Making all the right moves
There's nothing like a heated game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Rose Garden to cure the Trail Blazers' woes.

• FIRST, THE GOOD NEWS . . .
It was a good news/bad news Thursday for the Trail Blazers.

• Bryant is smiling again and the Lakers are contenders
Kobe Bryant's scowl of last summer has been replaced by a smile befitting an early spring.

• Blazers hang on and exhale
LOS ANGELES -- The Trail Blazers on Wednesday night didn't know whether to scream, cry or laugh, so they did the next best thing: Exhale a huge sigh of relief.