rests on Roy Roy is biggest

part of Blazers'

turnaround

I ran into Brandon Roy once at Driver and Motor Vehicle Services. He was getting his Oregon driver's license. I've said hello to him at practices countless times, and made small talk before Trail Blazers games, too. And I've asked him questions in group settings after games, and I listen in when he's interviewed by others.

But I have never interviewed him alone.

That is, until Wednesday.

"I noticed that," he said after the Blazers practice at the Rose Garden. "When everyone is over here around me, you're always over (on the other side of the court) interviewing Greg or Travis or Martell or someone."

He hasn't missed me, mind you. In fact, during his rookie season, I walked past Roy in the locker room once, and he stopped and said that he read back through the clips of Blazers past and added, "I don't ever want to be on your bad side." Also, when I wrote a column about Darius Miles that ex-teammate Jarrett Jack took issue with last year, Roy wandered over and eavesdropped on the debate, nodding and shaking his head when he agreed or disagreed.

There are 11 games left in the Blazers' regular season. They're fighting to reach the playoffs and end the NBA's longest lottery streak. And Roy is coming off a subpar game (a loss to Philadelphia) in which he looked hurt, sluggish and so unlike himself.

It's time for a sit-down, columnist to All-Star.

First, though, we stood and I asked Roy to tell me, head to toe, how he felt.

He has a scratch on his left cheek from the fingernail of an opponent. The pinkie finger on his left hand is taped, and sprained. And his left knee, chronically sore for as long as he can remember, is "aching" lately. Also, last Saturday against Milwaukee, Roy was kicked in the calf, which he said is painful. And against the 76ers on Monday, he rolled his left ankle in the first half.

"I'm not 100 percent, but I still should be able to play through all of that," he said. "I also know if I don't play well, I know I'm hurting our chances of winning."

The Blazers can't do this without him. And if they do the unthinkable, melt down and fail to reach the playoffs, the disappointment would be catastrophic. Which is only to say, for all the growth he's demonstrated, for all the personal accomplishments he's piled up, for all the good will he's built in the community, Roy's time has officially arrived.

The opposition knows this. They're focused on trying to take him away and force someone else to try and beat them. It's why the 76ers trapped him in the overtime, forcing him to give the ball up.

Roy will tell you that he understands what it takes to win big in the NBA. Though he's never seen them play, we talked about Bill Russell and Bob Cousy on Wednesday. And we discussed the emotion and energy he saw in Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez during Monday's loss. Also, we talked about what fans say when they approach Roy in public.

Players typically report that fans tell them to shoot more or pass more. Center Joel Przybilla once told me that someone approached him and gave instruction on free-throw shooting. Steve Blake said strangers tell him to get Oden the ball more.

Roy?

"They tell me, 'Thank you for being part of the turnaround,' " he said, "because they've been here their whole lives and rooted for this team so hard."

Part of the turnaround?

Aside from a change in philosophy, caused by fan pressure, that preceded his arrival, Roy is the biggest piece of the turnaround. He's the young star who called out Zach Randolph in the locker room two years ago. He's the two-time All-Star who sets a tone by playing hurt, and hard and effectively.

So yeah, making the playoffs?

That's on Roy now.

The draft-lottery parties need to end. The futility needs to evaporate. The Blazers and their fans deserve a playoff series, even if it's one that gives Portland a date with the Lakers or San Antonio. There's always urgency for teams during the final few weeks of the season, but Roy feels even more gravity.

It's why the Blazers guard said he's started going to bed earlier than normal in the last few days (11 p.m. instead of 1 a.m.). And he's started drinking more fluids and carefully watching what he's eating. And he's asked everyone around him to be patient and allow him more quiet time and naps, even if some of that extra time is spent wrestling on the living room floor with his son, Brandon Jr., who turns three this week.

Blazers coach Nate McMillan is doing the best coaching job of his career this season. He's spending more time watching game film, and he's taken to putting together motivational highlight films for the players to watch. Also, he's picking out motivational quotes and writing them where players will see them.

McMillan went to Roy and said, "You're our leader. Where you go, the rest of us will follow."

Can he get there?

John Canzano: 503-294-5065;

JohnCanzano@aol.com

Read his blog at

oregonlive.com/canzano.

Catch him on the radio on

The Bald-Faced Truth, 3-6 p.m.

weekdays on KXTG (95.5).