http://www.sbnation.com/users/ranma Posts made by ranma on SB Nation http://www.blazersedge.com/2007/12/23/203528/97 ranma Mon, 24 Dec 2007 01:35:28 -0000 <p>I was watching some of the highlights on Rudy Fernandez earlier today, and the thing that gets shown more than anything except his shooting is his dunking off of lobs. &nbsp;He moves without the ball really well, and knows how to catch it above the rim and finish. &nbsp;So I was thinking... we don't Alley-Oop much this year, even though we have some athletic players who should be able to catch and finish a lob pass. &nbsp;Anyone remember that stretch of two or three games in which Steve Blake (who is coming from Denver, and I'm pretty sure I heard the Mikes say Denver is the #1 Alley-Oop team in the league this year) tried a bunch of different Alley-Oop lobs that failed utterly because no one was able to catch them?</p><p>Next year Rudy Fernandez presumably joins the Blazers, along with Greg Oden. &nbsp;Fernandez will be a rookie, but with Sergio on the team already and very familiar with Rudy's game, a Sergio to Rudy Alley-Oop would presumably happen regularly. &nbsp;I don't think it would take Blake that long to follow suit trying to lob to Rudy, and to Oden as well. &nbsp;Once Fernandez makes it clear how to move without the ball, catch and finish, will people like Oden, Outlaw, Webster, Aldridge, and maybe even McRoberts pick it up and make the Blazers into a dunk centric team off lobs from Sergio, Blake and Roy?</p>