by: Wayne Thompson

After opening the season with an impressive 12-6 record, the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers were beginning to think they were the team to beat in the NBA.

Except for one thing: They were 12-0 at home and 0-6 on the road. "We don't play the same way on the road as we do at home and it is ridiculous," said Coach Jack Ramsay after his team played its worst game of the season, Nov. 30, in a 115-106 road loss to lowly Milwaukee.

Following Ramsay's tongue lashing, the Blazers, subdued, went on to Indiana where they were greeted by 20-degree weather and a light snow to tell them it was December.

The Blazers responded Dec. 1 with their first road victory, nipping the Pacers, 101-100, despite blowing a 14-point halftime lead. Still, Ramsay wasn't happy. But two nights later, Dec. 3, the Blazers seemed to overcome their road jitters, crushing the Suns at Phoenix, 113-99, behind Bill Walton's 24 points and 17 rebounds and Herm Gilliam's 21 points off the bench.

This time, the critics started taking notice of the new Blazers. After that game, Curry Kirkpatrick of Sports Illustrated wrote, "Bill Walton has emerged as the best all-round basketball player in the world."

And Phoenix center Alvin Adams added, "They (the Blazers) should win the division easy."