<prompt> Fingqa isihloko: ULaMarcus Aldridge ukholelwa ukuthi iqembu lakhe i-Portland Trail Blazers lifunde esivivinyweni sokulahlekelwa yi-NBA play-off ngesizini eyedlule ukuze libe izimbangi ezingathi sína zomqhele we-Finals walo nyaka. Ngesizini eyedlule, iPortland yafinyelela kuma-semi-final eNhlangano Yasentshonalanga okokuqala kusukela ngo-2000 - ngaphambi kokulahlekelwa yiSan Antonio Spurs emidlalweni emihlanu. Ngokushesha phambili izinyanga ezingu-12 futhi i-Trail Blazers isilungele ukufanelekela i-play-offs yangemva kwesizini futhi. Umgadli we-Portland Trail Blazers uLaMarcus Aldridge ukholelwa ukuthi iqembu lakhe lingakwazi ukunqoba isicoco se-NBA kule sizini. Iqembu likaTerry Stotts njengamanje lisendaweni yesine esilinganisweni seWestern Conference selinqobe imidlalo engu-44 futhi lalahlekelwa imidlalo engu-25 kule sizini. Naphezu kokushaywa kabuhlungu muva nje, okuye kwabangela ukuba iPortland ilahlekelwe ngamagoli amahlanu, umdlali onamandla u-Aldridge ukholelwa ukuthi iqembu lakhe liyiqembu okumelwe libhekwe. Ngicabanga ukuthi iqembu kulo nyaka lihle ngempela. Leli qembu liye laba nokwenyuka nokwehla kwalo - ukunqoba nokulahlekelwa kuyingxenye yesizini ye-NBA, esho engxoxweni yezingcingo nabezindaba base-Asia ngoLwesibili ebusuku. Kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi sonke sikhule kusukela ngonyaka odlule. Ngithuthukile, uDame Damian Lillard uthuthukile, wonke umdlali owayekhona ohlwini lonyaka odlule uthuthukile. Sinethuba lokuwina kulo nyaka, kodwa kufanele sidlale kangcono kakhulu futhi sisebenzise isikhathi sethu esiningi lapho. U-Aldridge kwesokudla wayeyingxenye yeqembu lasePortland elalahlekelwe yiSan Antonio Spurs kuma-semi-finals ngesizini edlule. Ngicabanga ukuthi sifunde okuningi ochungechungeni lwethu lokudlala ngokumelene neSan Antonio. Sabona indlela ababeqhuba kahle ngayo, sabona indlela ababengalokothi bayeke ngayo ukudlala, indlela ababelokhu bexhunyaniswe ngayo. Babekhathalela kakhulu izinto ababezenza nokuthi babedlala kanzima kangakanani. Zazivele zivalelwe ngaphakathi. Ngicabanga ukuthi sabona ukuthi sasingekho ezingeni elifanayo ngonyaka odlule kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi wonke umdlali uyaqonda ukuthi yini edingekayo ukuze unqobe futhi sabona ukuthi basishaya kanjani eduze nangomuntu siqu. Ngakho ngicabanga ukuthi siyakuqonda. Ngicabanga ukuthi leli qembu cishe lingcono kancane kunonyaka odlule uma kuqhathaniswa nokuhlangenwe nakho, kusukela kubafana ebesinabo kuleyo...  <response>: I-Portland Trail Blazers okwamanje ihleli endaweni yesine eWestern Conference. IPortland yafinyelela kuma-semi-final okokuqala kusukela ngo-2000, ngesizini edlule. ULaMarcus Aldridge ujabulela isizini ephawulekayo enamaphuzu aphezulu kakhulu. 