Steve Blake's time with the Milwaukee Bucks was short, but it's fair to say his time here left a lasting impression.
Traded to Milwaukee prior to the 2006-07 season, the former University of Maryland sharpshooter struggled to find his shot -- and playing time -- under then-coach Terry Stotts.
In 33 games, Blake averaged just 3.6 points per game (120 total) and hit just 27 percent of his three-point attempts (45-for-129). He quickly found himself in Stotts' doghouse and wound up being traded to Denver for minute guard Earl Boykins.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Blake, now playing for Portland, was especially pleased with his 21-point effort in the Blazers' 96-84 victory over the stumbling Bucks Saturday night at the Bradley Center.
"The last time I was here, the Milwaukee fans booed me," Blake said. "I wanted to make up for that."
Make up for it he did. Showing the Bucks what they missed out on, Blake tied a season-high with six three-pointers and dished out six assists. Making the performance more impressive; Blake did most of his damage in the second half after going just 1 for 7 from the field in the first 24 minutes.
"I was frustrated ... but I just stayed confident," Blake said. "When you're missing shots you can put your head down or you can keep playing hard. So I did (kept playing hard)."
Beating Milwaukee was a big deal for Blake, who was fired up for the game from the moment he stepped on the team charter following Portland's 97-92 overtime loss Thursday night in Cleveland.
"When we got here, I made sure everybody knew we had to kick their ass," Blake said.
Joel Pryzbilla, a current teammate and another former Buck, said his teammates got the message and was happy to see Blake play well. He also understood the motivation.
"He had a stint here and he didn't like it to well," said Pryzbilla, who still has an off-season home in the Milwaukee area. "He played well. He came out with a fire and we needed it."
Blake has forged some solid numbers since leaving town, averaging 7.5 points and 4.2 assists in 406 games since being dealt away. This season, he's fourth on the Portland roster with 11.1 points per game and leads the team with five assists per game, while playing an average of 31 minutes each night.
