Wesley Matthews hopes Blazers go deeper in postseason

Wesley Matthews (R) hopes that he, Robin Lopez,
and the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers will win
it all in the now tougher Western Conference.
NBA Philippines

By Ivan Saldajeno

Wesley Matthews hopes that his Portland Trail Blazers could go longer in the upcoming NBA season against what he thinks is a now better Western Conference.

"I hope so," Matthews said when asked by Dugout about going for a long playoff run during a training camp sponsored by NBA Philippines at the Gatorade Hoops Center.

He also vowed that his team will play harder next season to have a deeper run in the postseason.

"We're gonna get better today as the West got better," Matthews said.

The Blazers, led by Matthews, Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Robin Lopez, made waves after eliminating the heavily-favored Houston Rockets in six games in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Matthews averaged 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per ballgame on a 39.3% clip from beyond the arc and an 83.7% free throw percentage last season.

Matthews and Lopez are currently in the country together with former NBA player and coach Avery Johnson, the Laker Girls, and Rocky the Mountain Lion for a series of events organized by NBA Philippines.

Meanwhile, the son of former PBA import Wesley Sr. finds his experience in the Philippines worthwhile so far.

"It's good [being here in the Philippines]," Wesley Jr. said while also discussing about his dad's time in the country.

He added, "I know how Filipinos love basketball as my dad told me stories about his experience playing here."

Asked if there is a change in the level of how the Filipinos love the game from the time his dad was here playing for Ginebra in 1991 and in the present, Matthews replied, "It's the same. The passion for the game remained."

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