Seven games. Seven motherf—-ing games. Who would’ve thought? Not me. And not you either! Shit, I doubt even Miss Cleo had the line on this one .

But seven is old news. Eight is the new seven, Blazers are staring it right in the face. Their obstacle? Chris Paul and the speedy New Orleans Hornets.

So here we go. Few minutes before tip-off and the two teams are shooting around. Surprisingly enough, LaMarcus Aldridge is in uniform and taking warm up shots. After sitting out a few games coach McMillan said LaMarcus would most likely not see any action tonight... we'll keep you posted.

A few more notes:

Most Vegas betting lines have the Hornets -1 (which, for you non-gambling types, means the Hornets are favored to win by a single point). To me, -1 looks pretty nice. It means that New Orleans, one of the most underrated teams in the league, are only getting an inch. Wow. Gotta love that -- actual respect.

A win tonight would give the Blazers their first winning month in three years.

Eight straight would be their longest streak since 2002.

So here we are, staring down eight. I can't believe it. I can't believe I'm actually writing with actual hope and anticipation.

You see, I'm not Ezra (who has been holding down the Blazer blogs thus far). I'm Andrew R Tonry, and for the last two years I covered the Blazers for the Blazers. I did Blogs, stories, recaps... all of it. So there you go. And here we go.

First Quarter - Boggled tip, which is just mindlessly stupid. No Aldridge to start...

10:50 - Tyson Chandler and Joel Przybilla do not like each other. Joel's already been whistled once while Chandler's complaining and delivering cheap shots. One caught Joel in the nose. It's on. And my money's on Joel (with all that ultimate fighter training he's been doing, he's bound to lay it down).

8:45 - Jesus Christ. Mo Peterson has got the gnarliest tattoo on his right shoulder -- a big flaming skull with one eye gauged out. 6 all.

5:54 - Real scrappy ball so far. Tough to say who that benefits, but it certainly does no good for the fans, who are in pretty good numbers for a Monday night. But as things stand, this certainly aint no sellout. And if the game continues at this grinding pace the home court advantage is diminished. Channing Frye picked up three fouls somehow. Don't ask me how. All I can tell you is that it wasn't fair. 8-10, Hornets.

3:51 - The Blazers have begun in a serious funk. Something's just not right. They're looking nothing like a confident team on a seven-game streak. Let's use a boxing analogy: they've been popped in the nose. Not a knockout, but they're seeing stars as a result of the Hornets rough, chippy play. Will they shake it off?

3:10 - Holy Shit. Martell Webster with a MASSIVE tomahawk on the break. Hot damn. There's a shot in the Rose Garden arm to get that adrenaline pumping again. Nice dunk, but now dude's up on the Big Screen singing -- and let me tell you, dude can not sing.

0:00 - Jarrett Jack floats one in right before the buzzer and we're all tied up at 20. That's right, 20. It was one stilted, foul-plagued, UG-LY quarter. Here's hoping things open up a little bit, and here's to Blaze the Trail Cat blowing out an ankle during the now requisite Soulja Boy dance (worst song of the year/decade/ever anyone?)

Second Quarter

10:30 - Joel Przybilla... no, strike that, RAEF LAFRENTZ blocks a dunk attempt. I know. I'm as surprised as you are. The old dude just got a hand on the way to the bench. Wow. (An aside: last year, when I asked Raef what music he listened to he told me he pretty much is over listening to music)

9:05 - Travis makes up for a lapse on the defensive glass with a nice assist to Joel for a dunk inside.

7:20 - James Jones.... misses for three. Don't hear that much do you? Well, 60% three-point shooting couldn't last forever. But there's something about Jones' hot streak that worries me a bit: I think it might have crushed Martell Webster's confidence again. I mean, I know dude is only 21, but his mind is about as fragile as a faberge egg. New Orleans up by 3.

5:44 - James Jones... FOR three. All tied at 29.

3:19 - LaFrentz just showed off a few his old man bones. Two point blank -- although contested -- layups and two straight bricks. He must be tired after pulling down eight (!) boards so far. And despite the Blazers squalid offensive play, the Hornets aren't looking much better. Paul hasn't looked anything like the fluid, dynamic point guard that outplayed Steve Nash two nights ago.

1:45 - Tyson Chandler is a cry baby and he sucks. OK, he can rebound. And throw elbows. But that's about it. Somehow, the crying just paid off. He just ran down Raef and was given the ball back. Boooo referee Violet Palmer. Boooo... Roy runs the baseline on the other end after a Hornets miss and dunks with the left hand. Dig it. Another miss and the Blazers are down two. Will hold for last shot. Roy at the top, one-on-one. Drives. Kicks to a wide open Webster for three... crowd ready to go wild... and he air-balls it. Collective sigh. Damn. at the half it's Portland 37, New Orleans 39.

I'm going for coffee, which I think both teams and all three referees should also do. The pace of this game needs a serious kick in the nuts.

Halftime - Modest Mouse's "We Know Everything" is playing on the PA. Not bad. Also, for someone who's been following the band since way back, very strange. But that's a different kind of strange than the time they played "I want to be Sedated" in here. Still, gotta wonder if they're playing MM because of the hometown connection or just because?

Third Quarter

8:00 - Things are still chippy, the whistles are still blowing, and this game is still puttering along. These teams are looking really adversarial. Not in that, I just want to win way, but in the I want to win because I knocked your teeth out. The only problem is, while the shots (to the mouth) are landing, the shots (to the hoop) aren't. Portland 42, New Orleans 47.

7:10 - Blake Beats the Buzzer. Nice little floater swishes home right as the shot clock expires. A Hornets miss and a Roy bucket brings the Blazers back within one.

4:53 - Przybilla jams. Beautiful dish from Martell. six-straight Blazer points. Crowd is now rampaging like Frankenstein after the storm. Mo Pete scores, but on the other end it's a Steve Blake three. Another stop and Brandon Roy gets into the paint for two more. 11-2 run by the Blazers and they're up, 53-49. Hornets call timeout.

3:49 - Oh my God, Violet! Ms. Violet Palmer, what the hell was that!?! David West checks Travis Outlaw to the ground and you give him two free throws? This crowd is irate. So am I. And shit, even Paul Allen is out of his seat, flailing his arms, yelling for her to take it back... No dice. After the free throws Blazers ahead by one... that is... until Travis breaks to the basket for a two-handed jam. This team -- and this crowd -- can smell that eighth victory now. It's not far. And what's this? Martell fouled from three! Three free throws coming up after the timeout. Portland 57, New Orleans 54.

1:10 - Hornets answer. But, oh my god, from the corner, Martell drains a three and is fouled! But misses the free throw... sonnofa... David West on the other end and the Hornets down only two.

0:00 - At the end of the third the Blazers are up, 64-60. And while this is still anybody's game, Portland, despite playing the second game of a back-to-back, seems to have a little extra pep in their step. Got to be that home crowd.

Fourth Quarter

9:06 - Hey Chris Paul, the basket's over there. Airball, Sucker. And it's Roy from the corner at the shot clock buzzer and it's nothing but net. Hot damn. Bobby Jackson bricks on from the other end and the Blazers recover. Crucial coming minutes. Oh wow. Jack gets bulled over, checked if you will, and while he's lying there, shaken up, he's whistled for three-in-the-key. That was a strange, strange, stupid fucking call. Timout. Portland 71, New Orleans 66.

4:39 - Momentum. The Blazers have it. Not out of the woods yet, but looking like they know their way. Portland up seven. Jarrett Jack is headed to the line for two after this timeout and mandatory t-shirt toss (all of which will likely end up at Goodwill before weeks end). 73-66, Portland.

4:15 - Nevermind about those free throws. I was wrong. But hell, it worked out for the better. Jack nails a three from the corner and the Blazers are up ten..... oooohhhh boy. Eight....?

3:03 - Roy scores (but man was he lucky because Joel's basket interference was miraculously not called). Wicked put-back slam by Chandler for the Hornets but on the other end Roy answers.

2:03 - Alright. The Hornets are unraveling. Mo Petereson picks up two Really stupid technicals and gets thrown out. Pretty much like sticking a knife into your own gut. Another stop or two ought to do it. Portland 80, New Orleans 71 with two Blazer free throws to come.

1:10 - Joel grabs a big offensive board and wisely kicks it out. That should do it. People are headed for the exits. But what the hell is that? Where, on this Monday night, do you have to be that's better than celebrating the eighth-straight win? It's insane. These people are stupid and should have to forfeit their tickets to the true fans in the upper decks, who, I might add, aren't headed out.

0:00 - That's it. Goddamn. Blazers win. Eight Straight. 88-76. Check back in a bit for postgame remarks.

Hot Damn.

Postgame - The mood in the locker room wasn't exactly what I expected. It was upbeat, to be sure, but it wasn't crazy and it wasn't a party. It was business pretty much as usual. A bit strange since the Blazers have posted their best month and longest streak in years.

The same thing went for coach McMillan. He's feeling good, but says there's not a part of him that's ecstatic. He's mindful of how quick these things turn around, and seems to be taking things one step at a time, as not to get ahead of himself or the team.

And that sounds pretty good to me.

Well, now it's on towards nine...