The Blazers, the youngest playoff team in ten years, hope to grow up while also contending this spring.

Portland coach Nate McMillan said that he gave his team a light day on Thursday, and that they will begin preparing for the Rockets on Friday.

"What we've done the last month ? how we've prepared for the game and our approach ? it really doesn't change much. We know that Houston is a really solid team and it's going to be a tough matchup and style of play out on the floor," said McMillan.

Nuggets coach George Karl, who saw the Blazers firsthand on Wednesday night, doesn't think the team's age is a huge factor.

"What team has an established playoff record?" Karl said.

"You want to give Houston that? You want to give New Orleans that? I think both have had one year of success. I think the personality of the playoffs is yet to be determined and will be defined somewhere in the first round. Then, somewhere in the second round you'll see a team grow old. It happens all the time.

"There are a lot of people that grow up on the job in the playoffs," Karl added.