on Tuesday, a big Trail Blazers win thanks to the calculated resting of San Antonio stars Tim Duncan and Tony Parker by coach Gregg Popovich and the suddenly hot shooting of Portland guards Jamal Crawford and Raymond Felton.

But behind the scenes, another game was being played Tuesday, and it was quite the nail-biter for Blazers management.

The game is the competition for the services of free agent center Joel Przybilla.

According to agent Bill Duffy, who spent halftime sitting courtside with team president Larry Miller, Przybilla is expected to make a decision Wednesday between signing with Miami, Chicago, Milwaukee or Portland ... or remaining idle at his home in Milwaukee, where he is an All-Star father to his two sons.

"I think Portland is always the sentimental favorite for obvious reasons," Duffy said. "Joel has a home here and he had the best years of his career here. And at this particular time, it looks like he is needed, too."

The Blazers have made an offer to the 32-year-old center for the remainder of the season. Now they are waiting. Hoping. Wondering.

"Joel knows how we feel about him," said Chad Buchanan, the team's acting general manager, and one of Przybilla's close friends. "And we are always looking for ways to improve our team."

Przybilla is not the missing piece to a championship, or even home court advantage in the playoffs. But right about now, he feels like just the breath of fresh air, and the old-school toughness, this team needs as it heads into the All-Star Break and prepares for the second half of the season.

This has not been a fun season. Not for the fans. Not for coach Nate McMillan. And not for the guys in the locker room. I have seen very few smiles. Only a smattering of jokes. And mostly, we've all seen some pretty uninspiring basketball.

Przybilla feels like an emotional lift. And more than anything, he feels like some much-needed depth and grit for this team.

Besides the play at point guard, the team has three glaring weaknesses: rebounding, interior defense, and setting screens to get people open. That's exactly what the 7-foot-1 Przybilla does.

The question here is whether Przybilla wants to return. Last season was a tough one for him. His right knee, which endured two ruptured patella tendons in the span of three months, wasn't fully recovered, causing him to limp around the court. Then he was traded by the Blazers to Charlotte in February, after which he shut his season down on March 7 after playing five games for the Bobcats.

When the lockout ended in December, Blazers athletic trainer Jay Jensen was on Przybilla's doorstep in Milwaukee within the first hour the NBA allowed. Later, phone calls from Milwaukee and Chicago followed. But Przybilla stonewalled all the inquiries, deciding he wanted to enjoy Christmas and New Years with his family.

After the holidays, he found taking the kids to school and watching his beloved Green Bay Packers on Sundays was more fun than morning shootarounds and 3 a.m. arrivals in Oklahoma City.

But then, I got a text message from Przybilla on Jan. 14. It said, "I'm starting to miss it."

I asked him if he was in shape.

"Very close," he wrote.

On Tuesday, it sounds as if Przybilla still misses it.

"There is some optimism," Duffy, his agent, said. "He is strongly, strongly considering."

There are some loose ends. If Przybilla does pick Portland, Duffy said his signing would be contingent upon him passing a physical. But in December, Przybilla said his knees and back feel better than they have in years. Also, the Blazers have the NBA maximum 15 players on their roster. If they sign Przybilla, the Blazers would have to waive a player, most likely second-year guard Armon Johnson.

So yeah, it was a laugher here Tuesday, Portland beating the Spurs 137-97. But the game-behind-the-game was nerve wracking. The Blazers are hovering around the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. And it feels like change is needed. It may not be the big change this team needs to become a factor -- like an upgrade at point guard -- but it could be a change that improves the team.

"Everybody here knows Joel," Miller said. "So we know what he brings to the table: toughness, rebounding, defense ... and the fans here love Joel. So he would be a great addition to our team."

So the All-Star Break is here. But the game continues. The next move is yours Joel.

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