PORTLAND, Ore. -- A single red rose was placed on the courtside seat that used to be occupied by Paul Allen, as the Portland Trail Blazers opened up a season for the first time in 30 years without their longtime owner, who died this week.
Prior to tipoff against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Allen was remembered by the Blazers' public address announcer as "the ultimate trail blazer" after summing up his extraordinary life as one of the co-founders of Microsoft with his childhood friend, Bill Gates.