Over and over and over again during the weeks immediately following the season-ending injury to Wesley Matthews, you heard it repeated by local Portland pundits and national media figures alike - Matthews had been the "heart and soul" of the Blazers. It was an odd thing to hear because, let's be honest, those words had rarely been attached to Matthews in the time previous to the torn Achilles he suffered in that fateful Mavericks game on March 5. Suddenly, post-injury, you heard it every day.
On one hand, good. Matthews deserved every bit of praise he received and then some.