OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Portland Trail Blazers have apparently pinpointed the source of their downfall last season -- composure.

While that hardly comes as a revelation to the rest of the basketball world, it's a tenuous step in the right direction. It is just possible the Blazers are finally on track to realizing their considerable potential.

Make no mistake, though -- that is one potholed and rutted and switchback-filled track.

	Rasheed Wallace? A calming influence? He has been so far in preseason.

Nevertheless, the Portland epiphany deserves at least a golf clap. "We know that's why we lost last year," shooting guard Derek Anderson said. "We won 40 games because we're talented, nine because we kept our composure. We're thinking, 'If we had been composed for 10 more, where would we have been?' "

Well, 59 wins would've made them the second, rather than sixth, seed in the West, thereby avoiding a first-round showdown with their biggest bogeyman, the Lakers, who have bounced them from the playoffs three years in a row beginning with Portland's unforgettable Game 7 fourth-quarter collapse in the 2000 conference finals. The 2001 first-round sweep actually could've been more embarrassing, since it involved behind-doors squabbling.

"I think there was still some hangover from the year before at the start of the season," center Chris Dudley said. "But toward the end of last season you could see that wear off and guys enjoyed playing together. And I think we're ready to continue that."

Coach Maurice Cheeks had three items on his training-camp agenda: improve ball movement, stop the technical-drawing arguments with officials and pressure the ball full-court. Pressuring the ball, aside from the obvious defensive benefits, also allows him to play a deeper rotation, thereby keeping more players happy.

"We all can score 20," Anderson said. "Seeing who's hot and making it their night, that's being a team."

The Blazers started the exhibition season with a slew of injuries -- Scottie Pippen, Dale Davis and Arvydas Sabonis were all out recently -- and coach Maurice Cheeks still has to juggle players and minutes. One reason is that he has players that are either nearly identical or are best kept apart. Aside from cornering the market on scoring point guards -- Damon Stoudamire, Antonio Daniels, Jeff McInnis -- general manager Bob Whitsitt has reunited the combustible Tar Heel combo of Rasheed Wallace and McInnis and less-than-chummy ex-Spurs Anderson and Daniels. There's also the towel-throwing incident between 'Sheed and the unretired Sabonis. Ruben Patterson, Pippen and Wells are all best suited as small forwards and all are sure not to take limited minutes quietly.

Sometimes Whitsitt comes off as the Rodeo Drive matron who buys a Kate Spade purse in every color and then asks her valet to find something in the closet that matches.

Cheeks is making the most of what he has by starting Stoudamire and Anderson and bringing Daniels and McInnis in together off the bench. He'd like to be more free-wheeling with his lineups but accepts that what looks good on paper could be the kindling that starts an inferno.

	If there's reason to believe the Blazers can be a threat in the West, it's the relationship between Cheeks and Wallace.

"I've got to sell being flexible to some players," he said. "It's just not that easy to do."

As if he's going to have someone grumpy about being on the bench. The Blazers were most effective last year when Pippen orchestrated the offense and Stoudamire played as more of a shooting guard. If they return to that setup, McInnis or Wells or Daniels or Patterson could find it hard getting time.

If there's reason to believe the Blazers can be a threat in the West, it's the relationship between Cheeks and Wallace. One assistant coach suggested Rasheed uncharacteristically dominated the ball to score 11 fourth-quarter points expressly to save Cheeks the embarrassment of losing to the Warriors after leading by 18 recently. Wallace also did nothing more than stare at the officials once or twice the entire night, even though the Warriors got extremely physical with him at times. It's only the exhibition season, but Wallace had fun rather than get upset with the Golden State crowd heckling him.

If there's a reason to believe they're a four-game losing streak away from imploding, it's Bonzi Wells. He had the team's first exhibition technical and deserved another for waving his finger in rookie Mike Dunleavy's face as he threatened him. While 'Sheed appears to be settling down, Bonzi might be headed the other direction.

"Players change a little bit," says Cheeks. "But only a little bit."

Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.