LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping theyve put all the bad habits behind them with the playoffs on the horizon. And with a healthy LaMarcus Aldridge providing his usual numbers, they are confident that they can make some noise in the post-season with or without home-court advantage. Damian Lillard scored 34 points, Aldridge had 31 points and 15 rebounds, and the Blazers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 124-112 Tuesday night. "We had a rough stretch, but now weve kind of picked it back up and were going in the right direction at the perfect time," Lillard said. "Now that were close to the post-season, we want to have that rhythm going into the playoffs because thats what we play the regular season for." The Blazers fourth straight win, coupled with Houstons loss at Brooklyn, moved Portland within 1 1/2 games of the Rockets for fourth place in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. The Rockets have three games in hand. The Blazers have six games left on their schedule, five of them at home. One more win will give them their 12th 50-win season in the franchises 44-year history. But the last four times the team won 50 or more games, they didnt make it past the first round of the post-season. "We dont have a lot of control over that. Right now, its about winning every game and gearing up for the playoffs," coach Terry Stotts said. "Its that mindset thats the most important thing. Whatever happens with the seedings and all that I mean, we havent even clinched a playoff spot yet." Nick Young, the fifth and last player off the Los Angeles bench, made his first eight shots and finished 15 for 26 with a season-high 40 points. But it wasnt enough to prevent the Lakers 10th defeat in 14 games. They slipped to 25-49 the most losses by the club since finishing 33-49 in 1993-94. The franchise hasnt lost 50 games in a season since 1974-75 (30-52). "I didnt know I made my first eight shots," Young said. "I just got into a zone. I got into a rhythm kind of fast." Youngs point total was the highest off the bench by any player in the league this season, surpassing the 37 Jamal Crawford had for the Clippers on Jan. 25 at Toronto. Youngs high-point game in the NBA was 43, for the Washington Wizards against Sacramento on Jan. 11, 2011. "Nick Young had a lot of easy shots in the first half," Aldridge said. "Hes a great scorer, so hes going to score. But we did a better job in the second half of making his shots harder." Aldridge, playing his fourth game after missing the previous seven because of a bruised lower back, hit a 13-footer to cap an 18-9 run that extended Portlands two-point halftime margin to 81-70 at the midway mark of the third quarter. Young kept the Lakers within striking distance with his 3-point shooting, draining one with 10:47 left in the game to pull them within 93-86. But Lillard responded with a pair of 3-pointers 28 seconds apart to extend Portlands margin to 13 points, and Los Angeles got no closer than nine the rest of the way. "Coming in, we felt this could be a trap game against a team thats not in the playoff race. But we knew coming in that they were a dangerous team," Lillard said. The Lakers were bolstered by the return of Xavier Henry and two-time MVP Steve Nash, who played in only his 13th game of the season and came off the bench for just the third time in his 18-year career. Nash, who turned 40 on Feb. 7, had 10 points and 10 assists in 22 minutes. The eight-time All-Star has been plagued most of the season by nerve root irritation following his comeback from a broken left leg, which led to issues with his back, hip and hamstrings. NOTES: Lillard became the first player in Trail Blazers history to make 200 3-pointers in a season when he connected with 8:07 left in the first quarter. Wesley Matthews is close behind him with 186. ... The Lakers played before their eighth non-sellout crowd. Before this season, they had sold out every home game since Dec. 6, 2006. ... Portland C Meyers Leonard was ejected after his flagrant 2 foul on Kendall Marshall with 39.9 seconds to play. ... Portland C Robin Lopez had 10 points and 10 rebounds on his 26th birthday. Karl Klug Jersey Black Friday . In one emphatic finish, NaVorro Bowman, Colin Kaepernick and the Niners sealed their post-season berth in a ceremonious regular-season farewell for Candlestick Park. Bowman returned an interception 89 yards for a touchdown with 1:10 remaining, and the 49ers clinched a playoff spot with a wild 34-24 victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in the likely final game at The Stick. Custom Tennessee Titans Jersey Cyber Monday .com) - It should be a wild scene in Pittsburgh on Sunday when the National League Division Series shifts to PNC Park for a pivotal Game 3 between the Pirates and St. http://www.titansfanaticsgear.com/nike-byron-bell-navy-blue-jersey/ . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Justin Hunter Jersey Black Friday .C. -- Coach Mike Krzyzewski is out of the hospital and at practice with No. Earl Campbell Jersey Black Friday . Here are some of the best from Week Three and players to watch for Week Four: TOP PERFORMERS Andrew Harris, RB, British Columbia (203 YDS, 1 TD, 23 touches at Saskatchewan) - 27-year-old Canadian runner had compiled 3341 yards and 22 touchdowns from scrimmage over the previous two seasons and he burst through with a monster game against the Roughriders last week.DALLAS -- Kenny Hill thrilled for only one half, speedy receiver Jeremy Tabuyo turned two short passes near the sideline into long touchdowns, and sixth-ranked Texas A&M had a nice warmup in North Texas. The Aggies return to the area next week isnt likely to be as easy as their 58-6 victory Saturday against SMU, which was playing its home opener after coach June Jones resigned. "Well know a lot more about us next week," coach Kevin Sumlin said. "Well see next week. Big-time atmosphere." Texas A&M is 4-0 for the first time since 2006 after Hill accounted for 322 yards of offence and a 38-3 halftime lead in the first of consecutive games by the Aggies in the Dallas area. Next Saturday, they will play about 25 miles west in Arlington, Texas, for a neutral-site SEC game against Arkansas at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, where the national championship game will be played in January. Among the positives from the SMU game for Sumlin: "Getting through the game without some starters, keeping them fresh." SMU (0-3) played for the first time since Jones resigned Sept. 8, two days after the second game of his seventh season on The Hilltop. SMUs only score those first two weeks came on what turned out to be his final play as coach, a 33-yard touchdown pass in a 43-6 loss at North Texas. In defensive co-ordinator Tom Masons first game as interim head coach, the Mustangs managed only two field goals by Cody Rademacher (29 and 37 yards), had 241 total yards while giving up eight sacks and used their fourth quarterback already this season. "Ive got to get these kids back and get them confident," Mason said. "Weve got some good kids. I think these kids will respond." Garrett Krstich, the junior quarterback who replaced ineffective first-time starter Kolney Cassel in the second quarter, felt as though the Mustangs got a little better. But he knows they must "get a lot better to compete." Hill, the sensational sophomore who succeeded 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel as Texas A&Ms starter, completed 16 of 22 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns and his first career interception. He alsoo ran for 57 yards -- a big 58-yard play and a 1-yard loss.dddddddddddd The first touchdown pass for Hill came on a short pass that Tabuyo caught near the sideline. He managed to stay in bounds before weaving through defenders, including two that ran into each other after he got by for a 30-yard score. On his only other catch of the game, Tabuyo turned a short pass from freshman quarterback Kyle Allen into a 50-yard score in the third quarter. The sophomore from Honolulu again caught the ball along the right sideline near defenders before breaking free. "Jeremy, hell be in my office Monday morning, wanting to start," Sumlin said. "Two catches, what did you have, 80 yards and two touchdowns? Kind of hard to argue with him." Trey Williams had a pair of touchdown runs (8 and 5 yards) in the first half, and Brandon Williams added a 10-yard score for the Aggies, who had 663 total yards. Allen finished 8-of-15 passing for 130 yards. There was also a nice save by a Texas A&M cadet late in the first half after SMU receiver Derrikk Thompson was bumped on an incomplete pass near the sideline, and his momentum sent him toward Reveille VIII, the Aggies live mascot. But a cadet stepped in front of the collie and kept Thompson from running into her. Hill threw an interception on Texas A&Ms second possession, his first in 150 career attempts -- 128 this season. "It was a miscommunication, mostly on my part," Hill said. The Mustangs then went three-and-out, and on the next drive Hill turned a broken play into a big run. Hill followed Williams through a hole and broke several tackles for a 58-yard gain, setting up Williams 8-yard TD run. SMU starter Neal Burchams season ended after he injured his right elbow in the last game. Cassel started Saturday and was 1 for 5 for 2 yards with three sacks before going to the bench. Krstich was then sacked five times while completing 13 of 24 passes for 137 yards. "Thats not the kind of performance we want to display. I think we got a little better today. We did move the ball a little bit," Krstich said. "Were excited moving forward. Dont count us out." wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
เข้าชม : 78
|
