Crazy Rebel(l)s
Thema drucken
09.01.2019 02:29
|
PORTLAND, Ore. -- For a second consecutive game, the Portland Trail Blazers wiped out a poor first-half performance with a big rally after the break. For the time being, Blazers coach Terry Stotts is all right with that formula. LaMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and 13 rebounds Saturday night as the Portland Trail Blazers handed the Boston Celtics their eighth straight loss, 112-104. "I like being a second half team. Given the choice Id rather be a second half team," Stotts said. "But were still a work in progress. Theres room for improvement (and) we arent a finished product. Weve got to continue to grow incrementally." Earlier this week, Portland trailed Orlando by six points at halftime then outscored the Magic 65-43 to pull away for the win. Boston was Portlands fifth consecutive opponent with a losing record. The Blazers are only 3-2 during this stretch, and in all but one game they struggled during the first half. "Playing teams with a lesser record is apparently tough for us to get up for, but in the end its good to get a win," Stotts said. Wesley Matthews scored 18 points and Nicolas Batum had 16 for Portland. Damian Lillard and Robin Lopez each had 15 points. Lopez also had 13 rebounds. "Its been a trend like this for the last month. Were getting every teams best shot, so we have to act accordingly," Matthews said. "We have the record of an elite team and we have to act that way." The win kept Portland tied for first place with Oklahoma City in the Northwest Division. The Celtics have lost their past three games to the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Portland, all by single digits. "Youve got a shot to win against three contenders for the west but, at the same time, those droughts are killing us," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "I think we can get better in those. But Im trying to figure what it is because were really playing at such a high level the whole rest of the time. Thats the encouraging part." Avery Bradley led Boston (13-25) with 25 points. The Celtics, who have lost 11 of 12, shot 62 per cent during the first half, but only 34 per cent after halftime. Jared Sullinger had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Boston. Sullinger scored 26 points when the two teams played at Boston in November. Portland took control during the third quarter, when the Blazers took their first lead of the game. The 32-point quarter included a run of 13 consecutive points that staked Portland to a 77-68 lead. The Trail Blazers led by as many as 13 points midway through the fourth quarter, then held off a late Celtics run to win their second consecutive game. Despite playing its fourth game in five days, Boston started strongly, hitting 14 of 20 shots during the first quarter to take a 32-27 lead. Bradley hit 6 of 7 shots and scored 13 points during the opening period. Portland kept close with Boston by hitting six 3-pointers during the first 14 minutes. The Celtics built their lead to double digits at 51-41, then Aldridge made two baskets during the Blazers run of eight consecutive points, paring the deficit to two points. Boston led 60-58 at halftime. NOTES: Blazers owner Paul Allen took in a doubleheader Saturday, attending the Seahawks NFC divisional playoff game against New Orleans in Seattle during the afternoon, followed by the Blazers game in the evening. Allen owns the Seahawks and Blazers. .. Boston is the only team with a winning record in Portland at 27-25. ... The Blazers play Cleveland at home Wednesday, then tackle their toughest road trip of the season, with games at San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Oklahoma City. ... Blazers guard C.J. McCullum, the 10th pick of last Junes draft, connected on his first NBA career 3-pointer late in the first quarter. Cheap Air Max 97 Nz Shoes . - Maxence Parrot of Bromont, Que. Air Max 97 Nz Cheap .com) - Delon Wright scored 17 points and No. http://www.cheapairmax97nz.com/ . The team reported the signing on its website Thursday, but said Friday the deal was off in "a mutual parting of the ways that had to do with the language of the contract. Cheap Air Max 97 Nz . Austin Watson, Scott Ford, Filip Forsberg and Mark Van Guilder had the other goals for the Admirals (30-21-12). Scott Darling made 30 saves for his 10th win of the season. Cheap Air Max 97 Nz Online .m. on Friday. Granger was acquired from the Indiana Pacers last Thursday for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen, but never played a minute for Philadelphia. The 76ers also received a 2015 second-round draft pick in the deal. MIAMI -- LeBron James went first. Dwyane Wade followed a few days later. And now Chris Bosh has made it a clean sweep. The Big 3, for now anyway, are free. And Pat Riley will soon have the chance to make the Miami Heat even better. Bosh told the Heat on Sunday that he, like James and Wade, will be exercising the early termination option in his contract and forgoing the final two years on his Miami deal -- making him a free agent. The move was not unexpected, and gives the Heat a gigantic amount of financial flexibility to shop with when the free-agent window officially opens at midnight Tuesday. Boshs decision was the last domino that the Heat needed to fall in order to free up the biggest amount of money possible heading into free agency. "Chris is one of the most versatile and dynamic big men in this league, and he has been an instrumental key to our championship success over the last four seasons," Riley, the Heat president, said in a statement released by the team. "We look forward to meeting with Chris and his agent in the coming days to discuss keeping him in Miami for many years to come." Riley expressed similar sentiments when James opted out Tuesday and Wade exercised his option Saturday. "I like it here," Bosh, who averaged 16.2 points this past season, told The Associated Press this month. "Its Miami. Enough said. People are dying to get here." Like James, Bosh could have made $20,590,000 this coming season, and $22,112,500 in the 2015-16 season. Wade was due to make slightly less in each of those years, but between those three and Udonis Haslem -- who did not exercise a player option to make $4.6 million next season -- thats about $66 million in salary that Miami could have been locked in to paying if these decisions went another way. Instead, the thinking seems to be that inn order for the Heat to get better, players knew they needed to give Riley room to work.dddddddddddd "Being able to have flexibility as a professional, anyone, thats what we all would like," James said earlier this off-season, shortly after the finals. All three will be free to sign elsewhere, but theres no indication yet that theyll even look at other clubs -- and if they agree to new deals with the Heat, the team would almost certainly have more than enough financial freedom to upgrade a team that has been to the NBA Finals in each of the last four seasons, winning two championships. With the NBAs salary cap expected to be somewhere around $63.2 million for next season, the Heat will have tons of spending power -- though much of that, they hope, will go right back to keeping James, Wade and Bosh together. The luxury tax threshold should be around $77 million next season, and perhaps up to $81 million for the following year. Reserve guard Norris Cole has a guaranteed contract for just over $2 million for next season, and little-used centre Justin Hamilton has a partially guaranteed deal that could wind up being worth $816,000. Everyone else from the team that lost to San Antonio in five games in this seasons finals either will be a free agent, or in Shane Battiers case, has retired. Among other key Heat free agents: Ray Allen has indicated he would think about returning, point guard Mario Chalmers is expected to listen to other teams but said late in the season that he enjoys Miami, and forward Chris Andersen said hes prepared to play the waiting game. Andersen said last week that he expects to hear what James, Wade and Bosh will do before Miami makes any decisions regarding the filling out of the roster. "You know how it goes, man," Andersen said. "Big money goes first." China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' ' |
|
Antworten
