McDonald: Blazers Break Spurs' Spell

[duncan228]

Blazers break Spurs' spell (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Blazers_break_Spurs_spell.html)
By Jeff McDonald

PORTLAND, Ore. — They came dressed as John McCain, Barack Obama, Mr. T, and, in a nod to the home team's bygone Jail Blazers era, Darth Vader.

Ghouls, goblins, presidential candidates and other ne'er-do-wells packed the Rose Garden on Friday night, all in hopes of seeing another super freak go trick-or-treating. Greg Oden, however, disappointed the home crowd by showing up dressed as the world's tallest accountant.

Fortunately for Portland, unfortunately for the Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge came dressed as David Robinson, circa 1995. Brandon Roy came dressed as his All-Star self.

That was all the Trail Blazers needed to take a 100-99 home-opening victory on Halloween night, and send the Spurs to 0-2.

Roy scored 26 points, Aldridge had 23 — including a key 3-pointer and a top-of-the-key jumper in the fourth quarter — as the Blazers snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Spurs.

Just as they did in a 103-98 loss to Phoenix to start the season, the Spurs took the game down to the wire. This time, a wild fourth quarter ended with Michael Finley's potential game-winning jumper from seven feet skidding off the rim.

“We'll take that shot any day of the week,” Tim Duncan said. “It's a different locker room, it's a different game if we just hit a 7-foot bunny.”

For the second game in a row, the Spurs wasted primetime performances from Duncan and Tony Parker. Duncan had 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Parker totaled 24 points and 11 assists.

The prime draw for the Blazers was supposed to be Oden, the top overall pick in the 2007 draft who missed all of last season after knee surgery. Oden, however, did not play Friday after suffering a sprained foot in Portland's season-opening loss to the Lakers.

On Friday, the Blazers (1-1) had one talented 7-footer too many for the Spurs to handle.

Aldridge, the former University of Texas star, opened the game with back-to-back baskets over surprise starter Matt Bonner. He didn't let up, even after the Spurs moved Duncan, a perennial member of the NBA's all-defensive team, to cover him.

Eventually, Roy began to heat up, too.

In the third quarter, Roy helped keep the Spurs at bay with eight points in the final 3:32, including a buzzer-beater from 18-feet that put Portland ahead 78-70 going into the fourth.

Then, the fireworks began.

The Spurs trailed by 12 with 9:18 to go. Over the next two minutes, they rattled off an 11-1 run keyed by two 3-pointers from Ime Udoka and one from Roger Mason Jr. to pull within two.

Finley's deep 3-pointer with 4:11 left brought the Spurs within 89-88, but Aldridge — yes, Aldridge — answered with a corner 3-pointer of his own. Mason answered with a three, then Roy made one of two foul shots at the other end.

When Parker zipped in for a layup with three minutes left, it tied the game at 93. With 1:30 to go, Parker shook Steve Blake to give the Spurs a 97-96 lead — their first since the opening of the second quarter.

Roy, fouled on an inbounds play by Mason, made two foul shots to give Portland the lead again.

When it came crunch time, Aldridge hit the game's biggest shot.

After Joel Przybilla tied up Duncan for a rebound on a Udoka miss, and after the Blazers won the tip, Aldridge beat the shot clock with a jumper from the top of the key to give his team a 100-97 edge with 34.5 seconds to go.

Parker hit a pair of foul shots with 32.1 seconds to play, bringing the Spurs within one. Travis Outlaw missed a runner on the other end and the Spurs pushed the ball ahead to Mason.

Mason found Finley open on the baseline, but the shot caromed away.

There was no Oden, but in the end, the costumed home crowd went home with something else it came for, a win.

[SenorSpur]

Too many freaking offensive rebounds.

[Blackjack]

Roy, fouled on an inbounds play by Mason, made two foul shots to give Portland the lead again.

Mason did a whole lot of good, but that hurt.


After Joel Przybilla tied up Duncan for a rebound on a Udoka miss

If by tied-up you mean: fouled, assaulted, or raped? (OK, I'm bitter.:lol)

[Obstructed_View]

If by tied-up you mean: fouled, assaulted, or raped? (OK, I'm bitter.:lol)

How did the Spurs not call a time out there? I'm not sure what they were so upset about, unless it was just that they were stupid.

[Blackjack]

How did the Spurs not call a time out there? I'm not sure what they were so upset about, unless it was just that they were stupid.

Agree.:tu

Call a timeout, pretend you got poked in the eye, flop to the ground, I mean...

These are our Spurs! They should know how to do this shit by now!:lol

[duncan228]

The Blazers view.

Blazers' Aldridge hits a 'booster' shot (http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/10/blazers_aldridge_hits_a_booste.html)
by Jason Quick

In what turned out to be part exhale and part exhilaration, the Trail Blazers rushed the court Friday night after beating -- no, surviving -- the San Antonio Spurs in a 100-99 victory that wasn't decided until Michael Finley missed a short baseline jumper as time expired.

The win erased the bitter memories of Tuesday's opening-night debacle in Los Angeles and ended a 12-game losing streak to the Spurs, a perennial Western Conference power.


"We haven't beaten San Antonio since I've been here," said coach Nate McMillan, who is in his fourth season in Portland. "It should be a confidence booster for us."

Brandon Roy was the catalyst, scoring a team-high 26 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge hit what turned out to be the decisive points -- a 21-foot jumper with 34.5 seconds left that increased the Blazers' lead to 100-97.

"They double-teamed Brandon; I just shot it," Aldridge said of his important shot. "Luckily it went in."

It was a crazy and furious finish as neither team could convert on its final possession.
Clinging to a 100-99 lead with 22.8 seconds left, the Blazers tried to increase their cushion, but Travis Outlaw barreled into the lane like a bowling ball and missed a driving layup in traffic with 7.8 seconds left, knocking down Spurs star Tim Duncan as he fell.

Out of the pile of bodies came former Blazers forward and Portland native Ime Udoka, who pushed the ball upcourt and passed to Finley, a 13-year veteran known for his outside shooting. As the sellout crowd of 20,516 held its breath and the Blazers players on the sideline grasped each other, Finley let loose with a 15-foot baseline jumper in front of the Blazers bench with 0.4 seconds left. It was short, caroming off the rim and sending Blazers players onto the court.

The Blazers welcomed a huge contribution from rookie Nicolas Batum, whose defense included blocks of a Duncan dunk attempt and a driving layup try by Tony Parker. The block on Parker came in the final seconds of the first half, and it was chased down by Roy near midcourt. After penetrating inside the three-point arc, Roy stepped back and, realizing time was about to expire, lofted a three-pointer that swished as the buzzer sounded, giving the Blazers a 51-45 halftime lead.

Batum scored 12 points, bolstering a bench that was asked to play more and be more versatile after center Joel Przybilla was moved into the starting lineup to cover for injured Greg Oden. Channing Frye moved into the backup center role and was effective, scoring 10 points, and Rudy Fernandez struggled with his shot (1 for 6) but grabbed eight rebounds.

"I think Nic should get the game ball," Frye said of Batum.

The Spurs, who lost their home opener to Phoenix, are 0-2 for the first time in 12 years, but it wasn't because of Duncan (27 points, 10 rebounds) or Parker (24 points, 11 assists), who were virtually unstoppable. San Antonio is playing without injured star Manu Ginobili, but newcomer Roger Mason Jr. filled in admirably, hitting 6 of 7 shots on his way to 14 points.

It was the eighth consecutive season the Blazers have won their home opener, but none of the previous openers had the pressure of this one, before and during the game.

The expectations on the Blazers -- from fans and themselves -- are to make the playoffs, but on opening night they still looked like the rebuilding project that McMillan inherited three seasons ago. To make matters, and everyone's mood, worse, Oden was lost for two to four weeks with a foot injury.

So it was an anxious sellout crowd, and an edgy Blazers team, which scrapped and chipped at each other in the two days of practice leading up to Friday's game. During those two days, McMillan sensed his team was on edge and he kept imploring them to relax and remember the game was supposed to be fun.

The Blazers still appeared a little tight -- they missed numerous wide-open shots -- but they played with more vigor and aggressiveness than on opening night.

"The effort was there that we didn't have the last game," Roy said. "Our defense was just aggressive. That's the way we've been practicing all training camp."

Roy was his usual steely self. He made 10 of 18 shots from the field, had seven assists, three steals, five rebounds and one turnover in 35 minutes.

Aldridge spent much of the game attacking inside, but in the end, his biggest damage came from the outside. He hit a three-pointer with 3:45 left to put the Blazers up 92-88 -- his second career three-pointer -- and then swished the top-of-the-key jumper with 34.5 seconds left.

On this night, it was enough to end a long losing streak to the Spurs and allow a city, and an anxious team, to exhale.

"It feels great to beat them," Aldridge said. "They've had our number for a while."
Notes:It was the Blazers' first win over the Spurs since Jan. 24, 2005, and the second in the past 21 games against San Antonio. ... The Blazers committed six turnovers, which helped them compensate for San Antonio shooting better from the field and having more assists.

Game recap

QUOTE OF THE GAME

"Last year, I don't know if we would have won that game. I think the maturity on this team is getting better and we're coming together. I think it's a testament to this team coming back from the (loss to the Lakers). To be honest, it was a really good win for us. Everybody was unselfish, supportive and we shot the ball with confidence." Channing Frye, Blazers reserve forward/center

STAT OF THE GAME

11
Blazers' steals, led with three each by Brandon Roy and Travis Outlaw. Tim Duncan had the Spurs' only steal.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Late heroics: LaMarcus Aldridge's jumper from the top of the key off an assist from Brandon Roy with 34 seconds remaining made the score 100-97.

[Spurs Brazil]

McDonald sucks

Not a single quote by Pop.

[Bender]

,,,

[urunobili]

still can't believe we lost this game...

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

still can't believe we lost this game...

It's game 2.

[duncan228]

Blazers have respect of Spurs, Popovich (http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/10/blazers_have_respect_of_spurs.html)
by Geoffrey C. Arnold

If the Blazers are looking for a team to emulate both on and off the court, they need look no further than their opponent Friday night.

The San Antonio Spurs have displayed a model of consistent winning for more than a decade, relying on a system and culture that has resulted in four NBA championships since 1999. The Blazers are assembling the pieces for a potentially similar run, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by the Spurs.

"They are way more than just on the right track," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "I think they're doing what good organizations that want to be successful are doing."

The Spurs built their team using forward Tim Duncan as the foundation, surrounding him with two star perimeter players in point guard Tony Parker and shooting guard Manu Ginobili. The Blazers are following a similar blueprint, with center Greg Oden, guard Brandon Roy and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge.

Duncan said Oden has the talent to establish himself as cornerstone to the Blazers' foundation.

"People just need to give him the opportunity to develop and stop putting everything on his shoulders," Duncan said. "He's going to need time to develop. It's not going to be one or two games, it's going to be two or three seasons for him to be the player that he's going to be."

Beyond the three stars in San Antonio, the Spurs have done an enviable job of finding the appropriate role players. Whether it's defensive specialist Bruce Bowen or former all-star Michael Finley, the Spurs managed to find role players who fit in nicely.

The Blazers got strong performances Friday from role players such as rookie defensive specialist Nicolas Batum and backup center Channing Frye.

"They (the Blazers) have good pieces, and when you get good pieces and have a good coach, they have a lot of growth ahead of them," Bowen said.

The Spurs have consistently looked for players who fit the on-court "culture" of the franchise. Players who understand who the stars are, don't care about individual statistics, a willingness to fit in and solid community individuals.

"A lot of things begin with character. Portland has gotten a crew of guys in (Portland) who have that," Popovich said. "They understand priorities ... and care more about the group than individuals.

"That has to happen. It doesn't matter how much talent you have. If you don't have (character), it's not gonna fit together, because all the pieces have to fit."

Popovich had high praise for Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard, who served as a San Antonio team scout under Popovich from 2001-03.

"We knew from the beginning that he had a feel for the game. He has a passion, is competitive and smart," Popovich said. "He wasn't a superstar by any stretch. Often, it's those guys who know how the pieces fit and how role players have to fit around the stars. For all those reasons, you just knew he was going to be successful, given the opportunity."

While Popovich said the Blazers possess the components for building a winner, another critical factor is patience.

"There's no reason why they can't be where other successful teams have been in the last 10 years," Popovich said. "But it doesn't happen immediately, it's gonna take some time."

[pauls931]

You're chittin' me, the Blazers beat the spurs? I didn't even check the scores friday. Shit ! Shit ! Shit! Portland plays Phoenix tonight!