tlongII
01-24-2010, 05:25 PM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/01/martell_webster_plays_it_humbl.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/photo/websterreactionjpeg-e7ebc757cd1c6cf6.jpeg
Blazers forward Martell Webster reacts after Portland's 97-93 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night in Auburn Hills, Mich. Webster scored a game-high 28 points.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- He played more minutes, scored more points and hit more three-pointers than he has during any other game in his young NBA career.
But after his sensational first half and late clutch free throws helped the Trail Blazers defeat the Detroit Pistons 97-93 on Saturday night, Martell Webster sat in a cramped visiting locker room at The Palace of Auburn Hills and refused to accept one iota of individual praise.
"To tell you the truth, I'm a representative tonight," Webster said. "I'm representing the whole team. Personal accolades didn't win this game. Everybody contributing together won this game and I don't really look at anything personal anyway. It was not one man that won this game. So, career night? Nope. I don't really care. We won that game and we fought hard and we earned it."
But no matter how hard Webster tried to sidestep credit, it was impossible to ignore what turned out to be a career night. Webster played every second of a physical, heated and hard-fought game -- on the second night of a back-to-back -- and he was sometimes-breathtaking in finishing with a career-high 28 points and seven rebounds.
Webster made a career-high-tying six three-pointers, including five during a blistering first half that rekindled memories of his breakout game against Utah in January 2008, when he scored a franchise-record 24 third-quarter points.
After missing his first shot in the early minutes against the Pistons, Webster drained virtually everything he threw up. He nailed back-to-back three-pointers to give the Blazers an early 16-9 lead in the first quarter. He swished a three-pointer with 11.5 seconds left in the quarter to give the Blazers a 32-19 edge. And then he really got hot.
During his most impressive individual run of the season, Webster scored 10 points in a row in the second quarter, hitting back-to-back three-pointers and completing back-to-back highlight-reel alley-oops. On the first, Webster collected an Andre Miller lob pass and hammered a two-handed dunk. On the Blazers' next possession, he caught a Steve Blake pass on the left side of the rim, glided to the right side and softly finished a pretty reverse layup off the glass.
By the time the first half was over, Webster (21) had half as many points as the Pistons (42) and the Blazers led by 14 as he made 8 of 14 field goals, including 5 of 9 three-pointers. He finished 9 of 19 from the field, making 6 of 13 threes.
"He was great," Blazers captain LaMarcus Aldridge said. "He was efficient, didn't try to do too much. I felt like he stayed within himself tonight. He knocked down shots, but he didn't get too crazy with it. I thought that was big for us because we started off kind of slow, but he had the energy and he was making great decisions. He carried us early."
With four games remaining in January, Webster's career night was an early exclamation point on the best month of his career. In 11 games this month, Webster has made an NBA-high 36 three-pointers -- increasing his team-high season total to 85. During his last 12 games, Webster is averaging 17.7 points.
But what makes Saturday night's performance somewhat surprising is that it appeared Webster had started to slip. Over the previous two games, he had shot 20.7 percent from the field (6 for 25) and 22.2 percent from three-point range (2 for 9).
The key to stepping out of the mini-slump? Consistency.
Webster didn't shoot extra jumpers in practice or shootarounds. He didn't watch extra film to analyze his shot. He simply stuck with his normal routine.
"If it's not broke, don't fix it," Webster said. "My shot wasn't broke. My shot felt fine. It just didn't drop."
But it returned Saturday night. And in a fitting finale during a career night, it was Webster at the line with 17.9 seconds left, shooting two free throws that would all but ice the victory. He made them both, giving the Blazers a 96-93 edge.
Add the clutch shots to the solid defense he played on Pistons forwards Tayshaun Prince and Jonas Jerebko, who finished with 11 combined points, and Webster's career night was a complete one -- even if he didn't accept credit.
"When he gets it going, he really gets it going," Aldridge said. "And I feel like people are really starting to see what he can do when he finds his rhythm. I think that as he gets older, as he matures and as he learns the game more, the sky is the limit."
http://media.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/photo/websterreactionjpeg-e7ebc757cd1c6cf6.jpeg
Blazers forward Martell Webster reacts after Portland's 97-93 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night in Auburn Hills, Mich. Webster scored a game-high 28 points.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- He played more minutes, scored more points and hit more three-pointers than he has during any other game in his young NBA career.
But after his sensational first half and late clutch free throws helped the Trail Blazers defeat the Detroit Pistons 97-93 on Saturday night, Martell Webster sat in a cramped visiting locker room at The Palace of Auburn Hills and refused to accept one iota of individual praise.
"To tell you the truth, I'm a representative tonight," Webster said. "I'm representing the whole team. Personal accolades didn't win this game. Everybody contributing together won this game and I don't really look at anything personal anyway. It was not one man that won this game. So, career night? Nope. I don't really care. We won that game and we fought hard and we earned it."
But no matter how hard Webster tried to sidestep credit, it was impossible to ignore what turned out to be a career night. Webster played every second of a physical, heated and hard-fought game -- on the second night of a back-to-back -- and he was sometimes-breathtaking in finishing with a career-high 28 points and seven rebounds.
Webster made a career-high-tying six three-pointers, including five during a blistering first half that rekindled memories of his breakout game against Utah in January 2008, when he scored a franchise-record 24 third-quarter points.
After missing his first shot in the early minutes against the Pistons, Webster drained virtually everything he threw up. He nailed back-to-back three-pointers to give the Blazers an early 16-9 lead in the first quarter. He swished a three-pointer with 11.5 seconds left in the quarter to give the Blazers a 32-19 edge. And then he really got hot.
During his most impressive individual run of the season, Webster scored 10 points in a row in the second quarter, hitting back-to-back three-pointers and completing back-to-back highlight-reel alley-oops. On the first, Webster collected an Andre Miller lob pass and hammered a two-handed dunk. On the Blazers' next possession, he caught a Steve Blake pass on the left side of the rim, glided to the right side and softly finished a pretty reverse layup off the glass.
By the time the first half was over, Webster (21) had half as many points as the Pistons (42) and the Blazers led by 14 as he made 8 of 14 field goals, including 5 of 9 three-pointers. He finished 9 of 19 from the field, making 6 of 13 threes.
"He was great," Blazers captain LaMarcus Aldridge said. "He was efficient, didn't try to do too much. I felt like he stayed within himself tonight. He knocked down shots, but he didn't get too crazy with it. I thought that was big for us because we started off kind of slow, but he had the energy and he was making great decisions. He carried us early."
With four games remaining in January, Webster's career night was an early exclamation point on the best month of his career. In 11 games this month, Webster has made an NBA-high 36 three-pointers -- increasing his team-high season total to 85. During his last 12 games, Webster is averaging 17.7 points.
But what makes Saturday night's performance somewhat surprising is that it appeared Webster had started to slip. Over the previous two games, he had shot 20.7 percent from the field (6 for 25) and 22.2 percent from three-point range (2 for 9).
The key to stepping out of the mini-slump? Consistency.
Webster didn't shoot extra jumpers in practice or shootarounds. He didn't watch extra film to analyze his shot. He simply stuck with his normal routine.
"If it's not broke, don't fix it," Webster said. "My shot wasn't broke. My shot felt fine. It just didn't drop."
But it returned Saturday night. And in a fitting finale during a career night, it was Webster at the line with 17.9 seconds left, shooting two free throws that would all but ice the victory. He made them both, giving the Blazers a 96-93 edge.
Add the clutch shots to the solid defense he played on Pistons forwards Tayshaun Prince and Jonas Jerebko, who finished with 11 combined points, and Webster's career night was a complete one -- even if he didn't accept credit.
"When he gets it going, he really gets it going," Aldridge said. "And I feel like people are really starting to see what he can do when he finds his rhythm. I think that as he gets older, as he matures and as he learns the game more, the sky is the limit."