tlongII
03-27-2010, 11:22 PM
http://www.iamatrailblazersfan.com/GamesPagesRoot/GameArticleDisplay/tabid/201/IamaGameID/338/ItemID/1318/Default.aspx
Brandon Roy scored 28 points and the Portland Trail Blazers eliminated the New Orleans Hornets from playoff contention while improving their own position with a 112-101 victory Saturday night.
Roy hit 11 of his first 12 shots, only two of them layups. He finished 12 of 14 in 32 minutes.
“Coming in I didn’t feel over aggressive," said Roy. "I just wanted to make some key plays. Early in the game they put Thornton on me and I just wanted to get something going towards the basket. When my mid-range game is falling like it did tonight I think it’s going to be tough to defend and I just wanted to take what they gave me.”
LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points, and Nicolas Batum had 13 for Portland. Marcus Camby finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and two assists. Andre Miller added eight points and eight assists to round out the starters. Portland's starting five shot a collective 36 of 47 from the field.
“We were pretty efficient tonight," said Roy. "I thought Aldridge did a good job in the post and Camby did a good job getting rebounds and put backs. Andre is a tough cover because you have to double team him and put smaller guys on him. We did a good job making shots and that’s how you have to play sometimes to win on the road."
The Blazers won for the 10th time in 12 games to strengthen their hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western conference and move within percentage points of idle San Antonio for seventh.
Darren Collison had 22 points for New Orleans on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting from the field and 2 of 2 from the foul line. David West added 18 points for the Hornets, who've lost two straight and eight of 10.
Emeka Okafor scored 14 for the Hornets, while Chris Paul had 10 assists. Marcus Thornton failed to score in double digits for the first time in 21 games, going 2 for 7 for eight points.
Portland put the game away early, hitting 18 of 20 from the field from the 6:30 mark of the second quarter until 4:08 remained in the third quarter. At that point, the Blazers led 81-59. Portland shot nearly 63 percent through three quarters, after which coach Nate McMillan went with a lineup of mostly reserves.
"I know my minutes were kind of high after about three quarters so it was good to get some rest in the fourth quarter," said Roy, "especially when we have a big back to back and an early game tomorrow.”
Portland, which didn't miss three straight shots until their last three shots of the third quarter, wound up being outshot by New Orleans, 58.6 percent to 57.3 percent. But the Blazers outrebounded New Orleans 35-25 and outscored the Hornets 17-6 on second-chance points.
The Hornets were as close as 44-39 on Darius Songaila's layup late in the second quarter. Then Batum responded with a 3 and Marcus Camby, who had 11 points and 14 rebounds, threw down an alley-oop feed for one of Andre Miller's eight assists.
That began a 13-2 run to close out the period, highlighted by three-point plays each by Roy and Camby, putting Portland ahead 57-41 at halftime.
New Orleans never got within single digits in the second half, trailing by as much as 26.
"Two games don’t make a season," said head coach Nate McMillan, referring to beating Dallas Thursday night. "but we’ll take it. Whether you win or you lose, you want to try to get better your next game out. We’ll try to look at some things tomorrow and get ready for Oklahoma City."
Brandon Roy scored 28 points and the Portland Trail Blazers eliminated the New Orleans Hornets from playoff contention while improving their own position with a 112-101 victory Saturday night.
Roy hit 11 of his first 12 shots, only two of them layups. He finished 12 of 14 in 32 minutes.
“Coming in I didn’t feel over aggressive," said Roy. "I just wanted to make some key plays. Early in the game they put Thornton on me and I just wanted to get something going towards the basket. When my mid-range game is falling like it did tonight I think it’s going to be tough to defend and I just wanted to take what they gave me.”
LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points, and Nicolas Batum had 13 for Portland. Marcus Camby finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and two assists. Andre Miller added eight points and eight assists to round out the starters. Portland's starting five shot a collective 36 of 47 from the field.
“We were pretty efficient tonight," said Roy. "I thought Aldridge did a good job in the post and Camby did a good job getting rebounds and put backs. Andre is a tough cover because you have to double team him and put smaller guys on him. We did a good job making shots and that’s how you have to play sometimes to win on the road."
The Blazers won for the 10th time in 12 games to strengthen their hold on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western conference and move within percentage points of idle San Antonio for seventh.
Darren Collison had 22 points for New Orleans on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting from the field and 2 of 2 from the foul line. David West added 18 points for the Hornets, who've lost two straight and eight of 10.
Emeka Okafor scored 14 for the Hornets, while Chris Paul had 10 assists. Marcus Thornton failed to score in double digits for the first time in 21 games, going 2 for 7 for eight points.
Portland put the game away early, hitting 18 of 20 from the field from the 6:30 mark of the second quarter until 4:08 remained in the third quarter. At that point, the Blazers led 81-59. Portland shot nearly 63 percent through three quarters, after which coach Nate McMillan went with a lineup of mostly reserves.
"I know my minutes were kind of high after about three quarters so it was good to get some rest in the fourth quarter," said Roy, "especially when we have a big back to back and an early game tomorrow.”
Portland, which didn't miss three straight shots until their last three shots of the third quarter, wound up being outshot by New Orleans, 58.6 percent to 57.3 percent. But the Blazers outrebounded New Orleans 35-25 and outscored the Hornets 17-6 on second-chance points.
The Hornets were as close as 44-39 on Darius Songaila's layup late in the second quarter. Then Batum responded with a 3 and Marcus Camby, who had 11 points and 14 rebounds, threw down an alley-oop feed for one of Andre Miller's eight assists.
That began a 13-2 run to close out the period, highlighted by three-point plays each by Roy and Camby, putting Portland ahead 57-41 at halftime.
New Orleans never got within single digits in the second half, trailing by as much as 26.
"Two games don’t make a season," said head coach Nate McMillan, referring to beating Dallas Thursday night. "but we’ll take it. Whether you win or you lose, you want to try to get better your next game out. We’ll try to look at some things tomorrow and get ready for Oklahoma City."