tlongII
03-26-2011, 12:40 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/03/portland_98_san_antonio_96_nic.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/2011/03/9422981-standard.jpg
Andre Miller (24) celebrates after making a game-winning pass to Nicolas Batum (88) who sinks a buzzer beating game-winning shot as the Portland Trail Blazers face the San Antonio Spurs at the Rose Garden.
One of the greatest finishes in Trail Blazers history went down at the Rose Garden on Friday night, capped by a game-winning play that will rival any other as the most memorable in this franchise's 41-year history.
The Blazers stunned the league-leading San Antonio Spurs 98-96 by scoring the game's final eight points, none more dramatic than Nicolas Batum's alley-oop layup to beat the buzzer off an inbound pass from Andre Miller at halfcourt.
"Whew,'' Blazers coach Nate McMillan exhaled afterward. "How about that? Wow. Wow.''
It was a perfect play call, a perfect pass and a perfect catch and shoot, which all led to an imperfect celebration by Batum, the 22-year-old Frenchman who said it was the first game-winning shot in his life. In the pandemonium that followed, with the entire Blazers bench sprinting across the floor amid falling streamers and confetti, Batum attempted an airborne body-bump with Wesley Matthews.
Instead of going straight up, Batum went into Matthews, crashing him to the floor, where Matthews had to shield himself from being trampled.
"He didn't get the memo,'' Matthews said of Batum's celebration form.
It was such an incredible finish and such an incredible play that Miller, a veteran in his 12th season, said it ranks as the best finish of his career and the best of the 6,976 assists in his career.
"Number one. Number one for me,'' Miller said. "That's the best team in the league.''
The game-winning play figures to rank at or near the top in Blazers' history, in part because the Spurs (57-15) have held the league's best record all season, and because it boosts the Blazers' playoff standing with 10 games remaining in the season.
In December 1980, Kermit Washington threw a similar inbound pass from halfcourt that Billy Ray Bates caught and flipped in at the buzzer to beat Philadelphia 109-108.
And in November 2008, Brandon Roy hit a 31-foot three-pointer off an inbound pass to beat Houston in overtime.
And to think, the Blazers trailed 96-90 with 1:22 left after LaMarcus Aldridge missed two free throws and Manu Ginobili hit a dagger three-pointer in front of the Blazers bench.
It looked just as dire with 40 seconds left after Batum missed a three-pointer and Spurs guard Tony Parker was bringing the ball up the court with the Blazers trailing 96-92.
That's when Miller sized up Parker. He noticed how close Parker was to the sideline, which Miller figured served as another defender. Plus, the game was all but over.
Miller made an all-for-nothing lunge at the ball.
"I thought why not?'' Miller said.
It was a perfect strip at halfcourt, and Miller took it all the way to the basket for a layup, making it 96-94 with 30.5 seconds left.
After a timeout, the Spurs directed a clear out for Ginobili, the marvelous left-hander who was dazzling but reckless throughout the night. Going against Matthews, Ginobili tried a crossover move, but the ball hit his leg and bounced into the hands of Matthews with 7.9 seconds left.
Matthews broke free and passed ahead to Miller, who didn't like his chances against two Spurs defenders as he sliced through the lane. He passed back to Matthews under the basket, and his layup amid DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner was short.
The fight for the rebound touched several hands before Batum secured it and tried a shot that came up short, but official Ron Garretson ruled Bonner fouled Batum on the elbow with 0.9 seconds left.
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/2011/03/-19ca9ddf9bb6eaed.jpg
With 0.9 seconds left on the clock and the game tied, Nicolas Batum catches an inbound pass from Andre Miller and drops the ball into the hoop over Tony Parker.
Batum crossed where Roy was, sprinting through the lane, his back toward Miller. That's when Miller let fly his pass. He said he never saw the rim, never saw Batum, he just anticipated where it would all happen.
Turned out, it was a perfect pass. Batum caught it over Parker, and pushed it toward the basket, where the ball rattled, then nestled into the net.
"I don't know how it got there, but it did,'' Miller said. "A good catch by Nic.''
For Batum, it was the perfect sendoff for his mother, Sylvie, who leaves today to return to France.
"It feels so good,'' Batum said. "My first game-winner, ever, and against the best team in the league. Perfect.''
Notes: The Blazers have beaten the Spurs at the Rose Garden six consecutive times and have won seven of the last eight overall. The Blazers joined New Orleans as the only teams to beat the Spurs twice this season ... Portland (42-30) remained in sixth place in the West, a half-game ahead of New Orleans and 1 1/2 games behind Denver. ... The Spurs lost their second in a row, both without All-Star Tim Duncan, who has a sprained ankle. ... Miller and Batum finished with 21 points, Gerald Wallace had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Aldridge had 14 points. ... Ginobili led the Spurs with 21 points and seven assists, but he had five turnovers.
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/2011/03/9422981-standard.jpg
Andre Miller (24) celebrates after making a game-winning pass to Nicolas Batum (88) who sinks a buzzer beating game-winning shot as the Portland Trail Blazers face the San Antonio Spurs at the Rose Garden.
One of the greatest finishes in Trail Blazers history went down at the Rose Garden on Friday night, capped by a game-winning play that will rival any other as the most memorable in this franchise's 41-year history.
The Blazers stunned the league-leading San Antonio Spurs 98-96 by scoring the game's final eight points, none more dramatic than Nicolas Batum's alley-oop layup to beat the buzzer off an inbound pass from Andre Miller at halfcourt.
"Whew,'' Blazers coach Nate McMillan exhaled afterward. "How about that? Wow. Wow.''
It was a perfect play call, a perfect pass and a perfect catch and shoot, which all led to an imperfect celebration by Batum, the 22-year-old Frenchman who said it was the first game-winning shot in his life. In the pandemonium that followed, with the entire Blazers bench sprinting across the floor amid falling streamers and confetti, Batum attempted an airborne body-bump with Wesley Matthews.
Instead of going straight up, Batum went into Matthews, crashing him to the floor, where Matthews had to shield himself from being trampled.
"He didn't get the memo,'' Matthews said of Batum's celebration form.
It was such an incredible finish and such an incredible play that Miller, a veteran in his 12th season, said it ranks as the best finish of his career and the best of the 6,976 assists in his career.
"Number one. Number one for me,'' Miller said. "That's the best team in the league.''
The game-winning play figures to rank at or near the top in Blazers' history, in part because the Spurs (57-15) have held the league's best record all season, and because it boosts the Blazers' playoff standing with 10 games remaining in the season.
In December 1980, Kermit Washington threw a similar inbound pass from halfcourt that Billy Ray Bates caught and flipped in at the buzzer to beat Philadelphia 109-108.
And in November 2008, Brandon Roy hit a 31-foot three-pointer off an inbound pass to beat Houston in overtime.
And to think, the Blazers trailed 96-90 with 1:22 left after LaMarcus Aldridge missed two free throws and Manu Ginobili hit a dagger three-pointer in front of the Blazers bench.
It looked just as dire with 40 seconds left after Batum missed a three-pointer and Spurs guard Tony Parker was bringing the ball up the court with the Blazers trailing 96-92.
That's when Miller sized up Parker. He noticed how close Parker was to the sideline, which Miller figured served as another defender. Plus, the game was all but over.
Miller made an all-for-nothing lunge at the ball.
"I thought why not?'' Miller said.
It was a perfect strip at halfcourt, and Miller took it all the way to the basket for a layup, making it 96-94 with 30.5 seconds left.
After a timeout, the Spurs directed a clear out for Ginobili, the marvelous left-hander who was dazzling but reckless throughout the night. Going against Matthews, Ginobili tried a crossover move, but the ball hit his leg and bounced into the hands of Matthews with 7.9 seconds left.
Matthews broke free and passed ahead to Miller, who didn't like his chances against two Spurs defenders as he sliced through the lane. He passed back to Matthews under the basket, and his layup amid DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner was short.
The fight for the rebound touched several hands before Batum secured it and tried a shot that came up short, but official Ron Garretson ruled Bonner fouled Batum on the elbow with 0.9 seconds left.
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/2011/03/-19ca9ddf9bb6eaed.jpg
With 0.9 seconds left on the clock and the game tied, Nicolas Batum catches an inbound pass from Andre Miller and drops the ball into the hoop over Tony Parker.
Batum crossed where Roy was, sprinting through the lane, his back toward Miller. That's when Miller let fly his pass. He said he never saw the rim, never saw Batum, he just anticipated where it would all happen.
Turned out, it was a perfect pass. Batum caught it over Parker, and pushed it toward the basket, where the ball rattled, then nestled into the net.
"I don't know how it got there, but it did,'' Miller said. "A good catch by Nic.''
For Batum, it was the perfect sendoff for his mother, Sylvie, who leaves today to return to France.
"It feels so good,'' Batum said. "My first game-winner, ever, and against the best team in the league. Perfect.''
Notes: The Blazers have beaten the Spurs at the Rose Garden six consecutive times and have won seven of the last eight overall. The Blazers joined New Orleans as the only teams to beat the Spurs twice this season ... Portland (42-30) remained in sixth place in the West, a half-game ahead of New Orleans and 1 1/2 games behind Denver. ... The Spurs lost their second in a row, both without All-Star Tim Duncan, who has a sprained ankle. ... Miller and Batum finished with 21 points, Gerald Wallace had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Aldridge had 14 points. ... Ginobili led the Spurs with 21 points and seven assists, but he had five turnovers.