tlongII
12-23-2012, 07:49 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2012/12/blazers_beat_suns_to_move_over_500_and_ignite_play .html
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/2012/12/12031053-large.jpg
Damian Lillard scored 9 of the Blazers' final 12 points and finished with 25 points and seven assists.
There’s no need to rub your eyes. There’s no need to question your sanity.
And there’s certainly no need to double check those NBA standings, even though they just don’t quite look right.
The Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns 96-93 Saturday night before 19,7467 at the Rose Garden. It was their season-high fifth consecutive victory and it moved their record above .500, to 13-12, for the first time since Nov. 3.
And most impressive is that 25 games into a season that was supposed to be about rebuilding and growing through defeat, the Blazers are — gasp — in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, trailing the sixth-place Minnesota Timberwolves (13-11) by one-half game.
“Coming into the season, a lot of people said we were rebuilding and that we weren’t going to be that good,” rookie point guard Damian Lillard said. “But we worked hard and we wanted to come out and compete and give ourselves a chance to win games. We’ve just been sticking with it this whole early part of the season and we’ve been able to win some games.”
Saturday’s win was not pretty and it was anything but easy, but the scrappy Blazers gutted out a game they had every chance to fumble away.
With a clutch late-game performance from Lillard, another double double from JJ Hickson, an odd statistical night from Nicolas Batum and a solid defensive stand in the closing seconds, the Blazers were able to end the Suns’ four-game win streak.
Lillard, who is emerging as a dominant fourth-quarter force, overcame a sluggish start with a blistering second half that included an unstoppable late-game surge. Lillard scored the Blazers’ final seven points and nine of the last 12, all in the final 4:53 of a nip-and-tuck game. His three-pointer with 4:02 left gave the Blazers a 92-85 edge and his clutch 19-foot step-back jumper with 41.9 seconds left made the score 96-91.
After that shot, Lillard flexed his arms and chest-bumped Jared Jeffries as he strolled to Blazers’ bench during a timeout with the Rose Garden going nuts.
“I saw a few things in transition, I saw a few gaps in their defense ... and I figured it was a stretch where we needed to turn it up,” Lillard said of his dominant late run. “There’s been games where we didn’t turn it up and the other team did, so I just kind of wanted to force the issue. I felt like I could get to spots and the floor and make things happen.”
Even with the heroics, however, the Blazers couldn’t quite put away the feisty Suns and after Lillard finally missed one — a driving layup with about 17 seconds left — Phoenix (11-16) had one last chance to force overtime.
But the Blazers’ oft-maligned defense proved too stout. As the clocked ticked down in the final possession, the Suns frantically tried to free up a shooter for a three. But as Jared Dudley roamed the perimeter, the Blazers’ defense was attached to his hip as multiple defenders switched around screens to force the ball out of his hands. It ended up in the arms of Goran Dragic, who was equally blanketed and had to a force a tough, off-balance three from the top of the key. It wasn’t close and the Blazers escaped with the win.
“I thought it was great recognition by everybody on the court to not give up a three,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “(LaMarcus Aldridge) was flying out, everybody, Sasha (Pavlovic), everybody was determined not to give up a clean look at a three. And I thought that was really good alertness on everybody’s part who was on the court.”
Lillard finished with 25 points and seven assists for the Blazers, marking the eighth time this season he’s recorded at least 20 points and seven assists. Lillard is tied for the third-most 20-7 games in the NBA this season with Golden State’s Stephen Curry and only All-Stars LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have more.
Meanwhile, Hickson recorded his seventh consecutive double double and 15th of the season, finishing with 19 points and 15 rebounds. He’s the first Blazers player to record seven consecutive double doubles since Arvydas Sabonis in November 1997.
Aldridge returned from his one-game absence with a sprained left ankle and recorded 17 points and nine rebounds and Batum had another odd final statistical line, registering 13 points, nine rebounds, eight assists — and seven turnovers.
But at the end of the night, the only statistic that matter was the final score. And for a young, rebuilding Blazers team, possessing a winning record and being in the playoff hunt was enough to celebrate. It’s far too early to consider the Blazers a legitimate playoff contender, but at the very least, they’re playing better than most expected.
“It lets us know that we’re going in the right direction,” Lillard said. “For us to come (from) four games below .500 and be able to get on a win streak and get it done, I think is says a lot about where we’re headed.”
Notes: Wesley Matthews, who continues to play through a left hip flexor injury, started but had to pull himself from the game after 10 minutes. He did not return and he will not travel with the team to Sacramento for Sunday's game against the Kings. ... The Blazers have won five in a row for first time since February 2011. ... The Blazers outrebounding the Suns 45-32. It was their largest rebounding margin of season.
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/2012/12/12031053-large.jpg
Damian Lillard scored 9 of the Blazers' final 12 points and finished with 25 points and seven assists.
There’s no need to rub your eyes. There’s no need to question your sanity.
And there’s certainly no need to double check those NBA standings, even though they just don’t quite look right.
The Trail Blazers defeated the Phoenix Suns 96-93 Saturday night before 19,7467 at the Rose Garden. It was their season-high fifth consecutive victory and it moved their record above .500, to 13-12, for the first time since Nov. 3.
And most impressive is that 25 games into a season that was supposed to be about rebuilding and growing through defeat, the Blazers are — gasp — in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, trailing the sixth-place Minnesota Timberwolves (13-11) by one-half game.
“Coming into the season, a lot of people said we were rebuilding and that we weren’t going to be that good,” rookie point guard Damian Lillard said. “But we worked hard and we wanted to come out and compete and give ourselves a chance to win games. We’ve just been sticking with it this whole early part of the season and we’ve been able to win some games.”
Saturday’s win was not pretty and it was anything but easy, but the scrappy Blazers gutted out a game they had every chance to fumble away.
With a clutch late-game performance from Lillard, another double double from JJ Hickson, an odd statistical night from Nicolas Batum and a solid defensive stand in the closing seconds, the Blazers were able to end the Suns’ four-game win streak.
Lillard, who is emerging as a dominant fourth-quarter force, overcame a sluggish start with a blistering second half that included an unstoppable late-game surge. Lillard scored the Blazers’ final seven points and nine of the last 12, all in the final 4:53 of a nip-and-tuck game. His three-pointer with 4:02 left gave the Blazers a 92-85 edge and his clutch 19-foot step-back jumper with 41.9 seconds left made the score 96-91.
After that shot, Lillard flexed his arms and chest-bumped Jared Jeffries as he strolled to Blazers’ bench during a timeout with the Rose Garden going nuts.
“I saw a few things in transition, I saw a few gaps in their defense ... and I figured it was a stretch where we needed to turn it up,” Lillard said of his dominant late run. “There’s been games where we didn’t turn it up and the other team did, so I just kind of wanted to force the issue. I felt like I could get to spots and the floor and make things happen.”
Even with the heroics, however, the Blazers couldn’t quite put away the feisty Suns and after Lillard finally missed one — a driving layup with about 17 seconds left — Phoenix (11-16) had one last chance to force overtime.
But the Blazers’ oft-maligned defense proved too stout. As the clocked ticked down in the final possession, the Suns frantically tried to free up a shooter for a three. But as Jared Dudley roamed the perimeter, the Blazers’ defense was attached to his hip as multiple defenders switched around screens to force the ball out of his hands. It ended up in the arms of Goran Dragic, who was equally blanketed and had to a force a tough, off-balance three from the top of the key. It wasn’t close and the Blazers escaped with the win.
“I thought it was great recognition by everybody on the court to not give up a three,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “(LaMarcus Aldridge) was flying out, everybody, Sasha (Pavlovic), everybody was determined not to give up a clean look at a three. And I thought that was really good alertness on everybody’s part who was on the court.”
Lillard finished with 25 points and seven assists for the Blazers, marking the eighth time this season he’s recorded at least 20 points and seven assists. Lillard is tied for the third-most 20-7 games in the NBA this season with Golden State’s Stephen Curry and only All-Stars LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have more.
Meanwhile, Hickson recorded his seventh consecutive double double and 15th of the season, finishing with 19 points and 15 rebounds. He’s the first Blazers player to record seven consecutive double doubles since Arvydas Sabonis in November 1997.
Aldridge returned from his one-game absence with a sprained left ankle and recorded 17 points and nine rebounds and Batum had another odd final statistical line, registering 13 points, nine rebounds, eight assists — and seven turnovers.
But at the end of the night, the only statistic that matter was the final score. And for a young, rebuilding Blazers team, possessing a winning record and being in the playoff hunt was enough to celebrate. It’s far too early to consider the Blazers a legitimate playoff contender, but at the very least, they’re playing better than most expected.
“It lets us know that we’re going in the right direction,” Lillard said. “For us to come (from) four games below .500 and be able to get on a win streak and get it done, I think is says a lot about where we’re headed.”
Notes: Wesley Matthews, who continues to play through a left hip flexor injury, started but had to pull himself from the game after 10 minutes. He did not return and he will not travel with the team to Sacramento for Sunday's game against the Kings. ... The Blazers have won five in a row for first time since February 2011. ... The Blazers outrebounding the Suns 45-32. It was their largest rebounding margin of season.