tlongII
01-06-2013, 06:04 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2013/01/blazers_and_wesley_matthews_deliver_another_i_told .html
MINNEAPOLIS — As Wesley Matthews strutted out of the Trail Blazers’ locker room Saturday night, he wore an I-told-you-so look in his eyes that matched the snazzy “Beats By Dre Headphones” he wore near his ears.
He had just scored 26 points to help the Blazers defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-97 in a wild one at the Target Center, and they concluded a challenging four-game trip with a stunning 3-1 record. The victory provided another captivating chapter to a novel of a season that is developing into a must-read.
But if you ask Matthews, Saturday had been expected since the novel’s rough draft. Yes, these young and rebuilding Blazers (18-15) have won 10 of their last 13. Sure, they’re sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference standings. Indeed, they improved to 9-2 in games decided by 6 or fewer points.
But unlike most of the basketball universe, Matthews has been expecting this all along.
“I’ve been telling you guys this from the start of the year,” Matthews said. “We’re resilient. We can play. We’re good. We can win. We’re a playoff team. So, no, I didn’t learn anything (this trip). It is just coming to the surface. We still have a lot to work on, a lot to do. Still have a lot of season left. But we are just doing what I thought we could do.”
The Blazers have won in a variety of ways during this season of exceeded expectations, and they came up with a new one Saturday. With Matthews swishing seemingly every three-pointer in sight, Nicolas Batum sticking a knife in the back of the team that nearly stole him away from Portland and Damian Lillard having another superb all-around outing, the Blazers were cruising to an easy victory.
They led by as many as 22 points in the game and by 21 in the fourth quarter. But then lottery bust Derrick Williams started hitting shots out of nowhere. And Luke Ridnour started driving the lane and creating free throw opportunities. And Jose Barea was zigzagging around the arena, scoring and handing out assists. Before you knew it, the Blazers’ 22-point lead was down to 14 ... then 10 ... then six ... and, finally, two.
After Williams completed a one-handed dunk with 1:19 left, the Timberwolves — who outscored the Blazers 36-23 in the fourth — inched within 96-94. But that was as close as they would get.
LaMarcus Aldridge squelched the rally with 37.1 seconds left, nailing a clutch 13-foot turnaround jumper that moved the Blazers’ lead back to 98-94. Williams traveled on the next possession and Matthews added two late free throws to ice the victory.
Aldridge couldn’t buy a bucket most of the night, making just 7 of 20 shots en route to 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but he hit two crucial shots late that helped the Blazers escape. In addition to his dagger with 37.1 seconds left, he also hit an 8-foot bank shot with 3:00 left that halted an 8-0 Minnesota run.
“They stopped the bleeding,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said of Aldridge’s timely shots. “They kept us in position with the lead, took away some of their momentum, gave us some breathing room. They were huge.”
So was the all-around rock-solid play of Batum, who visited the Target Center for the first time since touring it as part of the Timberwolves’ free agent sales pitch last July. He scored the Blazers’ first seven points of the game and was nearly perfect from the field, finishing with 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting. He added five rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Batum said he was dead-tired in warmups, as the Blazers played for the fourth time in five nights, and couldn’t help but think: “Let’s just play this game and get out of here.” But once the game started — and he first heard chirping from the crowd — Batum found his second-wind.
“I got one shot, two shots, three shots ... I was feeling it a little bit,” Batum said.
He’s not the only one as the Blazers tied a franchise record with 16 three-pointers (in 24 attempts). Matthews (5 of 7), Batum (5 of 6) and Lillard (3 of 5) did most of the damage. It was just enough to stave off that fourth-quarter rally from the Timberwolves (15-15), who fell to the Blazers for the second time this season.
After managing just four road victories all season heading into this four-game trip that started on New Year’s Day, the Blazers have won at New York, Memphis and Minneapolis — teams with a combined 35-12 record at home. And while Matthews has stubbornly been predicting this all along, others on the roster have been a bit more cautious.
One of these players, Aldridge, has seen too many ebbs and flows in too many NBA seasons to get too carried away in training camp. Particularly about an untested team featuring a new coach, five rookies and eight new faces. But as Aldridge dressed Saturday and prepped to fly back to Portland, he beamed about his team’s progress.
“I think we actually grew up on this trip a little bit,” Aldridge said. “I think we took a step forward. I’ve been here all year and we’ve had our moments, but this has been a stretch of our most unselfish basketball I’ve seen. Guys are making that extra, extra pass and guys are trying to get guys going... I feel like that’s been big for us.”
By the time Aldridge uttered these words, Matthews had strutted out of the locker room to visit his mother and grandmother, who had watched his monster game — and another surprising Blazers win — from the fifth row. He didn’t get the chance to say, “I told you so.”
Notes: Lillard had 20 points, six rebounds and four rebounds. ... Luke Babbitt (2 of 3) and Victor Claver (1 of 2) also contributed to the Blazers’ three-point shooting spree. ... The Blazers are the first team to make at least 16 three-pointers on 24 or fewer attempts since Dec. 3, 2010. ... Nikola Pekovic led the Timberwolves with 21 points and 15 rebounds, but left in the third quarter with a left hip strain and did not return.
MINNEAPOLIS — As Wesley Matthews strutted out of the Trail Blazers’ locker room Saturday night, he wore an I-told-you-so look in his eyes that matched the snazzy “Beats By Dre Headphones” he wore near his ears.
He had just scored 26 points to help the Blazers defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-97 in a wild one at the Target Center, and they concluded a challenging four-game trip with a stunning 3-1 record. The victory provided another captivating chapter to a novel of a season that is developing into a must-read.
But if you ask Matthews, Saturday had been expected since the novel’s rough draft. Yes, these young and rebuilding Blazers (18-15) have won 10 of their last 13. Sure, they’re sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference standings. Indeed, they improved to 9-2 in games decided by 6 or fewer points.
But unlike most of the basketball universe, Matthews has been expecting this all along.
“I’ve been telling you guys this from the start of the year,” Matthews said. “We’re resilient. We can play. We’re good. We can win. We’re a playoff team. So, no, I didn’t learn anything (this trip). It is just coming to the surface. We still have a lot to work on, a lot to do. Still have a lot of season left. But we are just doing what I thought we could do.”
The Blazers have won in a variety of ways during this season of exceeded expectations, and they came up with a new one Saturday. With Matthews swishing seemingly every three-pointer in sight, Nicolas Batum sticking a knife in the back of the team that nearly stole him away from Portland and Damian Lillard having another superb all-around outing, the Blazers were cruising to an easy victory.
They led by as many as 22 points in the game and by 21 in the fourth quarter. But then lottery bust Derrick Williams started hitting shots out of nowhere. And Luke Ridnour started driving the lane and creating free throw opportunities. And Jose Barea was zigzagging around the arena, scoring and handing out assists. Before you knew it, the Blazers’ 22-point lead was down to 14 ... then 10 ... then six ... and, finally, two.
After Williams completed a one-handed dunk with 1:19 left, the Timberwolves — who outscored the Blazers 36-23 in the fourth — inched within 96-94. But that was as close as they would get.
LaMarcus Aldridge squelched the rally with 37.1 seconds left, nailing a clutch 13-foot turnaround jumper that moved the Blazers’ lead back to 98-94. Williams traveled on the next possession and Matthews added two late free throws to ice the victory.
Aldridge couldn’t buy a bucket most of the night, making just 7 of 20 shots en route to 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists, but he hit two crucial shots late that helped the Blazers escape. In addition to his dagger with 37.1 seconds left, he also hit an 8-foot bank shot with 3:00 left that halted an 8-0 Minnesota run.
“They stopped the bleeding,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said of Aldridge’s timely shots. “They kept us in position with the lead, took away some of their momentum, gave us some breathing room. They were huge.”
So was the all-around rock-solid play of Batum, who visited the Target Center for the first time since touring it as part of the Timberwolves’ free agent sales pitch last July. He scored the Blazers’ first seven points of the game and was nearly perfect from the field, finishing with 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting. He added five rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Batum said he was dead-tired in warmups, as the Blazers played for the fourth time in five nights, and couldn’t help but think: “Let’s just play this game and get out of here.” But once the game started — and he first heard chirping from the crowd — Batum found his second-wind.
“I got one shot, two shots, three shots ... I was feeling it a little bit,” Batum said.
He’s not the only one as the Blazers tied a franchise record with 16 three-pointers (in 24 attempts). Matthews (5 of 7), Batum (5 of 6) and Lillard (3 of 5) did most of the damage. It was just enough to stave off that fourth-quarter rally from the Timberwolves (15-15), who fell to the Blazers for the second time this season.
After managing just four road victories all season heading into this four-game trip that started on New Year’s Day, the Blazers have won at New York, Memphis and Minneapolis — teams with a combined 35-12 record at home. And while Matthews has stubbornly been predicting this all along, others on the roster have been a bit more cautious.
One of these players, Aldridge, has seen too many ebbs and flows in too many NBA seasons to get too carried away in training camp. Particularly about an untested team featuring a new coach, five rookies and eight new faces. But as Aldridge dressed Saturday and prepped to fly back to Portland, he beamed about his team’s progress.
“I think we actually grew up on this trip a little bit,” Aldridge said. “I think we took a step forward. I’ve been here all year and we’ve had our moments, but this has been a stretch of our most unselfish basketball I’ve seen. Guys are making that extra, extra pass and guys are trying to get guys going... I feel like that’s been big for us.”
By the time Aldridge uttered these words, Matthews had strutted out of the locker room to visit his mother and grandmother, who had watched his monster game — and another surprising Blazers win — from the fifth row. He didn’t get the chance to say, “I told you so.”
Notes: Lillard had 20 points, six rebounds and four rebounds. ... Luke Babbitt (2 of 3) and Victor Claver (1 of 2) also contributed to the Blazers’ three-point shooting spree. ... The Blazers are the first team to make at least 16 three-pointers on 24 or fewer attempts since Dec. 3, 2010. ... Nikola Pekovic led the Timberwolves with 21 points and 15 rebounds, but left in the third quarter with a left hip strain and did not return.