tlongII
01-03-2014, 01:09 PM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2014/01/another_record_three-point_barrage_fuels_much-need.html#incart_flyout_sports
http://imgick.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/pgmain/img/oregonian/photo/2014/01/-f6d33c7fa56b4029.jpg
The Trail Blazers returned to the Moda Center on Thursday after a rugged stretch of eight games in which they had to repeatedly battle down the stretch, with two overtime wins, four games decided by a last-second shot and seven with a margin of four points or less.
If any team could use a nice, comfortable rout, it was the Blazers, and they gave themselves exactly that. The Blazers came out smoking, passing the ball crisply, making defensive plays and most of all showing off their deadly three-point shooting in a 134-104 win over the Charlotte Bobcats before a sellout crowd of 20,014 at the Moda Center.
“It’s needed,” said Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who did not play in the fourth quarter. “Guys get rest, our backups get more playing time. It was needed at home.”
The win produced a slew of statistical milestones for the Blazers, including tying their franchise record by making 21 three-pointers, matching the mark they set Dec. 14 in Philadelphia, which made them the first team in NBA history to have two games in a season in which they made 20 threes. Portland also made a season-high 54 field goals, the most ever given up by any Bobcats team, and they shot a season-high 58.1 percent from the field.
For all the offensive fireworks, the Blazers were quick to point to their defense as they held Charlotte to 43 percent field goal shooting and forced enough misses that they got into their offense before the Bobcats were settled into their defense.
“The fact that we were able to get stops, then we didn’t run many plays, didn’t run many sets, and we had them scrambling,” guard Wesley Matthews said.
The record day was fueled by Portland’s guards. Starters Damian Lillard (24 points) and Wesley Matthews (25 points) and sixth-man Mo Williams (15 points, 10 assists) shot a combined 14 for 17 from three-point range to key the record-tying night, which came on 33 attempts, four fewer than Portland took against the 76ers.
For Lillard, the game continued a torrid streak of eight games in which he has shot 40 for 72 from three-point range (55.6 percent) after he finished 6 for 6 Thursday. Lillard became the second player in Portland history to make six threes without a miss, joining Terry Porter, who went 7 for 7 in a game in 1992.
To think, Lillard’s hot streak started after he was 0 for 7 behind the arc at Detroit – not that he was counting the misses or makes.
“I just keep shooting – I didn’t even know I went 0 for 7, I figured I hit at least one,” said Lillard, who hit a game-winning two-point shot in overtime against the Pistons . “Even when I’m missing, I don’t think about it. I just keep shooting the ball."
Matthews was 5 for 6 behind the arc as part of an 8-for-11 field goal shooting night that he admitted he knew was coming.
“I’m not going to lie to you, I felt on when I woke up from my nap today,” he said.
Williams finished with a season-high in assists and his first double-double since joining the Blazers.
The only Portland starter who struggled to hit shots was the team’s All-Star, Aldridge, who finished 5 for 13, the only Portland starter who finished under 50 percent field goal shooting.
Aldridge did other things, including grabbing 15 rebounds, and he ran the court hard at the end of the third quarter to get a short jumper in transition that gave him his 10th point and complete his 19th double-double of the season before calling it a game.
The Blazers were focused from the start against the Bobcats (14-20), who although in contention for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, were struggling, losing to the Clippers the night before for their fourth consecutive defeat. The Blazers held Charlotte to 38.1 percent shooting in the first quarter while they shot 7 for 8 on threes to take a 39-21 lead as they controlled the game from beginning to end, winning every quarter.
“We knew that coming in, they were on a back-to-back, they had a tough loss last night,” Lillard said. “We wanted to jump them, try to get some stops and get out in transition, and we was able to do that.”
The Blazers were able to give an extended fourth-quarter run to their reserves, and coach Terry Stotts was pleased with the way they performed. Meyers Leonard finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, and Will Barton added 10 points, including two three-pointers that helped set the record.
“It’s always good to get a win like this,” Stotts said. “Guys on the bench can get some minutes, starters can get some rest. You’ve got to enjoy these because they don’t come often.”
Things were so going the Blazers’ way, they even got help from the two New York teams as the Nets beat Oklahoma City (25-7), and the Knicks defeated San Antonio (25-8) earlier in the day, paving the way for Portland (26-7) to reclaim the top spot in the Western Conference.
http://imgick.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/pgmain/img/oregonian/photo/2014/01/-f6d33c7fa56b4029.jpg
The Trail Blazers returned to the Moda Center on Thursday after a rugged stretch of eight games in which they had to repeatedly battle down the stretch, with two overtime wins, four games decided by a last-second shot and seven with a margin of four points or less.
If any team could use a nice, comfortable rout, it was the Blazers, and they gave themselves exactly that. The Blazers came out smoking, passing the ball crisply, making defensive plays and most of all showing off their deadly three-point shooting in a 134-104 win over the Charlotte Bobcats before a sellout crowd of 20,014 at the Moda Center.
“It’s needed,” said Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who did not play in the fourth quarter. “Guys get rest, our backups get more playing time. It was needed at home.”
The win produced a slew of statistical milestones for the Blazers, including tying their franchise record by making 21 three-pointers, matching the mark they set Dec. 14 in Philadelphia, which made them the first team in NBA history to have two games in a season in which they made 20 threes. Portland also made a season-high 54 field goals, the most ever given up by any Bobcats team, and they shot a season-high 58.1 percent from the field.
For all the offensive fireworks, the Blazers were quick to point to their defense as they held Charlotte to 43 percent field goal shooting and forced enough misses that they got into their offense before the Bobcats were settled into their defense.
“The fact that we were able to get stops, then we didn’t run many plays, didn’t run many sets, and we had them scrambling,” guard Wesley Matthews said.
The record day was fueled by Portland’s guards. Starters Damian Lillard (24 points) and Wesley Matthews (25 points) and sixth-man Mo Williams (15 points, 10 assists) shot a combined 14 for 17 from three-point range to key the record-tying night, which came on 33 attempts, four fewer than Portland took against the 76ers.
For Lillard, the game continued a torrid streak of eight games in which he has shot 40 for 72 from three-point range (55.6 percent) after he finished 6 for 6 Thursday. Lillard became the second player in Portland history to make six threes without a miss, joining Terry Porter, who went 7 for 7 in a game in 1992.
To think, Lillard’s hot streak started after he was 0 for 7 behind the arc at Detroit – not that he was counting the misses or makes.
“I just keep shooting – I didn’t even know I went 0 for 7, I figured I hit at least one,” said Lillard, who hit a game-winning two-point shot in overtime against the Pistons . “Even when I’m missing, I don’t think about it. I just keep shooting the ball."
Matthews was 5 for 6 behind the arc as part of an 8-for-11 field goal shooting night that he admitted he knew was coming.
“I’m not going to lie to you, I felt on when I woke up from my nap today,” he said.
Williams finished with a season-high in assists and his first double-double since joining the Blazers.
The only Portland starter who struggled to hit shots was the team’s All-Star, Aldridge, who finished 5 for 13, the only Portland starter who finished under 50 percent field goal shooting.
Aldridge did other things, including grabbing 15 rebounds, and he ran the court hard at the end of the third quarter to get a short jumper in transition that gave him his 10th point and complete his 19th double-double of the season before calling it a game.
The Blazers were focused from the start against the Bobcats (14-20), who although in contention for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, were struggling, losing to the Clippers the night before for their fourth consecutive defeat. The Blazers held Charlotte to 38.1 percent shooting in the first quarter while they shot 7 for 8 on threes to take a 39-21 lead as they controlled the game from beginning to end, winning every quarter.
“We knew that coming in, they were on a back-to-back, they had a tough loss last night,” Lillard said. “We wanted to jump them, try to get some stops and get out in transition, and we was able to do that.”
The Blazers were able to give an extended fourth-quarter run to their reserves, and coach Terry Stotts was pleased with the way they performed. Meyers Leonard finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, and Will Barton added 10 points, including two three-pointers that helped set the record.
“It’s always good to get a win like this,” Stotts said. “Guys on the bench can get some minutes, starters can get some rest. You’ve got to enjoy these because they don’t come often.”
Things were so going the Blazers’ way, they even got help from the two New York teams as the Nets beat Oklahoma City (25-7), and the Knicks defeated San Antonio (25-8) earlier in the day, paving the way for Portland (26-7) to reclaim the top spot in the Western Conference.