tlongII
04-21-2014, 09:25 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2014/04/trail_blazers_beat_houston_rockets_in_playoff_open .html
http://imgick.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/pgmain/img/oregonian/photo/2014/04/-014d80a6bcec023f.jpg
Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) reacts after tipping a ball in late in regulation.
HOUSTON — A few hours before Game 1, Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts was surrounded by a horde of reporters at the team’s morning shootaround, spouting off a few clichés and cracking a sly joke here and there without revealing a care in the world.
Just before the brief question-and-answer session was about to wrap up, someone asked Stotts to describe the vibe of his underdog team heading into the opening game of its best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
“Locked in,” he said. “They’re looking forward to the series. Confident. Confident and hungry.”
And now they feature this: Homecourt advantage over the Rockets.
In an entertaining and drama-filled back-and-forth slugfest, the Blazers snatched homecourt advantage from the Rockets with a 122-120 overtime victory before 18,240 Sunday night at the Toyota Center.
The Rockets entered the series as a favorite, hailed by virtually every national pundit as a lock to breeze past the Blazers thanks to their playoff-tested All-Star duo, Dwight Howard and James Harden. But on Sunday night, it was the Blazers’ All-Stars, LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, who put on a show.
As Howard battled foul trouble and ineffectiveness and Harden endured a hideous shooting night, the Blazers’ stalwarts sparkled. Aldridge did it all, finishing with 46 points, 18 rebounds, two blocks and two assists, and Lillard was nearly as good, recording 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists in his first playoff game.
Before tipoff, Aldridge was hounded by questions about his shaky playoff past. Lillard endured doubts about his lack of postseason experience and up-and-down performances against the Rockets’ defensive juggernaut, Patrick Beverley. But both dismissed the critiques in emphatic and jaw-dropping fashion, lifting the Blazers to their first-ever playoff victory in Houston.
Aldridge scored inside and out, pounding the overmatched Terrence Jones — and anyone else the Rockets threw at him — into the post for easy post-ups while also draining several of his trademark turnaround fadeaways and midrange jumpers. He made 17 of 31 shots, including two surprising three-pointers — after making just three all season — and the second was a critical make near the end of the shot clock in overtime. By the time it was over, it was a record-setting performance featuring a list of superlatives long and impressive.
His 46 points were a career and playoff franchise high, surpassing the 45 Bonzi Wells recorded in 2003. He became the first player in franchise history to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a playoff game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And he became the first player in the NBA to register at least 46 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks in the postseason since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1987.
That’s right, playing in Houston, Aldridge etched his place alongside The Dream.
“I don’t know why anyone would question whether he was ready for this,” Stotts said. “The guy’s an All-Star, a multiple All-Star, probably All-pro. And he’s been ready for this moment. We rode him, he was very efficient on his post-ups. When they played with a small lineup, he took advantage of the matchups that he had.”
Aldridge was most dominant in the fourth quarter, when he had 19 points and five rebounds, while making 7 of 8 shots, willing the Blazers back from a 13-point deficit.
“As far as the passion, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that," Lillard said of Aldridge. "Guys couldn’t stop him. I saw how bad he wanted to win the game. When you have your leader playing like that, it fires you up.”
Lillard certainly looked fired up. After listening to questions about the tenacious Beverley for nearly a week, he proved more than capable, schooling the defensive pest. As he has been since Day 1 of his career, Lillard was solid and stoic from the opening jump, attacking the lane, swishing threes and making big shot after big shot. He finished 9 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 7 from three-point range, becoming the first Blazers player to record at least 30 points in his first playoff game and the first player in the NBA to finish with at least 31 points and nine rebounds in a playoff debt since LeBron James in 2006.
And the Blazers needed every bit of what they got from both Lillard and Aldridge. With Chandler Parsons torching Nicolas Batum and Howard and Harden fighting through up-and-down games to produce, the Rockets built a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.
But with a little “Hack-a-Howard,” a few clutch shots and some luck, the Blazers reeled off an 11-0 run late in the fourth to help force overtime. The run started after Stotts used "Hack-a-Howard" to perfection.
It started with Batum fouling the notoriously shaky free throw shooter with 4:30 left. Howard made both free throws to give the Rockets a 98-87 lead, but he went on to miss his next four. You could sense the panic escalate in the Toyota Center, and the Blazers fed off the emotion, reeling off 11 consecutive points to tie the game.
In the extra period, after the teams went back and forth, the Blazers stole a win in the final seconds.
With 17 seconds left, Lillard breezed past Jones into the lane and drew a foul from Francisco Garcia. Lillard made both free throws to give the Blazers a 121-120 lead. Harden rushed a three on the ensuing possession and Joel Freeland — in the game only because Robin Lopez had fouled out — drew a foul from Howard pursuing the rebound. Freeland made one of two free throws with 10.8 seconds left and the Blazers' lead stood precariously at 122-120.
The Rockets had one more chance, but Harden missed a 12-foot jump shot at the buzzer and the Blazers danced and celebrated on the Toyota Center court.
Howard (27 points and 17 rebounds) and Harden (27 points, six assists and five rebounds) had solid final lines, but struggled from the field all night. They combined to make just 2 of 13 shots to start the game and things didn’t get much better. Howard, who fouled out, finished 9 of 21 from the field, and Harden made just 8 of 28 shots, including 3 of 13 three-pointers.
Parsons finished with 24 points, but the Blazers were effective at neutralizing the Rockets' prolific transition game (they finished with 13 fast-break points) and defending the three-point line (Houston shot 33 percent from long range).
It didn't matter that the Blazers were cold themselves from beyond the arc — shooting just 23 percent — or that Lopez endured foul trouble or that Mo Williams (three points, two assists, two turnovers, 1-for-4 shooting) was cold all night.
The Blazers got just enough from Matthews (18 points) and Batum (14 points, nine rebounds), and monster performances from their All-Stars to steal Game 1.
"It was just one of those nights," Aldridge said. "I got into a good rhythm and I started to feel good down low and I think my coaches and teammates did a good job trying to find me down low. I was trying to lead tonight. Every guy on this team comes to me and talks to me and they believe in me and they tell me that I can dominate a game."
http://imgick.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/pgmain/img/oregonian/photo/2014/04/-014d80a6bcec023f.jpg
Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) reacts after tipping a ball in late in regulation.
HOUSTON — A few hours before Game 1, Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts was surrounded by a horde of reporters at the team’s morning shootaround, spouting off a few clichés and cracking a sly joke here and there without revealing a care in the world.
Just before the brief question-and-answer session was about to wrap up, someone asked Stotts to describe the vibe of his underdog team heading into the opening game of its best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series against the Houston Rockets.
“Locked in,” he said. “They’re looking forward to the series. Confident. Confident and hungry.”
And now they feature this: Homecourt advantage over the Rockets.
In an entertaining and drama-filled back-and-forth slugfest, the Blazers snatched homecourt advantage from the Rockets with a 122-120 overtime victory before 18,240 Sunday night at the Toyota Center.
The Rockets entered the series as a favorite, hailed by virtually every national pundit as a lock to breeze past the Blazers thanks to their playoff-tested All-Star duo, Dwight Howard and James Harden. But on Sunday night, it was the Blazers’ All-Stars, LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard, who put on a show.
As Howard battled foul trouble and ineffectiveness and Harden endured a hideous shooting night, the Blazers’ stalwarts sparkled. Aldridge did it all, finishing with 46 points, 18 rebounds, two blocks and two assists, and Lillard was nearly as good, recording 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists in his first playoff game.
Before tipoff, Aldridge was hounded by questions about his shaky playoff past. Lillard endured doubts about his lack of postseason experience and up-and-down performances against the Rockets’ defensive juggernaut, Patrick Beverley. But both dismissed the critiques in emphatic and jaw-dropping fashion, lifting the Blazers to their first-ever playoff victory in Houston.
Aldridge scored inside and out, pounding the overmatched Terrence Jones — and anyone else the Rockets threw at him — into the post for easy post-ups while also draining several of his trademark turnaround fadeaways and midrange jumpers. He made 17 of 31 shots, including two surprising three-pointers — after making just three all season — and the second was a critical make near the end of the shot clock in overtime. By the time it was over, it was a record-setting performance featuring a list of superlatives long and impressive.
His 46 points were a career and playoff franchise high, surpassing the 45 Bonzi Wells recorded in 2003. He became the first player in franchise history to record at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a playoff game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. And he became the first player in the NBA to register at least 46 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks in the postseason since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1987.
That’s right, playing in Houston, Aldridge etched his place alongside The Dream.
“I don’t know why anyone would question whether he was ready for this,” Stotts said. “The guy’s an All-Star, a multiple All-Star, probably All-pro. And he’s been ready for this moment. We rode him, he was very efficient on his post-ups. When they played with a small lineup, he took advantage of the matchups that he had.”
Aldridge was most dominant in the fourth quarter, when he had 19 points and five rebounds, while making 7 of 8 shots, willing the Blazers back from a 13-point deficit.
“As far as the passion, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that," Lillard said of Aldridge. "Guys couldn’t stop him. I saw how bad he wanted to win the game. When you have your leader playing like that, it fires you up.”
Lillard certainly looked fired up. After listening to questions about the tenacious Beverley for nearly a week, he proved more than capable, schooling the defensive pest. As he has been since Day 1 of his career, Lillard was solid and stoic from the opening jump, attacking the lane, swishing threes and making big shot after big shot. He finished 9 of 19 from the field, including 3 of 7 from three-point range, becoming the first Blazers player to record at least 30 points in his first playoff game and the first player in the NBA to finish with at least 31 points and nine rebounds in a playoff debt since LeBron James in 2006.
And the Blazers needed every bit of what they got from both Lillard and Aldridge. With Chandler Parsons torching Nicolas Batum and Howard and Harden fighting through up-and-down games to produce, the Rockets built a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.
But with a little “Hack-a-Howard,” a few clutch shots and some luck, the Blazers reeled off an 11-0 run late in the fourth to help force overtime. The run started after Stotts used "Hack-a-Howard" to perfection.
It started with Batum fouling the notoriously shaky free throw shooter with 4:30 left. Howard made both free throws to give the Rockets a 98-87 lead, but he went on to miss his next four. You could sense the panic escalate in the Toyota Center, and the Blazers fed off the emotion, reeling off 11 consecutive points to tie the game.
In the extra period, after the teams went back and forth, the Blazers stole a win in the final seconds.
With 17 seconds left, Lillard breezed past Jones into the lane and drew a foul from Francisco Garcia. Lillard made both free throws to give the Blazers a 121-120 lead. Harden rushed a three on the ensuing possession and Joel Freeland — in the game only because Robin Lopez had fouled out — drew a foul from Howard pursuing the rebound. Freeland made one of two free throws with 10.8 seconds left and the Blazers' lead stood precariously at 122-120.
The Rockets had one more chance, but Harden missed a 12-foot jump shot at the buzzer and the Blazers danced and celebrated on the Toyota Center court.
Howard (27 points and 17 rebounds) and Harden (27 points, six assists and five rebounds) had solid final lines, but struggled from the field all night. They combined to make just 2 of 13 shots to start the game and things didn’t get much better. Howard, who fouled out, finished 9 of 21 from the field, and Harden made just 8 of 28 shots, including 3 of 13 three-pointers.
Parsons finished with 24 points, but the Blazers were effective at neutralizing the Rockets' prolific transition game (they finished with 13 fast-break points) and defending the three-point line (Houston shot 33 percent from long range).
It didn't matter that the Blazers were cold themselves from beyond the arc — shooting just 23 percent — or that Lopez endured foul trouble or that Mo Williams (three points, two assists, two turnovers, 1-for-4 shooting) was cold all night.
The Blazers got just enough from Matthews (18 points) and Batum (14 points, nine rebounds), and monster performances from their All-Stars to steal Game 1.
"It was just one of those nights," Aldridge said. "I got into a good rhythm and I started to feel good down low and I think my coaches and teammates did a good job trying to find me down low. I was trying to lead tonight. Every guy on this team comes to me and talks to me and they believe in me and they tell me that I can dominate a game."