Blazers take out Thunder in OKC

[tlongII]

http://portlandtribune.com/sports/st...65080521421100

Portland's Aldridge: 'I had my legs under me'


OKLAHOMA CITY — There were plenty of things to point to in the Trail Blazers’ 103-93 victory at Oklahoma City at Ford Center Tuesday night, but none bigger than the performance of LaMarcus Aldridge.

Aldridge scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Portland (4-2) came back strongly after a loss to the Clippers Sunday at Los Angeles.

Portland’s 6-11 power forward underwent a heart procedure during the abbreviated preseason and hadn’t felt himself in the regular season’s early going.

“I’ve been tired,” Aldridge said. “This is my second game feeling decent. I had my legs under me and tried to go the basket more.”

It was the seventh game in 10 days for the Thunder (5-2), and they were the ones who looked tired Tuesday night. Kevin Durant made only 8 of 26 shots from the field — including 1 of 7 from 3-point range — and scored 19 points.

“Durant’s a very good player,” Portland coach Nate McMillan said. “He can put up some numbers. We did a good job making him work to catch and tried to keep him in front of us. And we wanted to make him work some at the defensive end of the floor.”

The Thunder were playing the second of back-to-back games after losing Monday at Dallas.

“Those guys have played seven games and we’re at five,” McMillan said. “We have to catch up. The bulk of our games are going to start to come. But it’s a good start for us.”

Portland, which had committed 46 turnovers in its previous two games, turned the ball over only nine times Tuesday night.

“We felt we gave one away in L.A.,” Portland reserve forward Kurt Thomas said. “We turned the ball over too much. We wanted to be solid and limit those turnovers. That’s what we did tonight.”

Oklahoma City shot only .434 from the field, including 5 for 20 on 3-point attempts.

McMillan gave part of the credit to Portland’s defense.

“We played with an at ude tonight,” the Blazer mentor said. “Defensively, we did a better job of establishing ourselves early. Offensively, we got some match-ups we wanted to go at. We executed that well.

“We came to play a 48-minute game. We wanted to get a split on this road trip, and we did.”

Oklahoma City led throughout most of the first half and was in front 53-51 at the break despite 19 points from Aldridge.

Portland used an 11-3 run early in the third quarter to take control and fought off every comeback attempt by the Thunder.

The Blazers got important contributions from four starters as well as Nicolas Batum, who came off the bench for 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots in 24 minutes.

Batum nailed 3 of 4 from 3-point range, including a catch-and-shoot number as the shot clock was about to expire. That basket pushed Portland’s lead to 92-82 with 5:55 left.

Wesley Matthews made six of his first seven shots from the field and finished with 16 points, six rebounds and four steals.

Raymond Felton contributed 12 points and seven assists with only one turnover in 36 minutes. Gerald Wallace had a poor shooting night (4 of 14) but made a pair of jump hooks over Durant in the fourth quarter and had a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds).

NOTES: Portland’s next action is Thursday night against the Lakers at the Rose Garden. “That’s a real good test for us,” Aldridge said. “Guys are finding their rhythm. We can get that game.” ... Aldridge got into a fourth-quarter scuffle with OKC’s Kendrick Perkins. Each was whistled for a technical. “I’m not going to back down,” Aldridge said. “My team needs that.” ... Aldridge said he tried to be more of a vocal leader than he has been early in the season. “I was talking more, trying to get guys to play defense,” he said. “I was talking all game.” ... James Harden led the Thunder with 23 points while Russell Westbrook collected 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds. ... OKC won the battle in fastbreak points 24-10, including 13-2 in the first half. ... Portland was 12 for 19 from the field in the second quarter. The Blazers finished the game at .447 from the field. ... Portland’s bench outscored the OKC reserves 25-14.

[Giuseppe]

& get rid of that f'in' avatar. Christ, it's at last 3 years old.