Heck of a Fight
posted: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 at 9:45 PM
But unfortunately, the Trail Blazers fall to the Phoenix Suns tonight at the Rose Garden ###.
In this game there are a lot of similarities to be drawn to recent losses at Denver, and against Chicago. The games were tight. Tight as can be. There were runs. The Trail Blazers had their chances. They stood up, going toe to toe with some of the best teams.
But in the end, the Trail Blazers fell just short.
Still, they left everything on the court. And while a loss is never something to be happy about, showing this kind of heart is.
All three have been phenomenal games.
And still, Portland was about 1" away from winning this one, had Travis Outlaw been able to rim in that last second finger-roll. So close. So close.
Zach Randolph led the Trail Blazers with 33 and 10, followed closely by Brandon Roy's 27, five and five.
As always, thanks for your comments, and I look forward to meeting with you next game.
Andrew R Tonry, signing out.
Second Phoenix Shot Clock Violation
posted: at 9:43 PM
They sure are eating as much time up as they can...
And where it stands now, it looks like the Suns might have done it...
:12 seconds left and Portland are down five.
Brandon Slices
posted: at 9:41 PM
And is fouled. He'll go to the line for two.
It's Boris Diaw's sixth, and he's fouled out.
Roy at the line for two.
First is...........Good.
Second.......................................................Good.
Trail Blazers 102, Phoenix 107...
Another TERRIBLE CALL!
posted: at 9:38 PM
This one on Martell under the basket, and it gives the Suns the ball back. McMillan is furious... and on the ensuing possession it becomes another Barbosa three...
But back on our end Brandon Roy drives for a quick two.
1:30 remaining...
Barbosa his ANOTHER THREE! Impossible! Leaning back... wow... couldn't have been defended better...
Needing a Bucket
posted: at 9:36 PM
And Zach is fouled.
Fifth on Diaw.
First free throw is......................GOOD!
Second...............................................GOOD!
101-98, Suns with 2:30 to go.
Amare Called for Hooking!
posted: at 9:34 PM
That's his fifth!
Trail Blazer ball.
Martell misses a three, but Travis flys for the offensive rebound.
And what's this! ANOTHER NO CALL as Zach is pushed and the Suns recover.
That turns into two more from Soudemire.
Suns score first five points of the OT. Ouch.
Timeout, Portland.
Outlaw Wins Tap
posted: at 9:32 PM
Over Amare, one of the best leapers in the game. Shows you what Travis can do.
Then he grabs an offensive board... but the Trail Blazers fail to connect.
Amare, on the other end, scores and is fouled. He completes the three point play.
Welcome to OVERTIME!
posted: at 9:29 PM
Phew... this one has been crazy. Talk about nail biters, well after this one we'll be lucky to have any fingers left...
What a game. On that last possession the Rose Garden may well have been as loud as it has all season long... just pandemonium...
A look down at the announces and you see Mike Rice wildly waving his arms, all the fans and both teams and their benches were on their feet...
Five more minutes... If the Blog stops, for some reason, you can figure that I've had suffered a heart attack.
Here we go......
Zach Steals from Amare!
posted: at 9:25 PM
Shot clock resets. Time out.
Trail Blazers can hold for final shot!
OUTLAW BREAKS TO THE HOOP! HIS FINGER-ROLL IS JUST LONG!
Oh my goodness. Phoenix calls timeout as Outlaw jumps up in down in frustration.
1.6 seconds left, and barring an absolute miracle, we're going to overtime.
96 all...
UDOKA ANSWERS FROM DOWNTOWN!
posted: at 9:22 PM
A perfectly executed play! Roy draws the defenders in with his drive and kicks out to the open Ime for three!
What a play...
:30 seconds left, all tied up at 96.
They're on Their Feet!
posted: at 9:21 PM
Going crazy...
And Barbosa cans a three!
38.9 seconds remaining, and the Trail Blazers call for timeout.
96-93, Phoenix
Roy Misses, but...
posted: at 9:18 PM
Zach grabs the board! He's going to the line for two!
The first....
is GOOD!
The second (which will time him with Amare)
is GOOD!
TIE GAME! :57 seconds to go!
Timeout Phoenix.
A Stop
posted: at 9:16 PM
But then a shot clock violation! Phoenix has the ball back with 1:30 to go...
And Raja Bell's layup misses!
Trail Blazer ball!
Shot Selection
posted: at 9:13 PM
GoBlz18: I gotta disagree with you here, buddy -- that shot is well within LaMarcus' range.
Zach comes down and hits for two, but as I just heard a fan mutter about the call that sent Amare to the line again, "that was a gift."
And Shawn Marion grabbing the offensive rebound was another.
Still, Trail Blazers down only four with just under 3:00 to go.
Zach steals an offensive board of his own and puts it back!
93-91, Suns
Shot clock violation by the Trail Blazers. Not in any way what the doctor ordered...
Still, this crowd is involved.
Oh my! A LaMarcus block that is somehow corralled by Barbosa who is lying on the court at the time... and Barbosa hits another!
Ugh.
Timeout, Trail Blazers.
92-87, Suns.
Martell for THREE!
posted: at 9:08 PM
The crowd goes wild!
That ties it all up! 87-87!
Zach's And-One Makes it One
posted: at 9:05 PM
Portland 84, Phoenix 85.
But Barbosa hits! That's the kind of bigtime play that keeps Steve Nash, who's on the bench in street clothes, from having to say, 'oh man, get me in this game'.
Nice Pass
posted: at 9:02 PM
Jarrett finds LaMarcus Aldridge inside, but Soudemire says 'get that out of here' with a block.
Not one to be discouraged, Aldridge returns the favor to Amare on the other end by taking his charge.
Zach scores, then Amare does, then Zach does again! And this time he's going to the line. A free throw make would cut it to one!
Timeout...
Whew. The power forwards are really going at it here in the final period. 5:50 left...
Nail Biters...
posted: at 8:59 PM
GoBlazers18: you couldn't be more right. I've chewed my fingers to the bone in these last few games. And you know what, I love it. Close games are basketball at its best. Portland is a team with a lot of heart...
And while I always want wins, sometimes a blowout win is not too much fun to watch (but, tell you the truth, I could go for a few of those to...).
Zach Back
posted: at 8:54 PM
And he quickly hits for two! He's got 20.
But the slashing Leandro Barbosa lays it up for two.
On the other end the Trail Blazers fight and fight for loose balls and rebounds and finally Travis Outlaw puts one in.
Another ticky tack, questionable foul called on the Trail Blazers (their third team foul in as many minutes) and the fans here are irate! And well they should be! The Boo's are deafening!
79-77, Trail Blazers. Timeout. 8:40 remaining.
Under Review
posted: at 8:50 PM
DENIED!
Too bad. That shot was so tough it should be worth a point just for making it, on time or not...
The fourth begins with the score, Portland 71, Phoenix 75.
Zach Whistled for his Fourth
posted: at 8:48 PM
Oh please! An offensive foul? I don't think so!
But a Phoenix foul on the floor, as the Suns are in the penatly, sends Brandon to the line for two more. Aces the first... and the next.
Portland, again, within four. Shot clock off, but wait! TRAVIS STEALS! AND MARTELL NAILS A THREE AT THE BUZZER, FALLING BACK! UNBELIEVEABLE!
Called good, but will be reviewed.
Randolph Hits the Free Throw
posted: at 8:44 PM
And one, baby. Deficit back to single digits.
Just need to get the crowd back into this game with a few stops...
There's one! Three second violation on Phoenix. Two minutes left in the quarter and Brandon nails one from the foul line extended. Chants of defense... defense... Portland gets another stop!
And Amare gets a technical!
Momentum is, once again, moving back into Portland's favor.
Roy hits the tech, and Trail Blazers close the gap to six.
1:20 left in the fourth.
ANOTHER No Call!
posted: at 8:40 PM
Ime Udoka is sent to the floor, and the Suns just pick up the ball and run down for a layup... unbelieveable.
They get one on the next possession, as Zach scores and is fouled. Chance to complete the three-point play after this timeout.
73-63, Suns.
Keys to this Game?
posted: at 8:37 PM
I'll share mine, but I'd love to hear yours.
For the Trail Blazers to pull this one off tonight I think they'll need to finish with fewer turnovers than Phoenix (currently 12-10), and Zach Randolph will need to match or top Amare Stoudemire's point total (22-15).
What do you think?
Bradon Heating Up
posted: at 8:33 PM
He's leading the Trail Blazers with 16. Got there with a nifty shot in the paint.
But the Suns keep on answering. 64-59 Phoenix.
Aldridge Gets Second Half Start
posted: at 8:29 PM
McMillan's move makes some sense, as the Suns speed makes it difficult for Joel Przybilla to play to the best of his abilities.
And he comes another one of the half-court shots to win a Toyota Tundra... Nick from Portland...
Here it comes... Drumroll...
Banks it a little too hard!
Close, but no cigar, err, I mean truck.
Portland Within Two
posted: at 8:28 PM
After a flurry of steals and near misses and a few makes, the Trail Blazers have closed it to two.
55-53, Suns.
I Stand Corrected
posted: at 8:25 PM
It's true, the Trail Blazers were up 7-6. You got me.
I grabbed at half-time stat sheet and felt the 'whoops'.
And so we begin the second half...
Roy Suckers Diaw
posted: at 8:08 PM
Got him up in the air and now Brandon will head to the line for two. Smart play.
Now if only we could take back that silly foul on the other end that gave Amare Stoudemire a free throw when it was clear that he'd easly score the bucket.
And that's the end of the first half. Portland 47, Phoenix 51.
Though the Trail Blazers have never led in this game, where they're at now, after being down as many as 14, seems pretty darn good.
If you have a minute, go on ahead and leave some questions or comments, and I'll do my best to get back to you.
Jarrett Scores and is Fouled!
posted: at 8:04 PM
As he watched that one roll in from under the basket, oh man was Jarrett happy. Pumping his fists, yelling in celebration... Jack saw a few easy ones roll out, and certainly it felt good when that one rolled in.
His free throw, after this Phoenix timeout, can cut the deficit to three.
Suns Doubling Zach
posted: at 8:02 PM
Whenever he's down low, a second defender is quickly rotating to help on Randolph. To avoid that, he stepped out and drained a long two.
Now they're sending two at Zach, even when he's on the perimeter...
Brandon Roy's jumper puts the Trail Blazers within four...
Two minutes remaining
Trimming the Lead
posted: at 7:56 PM
Jarrett Jack hits both of his free throws and that makes it six.
Suns three in the key turns the ball back to the Trail Blazres, who then are ROBBED on another no call! This time it was Martell Webster who was HACKED underneath the basket...
At least the next time down the court the ref's had their glasses on and called the hit layed on Brandon Roy.
But wow, on the missed free throw Amare Stoudemire gets away with an obvious trip of Travis Outlaw, who was hustling to save the ball from going out of bounds...
Strange, strange calls (or no calls...)
Travis Scores
posted: at 7:50 PM
Then steals the ball at half-court, goes all the way to the hoop and is fouled. Hits the first. And the second.
Good stuff. He's got six points, and with plays like that, he's got this Portland crowd remembering the best of what he's capable of.
Interesting to see Travis on the court at the same time with Martell Webster as well -- not a combination coach McMillan has used much this season. With Magloire at center, that makes Travis the power forward.
On NO! TERRIBLE no call on Jarret Jack underneath!
Still, the Trail Blazers have put together a nice little run.
Jamaal Magloire's put-back dunk just brought the Trail Blazers within eight.
This crowd is getting energized and sharing it with their home team.
And this time Jarett gets the call! After this timeout he can cut the Phoenix lead to six.
Magloire and Barbosa Tangled Up
posted: at 7:46 PM
With their arms locked Jamaal goes down and takes Leandro with him. Strange foul, and strange call, as it looked like Barbosa's weight brought down Magloire... Perhaps it was frustration that led Jamaal sort of keep Barbosa rolling on the ground.
Still, nothing malicious, and neither were called for a technical. Life goes on.
Unfortunately, life will go on with the Trail Blazers down 26-40.
8:34 left in the half.
Outlaw in to Begin Second
posted: at 7:43 PM
Travis said at practice yesterday that he's feeling about 80% of the way towards being at full strength, and that he expects to be there within a week or two.
But it's Martell through the lane for a sweeping layup.
Suns up 10.
Suns on a Run
posted: at 7:32 PM
And they keep on comin'!
They're up 30-17 with about :40 seconds remaining in the quarter...
But wait, Brandon Roy just slashed through the lane for two and he's going to the foul line for one more. Swish.
Pat Burke for two more...
Trail Blazers will hold for the final shot.
OH MY GOODNESS! It's Martell Webster with a WICKED one-handed jam along the baseline!
But there's four seconds left... the Suns fly down the court and Shawn Marion nails a jumper at the buzzer.
34-22, Phoenix.
Roy to the Line
posted: at 7:28 PM
Fouled by Marcus Banks.
Earlier tonight Brandon Roy was honored at center court for his selection of Rookie of the Month. He led all other first year players in scoring, rebounding and minutes and was tied for second in assists.
Head and shoulders above the rest if you ask me...
Rumble young man, rumble!
Now it's 21-17, Phoenix, on Zach Randolph's top of the key jumper.
Back to Back Trail Blazer Turnovers
posted: at 7:20 PM
They've got to get coach McMillan fuming. And on each turnover the Suns are running.
When the fast breaks don't materialize the offense if going through Amare Stoudemire down on the low block. He's looking pretty good, and already has seven points.
LaMarcus Aldridge just checked in, and figures to be used extensively tonight, as his speed and mobility allow him to run right alongside the streaking Suns.
Ime from his corner spot for three!
18-14, Suns.
4:44 remaining in the first.
Trail Blazers on the Board
posted: at 7:17 PM
Zach Randolph finishes and is fouled. Completes the three-point play.
Something else to keep your eye on tonight is turnovers -- coach McMillan stressed this over and over again in the leadup to this game. The Trail Blazers can't afford many...
But what they can afford right now is the lead.
Two from Ime and two more from Zach gives the Trail Blazers a 7-6 lead
Packed House
posted: at 7:10 PM
Another game at the Rose Garden is looking a whole lot fuller than it has in months and years past. Though, tonight there seems to a good number of Phoenix fans in the house -- not that I can blame them too much... After all, Phoenix is one of the most fun teams to watch in the league.
Offense... nothing but crisp, blazing fast offense.
But don't get me wrong, I'm a Trail Blazer first. Have been since I was five.
Suns out to an early 6-0 lead.
Suns Coming Up
posted: at 7:02 PM
Just a few more minutes before tip-off here at the Rose Garden as the Trail Blazers play host to the Phoenix Suns on this Tuesday night.
Phoenix will be without two-time MVP Steve Nash, who injured his shoulder last night in Denver. Still, without their leading man, the Suns cruised on to beat the Nuggets, 113-108. Leandro Barbosa will handle the point guard duties tonight.
And though he is no Nash, Barbosa is most certainly a player to be feared. He's got a lightning quick first step, long arms, and a preternatural ability to get to the rim. Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said earlier that he believes Barbosa, at this point, deserves the NBA's Sixth Man award.
The Trail Blazers are coming off a wild, back and forth loss to the Chicago Bulls...
Coach McMillan said the Trail Blazers will attempt to slow the game's tempo down, but not quite as much as they did in Phoenix, saying he doesn't want to "bore the crowd to sleep."
Right on Nate. Tip-off coming in a few minutes...
But hey, now would be a great time to register or sign in so you can log your comments here on the Gametime Blog!
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