Blazers win, Nate McMillan gets No. 300
posted: Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 9:13 PM
McCants hits a meaningless three, bringing the score to 107-96. The Blazers dribble out the clock and that's how it ends. The Blazers get win No. 35 and Nate McMillan gets career win No. 300. Congrats to everyone.
LaMarcus Aldridge finishes with a game-high 26 points to go along with five rebounds. Brandon Roy ends with 25 points, nine assists, two rebounds and a steal. Joel Przybilla grabs the game-high in rebound with 13. It's worth noting though that this one was a team effort. Nice performances from just about everyone, as indicated by five Blazers finishing in double figures.
On the losing side, Marco Jaric finishes with 19 points, Ryan Gomes adds 18 and Al Jefferson nets 18 to go along with 11 boards. Randy Foye flirts with a triple-double, tallying nine points, ten rebounds and eight assists.
That's it from the Rose Garden my friends. Lets do it again on Tuesday against the Suns.
The Greg Oden mohawk is no more
posted: at 9:10 PM
The Jumbotron, as it often does, focuses in on Greg Oden and Josh McRoberts on the bench. And from the looks of it, Greg has decided to ditch the mohawk in favor of a closer cropped look. Too bad if you ask me.
But back to the game. Roy steals, leading the fast break, gets the ball to Jack, who finishes with the deuce. Blazers 107, T-Wolves 93 with 30 seconds to go.
This ain't over
posted: at 9:04 PM
You've got to hand it to the Timberwolves, they're hanging around and hanging around. We've seen teams do this to the Blazers this season, with mixed results.
Joel Przybilla blocks Marko Jaric clean, but he's called for a foul. The replay clearly showed The Thrilla getting all ball, but you can't win 'em all.
Roy, with just 4 seconds left on the shot clock, drives and draws the foul. He misses both free-throws though, which is a bit disconcerting at this stage of the game.
T-Wolves are unable to make the Blazers pay though, as they miss a shot and follow that up with a loose ball foul. If they could really make the Red and Black sweat if they could string together a few buckets.
With two minutes to go, it's Blazers 104, Timberwolves 91.
Travis provides the Chalupa bucket
posted: at 8:59 PM
Another jumper goes in for Trav, and that's chalupas. Like the Elton John song goes, Saturday night is alright for chalupas.
Corey Brewer with another two, and he's having one of his best games of the season with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.
Blazers 100, Timberwolves 89 with 4:33 to play.
So long to the slump
posted: at 8:54 PM
Travis Outlaw looks like his old self tonight, hitting yet another jumper over the much thicker but much slower Craig Smith. Travis has 15 tonight on 7-of-11 shooting.
Another defensive three seconds for the Timberwolves. Good news, right? Usually, but James Jones uncharacteristically misses the free-throw. You can count on your fingers and toes how many times that has happened this season.
But James makes up for it was a three, his third of the night. That's 13 for JHoops.
Blazers on the verge of Chalupas with the score 98-87 with a little over six minutes to play. The crowd wants their Taco Bell.
McCants can, but so can Outlaw
posted: at 8:47 PM
The Blazers get out on the break, and Steve Blake tries to find someone to dish to. But he inevitably finds himself open and decides to shoot the short jumper for himself. It's good.
McCants, as he's done a couple of times tonight, answers with a long three late in the shot clock. T-Wolves right back in it.
But not if Travis has anything to do with it. The Outlaw elevates, hits the two and gets fouled. Three point play the old fashioned way.
Blazers get a block, and they're going the other way again. James Jones finds his favorite corner, and he drills the three. He was so open, he probably could have shot it twice.
With 8:29 to play, it's Portland 93, Minnesota 85. You get the feeling that the Blazers could put the T-Wolves away if they could stretch the lead to double digits.
Minny makes a mini-run
posted: at 8:41 PM
The Blazers turn it over a couple of times, and the Timberwolves pull to within seven. Someone, I belive it was McCants, misses a three and the Blazers are going right back.
Jack holds it, holds it, holds it ... drives, then pulls up. He misses the shot, but he's fouled. He hits both, putting the Blazers up 83-74.
Randy Foye's half court shot at the buzzer comes close, but not close enough. With one quarter to play, it's Portland 83, Minnesota 74.
Martell hits the tech, Brandon hits the jumper
posted: at 8:34 PM
Minnesota gets called for a defensive three-seconds, and Martell Webster is the beneficiary of the free one.
After the make, B-Roy rolls of a screen and cans a long two.
Randy Foye, gets bumped on the drive, but manages to finish with the layin. He bounces in the free-throw, bringing the score to 79-72 Portland.
The crowd loves hustle and buckets
posted: at 8:31 PM
LaMarcus misses a hook shot that rims out after going halfway down. Looks like Corey Brewer has the rebound, but Joel Przybilla sticks with it and ends of grabbing the ball while straddling the out of bounds.
Falling out of bounds, Joel gets it to Martell, who gives it up to Blake. Blake drives, kicks out to Martell, who steps in and hits his second-straight shot.
Minnesota needs a timeout, and they get one. Blazers 74, T-Wolves 65 with 4:46 to play in the third quarter.
Aldridge and Roy get it back
posted: at 8:24 PM
Randy Foye drives the lane seemingly uncontested for a close two. Minnesota is working on a nice run to start the second half.
But B-Roy and L-Train come to the rescue. LaMarcus creates space by backing down Al Jefferson, ending with a nifty little bank shot. After a Minnesota miss, Roy comes down and hits another three.
Foye with two more on a pretty reverse layin that bounces a few times before the ball finds its way through the hoop.
Not to be outdone, Aldridge swishes a jumper from outside of the key. That's 22 for LaMarcus.
After a Kirk Snyder charge, Roy drives the lane, gets the bucket and the foul. With the make, Roy has 21. Not much diversity in the scoring department for the Blazers, but whatever works.
Portland 70, Minnesota 65 with 5:50 to play in the 3rd.
Blake from behind the basket
posted: at 8:19 PM
Steve Blake gets the first points of the half and his first points of the game with a jumper from behind the backboard. Shipp from UCLA hit the same shot a few days ago.
In a sign that maybe the refs are going to loosen up in the second half, Martell is obviously held on his shooting hand going up, but the whistles are silent. Just call it even.
Minnesota is back in the lead 59-56 with just under 10 minutes to play in the third quarter.
End of the first half
posted: at 8:03 PM
Minny bricks a three as time expires and the half ends with the score Blazers 54, Timberwolves 53.
Brandon Roy has 15. LaMarcus Aldridge has 16. Joel Przybilla already has seven boards. He's been a lean, mean rebounding machine as of late.
On the other side, Ryan Gomes has 14 and Marko Jaric has 13. Corey Brewer has 8.
Back in a flash for the second half.
Did I just see a fast break?
posted: at 8:01 PM
Easy buckets on the run have been few and far between this season, but not tonight. Roy steals, gets it to Jack, who finds a streaking Aldridge for the almost uncontested two.
Blazers 54, T-Wolves 53 with just 7.5 seconds to play in the half.
LaMarcus gets LaGoing
posted: at 7:57 PM
The L-Train is so silky sometimes that you forget he's out there having a solid game. Tonight's one of those instances, as Aldridge already has 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Not only is he scoring, but he's doing a good job helping on Al Jefferson, who only has four points thus far.
Roy with three more
posted: at 7:53 PM
Superb ball movement gets B-Roy an open look at a baseline three. Count it.
Rashad McCants, who seems to love playing against the Blazers, comes right back and hits a long two. He's a guy who can score in bunches, especially when the other team is wearing red, white and black.
Not the most textbook alley-oop you've ever seen, but Jack gets it over the top to Aldridge for the easy two.
But Jaric comes back with a two. Every time the Blazers get a little momentum, the T-Wolves answer back with a quick score. Jaric has 13.
Up and down, back and forth
posted: at 7:47 PM
Travis Outlaw gets hit on the arm but still manages to drop in the mid-range two for his sixth point.
Clean block by Przybilla on Chris Richard, and the Blazers are going the other way. Sergio finds Outlaw, and he's hit hard again on the arm. No bucket and (still) no foul this time.
Corey Brewer is having a nice night from the field. He's 3-for-3, with all of those shots coming from basically the same place on the floor. Body that kid up! He's looks like he's about 150 pounds.
Minnesota 43, Portland 39 with 5:25 to play in the half.
Travis Outlaw gets going
posted: at 7:39 PM
Trav gets nothing but net for his fourth point of the game. He's come out pretty aggressive tonight, which I'm sure is going to make Nate McMillan happy.
James Jones does a little inside work as well, getting an offensive rebound and an easy putback for his fifth point of the night.
After a questionable no-call on a Jarrett Jack drive and a foul on James Jones on the other end, the Rose Garden crowd voices their displeasure. I'm inclined to agree.
With 8:29 to play in the first half, Portland trails 35-32.
Nice way to close out the quarter
posted: at 7:35 PM
With 18 seconds left in the quarter, Sergio Rodriguez holds the ball near half court until the clock is down to about 7 seconds. Serg penetrates foul line extended , then kicks out to James Jones for the three. That's money in the bank.
Minny throws up a desperation that has a chance, but it careens off the backboard. The quarter ends with the score Minnesota 29, Portland 28.
Brandon Roy has 12 points, a rebound and an assist. Ryan Gomes leads the Timberwolves with 12 as well.
Outlaw enters the game
posted: at 7:29 PM
Out of the timeout, Brandon Roy, Martell Webster, Brandon Roy, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack take to the floor. Randy Foye fouls Brandon Roy (man, that's a tongue twister) Coach Nate McMillan sends in James Jones for Martell. Confused yet?
Roy drains yet another long two for his twelfth points of the night.
On the other end, Ryan Gomes, who is one wide load, gets fouled by Channing Frye going up. He hits both free throws.
Minnesota 25, Portland 23 with 1 minute to play in the first quarter.
Roy with another three
posted: at 7:25 PM
That early technical seemed to light a fire under Portland's All-star, as he's already got 10 points with 3:55 to play in the first quarter. He's on track for a 50-point game!
Steve Blake gets a nice outlet pass out to LaMarcus Aldridge, who's fouled going for the dunk. He hits both and the score is 21-19 Minny.
Przybilla with the and 1
posted: at 7:21 PM
"The Thrilla" continues his improved free throw shooting, making the and 1 after muscling in the layin. Solid.
Brandon Roy elevates over Randy Foye for the turnaround deuce, but Marko Jaric, who has seven of Minny's 15 points, answers back with a long two.
But then Roy comes down and drills a three in Kirk Snyder's eye.
And that brings us to Minnesota 15, Blazers 14 with 4:55 to play in the first.
Brandon Rohy gets a technical?!?
posted: at 7:15 PM
Marko Jaric was out of control going to the basket, but Brandon Roy was called for a foul never the less. None to pleased with the call, Roy had a few things to say. Ended up getting him a technical. That might be the first tech ever for Brandon.
Minnesota up 11-9 with 8:13 to play in the first quarter.
Pre-game: Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers
posted: at 6:57 PM
It's good to have the Red and Black back in town, isn't it? There's nothing better than a Saturday night at the Rose Garden.
In what seems to be a recurring theme this season, the Blazers take on the T-Wolves for the second time in less than a week. It's the last go-round between Minny and Portland this season, with the Blazers having won all three of the previous meetings. Here's to number four!
Probable Starters
Minnesota Timberwolves
8 Ryan Gomes
30 Kirk Snyder
25 Al Jefferson
55 Marko Jaric
4 Randy Foye
Portland Trail Blazers
8 Martell Webster
10 LaMarcus Aldridge
10 Joel Przybilla
7 Brandon Roy
2 Steve Blake
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