NBA
Regular Season Round 147: Portland TB - N.Orleans P. 99-90
Date: April 4, 2015
Clinch a playoff berth: check. Capture a division title: check. Win 50 games in back-to-back seasons: check, again. The Portland Trail Blazers crossed another season checkpoint, hitting the 50-win mark for the second straight season and 13th time in franchise history with a 99-90 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night. "I'm really proud in back-to-back games to win our division and have back-to-back 50-win seasons," Terry Stotts said. "It's something to be very proud of, which we are, but we're not done. We've got to continue to get better and prepare for the playoffs, but this was a good night for the Trail Blazers." LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds; Damian Lillard added 19 and the bench contributed 39 points as the Blazers improved to 31-8 at the Moda Center. The win put Portland, fourth in the Western Conference standings, a half-game back of the Los Angeles Clippers (51-26) with six games left on the schedule and battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs yet to be decided. The surging Clippers, off a 107-92 beating of the Denver Nuggets Saturday, have won 9 of 10 with five games remaining. Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Blazers (50-26) were sluggish out of the gate, falling behind 14-4 early and trailing 24-22 after one quarter. Portland leaned on a trio of reserves to snatch the lead early in the second, with CJ McCollum, Steve Blake and Chris Kaman combining for 19 points as the Blazers outscored the Pelicans 34-20 and led by as many as 14 in the second period. Though the Blazers seemed to take control at the break, the third quarter provided a little more drama. Up 10, 65-55, Portland missed 9 of 11 shots and turned the ball over twice as New Orleans used a 15-4 run to take a 70-69 lead with three minus left in the third. Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis scored 27 of the Pelicans' 28 points in the quarter, cutting the 12-point halftime lead down to just three, 75-72 heading into the fourth. After Meyers Leonard converted a reverse layup off the dibble to open the fourth quarter, Portland missed its next six shots as New Orleans took an 81-77 lead with 8:24 to play. From there, the playoff-bound Blazers clamped down defensively en route to a 22-9 run to close the game. "Our fourth quarter defense was very good," said Stotts. "We did a better job of controlling penetration. When you get stops and you're able to get the ball out, it makes your offense better." Portland limited the Pelicans to just 4 of 14 shooting over the final eight minutes, getting six points off three turnovers and holding Evans and Gordon to just two points on 1 of 6 shooting. Lillard, the league leader in fourth-quarter points, took over on the other end of the floor, scoring nine points and hitting Nicolas Batum for a key three-pointer during the decisive final stretch. Said Lillard: "I made the decision to come in and be aggressive for the rest of the game and I was able to hit some shots." Portland went 7 for 7 from the line in the fourth quarter while holding New Orleans without a free throw attempt. Gordon finished with 22 points, Evans was good all around 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and Davis added 19 points and nine rebounds. Chris Kaman recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds (six offensive) in 21 minutes off the bench for the Blazers. Robin Lopez matched a season-high with 12 rebounds as Portland pounded the Pelicans on the glass 51-35. The loss dropped New Orleans (41-35) a game back of the Oklahoma City Thunder (42-34) for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. "They're fighting and we're playing for the eighth spot in a packed house," Davis said. "We came out shorthanded this time." Portland improved to 12-6 on the second night of back-to-backs. Courtesy of: oregonlive.com
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
Regular Season Round 147: Portland TB - N.Orleans P. 99-90
Date: April 4, 2015
Clinch a playoff berth: check. Capture a division title: check. Win 50 games in back-to-back seasons: check, again. The Portland Trail Blazers crossed another season checkpoint, hitting the 50-win mark for the second straight season and 13th time in franchise history with a 99-90 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night. "I'm really proud in back-to-back games to win our division and have back-to-back 50-win seasons," Terry Stotts said. "It's something to be very proud of, which we are, but we're not done. We've got to continue to get better and prepare for the playoffs, but this was a good night for the Trail Blazers." LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds; Damian Lillard added 19 and the bench contributed 39 points as the Blazers improved to 31-8 at the Moda Center. The win put Portland, fourth in the Western Conference standings, a half-game back of the Los Angeles Clippers (51-26) with six games left on the schedule and battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs yet to be decided. The surging Clippers, off a 107-92 beating of the Denver Nuggets Saturday, have won 9 of 10 with five games remaining. Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Blazers (50-26) were sluggish out of the gate, falling behind 14-4 early and trailing 24-22 after one quarter. Portland leaned on a trio of reserves to snatch the lead early in the second, with CJ McCollum, Steve Blake and Chris Kaman combining for 19 points as the Blazers outscored the Pelicans 34-20 and led by as many as 14 in the second period. Though the Blazers seemed to take control at the break, the third quarter provided a little more drama. Up 10, 65-55, Portland missed 9 of 11 shots and turned the ball over twice as New Orleans used a 15-4 run to take a 70-69 lead with three minus left in the third. Eric Gordon, Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis scored 27 of the Pelicans' 28 points in the quarter, cutting the 12-point halftime lead down to just three, 75-72 heading into the fourth. After Meyers Leonard converted a reverse layup off the dibble to open the fourth quarter, Portland missed its next six shots as New Orleans took an 81-77 lead with 8:24 to play. From there, the playoff-bound Blazers clamped down defensively en route to a 22-9 run to close the game. "Our fourth quarter defense was very good," said Stotts. "We did a better job of controlling penetration. When you get stops and you're able to get the ball out, it makes your offense better." Portland limited the Pelicans to just 4 of 14 shooting over the final eight minutes, getting six points off three turnovers and holding Evans and Gordon to just two points on 1 of 6 shooting. Lillard, the league leader in fourth-quarter points, took over on the other end of the floor, scoring nine points and hitting Nicolas Batum for a key three-pointer during the decisive final stretch. Said Lillard: "I made the decision to come in and be aggressive for the rest of the game and I was able to hit some shots." Portland went 7 for 7 from the line in the fourth quarter while holding New Orleans without a free throw attempt. Gordon finished with 22 points, Evans was good all around 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and Davis added 19 points and nine rebounds. Chris Kaman recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds (six offensive) in 21 minutes off the bench for the Blazers. Robin Lopez matched a season-high with 12 rebounds as Portland pounded the Pelicans on the glass 51-35. The loss dropped New Orleans (41-35) a game back of the Oklahoma City Thunder (42-34) for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. "They're fighting and we're playing for the eighth spot in a packed house," Davis said. "We came out shorthanded this time." Portland improved to 12-6 on the second night of back-to-backs. Courtesy of: oregonlive.com
 N.ORLEANS P. (coach: Willie Green)90 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 6 | qLijs, wFQRVR | 42 | 65-61 (18.0%) | 5-8 (5%) | 6-3 (80%) | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 86 | 81 | 5 |
| 84 | giLas, SjUhIjF | 49 | 2-85 (35%) | 5-5 (5%) | 4-4 (655%) | 3 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 67 | 86 | 5 |
| 65 | GIQdIj, qQaZ | 41 | 0-65 (05%) | 3-1 (11.9%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 88 | 69 | 5 |
| 4 | SsaV, PBRQ | 82 | 6-0 (85%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6-4 (44.4%) | 3 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| OIjdRxURQ, ruajZF | 89 | 5-8 (5%) | 6-4 (44.4%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | |
| CIlR, XIQQas | 80 | 0-65 (05%) | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 65 | 9 | 5 | |
| 44 | SjdRQsIj, eFij | 62 | 5-8 (5%) | 8-3 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| 38 | SnajZi, SlRxas | 68 | 8-4 (11.9%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| gIuDlis, wIjRF | 7 | 6-6 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | |
| 33 | CujjajDhiB, gijUR | 7 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | -6 | 5 |
| wIUil | 48-17 (31.3%) | 9-61 (34.2%) | 0-65 (05.5%) | 7 | 81 | 40 | 62 | 62 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 75 | 92 | |||
 PORTLAND TB (coach: Chauncey Billups)99 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 68 | SldQadDR, vibiQZus | 49 | 9-69 (36.8%) | 5-6 (5%) | 9-2 (29.0%) | 4 | 7 | 68 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 86 | 88 | 5 |
| 22 | miUuB, XaZIlis | 49 | 5-8 (5%) | 6-8 (05%) | 3-3 (655%) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 68 | 5 |
| 5 | valliQd, giBaij | 40 | 9-61 (34.2%) | 5-4 (5%) | 0-0 (655%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 67 | 9 | 5 |
| SfflilI, SQQIj | 44 | 6-3 (80%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 5 | |
| 38 | vIpRJ, eIMaj | 81 | 4-9 (38.7%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 1 | 1 | 68 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 63 | 5 |
| 4 | bZCIlluB, C.z. | 81 | 4-9 (38.7%) | 6-8 (05%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 65 | 0 | 5 |
| 40 | KiBij, ChQas | 86 | 9-65 (95%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 1 | 0 | 66 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 61 | 89 | 5 |
| 80 | mliVR, AURLR | 63 | 6-4 (44.4%) | 8-3 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 5 |
| 66 | vRIjiQd, bRFRQs | 66 | 6-8 (05%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| wIUil | 45-12 (33.6%) | 1-61 (49.0%) | 86-84 (76.4%) | 62 | 44 | 06 | 69 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 65 | 77 | 650 | |||
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
