PORTLAND, Ore. -- Defense was the difference for the Trail Blazers.After struggling for the past half-dozen games, Portland had

Posted in IYH Forums by jokergreen0220 at 07:12, Feb 21 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Defense was the difference for the Trail Blazers.After struggling for the past half-dozen games, Portland had more of a complete effort in a 119-104 victory over New Orleans on Friday night. Damian Lillard scored 27 points and CJ McCollum added 24 to snap the Pelicans four-game winning streak.I think what we did on the defensive end allowed us to get out in transition and move the ball, and play at the pace that we wanted to be at. It worked in our favor, once we did it consistently, Lillard said.Lillard added 11 assists for the Blazers, who were coming off a 1-4 road trip. It was the 2,000th win in franchise history.Anthony Davis, who went into the game ranked second in the league with an average of 31.3 points a game, led the Pelicans with 31 points and 13 rebounds.The Blazers led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter, but the Pelicans closed to 105-101 on Terrance Jones dunk and Jrue Holidays jumper. Portland responded with an 8-0 run, capped by Maurice Harkless reverse layup that made it 113-101, and New Orleans couldnt catch up.Obviously its really good to get a win, Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. Weve been struggling a little bit. I thought offensively we were pretty good for most of the night. Defensively, after about two minutes into the second quarter, we were good the last three quarters.The Pelicans have rebounded after an eight-game losing streak to start the season and were coming off a 117-96 victory at home over the Timberwolves. But the win was costly because New Orleans lost Dante Cunningham in the first half because of a non-displaced right proximal fibula fracture. He will miss four to six weeks.The four-game winning streak coincided with the return of Holiday, who missed the start of the season to care for his wife, Lauren Holiday, following the birth of their child and surgery to remove a tumor on the right side of his wifes brain. Lauren Holiday was a standout on the U.S. womens national soccer team for eight years until her retirement last year.Holiday finished with 16 points.Portland, coming off a 137-125 loss in Cleveland, led by eight points in the first quarter but New Orleans pulled in front by the second, taking a 38-32 lead on Holidays 3-pointer. Portland reclaimed a 47-43 lead on consecutive baskets from Jake Layman and McCollum.McCollum led all scorers in the first half with 19 points and the Blazers led 66-57.The Blazers went on an 8-0 run to open the third quarter, capped by McCollums 3-pointer that made it 74-57. Meyers Leonards dunk and Lillards long 3-pointer extended Portlands lead to 94-78.If youre going to be content to exchange baskets with this team youre probably going to struggle because theyre really good offensively, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.TIP-INSPelicans: New Orleans players and coaches had Thanksgiving dinner at the family home of Jones, who grew up in Portland. His family was terrific to us, Gentry said. ... The Pelicans have four players on the injured/inactive list: Tyreke Evans (right knee), Quincy Pondexter (left knee), Cunningham (right leg) and Cheick Diallo (D-League assignment).Trail Blazers: It was Stotts birthday. ... There was no update on the status of Al-Farouq Aminu, who has a strained left calf. ... Mason Plumlee finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. ... Portland has won 11 straight over the Pelicans at the Moda Center.SECOND CHANCESThe Blazers had 23 second-chance points compared to two for New Orleans, something that was a concern to Gentry: You give up 12 offensive rebounds and they get 23 second-chance points, he said, that means theyre scoring every time they get a rebounds and that puts way too much pressure on your offense.MILESTONESBesides his birthday, it was also Stotts 191st win as coach of the Blazers. He ranks fourth in franchise history behind Jack Ramsay (435), Rick Adelman (291) and Nate McMillan (266).Portland is the 15th NBA team to hit 2,000 wins.UP NEXTelicans: New Orleans visits the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.Trail Blazers: Portland hosts the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Nike Cortez Store Near Me . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Air Force 1 Store . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. http://www.cheapestairmaxstore.com/fake-nike-cortez-cheap.html . On Mar. 16, coming off a "fight of the year" performance at UFC 154 the previous November, St-Pierre faced Nick Diaz at UFC 158 in what would be his eighth defence of the welterweight title. Using his superior athleticism, St-Pierre cruised to a five round, unanimous decision victory setting up a much-anticipated title defence against number one contender Johny Hendricks. Cheapest Stan Smith . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Stan Smith Store . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama will trot out an unproven quarterback, insert a new tailback and replace a collection of NFL draft picks.Its not the conventional formula for contention but it worked just fine for the Crimson Tide last season, when Nick Saban and `Bama navigated a similar scenario to claim their fourth national title in seven years.-New season, same old expectations. It seems a given these days that Alabama is as well stocked with talent as any team in college football, but Sabans standard theme is about mind-set and attitude not recruiting rankings.When we have a critical mass of players that buy into the team ... we seem like weve done pretty well in the past, he said. When we have lots of people preoccupied with other things like how much theyre going to play or who their agents going to be next year or whenever, we dont seem to do nearly as well.For the third straight season, the Tide carried a quarterback competition into fall camp. Cooper Bateman, Blake Barnett, David Cornwell and freshman Jalen Hurts all have been in the mix, though Cornwell was limited during the summer and early in camp by a foot injury.The biggest hole is the one left by Heisman Trophy-winning tailback Derrick Henry, who ran the ball more times (395 carries) than Jake Coker threw it (393).Henrys replacement -- likely a combination of Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris -- will still be able to run behind All-SEC left tackle Cam Robinson. Ross Pierschbacher moves from starting left guard to center, replacing first-round draft pick and Rimington Award winner Ryan Kelly.Calvin Ridley headlines a loaded receiving corps that also includes tight end O.J. Howard, offensive MVP of the national championship game.A defense that led the nation against the run and ranked third in points allowed per game, total yards given up and sacks is loaded with returning stars like defensive end Jonathan Allen and safety Eddiie Jackson.ddddddddddddYoung players like run-stopper DaRon Payne and cornerbacks Minkah Fitzpatrick and Marlon Humphrey look like future stars. Others like defensive end DaShawn Hand and Reuben Foster could be poised for breakout seasons.KEY GAMESat Mississippi, Sep. 17; at LSU, Nov. 5; Auburn, Nov. 26.SEASON OPENERFaces Southern California -- offensive coordinator Lane Kiffins former team -- Sept. 3 in Arlington, Texas. Its the kind of neutral-site game thats become a regular staple as `Bamas opener under Saban, and hes won all six by double-digit margins.NEW BACKFIELDThis is the first time Saban hasnt been able to insert an experienced tailback to replace the latest NFL-bound star (six Tide backs have been drafted in the first three rounds over the past six years). Scarbrough and Harris are former five-star recruits who got limited carries as freshmen so theyre still unproven. Plus, two recruiting services rated freshman B.J. Emmons as the nations top runner. It will almost certainly not be a one-man show like last season, when none of Henrys understudies even reached 80 carries.FRONT SEVENThe defensive front seven might lack last seasons tremendous depth, but Jonathan Allen and Tim Williams both put off entering the NFL draft to return after racking up double-digit sacks.PREDICTIONArguably the teams toughest SEC games come on the road against Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU. The Rebels have beaten Alabama the past two years. Theres plenty of backfield talent, if minimal experience. But the Tide remains strong on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and Ridley is one of the SECs top receivers. The result: An 11-1 (12-0 is certainly a possibility) regular season and another SEC West championship.---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '