|
PORTLAND, Ore. Dustin Colquitt . -- A broad smile lit up Will Bartons face when he was asked what he thought about the fans chanting his name in Portlands 124-80 rout of Brooklyn. "I like to think Im the peoples champ," Barton joked after scoring had a season-high 20 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds off the bench in an inspired victory for the short-handed Trail Blazers. "I had a lot of fun tonight," he said. "We got a win, a big-time win. We had a lot of guys down (with injuries) so this win was huge for us." Portland won its fourth straight game despite missing forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The teams top scorer and rebounder has been out five straight games with a left groin sprain. Jason Collins, who became the NBAs first openly gay player when he signed a 10-day contract with the Nets on Sunday, entered the game without much fan reaction and played a pair of scoreless stretches in the fourth quarter when coach Jason Kidd had taken out his starters. Deron Williams had 12 points for the Nets, who suffered their third-worst margin of defeat in franchise history. It was the teams lowest point total this season. Kidd said the Nets looked listless. "Our energy was not there," he said. "On the offensive end, we missed shots and we kind of felt sorry for ourselves -- which carried over to the defensive end, and we didnt make stops." Mo Williams scored 21 points and Nicolas Batum had 19 in three quarters to lead seven Trail Blazers in double figures. Portland coach Terry Stotts also pulled his starters in the fourth quarter. The Blazers were hurting up front. In addition to Aldridge, Portland also was without forward Joel Freeland, who was missing his sixth game with a right knee sprain, and second-year centre Myers Leonard, who was out with a right ankle sprain. The Blazers also announced just before the game that forward Thomas Robinson, a key reserve in Aldridges absence, injured his left knee in Portlands 100-95 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. Results of an MRI on Wednesday were negative. The Blazers started Dorell Wright in place of Aldridge, who leads the Blazers with an average of 23.9 points and 11.4 rebounds. "We didnt have anything to lose," guard Wesley Matthews said. "We look like an AAU team out there. We dont have any size other than RoLo (centre Robin Lopez). No one is playing their true positions. Were just playing off ball movement, off chemistry and its working for us." The Nets saw the return of starting guard Shaun Livingston. "That was an ugly night," said Livingston, who did not play in Brooklyns 108-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday because of a bruised tailbone. The Blazers opened with an 11-2 run, which was countered by a 10-2 run by the Nets that gave Brooklyn a 16-15 lead. Portland answered with a 12-2 run to go up 29-20 going into the second quarter. Bartons alley-oop dunk from Williams put Portland up 33-22. His jumper extended the lead to 45-30, and then a 3-pointer and his dunk pushed it to 58-34 at the break. Barton scored 12 points in the second quarter as the Blazers finished off the first half on a 19-4 run. Portland extended its lead to as many as 34 points in the third quarter. Portlands margin of victory was the largest for either team in the history of the series "Well, I didnt see that coming," Stotts said. "It was a good effort by everyone who played." Hours after Collins signed on Sunday he was on the court for the Nets, playing 11 minutes with two rebounds and a steal against the Lakers. He also had five fouls. Against the Blazers, Collins played seven total minutes and attempted a field goal. The Nets signed him to help in the absence of centre Brook Lopez, who is out for the season because of a broken right foot. The Nets will play again Thursday night in Denver. The Blazers have a break until Saturday night, when they host the Nuggets. NOTES: Portland won the only other meeting between the teams this season, 108-98 at the Barclays Center. ... Portland got a scare in the first quarter when starting guard Matthews fell after getting tangled up with Paul Pierce and briefly retreated to the locker room. Matthews later returned to hearty applause from the fans. ... Brooklyns 34 points was a first-half low for a Portland opponent. Frank Zombo . Tortorella told The Vancouver Province hell be cheering for Team Sweden to win gold when they take on the defending Olympic champions on Sunday morning. "I hope Sweden wins, cause I dont think Hammer (Dan Hamhuis) is going to play, judging by whats happened. Jerron McMillian . England star Jermain Defoe is scoring goals as befitting his monster salary. American international Michael Bradley is pulling the strings in midfield.ST. JOHNS, N.L. -- Itll be a long night for IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge. Falling behind three goals and the inability to capitalize on six power-play opportunities proved insurmountable for the St. Johns IceCaps, who fell 4-2 to the Worcester Sharks on Sunday in American Hockey League action. "I hate to lose, I dont sleep well when we lose," McCambridge said. "I thought we played a strong game. (But) we had a hard time in the first two periods putting pucks to the net and having screens and traffic at the net." Travis Oleksuk, Eriah Hayes, Dan DaSilva and Rod Davison scored for the Sharks (23-17-3). Blair Riley and Kael Mouillierat replied for the IceCaps (28-18-3). The Sharks limited the IceCaps on the power play by blocking lanes and taking away quality scoring chances, which was noticeable to IceCaps forward Eric ODell. "They were doing pretty good with blocking shots and we didnt put enough pucks on net, like we usually do," ODell said. "We were moving the puck pretty well, but (didnt) get enough pucks on net." McCambridge thought the power play, which is seventh overall in the AHL, could have had a better chance at scoring if his own club stayed disciplined while on the man advantage. "We had two power plays where we nullified them by taking penalties," McCambridge said. "That doesnt work in our favour." St Johhns beat the Sharks Saturday night, and would have been thrilled to take both games of the two-game mini series entering the AHL All-Star break.Dontari Poe. But winning back-to-back at home hasnt been easy this season for the IceCaps. "We had a pretty good game but we had a couple breakdowns in our defensive zone that cost us," ODell said. "We tend to win one and lose one at home. Its tough to get two wins when teams come here to play us. We have to get better at that. Tonight was an important game and we came up short." The Sharks scored first when a pass from behind the net found Oleksuk out front alone, where he scored into a wide-open net 5:27 into the first period. Davison doubled the lead for the Sharks, hitting home a one-time slap shot past IceCaps goaltender Michael Hutchinson with 5:03 left to play in the second period. Hayes tapped home a rebound 2:50 into the third period on the power play to increase the lead to 3-0. The IceCaps found the score sheet when Riley tipped home a Will ONeill slapshot from the point at the 11:10 mark of the third. Mouillierat pulled the IceCaps to within one by tapping home a rebound off a Carl Klingberg backhander at 14:50, however DaSilva buried an empty netter with 22.2 seconds left to clinch the win for Worcester Troy Grosenick stopped 29 shots for the Sharks, while Hutchinson made 25 saves for St. Johns. ' ' ' |
