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NBA: Aldridge leads Blazers to win over Clippers
By The Associated Press
Sunday, March 23, 2008 | No comments posted.
PORTLAND — LaMarcus Aldridge is becoming the offensive force that Portland coach Nate McMillan has been envisioning all season.
Aldridge had 22 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven assists, Brandon Roy added 21 points and six assists, and the Trail Blazers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 107-102 on Friday night.
Martell Webster had 16 points and Steve Blake had 15 points and 11 assists for Portland, which has slim playoff hopes but has seen the emergence of Aldridge as a low-post complement to All-Star guard Roy.
“It becomes a simple game when you’ve got a guy who can score in the low post,” McMillan said. “That’s a weapon, that’s an option we were hoping to develop this season and it’s happening.”
Cuttino Mobley scored 22 of his 24 points in the second half, and Josh Powell added 21 for the Clippers. Los Angeles has lost six straight and 14 of 16 and was missing leading scorer Corey Maggette because of a sore shoulder.
Dan Dickau had 14 points and seven assists, Smush Parker had 14 points and six assists, and Quinton Ross had 12 points for Clippers, who host Portland on today at the Staples Center.
The Clippers outscored Portland 27-20 in the fourth quarter, and got within three points on a 3-pointer from Mobley, but Jarrett Jack hit two free throws for Portland to seal the win.
Roy had just two points in the first quarter but bounced back from a 3-for-14 shooting night against Phoenix on Tuesday. He’s averaging 22.7 points over his last 10 games.
With center Chris Kaman (back) missing his seventh straight game, the Clippers had difficulties stopping Aldridge, who was 11-of-18 from the field and has scored at least 20 points in each of the past eight games. He has led Portland in scoring in the last three games and five of the last eight. Roy has led the Blazers in the other three.
“The young fellows, Roy and Aldridge, I love their game,” Mobley said. “They’re smart and know how to play.”
Aldridge got the best of rookie Al Thornton, who struggled through a 2-for-10 shooting night for the Clippers and finished with just five points.
The Blazers are 61⁄2 games behind Golden State for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
CLEVELAND — Already a supreme scorer, LeBron James is second to none.
James passed Brad Daugherty as Cleveland’s career scoring leader in the first quarter and finished with 29 points, leading the Cavaliers to a 90-83 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night in a possible first-round playoff preview.
Toronto’s Chris Bosh scored 24 points in his second game back after missing 10 with a sore knee.
Rockets 109, Warriors 106
OAKLAND, Calif. — Tracy McGrady scored 26 points, Bobby Jackson hit an improbable 3-pointer and the Rockets got back to their winning ways.
Houston had lost two straight following a 22-game winning streak that was the second longest in NBA history. The power-packed Western Conference gave the Rockets little cushion and a third straight loss would have dropped them into a tie for sixth place with San Antonio in the conference.
Baron Davis scored 27 points and Monta Ellis added 24 to lead the Warriors.
Lakers 130, SuperSonics 105
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 23 points and seven of his teammates also scored in double digits as Los Angeles sent Seattle to its 10th straight loss.
Rookie Kevin Durant had 20 points for the Sonics.
Grizzlies 120, Knicks 106
NEW YORK — Mike Miller scored 24 of his 34 points in the first half, and Memphis snapped an 18-game road losing streak.
Jamal Crawford scored 22 points and Nate Robinson had 18 for the Knicks (19-49), who have lost three straight, 10 of 11, and matched their loss total from all of last season.
Nuggets 125, Nets 114
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Allen Iverson scored 26 points and led a fourth-quarter spurt that carried Denver to the win.
Vince Carter scored 32 points and Richard Jefferson added 29 for the Nets, who fell a half-game behind idle Atlanta in the race for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Spurs 102, Kings 89
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio to the victory.
Tony Parker added 19 points for the Spurs, who have won two straight after snapping a season-high four-game losing streak Thursday in Chicago.
Ron Artest scored 23 points for the Kings — 17 in the first half — and Kevin Martin added 20.
Pacers 124, Timberwolves 113
INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 32 points and Indiana earned its fifth straight victory at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Rashad McCants had 22 points, Randy Foye scored 16 and Kirk Snyder 15 for the Timberwolves.
Wizards 103, Heat 86
MIAMI — Caron Butler scored 25 points and Antawn Jamison added 22 points and 10 rebounds for Washington.
Butler eclipsed the 20-point mark for the first time in five games since returning from a strained hip flexor that kept him out of the previous 16 games.
Bobby Jones scored 15 points for the Heat, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games and 37 of their last 41.
Magic 113, 76ers 95
ORLANDO, Fla. — Rashard Lewis scored 18 points, leading eight Magic players in double figures.
Louis Williams scored 18 for Philadelphia, Andre Iguodala added 14 points and reserve Rodney Carney had 11 points. The 76ers, who at 34-35 are still trying to clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot, had won four in a row and 10 of 12.
Orlando was a blistering 14-of-23 from 3-point range for the game, compared with 4-for-13 for Philadelphia.
Dwight Howard had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando despite playing only 23 minutes.
Aldridge had 22 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven assists, Brandon Roy added 21 points and six assists, and the Trail Blazers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 107-102 on Friday night.
Martell Webster had 16 points and Steve Blake had 15 points and 11 assists for Portland, which has slim playoff hopes but has seen the emergence of Aldridge as a low-post complement to All-Star guard Roy.
“It becomes a simple game when you’ve got a guy who can score in the low post,” McMillan said. “That’s a weapon, that’s an option we were hoping to develop this season and it’s happening.”
Cuttino Mobley scored 22 of his 24 points in the second half, and Josh Powell added 21 for the Clippers. Los Angeles has lost six straight and 14 of 16 and was missing leading scorer Corey Maggette because of a sore shoulder.
Dan Dickau had 14 points and seven assists, Smush Parker had 14 points and six assists, and Quinton Ross had 12 points for Clippers, who host Portland on today at the Staples Center.
The Clippers outscored Portland 27-20 in the fourth quarter, and got within three points on a 3-pointer from Mobley, but Jarrett Jack hit two free throws for Portland to seal the win.
Roy had just two points in the first quarter but bounced back from a 3-for-14 shooting night against Phoenix on Tuesday. He’s averaging 22.7 points over his last 10 games.
With center Chris Kaman (back) missing his seventh straight game, the Clippers had difficulties stopping Aldridge, who was 11-of-18 from the field and has scored at least 20 points in each of the past eight games. He has led Portland in scoring in the last three games and five of the last eight. Roy has led the Blazers in the other three.
“The young fellows, Roy and Aldridge, I love their game,” Mobley said. “They’re smart and know how to play.”
Aldridge got the best of rookie Al Thornton, who struggled through a 2-for-10 shooting night for the Clippers and finished with just five points.
The Blazers are 61⁄2 games behind Golden State for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Cavaliers 90, Raptors 83
CLEVELAND — Already a supreme scorer, LeBron James is second to none.
James passed Brad Daugherty as Cleveland’s career scoring leader in the first quarter and finished with 29 points, leading the Cavaliers to a 90-83 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night in a possible first-round playoff preview.
Toronto’s Chris Bosh scored 24 points in his second game back after missing 10 with a sore knee.
Rockets 109, Warriors 106
OAKLAND, Calif. — Tracy McGrady scored 26 points, Bobby Jackson hit an improbable 3-pointer and the Rockets got back to their winning ways.
Houston had lost two straight following a 22-game winning streak that was the second longest in NBA history. The power-packed Western Conference gave the Rockets little cushion and a third straight loss would have dropped them into a tie for sixth place with San Antonio in the conference.
Baron Davis scored 27 points and Monta Ellis added 24 to lead the Warriors.
Lakers 130, SuperSonics 105
LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant scored 23 points and seven of his teammates also scored in double digits as Los Angeles sent Seattle to its 10th straight loss.
Rookie Kevin Durant had 20 points for the Sonics.
Grizzlies 120, Knicks 106
NEW YORK — Mike Miller scored 24 of his 34 points in the first half, and Memphis snapped an 18-game road losing streak.
Jamal Crawford scored 22 points and Nate Robinson had 18 for the Knicks (19-49), who have lost three straight, 10 of 11, and matched their loss total from all of last season.
Nuggets 125, Nets 114
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Allen Iverson scored 26 points and led a fourth-quarter spurt that carried Denver to the win.
Vince Carter scored 32 points and Richard Jefferson added 29 for the Nets, who fell a half-game behind idle Atlanta in the race for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Spurs 102, Kings 89
SAN ANTONIO — Tim Duncan had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio to the victory.
Tony Parker added 19 points for the Spurs, who have won two straight after snapping a season-high four-game losing streak Thursday in Chicago.
Ron Artest scored 23 points for the Kings — 17 in the first half — and Kevin Martin added 20.
Pacers 124, Timberwolves 113
INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger scored 32 points and Indiana earned its fifth straight victory at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Rashad McCants had 22 points, Randy Foye scored 16 and Kirk Snyder 15 for the Timberwolves.
Wizards 103, Heat 86
MIAMI — Caron Butler scored 25 points and Antawn Jamison added 22 points and 10 rebounds for Washington.
Butler eclipsed the 20-point mark for the first time in five games since returning from a strained hip flexor that kept him out of the previous 16 games.
Bobby Jones scored 15 points for the Heat, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games and 37 of their last 41.
Magic 113, 76ers 95
ORLANDO, Fla. — Rashard Lewis scored 18 points, leading eight Magic players in double figures.
Louis Williams scored 18 for Philadelphia, Andre Iguodala added 14 points and reserve Rodney Carney had 11 points. The 76ers, who at 34-35 are still trying to clinch an Eastern Conference playoff spot, had won four in a row and 10 of 12.
Orlando was a blistering 14-of-23 from 3-point range for the game, compared with 4-for-13 for Philadelphia.
Dwight Howard had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando despite playing only 23 minutes.
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