PORTLAND, Ore.
Carolina Panthers Jersey . -- Houston has a LaMarcus Aldridge problem. The Trail Blazers
All-Star forward has been dominating with more than 40 points in each of the
opening two playoff games with the Rockets in Houston. Portland is up 2-0 as the
series moves to Rip City on Friday night, giving the Rockets little time to
figure out how to defend Aldridge. He opened the playoffs with a franchise
post-season-best 46 points in the Blazers 122-120 overtime victory, then
followed it up with 43 points in the 112-105 win on Wednesday night. Rockets
coach Kevin McHale summed it up best when he said: "So far, hes had a hell of a
series." Aldridge found success in the paint in the opener so the Rockets
adjusted -- but so did Aldridge, who went outside to pepper Houston with
midrange jumpers. Thirteen of his 18 field goals came from 10 feet out or more.
"Hes making tough shots, hes getting to the foul line. Hes offensive rebounding.
Hes doing the whole package and its tough for us," said Houston guard
James Harden. "We gotta figure something out real soon. In game three, it is
either we win or its over." Aldridge is the first player to score 43 or more
points in consecutive playoff games since Tracy McGrady in 2003, and the first
to score at least 40 in back-to-back post-season games since LeBron James in
2009. It almost goes without saying that Aldridge is the first Blazer with at
least 40 points in back-to-back playoff games. "You can tell just by his
approach how hes really dialed in and hes playing big. Hes really taken it upon
himself to do all these things," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said Thursday. "Give
him all the credit. Hes been wanting this moment for a long time and hes rising
to the challenge." Aldridge acknowledged the team for his success. "This team in
general just believes in me so much and they ride the wave so well," he said.
"When Im going one through 15, they are all cheering and telling me to shoot it.
If I pass up a shot, theyre all mad at me and I think having 15 guys having your
back like that is great." Aldridges play has put Portland in charge as the team
returns home. The Blazers havent opened a playoff series 2-0 since 1977, when
they got the early jump on the Lakers en route to the Western Conference title.
Portland went on to beat Philadelphia for its lone NBA championship Portland
ranked seventh in the league during the regular season with just 10 losses at
home. Only three teams have come back to win after losing the first two games of
a seven-game series at home: The last was the 2004-05 Mavericks, who came back
against the Rockets. Houston is 0-7 overall when falling behind 0-2 in the first
round since the 1983-84 expansion. Dwight Howard said its no time to panic.
"Weve played against Portland in the regular season and we were successful. We
just got to play basketball. We cant look back. We have to stay positive," he
said. "They (Portland) won two games but its the first to four and we cant let
our heads down. We dug a hole but we can always get out of it." Howard had 32
points and 14 rebounds in Wednesdays loss, while Harden had 18 points. Harden
was the leagues top shooting guard in the regular season, but hes 14 of 47 from
the field in the playoffs for his worst two-game stretch of the season. Part of
that is due to Portlands Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum taking turns at
shutting him down. "Weve done a good job guarding without fouling and one thing
about playoff basketball is that everybody has the every possession mentality,"
Stotts said. "We didnt fall asleep on him and I dont think he got a lot of easy
looks and every great player in this league, you just want to make them work and
I think Nick and Wes in particular really have made him work." For his part,
Harden isnt really concerned about a slump. Hes more focused on the Blazers --
and stopping Aldridge. "Im not worried about my offence, Im worried about our
defence, our defence as a team. When we get stops and get out in transition
everybody feels good about themselves and thats when the assists flow in and
things start going well," he said. "If we cant get stops it makes it more
difficult. They are a very good team."
James
Bradberry Panthers Jersey . With nothing tangible at stake, the Raptors
turned in their most impressive outing of the fall in their seventh and second
to last exhibition tilt against their stiffest competition yet, but they lost a
couple starters in the process.
Daryl
Worley Panthers Jersey . Scrivens stopped 48 shots and captain
Andrew Ference scored in overtime as the Oilers pulled off a 4-3 upset of the
Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
http://www.footballpanthersstore.us/Black-Friday-Chris-Scott-Jersey/ .com) - The Carolina Panthers won for the first time in seven games last week,
were without Cam Newton due to a car accident this week, but somehow sit atop
the much-maligned NFC South.SAN JOSE, Calif. -- After struggling to score any
goals for four games, the San Jose Sharks had plenty of moves left for a
shootout. Joe Thornton capped San Joses perfect shootout with a nifty toe-drag
past Corey Crawford that helped the Sharks snap a three-game losing streak with
a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night. "What a move,"
Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "Really nice to watch. That must have been in
his bag for a long time because Ive been here for six years and I hadnt seen
that. Its nice that it came out." Joe Pavelski scored a short-handed goal in
regulation and opened the shootout with a goal, and Patrick Marleau also scored
in the tiebreaker for the Sharks, who have won six straight shootouts.
Antti Niemi made 29 saves and stopped Patrick Sharp in the second round of the
shootout. After Pavelski and Marleau scored in the first two rounds of the
shootout, Thornton ended it when he dragged the puck around Crawford and knocked
it in the empty net. Thornton has scored on all three shootout attempts this
season after not even attempting one the previous three seasons. "I was just
lucky enough that it went in," Thornton said. "Usually he likes putting me
fourth but with so many guys out, I got moved up a slot, which is nice on the
ego." "Not making a save in the shootout was the only thing that bothered me,"
Crawford said. "We played well and we had our chances to win, a couple of
chances late. Our guys were doing a great job of not allowing many second
chances." The teams traded goals early in the third during a Chicago power play
with Brad Stuart off for hooking Patrick Kane. Pavelski got the scoring started
with a short-handed goal after a bad breakout pass from Sharp. Scott Hannan
quickly sent the puck back to Pavelski, who knocked the pass down, skated past
Duncan Keith and beat Crawford high for his 29th goal. "We get a little tip on
it and it turns into a fluttering puck," Pavelski said. "Next tthing you know,
you see it laying there, and if you can win the race, youve got a chance.
Ryan
Kalil Panthers Jersey. I was able to get just enough of an opening to make
a shot." Just over a minute later, Saad answered late in the power play after
Justin Braun failed to clear the puck from the defensive zone. Kris Versteeg fed
Saad, who beat Niemi for his 18th goal. That was Chicagos third power-play goal
in two games after having just one the previous seven. Crawford kept the game
tied when he made a pad save at the goal line on a one-timer by Stuart, and the
Blackhawks killed a late penalty to force overtime. San Jose is 0-for-16 on the
power play the past six games. The game was scoreless after two periods despite
both teams getting quality scoring chances but were unable to get past either
Niemi or Crawford. Kane hit a post early in the first period for Chicago, and
Dan Boyle got robbed by the crossbar later in the first for San Jose. Niemi made
a strong pad save to rob Ben Smith in the first period and withstood a couple of
frantic flurries near his net in the second. Niemi also was helped when
Marian Hossa missed the net off a nice setup by Saad during a power play late in
the second period. The Sharks put 22 shots on net against Crawford in the first
two periods, generating heavy pressure during a second period power play for too
many men on the ice. But Crawford was up to the task. San Jose was attacking at
the end of the second, and Marleau had a prime chance when he batted a puck from
midair in the slot toward the net in the closing seconds. "It was a playoff type
atmosphere," Versteeg said. "Time and space were virtually non-existent and
thats when you need to play smart." NOTES: Jason Demers, who leads San Jose
defenceman with 24 points, was scratched with a lower-body injury. ... Chicago F
Michal Handzus returned to San Jose for the first time since being dealt to the
Blackhawks last March. ... The Sharks reassigned F John McCarthy to Worcester of
the AHL after he cleared waivers.
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