LOS ANGELES -- Portlands enormous fourth-quarter lead dwindled to a single point before the Trail Blazers finally figured out how hold off the Los Angeles Lakers patchwork lineup. Wesley Matthews thinks the harrowing experience will be good for the Blazers as they try to cement their spot among the NBAs elite. LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and nine rebounds, and Portland blew most of a 20-point lead before holding on to beat the Lakers 114-108 Sunday night. Damian Lillard had 26 points and nine assists, and Matthews scored 17 points for the Blazers, whose 11-game winning streak ended four days earlier in Phoenix. The Blazers tied their franchise record with 13 victories in November, and they opened December with an unlikely nail-biter, surviving despite blowing big leads in each half. "We shouldnt have had to do that," Matthews said. "Theres still a learning curve for us, but its a good sign if your lesson is you have to learn how to play with a lead. Its better than having to fight back." The Lakers would agree, even though their rally got Staples Center rocking. Xavier Henry scored a career-high 27 points and Jodie Meeks added 20 for Los Angeles, which had won five of six to climb above .500 despite injury woes. Portland led 94-74 entering the fourth, but promptly failed to score for nearly six minutes as the Lakers mounted a 24-5 run with a lineup featuring no point guard and energetic backup centre Robert Sacre, who had career highs of 12 points and seven rebounds. "We have guys down right now, but we cant do anything about that," said Henry, who surpassed his previous career high set earlier this season. "The guys we do have can still give any team a run for its money." Portland returned from its holiday break with its first road victory over the Lakers in seven tries since April 11, 2010, but only after a little drama. The Blazers blew a 17-point lead in the first half, but thought they had taken control with a 41-point third quarter -- their biggest period of the season. Los Angeles cut Portlands lead to 99-98 on Shawne Williams tip-in with 3:44 to play, but Lillard hit a 3-pointer with 2:54 left, and Matthews added another with 1:20 to play. Los Angeles kept it close, but the Blazers hit five of their six free throws in the final 23 seconds. "We need to stay consistent," Lillard said. "When things are going well, we tend to ease up instead of tightening up and putting teams away. Once teams get fired up and get back in the game, our intensity rises again. We have to find a way to keep it at that high level." The Lakers were left with only nine or 10 healthy players -- and one point guard -- when Jordan Farmar limped to the locker room in the first quarter, straining his left hamstring shortly after checking in to the game. Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash still havent returned to uniform, and centre Chris Kaman -- who recently recovered from a back injury -- dressed but didnt play. Pau Gasol, who missed Saturdays practice to deal with nagging injury issues, missed nine of his 10 shots in the first half before finishing with six points on 3-of-15 shooting. He plans to have an MRI on his sore ankle Monday. But the Lakers league-leading bench had another big game led by Henry, Sacre and Nick Young, who scored 17 points. "Thats what this team is all about -- you never know whos going to come out and produce," Sacre said. "Thats the whole essence of this team. Were all about one another, and we want each other to succeed." The Lakers hoped to play aggressively with the next four days off to rest, but instead got off to a horrific start. Portland took an 11-0 lead in the first four minutes as Los Angeles missed its first eight shots, stretching the margin to 21-4 before many fans had settled in their seats. Lakers coach Mike DAntoni yanked four of his starters, and they gradually got back in it with a tying 19-6 run capped by Meeks 3-pointer midway through the second quarter. Lillard scored 11 points in the third quarter as Portland made 17 of its 24 shots while taking command. Los Angeles then scored 10 straight points to open the fourth, and the Blazers didnt get a field goal until 5:31 remained. NOTES: Lillard converted a four-point play early in the second quarter, and Henry also did it midway through the fourth quarter. ... DAntoni said Nash will be at practice on Tuesday after a trip to Vancouver for further rehab on his nerve root irritation. Theres no timetable for the return of the two-time MVP point guard -- or Bryant, who also will be in practice this week. DAntoni declined to speculate whether Bryant could make his season debut when the Lakers visit Sacramento on Friday. ... Williams and Johnson both fouled out in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles. Eli Manning Jersey . Trailing 6-5, heading into the final frame, Justin Smoak scored off a Michael Saunders single. Saunders then scored off of Barons line drive to right field to seal the win. Daniel Fells Jersey . Top Picks: With 128 points over the last two seasons, John Tavares ranks sixth, and hes the one driving the Islanders offence. It would be easier to raise expectations if the Islanders provided him with a better supporting cast, but hes a reliable point-per-game option who would be higher than a top five fantasy centre if he could become a stronger plus player. http:... . Mendes. RIO DE JANIERO, Brazil -- Canadians Sam (Hands of Stone) Stout and Antonio (Pato) Carvalho each lost in unanimous decisions at Saturdays UFC 142 event. [url=http://www.nflgiantsusjerseys.com/Womens-Harry-Carson-Authentic-Jersey/]Har... Carson Youth Jersey . -- After the Anaheim Ducks went on a frantic six-week sprint just to make the post-season, Teemu Selanne thinks its understandable they couldnt maintain that breakneck pace going into their playoff opener. Phil Simms Womens Jersey . Finally, the horn sounded. That first victory as an NBA head coach was his. Al Horford had 22 points and 16 rebounds, three other Atlanta starters scored in double figures and the Hawks won their home opener, defeating the Toronto Raptors 102-95 on Friday to give Budenholzer a night to remember.CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Yani Tseng was far from her best in the first round of the Kia Classic. The top-ranked Taiwanese star still found a way to top the leaderboard. Tseng, coming off her 14th LPGA Tour victory Sunday in Phoenix in the LPGA Founders Cup, shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday for a share of the lead with Ji Young Oh and Caroline Hedwall. "She hits a lot of great shots," said playing partner Suzann Pettersen, a stroke back at 68. "Her bad shots are still very acceptable. She recovers well from whenever she is in trouble. She has a pretty sharp short game. Thats probably what saves her the most. She can be more aggressive and even afford to miss a green on the short side, even kind of saving her par." The 23-year-old Tseng has two victories in four events this year. She led the tour last season with seven victories -- including major victories in the LPGA Championship and Womens British Open -- and finished the year with 12 worldwide titles. "Im enjoying it," Tseng said. "Im always excited for every week, every week thats coming up and trying to win every tournament. Im learning from mistakes and every tournament Im learning something, so thats pretty good for me. Because its very exciting to see this year what can I improve on my game. ... And just to see how far I can go." Tseng finished with a birdie on the par-4 ninth after dropping a stroke on the par-3 eighth when she drew a difficult lie in a greenside bunker. "It plugged in the bunker," Tseng said. "I didnt have a good lie there. I chipped out pretty good to six feet and just missed (the putt) a little bit to the right." On the ninth, her approach shot hit the left side of the fringe and kicked onto the green, coming to rest three feet from the hole. "I think I hit a good shot," Tseng said. "Sometimes you hit a good shot, you get good luck and a good bounce.dddddddddddd" Tseng hit eight of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation. "I didnt hit a lot of fairways," Tseng said. "This golf course is very narrow and the rough is really long. If you dont hit the fairways, its kind of very hard to get close to the pin." Oh, a two-time LPGA Tour winner who fought a hip injury the last two seasons, also had six birdies and a bogey -- also on No. 8 -- on La Costas Legends Course. She hit all but one fairway. "Everything is good for me," Im really calm," Oh said. "My shot is really good, so I have a good score." Hedwall, from Sweden had seven birdies and two bogeys. "Ive been hitting it very solid lately," Hedwall said. "I felt like if I could have a good day, I could shoot low. I made a lot of birdies and made it close, so that helped a lot." Jiyai Shin, Brittany Lincicome and hometown star Jennifer Johnson matched Pettersen at 68. Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., was in a group two off the pace at 69. "I really wanted to make that last putt because she (Tseng) was going to make hers to go to 5 under," Pettersen said. "Its a nice edge, it kind of gets you focused just a fraction bit more." The 20-year-old Johnson is a La Costa member. "You definitely have some expectations for yourself," Johnson said. "But the greens are a little bumpy, and I think thats where I have the advantage, just knowing sometimes they dont break." Sandra Gal, the winner last year at Industry Hills, shot a 72. Michelle Wie opened with a 77. Hamiltons Alena Sharp opened at 2-over 74. Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was at 3-over 75. Charlottetowns Lorie Kane opened at 5-over 77. Torontos Rebecca Lee-Bentham was at 9-over 81. cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '