Blazers rebound to knock off Clippers


Recent Staff Blog PostsJeanne Stewart rebuffs need to know suggestionTrail Mix: Blazers 103, Wizards 96Westfield Vancouver mall hosts charity sip and shopNewer cars mean fewer vehicle thefts, butHealth care's dramatic cost variationEvergreen football will be busy on Signing DaySmelt season to be proposedClark County GOP continues to react to possible JHB censureGrayson named Mountain West Offensive MVPCommunityAll Things SweetCorks and ForksFYI98642Gardening with AllenHealth NotesMother BirdOn the TablePaleo in a PinchPortland TimbersSherri McMillanSmall PlatesSugar and SpiceVictory Garden MenusLogin Sign UpPORTLAND When the Trail Blazers survived another threat from a man named Crawford on Saturday night, Nicolas Batum grabbed the rebound.Actually, that doesn't do it justice.Batum secured, caressed and hugged that leather basketball like he was protecting a small and frightened puppy.The ball belonged to him soon to be immortalized inside the Batum home library and the night belonged to the Blazers as they survived the Los Angeles Clippers, 101 100 in front of a sold out Rose Garden Arena.The exhales from the crowd turned into joyful screams as the Blazers (22 21) defeated the third best team in the Western Wholesale Jerseys Conference albeit without the services of its injured All Star point guard Chris Paul."It's Cheap NFL Jerseys big," said Batum, who collected the triple double with 20 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. "To win this one, especially in a back to back with the same team twice in two nights, this one was huge for us."Batum produced his second triple double of the week and of his career. Only he and Boston's Rajon Rondo have recorded two triple doubles in the same week this season. And this one, in the mind of Batum, actually happened.Last Monday night, Batum recorded 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds against the Washington Wizards. However on that night, Wizards guard Jordan Crawford drilled the game winning shot as Washington shocked the Blazers. Sore about the loss, afterwards Batum would not acknowledge his triple double feat."I'll think he'll count this one," coach Terry Stotts quipped. "He was terrific."Batum played every second during the Blazers' fourth quarter comeback and though he proved to be the No. 1 offensive option, he played just as capable on the defensive end.Jamal Crawford, the Clippers' lights out sixth man, had a chance to break thousands of hearts with another game winning jump shot replacing Jordan Crawford as the new black hat of the Rose Garden. Crawford had the ball in the closing seconds, a fearsome sight because he had spent the fourth quarter scorching the Blazers. Still, Batum knew his former teammate would not drive for a closer shot, so when Crawford rose, Batum soared with him.All Batum could do was stretch out his hand, contest the 19 jumper and hope for the best."I tried to guard him," Batum said. "If he makes it, he makes it. Just try everything I can."When the jumper missed the target, Batum chased down the basketball and never let it out of his sight. After the game, he completed his live on air television interview while clutching it. Inside the locker room, he placed the ball near his feet. When Joel Freeland tried to pull a fast one and walk away with it, Batum, his jovial tone quickly turning serious, held out his palm until his teammate returned the ball safely. Even while dressed and ready for the flight to Los Angeles, Batum held that ball not his girlfriend as he strolled through the hallway.This game, too, was something to hold on to for the Blazers. Hickson said. "That's something that we struggled with earlier in the season, but I feel we're starting to get it."Portland opened a 14 point lead in the second quarter with help from its bench. The Clippers have the best group of reserves in the league, averaging 41.5 points per game while the Blazers' crew scores a full 25 points off that mark as the worst in the NBA.So, nothing could have predicted their impact as the Blazers substitutes scored 12 second quarter points, beginning with the wirily rookie Will Barton showing his Batum like ability for a catch and shoot 3 pointer. After LaMarcus Aldridge finished a layup through a foul and converted the 3 point play, backup point guard Ronnie Price sped down court, squared up behind a Meyers Leonard screen and floated in a triple from Cheap Jerseys behind the left arc.The Blazers then went up by 13 points on the unexpected Price Barton connection. Price remembered a play during the Washington game when he missed an opportunity to get Barton a good look. So, he more than made up for the previous mistake by throwing a behind the shoulder lob to Barton for the thunderous dunk."You got to give credit to the wide receiver," Barton joked. "I think that was more of a better catch than a throw."At the 6:46 mark of the quarter, Batum drained a 3 pointer and the Blazers held the largest lead, 43 29. But even without Paul, the Clippers worked back into the game and recaptured the lead by the fourth quarter.The string of close games snapped after the blowout win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night, but the Blazers know action packed finishes and needed another to outlast the Clippers.