Blazers Humiliate Nets 99-73

There was a good old fashioned butt kicking that took place in New Jersey on Monday night,?and none of the Soprano family was involved. No the guys who had the contracts on their heads were the New Jersey Nets, and the enforcers were the Portland Trail Blazers who beat on the Nets like Ricky Ricardo use to beat the congas?99-73. The Blazers have gone 18-2 in their last 20 games.

To use the word contest in any connection to this event would be an outright lie.?A contest is when two entities compete against each other, this was like an axe against a tree. There was no question which side would end up on the ground.?Portland started out smoking and finished with a flurry, the Nets sat on their bench trying to hide their shame by hiding their heads in towels. Not a lot of fun and frivolity in the Izod Center for New Jersey fans this evening.

Portland started the festivities, by putting the Nets in a 13 point hole at the end of the first quarter, leading 25-12, it was 49-34 at the end of the half. Unfortunately for the fans New Jersey did come back out to the floor again in the second half rather than forfeit, so the fans did not get a nice early ride home. Well maybe some did, like probably most! The margin remained static in the third quarter with the Blazers ahead 68-53, but Portland had one more surge left in them outscoring ?the Nets 31-20 in the final period.

LaMarcus Aldridge led the Portland onslaught, shooting 9-18 from the floor 2-2 at the line for a game high 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block. Brandon Roy scored 16 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, Jarret Jack came off the bench, to score 15 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds. Travis Outlaw scored 13 points, 3 rebounds, James Jones scored 10 points, 2 rebounds in the win.

Malik Allen came off the bench for New Jersey scoring a team high 17 points, 8 boards, 1 steal. Jason Kidd scored 10 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, Vince Carter was the only other Nets player in double figures, as he also scored 10 points, he had 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Portland is now 23-14, while New Jersey falls to below .500? at 18-19.