Dec

7

Blazers Bounce Back From Big Deficit Beat Raptors 98-97

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap 

There are three different ways an NBA team can deal with finding themselves deep in the hole after the first 12 minutes of play. The first option is to simply give up, and resign yourself to the fact this is not your night. Definitely the least attractive of the choices, yet there are some players and coaches in the Association that have that mind-set. Second option is to panic, try to make 5 point shots, get the lead back as quickly as possible. Unfortunately this helter-skelter style usually results in the team falling further behind, as well as tension within the team. The third choice is to stay within yourself, ratchet up your defensive intensity, and slowly start to dig yourself out of the hole. The Portland Trail Blazers wisely took the third route Sunday, as they climbed back from a double digit deficit after the first, and defeated the Toronto Raptors 98-97. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 20 points, while center Greg Oden was credited with a double-double.

This was a 1:00 pm EST start as the game took place at the Air Canada Centre, and maybe the Blazers were still not in sync with the time change. What ever the reason Portland stumbled out of the gate in the first and Toronto took full advantage of it leading 31-20 at the end of the first. Jermaine O’Neal scored the first 5 points of the second pushing the Raptors ahead 36-20 with 10:23 to play. Portland however slowly, and methodically started chipping away at the Toronto lead, and the Blazers were down by just 2 points at the half 50-48.

Steve Blake would give Portland their first lead of the game since 2-0 when he drained a trey with 10:21 in the third giving his team a 53-52 advantage. Suddenly the momentum had swung to the team from the “Great Northwest“, LaMarcus Aldridge hit a mid-range jumper with 5:35 to go putting the Trail Blazers ahead 70-61. Portland would still be on top at the end of the quarter, but the margin had shrunk radically as the score was 78-75. Joel Pryzbilla, drove the lane, put the ball through the cylinder, was fouled on the play, and hit his shot at the line putting the Blazers ahead 88-78 with 8:56 left to play. But the Raptors had another run left in them taking an 89-88 lead as Jason Kapono drained a 23 foot trey with 5:50 to play. The lead volleyed back and forth and then with 27 seconds left in the quarter, the score knotted at 95-95 Chris Bosh hit a mid-range jumper giving Toronto a 97-95 lead. The game was decided with 8 seconds to play as Steve Blake drained a 25 foot trey, giving Portland the lead and the win.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored a team high 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks, in the Portland win. Steve Blake added 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, while Rudy Fernandez came off the bench and had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 block. Brandon Roy dropped 15 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds, Greg Oden recorded a double-double, 10 points, 10 boards, and 2 blocks.

Jermaine O’Neal looked in the pink of health after returning from the injured list as he was the game’s leading scorer with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 2 assists. Chris Bosh put in 19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal, Jose Calderon recorded a double-double, 15 points, 13 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal. Jason Kapono came off the bench scored 10 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, while Joey Graham also came off the bench and added 10 points, and 2 rebounds. Portland after the victory is now 15-7, Toronto is 8-11.

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