San Antonio (2-2) at Portland (2-3)

Cloudy Currently: Portland, OR
Temp: 46° F
  • Game info: 10:30 pm EST Fri Nov 6, 2009
  • TV: ESPN, KGW

By MATT BEARDMORE, STATS Writer Nov 6, 2:37 am EST

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The Portland Trail Blazers had one of the best home records in the NBA last season.

It’s been a different story for them at the Rose Garden in 2009-10.

The Trail Blazers look to avoid their third straight loss there Friday night, when they continue their three-game homestand against a San Antonio Spurs team without a road win.

Portland (2-3) went 34-7 at home in 2008-09 - the fourth-best mark in the league behind Cleveland, the Lakers and Boston - while never losing more than two straight at the Rose Garden.

Despite leading by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, the Trail Blazers dropped their second in a row at home Tuesday - 97-91 to Atlanta.

“Regardless of where you are, you’ve got to work,” coach Nate McMillan told the Trail Blazers’ official Web site. “I really felt our level of intensity needed to be better for pretty much all of the games.”

Portland’s last three-game slide at home was March 29-April 6, 2008.

The Trail Blazers had lost five straight at home - and 12 overall - to San Antonio, prior to their 100-99 victory on Oct. 31, 2008.

Spurs guard Michael Finley(notes) missed a shot as time expired and Portland won its first home game in this series since Jan. 24, 2005.

“When he missed the shot, I couldn’t believe it. I was thinking overtime or something because it just didn’t feel right,” guard Brandon Roy(notes) said. “But I looked up and realized that we had finally beaten the Spurs.”

The Trail Blazers won three of four against San Antonio last season - including both meetings at the Rose Garden - after losing 19 of the previous 20 matchups.

Roy averaged 23.0 points against the Spurs in 2008-09, scoring 26 in each of the victories.

Center Greg Oden(notes), who leads the Trail Blazers with 9.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks, was injured for the first three matchups with San Antonio last season.

In his first career game against fellow first-overall pick Tim Duncan(notes), Oden had eight points, eight boards and two blocks in a 95-83 victory on April 8 that snapped Portland’s 11-game skid in San Antonio.

Duncan, averaging 21.4 points and 10.8 boards in 23 career games in Portland, had 15 and 13 in Thursday’s 113-99 loss at Utah that dropped the Spurs (2-2) to 0-2 on the road.

San Antonio hasn’t lost its first three road games since 1993-94.

The Spurs, who held their first three opponents this season to 96 points or fewer, allowed its most points in a loss since a 113-94 defeat at Seattle on Nov. 7, 2004.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to become a good defensive team and Utah obviously took advantage of that tonight,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “They are always an aggressive club and they do a great job of fighting for 48 minutes.”

Tony Parker(notes) led San Antonio on Thursday with 21 points, four coming in the second half. He averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 assists at Portland in 2008-09.

Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) had 20 points and a season-high 14 rebounds Tuesday, despite leaving Sunday’s win at Oklahoma City with a bone contusion on his right knee.

Aldridge averaged 24.5 points and 6.0 rebounds as Portland swept its home games versus San Antonio last season for the first time since 1996-97.

The Trail Blazers are scoring 93.7 points per game on 39.9 percent shooting at the Rose Garden this season.

Updated Nov 6, 2:37 am EST
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Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 8-6 2nd Southwest / 6th West 101.4 97.0 Road 1-4 Won 4 6-4
Portland 12-7 2nd Northwest / 5th West 96.5 90.5 Home 7-3 Lost 2 6-4

Notes

G Tony Parker had 27 points of his 38 points in the first half. ... The Spurs avoided consecutive home playoff losses for the first time since 2002. ... Parker finished 16-of-22 from the field. He had 19 points in the first quarter alone, equaling the Mavericks' total.

Apr 21, 12:41 am EDT

Rookie G-F Nicolas Batum was back in Portland's starting lineup after missing a game because of the flu. ... Blazers C Joel Przybilla played in all 82 regular-season games. ... The Blazers scheduled a rally for Thursday in downtown Portland to celebrate the team's return to the playoffs.

Apr 16, 1:53 am EDT
NBA

23 Comments

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  1. ARTURO
    23. Posted by ARTURO Sat Nov 7 6:14pm EST

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    Fire!!!!! nate he sucks!!!!
  2. nob
    22. Posted by nob Sat Nov 7 2:31pm EST

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    Gee, what a shock, Laker fans on here commenting on a game that has nothing to do with their team. Are you all really so insecure that you have to mention your team on every news article. Whatever. To all my fellow Blazer fans, team will come together. I'm not one of those who started freaking out after the first few games, and I think after this upcoming road trip we are going to see the team for what it's going to be, good or bad. Oden is proving himself so far, pray he stays healthy as well as all the others. We were one of the elite teams of the West in the past, we will be again. RIP CITY!
  3. decrepit0
    21. Posted by decrepit0 Sat Nov 7 2:11pm EST

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    @ #19 schwalmy....the Blazers downfall will be exactly what you pointed out as one of their strengths, "they are simply too young." And you are definitely wrong about another thing...it IS all about the Lakers!!!!!
  4. schwalmy
    20. Posted by schwalmy Sat Nov 7 1:07pm EST

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    I wouldn't count the Spurs out after five games. They were tabbed as top-three in the West, and it's too early to change that forcast. Parker will be Parker, and Pops will again have them out-fundamentalling younger teams, and generally making their opponents look silly. If you don't get that yet, welcome to the NBA. You must be new to this stuff.....Oden is really starting to get it. And, did I see Aldridge actually taking the ball inside?!Roy's shooting is improving.Feed Oden The Rock! His hands will improve- they're the size of jumbo pizzas, so they will be fine.Blazers are going to leave Denver in 2nd in the NW.( No matter how good his offensive game gets, Carmello wil always be such a douchebag! His attitude is Kobe-esque - no coincidence. since they connected during the Olympics.).............Rip City
  5. schwalmy
    19. Posted by schwalmy Sat Nov 7 12:51pm EST

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    18- This is not at all about the Lakers. Is that really so hard to get, Laker fans?...............9- I agree. We need to stay long and tall! Wonder how long it will take for the obvious line-up to click? (Miller, Royd,Websta,LaMarcus, and the big Oompah Loompah Oden.) What a bench we'll have! Batum will be missed, but the Blazers Are an embarassment of riches this year. They are simply too deep, too young, and too talented to go away quietly. I think they totally figure this chemistry experiment out in a month or two, and give the Lakers a real run for the West.
  6. LakerDeez
    18. Posted by LakerDeez Sat Nov 7 12:04pm EST

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    Wow, Spurms, really? San Antonio has looked very ordinary this year. Young, Athletic team=Doom for the Spurms. They got shredded by the Bulls, a young team. And now the Blazers. It was a nice night for basketball for me. Spurms lose, Celtricks lose, Lakers win (without Bynum and Gasol btw). The Blazers do look better and give us a hard time at the Rose Garden, but you guys just better stay healthy and maybe Oden won't look like Olden Polynice and get injured again. I love how haters can only come up with Fakers, like that's supposed to hurt out feelings or something.
  7. Texas_Hurricane
    17. Posted by Texas_Hurricane Sat Nov 7 11:52am EST

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    Simply Put-The "SPURT'S" Suck This Year!

    Cheer For A Real Team Like The Rockets San Antonio Fans.

    Your Run In The West Is Over!
  8. Drew B
    16. Posted by Drew B Sat Nov 7 11:49am EST

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    The Spurs era is over! This is the beginning of the Blazers becoming a Western Conference Power again!!

    RIP CITY!!!!
  9. Laker Fan
    15. Posted by Laker Fan Sat Nov 7 11:18am EST

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    #14. I call like i see it, I have watched the Spurs three times this year and they look very old. You better hope Pop doesn't have to play the veterans to much this year or there toast come playoff time.
  10. Ser latino
    14. Posted by Ser latino Sat Nov 7 10:57am EST

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    The Spurs had a worst starting last year, and still won the Division, be aware wimpies!!!
  11. Steven
    13. Posted by Steven Sat Nov 7 10:09am EST

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    wow spurs really do suck , they can't even beat the blazers.
  12. Natalya
    12. Posted by Natalya Sat Nov 7 9:10am EST

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    oden is the MAN......
  13. <i>austero.alvin</i>
    11. Posted by austero.alvin Sat Nov 7 7:48am EST

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    rockets for me even without YAO....
  14. Alexis Jay
    10. Posted by Alexis Jay Sat Nov 7 5:12am EST

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    Centers... Oden Bynum, Oden Howard, Oden=Yao.

    Go Oden and Blazers!!!
  15. Terrence
    9. Posted by Terrence Sat Nov 7 4:47am EST

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    Gah, how longs it going to take before they just have Blake come off the bench!? Their basically negating the size advantage they have with Oden and Aldridge by starting 3 guys all under 6'5.
  16. Miguel
    8. Posted by Miguel Sat Nov 7 3:32am EST

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    Miller means more lay ups for Oden and Aldridge it's common sense I think they were just scared Roy wouldn't get his numbers and be unhappy
  17. Kelli
    7. Posted by Kelli Sat Nov 7 2:34am EST

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    I'm surprised he didn't do this earlier (starting Andre Miller). I'm not trying to rip Steve Blake, he's good. But Andre is clearly the guy you'd rather have out there at PG, running your offense. At this point, Miller is just the superior PG. He deserves to start.
  18. evan
    6. Posted by evan Sat Nov 7 2:12am EST

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    Oden was just naughty this game. Hopefully he keeps it up.
  19. Iwvelez
    5. Posted by Iwvelez Sat Nov 7 1:48am EST

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    Forgot to say Oden had 4 blocks.. he looked sharp tonight.
  20. Odenesque
    4. Posted by Odenesque Sat Nov 7 1:44am EST

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    Odin was an Animal! good game, WE(Portland) didn't put SA away, like it looked like we were going to early on, SA fought back hard even without Parker(Tonya Harding, did NOT knee cap him) but we did manage to gut it out and get the W, and Odin did a great job on Duncan!!!!



    Rip City!!!
  21. Tim
    3. Posted by Tim Sat Nov 7 1:34am EST

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    Go...go gadget?
  22. Darrell
    2. Posted by Darrell Fri Nov 6 8:38pm EST

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    Go Spurs
  23. Larrenzo
    1. Posted by Larrenzo Fri Nov 6 2:55pm EST

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    Go blazers go !!!!!!
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