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Crawford scores 27 in Hawks’ victory over Blazers

By ANNE M. PETERSON, AP Sports Writer Nov 4, 1:44 am EST

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)—Jamal Crawford(notes) is happy with his new team and his new role.

“This is the most fun I’ve had because I haven’t had these kinds of athletes, ever. So it feels good,” he said after scoring 27 points off the bench to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 97-91 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

Al Horford’s(notes) dunk with 56.6 seconds left made it 95-89 and all but sealed it for the Hawks. Horford finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

LaMarcus Aldridge(notes), who was questionable going into the game with a knee injury, led the Blazers with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Horford’s dunk on a fast break put the Hawks up 86-80 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. He momentarily stood underneath the basket, staring down the Rose Garden crowd in defiance after Portland led by as many as 12 points in the first half.

Portland’s Travis Outlaw(notes) made a jumper and a 3-pointer to narrow it to 86-85, but Crawford came back with a jump from the top of the arc with 4:01 left.

After Outlaw closed in again with another jumper, Joe Johnson(notes) hit a 3-pointer to make it 91-89 for the Hawks.

Andre Miller(notes) made a pair of free throws for Portland before Johnson’s jumper and Horford’s dunk with just under a minute left kept Portland at bay the rest of the way.

Crawford, who was acquired by Atlanta in the offseason after splitting time between New York and Golden State last year, said he’s adjusting to his reserve role.

“I think it gives us good balance,” he said. “We have a really, really strong starting five and we have a really good bench, so we try to balance both and make the best of it.”

The Hawks (3-1) were playing the second of a four-game road trip. They fell 118-110 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Aldridge played against the Hawks after he was knocked out of Portland’s game Sunday at Oklahoma City with a bone contusion on his right knee. The Blazers (2-3) defeated the Thunder 83-74.

The Blazers uncharacteristically fell to 1-2 last home. Last season they were 34-7 advantage at the Rose Garden.

“I feel like our level of play has got to go up,” coach Nate McMillan said. “To win, we’re not playing as hard as we need to to win ball games.”

The Blazers and the Hawks split their series last season, with each team holding their own at home. Portland has won nine of the last 11 against Atlanta at the Rose Garden.

The Blazers began to pull away late in the first quarter, capped by Brandon Roy’s(notes) two-handed jam to make it 25-15. Greg Oden(notes) padded the lead to start the second with a dunk off a pass from Miller.

But the Hawks came back, with a 14-6 run capped by Mike Bibby’s(notes) 3-pointer to close to within 43-41. The Hawks narrowed it to 48-47 at the break. Atlanta was led by Crawford, who had 15 points in the quarter.

“He was huge,” said coach Mike Woodson. “He’s a shotmaker. I haven’t had a big-time guy off the bench like that who can score the ball.

Atlanta jumped up early in the second half but it was brief, marked by a Horford shot that came to rest on the space between the rim and the backboard.

Portland came back to go up by as much as 64-56 after Steve Blake’s(notes) 10-foot-jumper, but again Atlanta answered and led 72-69 at the end of three.

Roy’s step-back jumper tied it for the Blazers at 80, but the Hawks scored the next six straight, capped by Horford’s fast break dunk, with an assist from Crawford, that made it 86-80.

Notes: Before the game they Blazers held a moment of silence for Phil Lumpkin, who played two seasons in the NBA after being a second-round pick of the Portland Trail Blazers in 1974. He was the longtime coach of O’Dea High School in Seattle. … Oden played for Ohio State and Horford played for Florida in the 2007 NCAA title game, which the Gators won.

Updated Nov 4, 1:44 am EST
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27 Comments

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  1. Ski
    27. Posted by Ski Fri Nov 6 2:46pm EST

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    The Hawks. So proud for staying true to the course and not trying to get every superstar out there for a year or two, but keeping the core group intact. Hats off to team with a history and a GREAT coach who is growing with them every step of the way. I did not expect this from them.
  2. <i>bbmichal</i>
    26. Posted by bbmichal Wed Nov 4 4:08pm EST

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    If Oden is a bust I will take him. Brad MIller for Oden straight up!
  3. Lovable loser fan
    25. Posted by Lovable loser fan Wed Nov 4 10:49am EST

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    Oden wouldn't be so much of a bust if Kevin Durant superstar from the university of texas ( GO HORNS ) was drafted right behind him
  4. Larrenzo
    24. Posted by Larrenzo Wed Nov 4 10:41am EST

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    the Blazers will be just fine. Remeber { the sun shines on a dog's ass from time 2 time}
  5. The Georgia Outlaw
    23. Posted by The Georgia Outlaw Wed Nov 4 10:27am EST

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    Hawks!
  6. <i>bibb_zw</i>
    22. Posted by bibb_zw Wed Nov 4 9:54am EST

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    I kid you not when I say the Blazers are going to suck this year. They're already 1-2 @ home! Last season they were 34-7! big difference!
  7. The Judge
    21. Posted by The Judge Wed Nov 4 9:04am EST

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    Wow, fire Nate McMillan 5 games into the season??? What damn idiot wrote that? He's been the best coach the Blazers have had since Rick Adelman, but some of you are ready to run him out of town? Do us all a favor and find another sport to follow because OBVIOUSLY you know NOTHING about basketball. Dumb A$$ES.
  8. Alexis Jay
    20. Posted by Alexis Jay Wed Nov 4 8:45am EST

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    Oh... Aldridge was not injured afterall.. Ma bad. Sorry about that.
    But even though, just teach him not to do silly fouls + more balls + more minutes.
    Pretty pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...........
  9. Alexis Jay
    19. Posted by Alexis Jay Wed Nov 4 8:37am EST

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    Yeah... I know that's his problem the fouls. *sigh*
    I wish Oden will learn not to do those silly fouls.. But once he'll learn this + more balls feed to him + more minutes. The he will dominate the league.
    Go go go go...
  10. C-Note
    18. Posted by C-Note Wed Nov 4 8:26am EST

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    Oden had five fouls in just over 15 mins along with 3 TO. Portland needs to stop starting this fool and play him off the bench until he corrects these problems
  11. Alexis Jay
    17. Posted by Alexis Jay Wed Nov 4 8:25am EST

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    Please oh please...
    Now that Aldridge is not there(injured). Please feed more balls to Oden please!
    Give him a chance to score more points for him to get comfortable in scoring. Please Roy and company, please more balls to Oden please.. He will dominate the league down below much quicker once you do this earlier..
    Go Oden and Blazers!!!
  12. Anonymous Hero
    16. Posted by Anonymous Hero Wed Nov 4 8:08am EST

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    Man, the Blazers are fine, just got outplayed by a better team last night. Nate McMillan is a great coach, his team just lost, IT HAPPENS YOU IDIOTS!!!!! The Blazers will be one of the top teams in the West and for the person who said start Andre Miller "ASAP", you're an idiot. The Blazers didn't make their runs last night until Steve Blake entered the game. Miller is more athletic and more of a scorer, but Blake is a floor general and get the ball to the open man and knock down the open jumper if need be. So i would say it just depends on the team they are playin. Blake earned the starting role, so Miller will have to take it from him.

    In the meantime, GREAT JOB HAWKS! Went with a 9 man rotation and came out on top, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
  13. MIKES
    15. Posted by MIKES Wed Nov 4 7:09am EST

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    jamal crawford.. one of the best scorein guard in the game..hope he move up to the startin role..this guy is a stud...he can outright score...nice player ..
  14. who
    14. Posted by who Wed Nov 4 6:49am EST

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    crawford handsdown six man of the year
  15. ARTURO
    13. Posted by ARTURO Wed Nov 4 6:37am EST

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    Fire nate!!!!.... blazers have alot of talent they just need a better coach............
  16. <i>bunshintechnique</i>
    12. Posted by bunshintechnique Wed Nov 4 4:20am EST

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    Greg Oden is a Draft "BUST"...
  17. jigga
    11. Posted by jigga Wed Nov 4 3:46am EST

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    Fire coach nate, should have done it last year..
    guy is so dumb and they went to a zone the players didnt know what they were doing
  18. JY
    10. Posted by JY Wed Nov 4 3:02am EST

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    don't give up on the blazers so early into the season. this is just a way to teach coach nate not to be so dumb and start andre and put blake on the bench where he's most effective anyway.
  19. Ryan
    9. Posted by Ryan Wed Nov 4 2:43am EST

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    Don't panic, Blazer fans. I have the solution to our problems (Nate McMillan, pay attention please). here it is:
    1 - Start Andre Miller ASAP. He was brought in to help win, so why not start him? He seems to be better than Blake except at the 3-point shot. If nothing else, it'll show how the team plays with Miller running the show and it'll determine if he is better than Blake.
    2 - Get Rudy Fernandez more minutes. That guy can play. Maybe pairing him and Miller together for stretches of time will get something going. Maybe put him in instead of Outlaw, because Outlaw is too much of a wildcard in my book.
    3 - Keep Oden in the starting lineup, but get Joel some playing time early. Oden is getting better, but he's fouling too early. If Joel can get some minutes and take some of Oden's fouls, then Greg can do more things in the paint later on in games rather than sitting because he has 3 fouls in the first quarter.
    4 - WE NEED BATUM! Not something Nate can fix magically, but Nic Batum is one of the team's best defenders. And what does Portland need? Defense. Call me crazy, but I think Batum is the heart of the defense. I mean, look whats happening without him?

    Well, if the Blazers can do 3 out of 4 of these things, i think Portland can rebound easily. If not, we're so screwed when the Spurs come to town...
  20. shotgunmanny
    8. Posted by shotgunmanny Wed Nov 4 2:21am EST

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    I haven't see any different from last year. Same old stuff. Greg fouling, Blake missing, Aldridge the same prima donna. I start thinking that what we have is a coaching problem . We keep this guy Blake as a starter instead to bring Miller. Andre Miller is a better player than Blake. Was wrong with Nate? Travis the same loose cannon ball. No direction, where is the coach? We were told of the new stuff that Oden has. Where is ? As far as I know he STILL has the same problem FOUL,FOUL, FOUL.......
    I hate to say this but this fellow Oden is going to be a huge liability. So far is totally overrated by a ton

    Bring another coach .Nate could be a good college coach, He doesn't belong in the NBA. .
  21. Kevin J
    7. Posted by Kevin J Wed Nov 4 2:02am EST

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    The Blazers are not on the level of the ATL Hawks!
  22. Mike G
    6. Posted by Mike G Wed Nov 4 1:06am EST

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    The Blazers will be fine. They're not far away – the three losses have been to good teams, and none have been by more than six points. They have two main obstacles: the point guards are shooting badly and Oden keeps getting into foul trouble. Neither one is insurmountable. Blake and Miller will recover (take a look at their career percentages) and if Oden keeps fouling, Przybilla will have to step in more, just as he did last year. I'm guessing the first 25 games or so will be bumpy, then they'll be all right. The end result will be enough to break the top five in the west and make it to the second round of the playoffs.
  23. <i>donk2155</i>
    5. Posted by donk2155 Wed Nov 4 1:03am EST

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    Blazers SUCK!!!!!! ODEN is a FLOP.
  24. MoNkEyBaRz
    4. Posted by MoNkEyBaRz Wed Nov 4 12:59am EST

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    Crawford should be starting.......Bibby's all but done.
  25. Derrk
    3. Posted by Derrk Wed Nov 4 12:54am EST

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    nice road win Hawks!!!
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Atlanta
J. Crawford Jamal Crawford
8-16,  27 Pts
2 Rebs, 7 Assists
 Portland
L. Aldridge LaMarcus Aldridge
9-17,  20 Pts
14 Rebs, 0 Assists

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