The New Jailblazers | BAD NEWS

by **hova-** on Sun Dec 23, 2012 6:30 pm

All-Star Weekend Prediction Challenge!

Predict:
Rising Stars Game Winner: Road team
Rising Stars Game MVP: Bradley Beal

3pt shootout winner: Stephen Curry
3pt shootout finalists Ryan Anderson

Dunk Contest winner: Jared Cunningham
Runner-Up: Blake

All-Star Game Winner: West
All-Star Game MVP: Kevin Durant

by **Martti.** on Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:32 am

Rising Stars Game Winner: Home team
Rising Stars Game MVP: Lillard

3pt shootout winner: Steph Curry
3pt shootout finalists Kevin Martin and Curry

Dunk Contest winner: Jared Cunningham
Runner-Up: Evans

All-Star Game Winner: East
All-Star Game MVP: LeBron

by **Lamrock** on Mon Dec 24, 2012 6:36 am

Thanks for the picks guys. Keep them coming in. (Y)

by **Lamrock** on Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:54 am

WEEK SIXTEEN: Feb. 11-Feb. 17
Record: 27-26 [2-1] | 4th in division, 9th in conference, 14th in Power Rankings (--)

Portland improves to 27-26 going into the all-star break, but an extremely disappointing loss to the lowly New Orleans Hornets leaves them a game behind the Phoenix Suns for the 8th spot in the West playoff picture. Portland fans will root for Damian Lillard in the Rising Stars Challenge and Nicolas Batum in the three-point shootout as the rest of the team gets a much-needed rest for the stretch run.

Blazers Shoot Magic Out Of The Building, Now Have Winning Record
2/10/2013 - Blazers 110 @ Magic 88

The Blazers and Magic are both fighting it out for a low playoff seed, and each team clearly wanted this game. Unfortunately for the Magic, Portland couldn't miss. The Blazers took a lead in the second half that they didn't give up, and the Magic couldn't make a run in the third. In the fourth quarter, Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge came up big.

An Aldridge and-one put Portland up 14 and was the nail in the coffin. Riding impeccable three point shooting (13-19), they were able to blow out Orlando 110-88, improving to 26-25. The Magic meanwhile fall to 24-27, their lead over Indiana now just two games.

POR 23 29 25 33 | 110 [26-25] - Lillard: 15/8/14; Aldridge: 24/13/2; Batum: 17/5/3
ORL 23 20 27 18 | 88 [24-27] - Harrington: 21/5/1; Redick: 18/1/2; Afflalo: 12/3/6

Blazers Upset Ice Cold Heat
2/12/2013 - Blazers 91 @ Heat 80

The Blazers win their fourth straight game with an upset victory over the defending champion Heat in Miami. The Heat went cold from the field in the second quarter and they couldn't recover as Aldridge and Lillard led the Blazers to a 91-80 win. They improve to 27-25, and their last game before the all-star break is in New Orleans.

POR 25 22 22 22 | 91 [27-25] - Aldridge: 22/14/2 blks; Lillard: 15/6/8; Matthews: 18/3/2
MIA 22 13 20 25 | 80 [37-12] - L. James: 24/8/3; Wade: 14/6/5; R. Allen: 15/3/2

Blazers Comeback Falls Short In New Orleans
2/14/2013 - Blazers 93 @ Hornets 96

The Blazers hoped to enter the all-star break riding a five-game winning streak, but the lottery-bound Hornets had different plans. Eric Gordon had 22 points as the Hornets took over in the third, and held off Portland in the fourth. Lillard and Aldridge played well as usual, but the team played mediocre defense and couldn't buy a basket down the stretch. With 13 seconds to go, down three with the ball, the Blazers were unable to even get a shot off.

Portland falls to 27-26 with the disappointing loss. They will not enter the all-star break in the top eight and the looming game next week versus the Suns will be critical. Portland hopes to improve on their 6-2 month but will face playoff teams in all four remaining games this month.

POR 32 21 15 25 | 93 [27-26] - Lillard: 24/4/11; Aldridge: 23/4/5; Matthews: 13/6/6
NOH 24 30 24 18 | 96 [19-35] - E. Gordon: 22/3/5; A. Davis: 10/10/1; Vasquez: 10/2/6

by **Sit** on Tue Dec 25, 2012 9:15 pm

Rising Stars Game Winner Home
Rising Stars Game MVP Lillard

3pt shootout winner Curry
3pt shootout finalists Batum and Steph Curry

Dunk Contest winner Williams
Runner-Up Evans

All-Star Game Winner West
All-Star Game MVP Durant

by **Durant35** on Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:22 pm

Hell yeah man! Nice win over the Heat and disappointing loss to the Pelicans.

by **hova-** on Thu Dec 27, 2012 2:54 am

Wow, you're getting to it. But still asking myself wether it's good for your franchise. I mean, for the story and your playing fun it is great to get to the Playoffs, but for the development of the franchise. Do you think you can somehow get that one player that lifts you to 4-5 seed next season with the contracts of terry and hayes?

by **Mark.** on Thu Dec 27, 2012 2:29 pm

All-Star Weekend Prediction Challenge!

Predict:
Rising Stars Game Winner (+2 points) Home
Rising Stars Game MVP (+5 points) License to Lillard

3pt shootout winner (+5 points) Martin
3pt shootout finalists (+1 each) Martin and Anderson

Dunk Contest winner (+5 points) Blake
Runner-Up (+2 points) Blake and Terrance

All-Star Game Winner (+2 points) East
All-Star Game MVP (+5 points) Durant

by **Lamrock** on Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:22 pm

hova-, Barring a trade, we are eligible for up to $8 million or so in cap space depending on who we keep (could very well be nobody) and with Aldridge and rising star Lillard, hopefully we'll have the means to improve. I have my eye on a couple free agents in the upcoming offseason.

by **Durant35** on Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:12 pm

Any reports on upcoming FAs in your Association?

by **Lamrock** on Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:46 pm

Irving Repeats As MVP, Rising Stars Defeat Elites
"Stars" 101, "Elites" 86

The NBA keeps the tradition of the rising stars challenge alive by making it possibly the lamest its ever been. Dividing the top 10 rookies and top 10 sophomores and randomly assigning them to teams called the "Stars" and the "Elites", the result was a very lopsided game. Led by Kyrie Irving, Kenneth Faried and Anthony Davis, the Stars dominated all game long, despite 19 points from Damian Lillard. With 17 points and 12 assists, Cavs guard Kyrie Irving repeats as Rising Stars Challenge MVP.

STR 63 38 | 101 - Irving: 17/6/12; Faried: 15/12/5; A. Davis: 12/9/1
ELT 52 33 | 86 - Lillard: 19/3/5; K. Walker: 15/2/9; H. Barnes: 15/5/2

Stephen Curry Wins Three Point Shootout With Record 26 Points

Stephen Curry wins the 2013 Foot Locker Three Point Shootout, scoring a record 26 points in the final round to win the title. Curry scored 19 points in the first round, and narrowly defeated Aaron Brooks in a tiebreaker to qualify, then doubled the scores of Deron Williams and Kevin Martin. It is the first time Curry has won the contest.

Round 1:
Kevin Martin (OKC): 22
Ryan Anderson (NO): 14 - eliminated
Aaron Brooks (SAC): 19 - 8 - eliminated
Stephen Curry (GS): 19 - 9
Nicolas Batum (POR): 12 - eliminated
Deron Williams (BRK): 20

Round 2:
Stephen Curry (GS): 26
Deron Williams (BRK): 13
Kevin Martin (OKC): 13

Blake Griffin Does It Again!

This season, a new format was adopted for the dunk contest: three dunks for each player with the judges returning as scorers. In a fairly underwhelming contest that saw tough scores, little innovation, and an absolutely pathetic showing for Terrence Williams, 2011 champion Blake Griffin came away with the top honors.

Scores:

Blake Griffin (LAC): 76 + 64 + 75 = 215
Jeremy Evans (DAL): 59 + 77 + 71 = 207
Jared Cunningham (DAL): 53 + 77 + 67 = 197
Terrence Williams (SAC): fail + 18 + fail = 18

East Pull Away In Second Half Behind Wade's 35
East 165, West 144

The first half was an extremely thrilling shootout in which neither team could miss. In the second half, the Eastern Conference All-Stars started playing defense, and the West didn't. The East were led by a dominant performance from Dwyane Wade, while no one player stood out for the West. This concluded an all-star weekend that saw low ratings across the board. Wade won his second all-star MVP, edging out teammate LeBron James for the honors.

EAST 46 48 34 37 | 165 - Wade: 35/4/8; L. James: 29/6/11; C. Anthony: 22/12/3
WEST 41 37 27 29 | 144 - D. Howard: 21/12/2; K. Bryant: 17/2/8; Durant: 23/5/1

by **Khanwarrior** on Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:27 am

Am I the only one who voted for Terrence Williams :lol:

. Go DWade!!!!

by **Lamrock** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 8:17 am

NLSC Scoring Update:

Durant35 won the contest with 17 points, but dare remains in the lead with 23 overall. The 2013 class is closed, but I'm accepting any and all 2014 applications.

dare: 23
Martti: 20
Durant35: 17
Khanwarrior: 16
Justine: 10
hova-: 10
Dmastawwe: 8
Sit: 8
Mark.: 8
Valor: 5

by **Lamrock** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 8:22 am

WEEK SEVENTEEN: Feb. 16 - Feb. 23
Record: 28-27 (1-1) | 4th in division, 9th in conference, 14th in Power Rankings

Blazers Blow Out Suns, Now Tie Them In Standings
2/19/2013 - Suns 80 @ Blazers 105

In a game with huge playoff implications and a sellout Rose Garden crowd, the Blazers came to play, blowing out the Phoenix Suns to jump into a tie with them for the 8th seed in the West. Portland got 15 or more points from five different players while the Suns fell apart in the fourth, mustering just twelve points. With 28 games remaining in the season for each team, it will be interesting to see who gets the right to be swept in the first round.

PHX 17 29 22 12 | 80 [28-26] - Gortat: 18/9/0; Dragic: 13/4/6; Beasley: 15/9/0
POR 33 21 23 28 | 105 [28-26] - Aldridge: 18/11/4; Lillard: 21/4/8, 6-21 FG; Batum: 17/7/0

Trade deadline passes with no deals.

Lakers Beat Blazers By 52 Points
2/21/2013 - Blazers 66 @ Lakers 118

I don't even want to talk about this game.

POR 23 16 14 13 | 66 [28-27] - Lillard: 21/3/2; Aldridge: 15/6/1; Batum: 15/2/1
LAL 36 37 20 25 | 118 [31-25] - K. Bryant: 36/2/7; D. Howard: 12/16/3; Nash: 14/4/11

Playoff Picture

1 Oklahoma City 35-20
2 LA Clippers 36-22
3 Minnesota 31-21
4 Golden State 31-24
5 San Antonio 32-25
6 Denver 32-25
7 LA Lakers 31-25
8 Phoenix 29-27
Portland 28-27
Houston 27-31
Dallas 24-30
Utah 24-32

by **Axel.** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 9:02 am

Good All-Star coverage, too bad the ASW itself wasn't too good. Even worse was that loss against the Lakers! Simmed, right?

YouTube · by **Thierry •** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:30 am

Good to see LMA play like that. I try to get at least four players in double figures every game and I kind of leave him behind :wall:

by **Durant35** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 7:34 pm

O.o Never thought I would guess some. Anyways, blowing out the Suns is nice and all, but yeah. F*ck that Lakers game, got beaten by them too a few games back.

NLSC Rookie Template

Name (first and last): Hans Antonio
Age/Date of Birth (20-24 years old): 20 yrs. old/ 3/22/93
Position(s): PG/SG
School: La Salle University
Height: 6'3"ft
Weight: 159 lbs
Jersey #: 22
Body Type: Buff Slim
Skin Tone: 3rd Lightest
5 Strengths: Athleticism, Jump Shooting and Defense
5 Weaknesses: Rebounding, Decision making and a little bit on the ball-handling side
3 Signature Skills Spot-Up Shooter
Playing Style: Pick 'N Roll and Isolation
NBA Comparison: Damian Lillard
Physical Appearance (use a headshot if necessary): will be done through PM I guess...
Misc. Details (Backstory, sig. shot, specific tendencies etc):

Sig. Shot: Durant (Form) and T-Mac (Base)
Tendencies: Tends to pass when lane is clogged. Always uses crossover moves. Contests every shot.

by **Lamrock** on Tue Jan 01, 2013 3:26 am

Axel., I think I simmed to the end early in the third. Hopefully next season, I have an all-star (or two) and practice the Saturday events beforehand.

Thierry •, With respect to Lillard, LA is my #1 option. When I really need a bucket, I go to him because he's very efficient in the paint.

Khanwarrior, I controlled Williams in the dunk contest. Sorry guys.

Durant35, I'm glad Houston fell in the standings because I really think the Suns are an inferior team. The Lakers on the other hand are frightening.

by **Lamrock** on Tue Jan 01, 2013 5:54 am

FEBRUARY 2013 IN REVIEW
Record: 29-28 (8-4) | 4th in division, 9th in conference, 14th in power ranking

An 8-4 February was a very successful month for the Blazers. Besides losing a couple winnable games, still trailing the Suns by a game for 8th place and Aldridge inexplicably being snubbed in favor of Rudy Gay and Jeremy Lin for the all-star game, things went well for Portland, who have reportedly developed great chemistry despite the fact that only four players were on this team a year ago.

NBA Standings

Western Conference

1 Oklahoma City 36-21 | .632% (2)
2 LA Clippers 37-23 | .617% | GB: .5 (5)
3 LA Lakers 34-25 | .576% | GB: 3 (6)
4 Minnesota 31-24 | .564% | GB: 4 (9)
5 Golden State 33-25 | .569% | GB: 3.5 (12)
6 San Antonio 33-26 | .559% | GB: 4 (10)
7 Denver 33-26 | .559% | GB: 4 (8)
8 Phoenix 31-28 | .525% | GB: 6 (15)
Portland 29-28 | .509% | GB: 7 (14)
Houston 28-31 | .475% | GB: 9 (22)
Dallas 25-32 | .439% | GB: 11 (21)
Utah 25-33 | .431% | GB: 11.5 (19)
New Orleans 22-37 | .373 | GB: 15 (25)
Sacramento 22-37 | .373% | GB: 15 (18)
Memphis 18-38 | .321% | GB: 17.5 (30)

Eastern Conference

1 Miami 41-14 | .745% (1)
2 Philadelphia 38-18 | .679% | GB: 3.5 (2)
3 Chicago 37-21 | .638% | GB: 5.5 (7)
4 Brooklyn 37-21 | .638% | GB: 5.5 (4)
5 New York 30-24 | .556% | GB: 10.5 (11)
6 Detroit 33-27 | .550% | GB: 10.5 (13)
7 Boston 27-30 | .474% | GB: 15 (17)
8 Indiana 27-31 | .466% | GB: 15.5 (16)
Orlando 27-31 | .466% | GB: 15.5 (20)
Atlanta 23-33 | .411% | GB: 18.5 (28)
Washington 23-33 | .411% | GB: 18.5 (29)
Milwaukee 22-34 | .393% | GB: 19.5 (24)
Toronto 22-36 | .379% | GB: 10.5 (23)
Charlotte 20-37 | .351% | GB: 22 (26)
Cleveland 19-39 | .328% | GB: 23.5 (27)

*power ranking in parentheses

Players Of The Month:
WEST: Kobe Bryant (LAL); EAST: Derrick Rose (CHI)
Rookies Of The Month:
WEST: Anthony Davis (NO); EAST: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (NO)

Rookie Of The Year Race

1. Damian Lillard (POR: 29-28) | 17.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 3.7 RPG, .466% FG, .443% 3pt, .886% FT
Despite losing rookie of the month to Anthony Davis, Lillard remains the frontrunner for rookie of the year, as his Blazers remain in the hunt for the 8th seed.

2. Anthony Davis (NO: 22-37) | 13.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG, .489% FG, .710% FT
Davis is making a late run for rookie of the year as he continues to put up good numbers for the struggling but improving Hornets.

3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA: 20-37) | 15.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, .467% FG, .299% 3pt, .787% FT

4. Thomas Robinson (SAC: 22-37) | 12.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, .477% FG, .697% FT
Robinson easily won the starting spot in Sacramento and is quietly having a very solid rookie campaign.

5. Bradley Beal (WAS: 23-33) | 15.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, .440% FG, .369% 3pt, .806% FT
Beal no longer leads all rookies in scoring, but has nonetheless proven to be a solid starter for the Wizards.

Player Averages:

LaMarcus Aldridge: 22 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 22.3 PER, .574% TS
Damian Lillard: 17.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 3.7 RPG, 18.4 PER, .568% TS
Nicolas Batum: 16.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 15.7 PER, .546% TS
Wesley Matthews: 13.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 14.6 PER, .595% TS
Chuck Hayes: 2.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 9.9 PER, .553% TS
Jason Terry: 9 PPG, 1.4 APG, 19.4 PER, .606% TS
Tyler Honeycutt: 3.7 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 17 PER, .571% TS
Meyers Leonard: 3.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 12.1 PER, .621% TS
Ronnie Price: 3.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 13 PER, .516% TS
James Posey: 2.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 8.6 PER, .623% TS
Chris Wilcox: 2.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 7.3 PER, .522% TS

Around The NBA

Transactions

2/2 - Bucks trade Samuel Dalembert, Ekpe Udoh to Wizards for Nene, Martell Webster

2/22 - Kings Fire Keith Smart, Hire Louis Turner
2/23 - Bobcats fire Mike Dunlap, Hire Kenny McDonald
2/27 - Grizzlies fire Lionel Hollins, Hire Mike Dunlap

Major Injuries

2/3 - James Harden (HOU) - High Ankle Sprain (6-8 weeks)
2/14 - Mario Chalmers (MIA) - Broken Foot (8-10 weeks)
2/26 - Monta Ellis (MIL) - Broken Foot (6-8 weeks)

by **Valor** on Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:11 am

Looks like I have missed a lot during the time I was gone, glad to see you finally over .500 (Y)

by **hova-** on Wed Jan 02, 2013 7:15 am

Lamrock wrote:hova-, Barring a trade, we are eligible for up to $8 million or so in cap space depending on who we keep (could very well be nobody) and with Aldridge and rising star Lillard, hopefully we'll have the means to improve. I have my eye on a couple free agents in the upcoming offseason.

Who you be aiming for? I mean you are a decent center or a real "star" player away from being a playoff lock if you ask me. Still good to see you going over that .500 hump but the Suns are really fighting for that eight seed.

by **Lamrock** on Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:11 am

WEEK EIGHTEEN: 2/24/13 - 3/2/13
Team Record: 30-28 (2-1) | 4th in division, 8th in conference, 13th in Power Rankings (^1)

Portland's Big Three Holds Off Boston's
2/24/2013 - Celtics 102 @ Blazers 108

With both the Celtics and Blazers fighting for a low playoff seed in their respective conferences and the thrashing Boston took the last time these teams played, this was always going to be a great game. In a surprisingly high-scoring affair that was close to the end, Portland got big games out of their rising stars to outlast the Celtics 108-102. Former Blazer Luke Babbitt had 16 points against his former team, while Jason Terry had 10 points.

BOS 20 28 22 32 | 102 [27-29] - Rondo: 11/8/13; Garnett: 18/8/3; B. Bass: 14/8/0
POR 28 20 30 30 | 108 [29-27] - Lillard: 26/6/6, 10-14 FG; Aldridge: 24/11/0; Batum: 20/3/0

Terry Hurts Knee, Blazers Suffer Heartbreaking Loss
2/27/2013 - Nuggets 101 @ Blazers 97

LaMarcus Aldridge's 32 points and a 47-38 halftime lead were simply not enough against the division rival Nuggets, who defeat them 101-97. Jason Terry left the game early in the fourth with a sore knee and is day to day. A big third quarter Nuggets run made it a close game, and the Nuggets were able to hit their gots down the stretch, courtesy of a huge game by Ty Lawson. Portland falls to 29-27, a game behind Phoenix for eighth Place, while Denver moves into a tie for 6th.

DEN 18 20 34 29 | 101 [33-26] - Lawson: 29/3/9; Faried: 16/11/0, 8-8 FG; Iguodala: 14/3/6
POR 22 25 22 28 | 97 [29-28] - Aldridge: 32/5/3 blks; Lillard: 13/5/5; Matthews: 17/0/2

Despite Playing Poorly, Blazers Defeat Wolves
3/2/2013 - Timberwolves 93 @ Blazers 100

The game was close throughout, but thanks to a huge game from Damian Lillard, and hot shooting from beyond the arc, Portland overcame turnovers to defeat their division rivals, the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a tied first quarter, the second was a shootout that saw Portland up four at the half.

The third quarter saw the Blazers take an 11 point lead and blow it, thanks to Ricky Rubio's play on both ends. In the fourth quarter, the Blazers ran several pick-and-rolls with Lillard and Aldridge to go up by nine with 3 minutes left. Turnovers and some sloppy play got the Wolves within three, but the Blazers didn't choke and won it, 100-93. Chalupas! Brandon Roy had 4 points on 1-12 shooting in his second return to Portland.

MIN 22 27 20 24 | 93 - Rubio: 21/5/6; Pekovic: 20/11/0; Love: 15/9/4
POR 22 31 18 29 | 100 - Lillard: 29/8/5; Aldridge: 23/8/3; Batum: 13/5/4

Playoff Picture:

1 Oklahoma City 36-22
2 LA Clippers 37-24
3 LA Lakers 34-25
4 San Antonio 34-26
5 Denver 34-26
6 Minnesota 31-25
7 Golden State 33-27
8 Portland 30-28
Phoenix 31-29
Houston 29-31
Dallas 25-33
Utah 25-34

by **hova-** on Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:56 am

Wow, Aldridge and Lillard are really carrying you. Does not seem like your success is only coming from the trades though. Seems like the team is growing from its nucleus. Good job.

by **Valor** on Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:19 pm

You're in! Now lets see if you can stay in (Y)

by **Lamrock** on Mon Jan 07, 2013 5:30 am

WEEK NINETEEN: March 3-9, 2013
Record: 33-28 (3-0) | 4th in division; 8th in conference; 11th in Power Rankings (^2)

It was another good week for Portland as they won all of their games to now ride a four game winning streak. Things started easy with a fun blowout win but a pair of consecutive road OT wins over Southwest Division foes puts them in a very good position to qualify for a playoff seed. It's starting to appear more likely that Portland gets the 6 or 7 seed than cede their positioning to Phoenix or Houston.

Shorthanded Blazers Still Able To Rout Bobcats
3/4/2013 - Bobcats 102 @ Blazers 120

A still-hobbled Jason Terry started in place of injured guard Wesley Matthews and scored 22 points on 10-12 shooting as the Blazers handled the Bobcats at home. Lillard, Batum and Aldridge all had field days in the second half, as Portland blew the game open in the third quarter. Portland solidifies its hold on eighth place and improves to 31-28. Charlotte meanwhile is trying to lose at this point.

CHA 26 26 25 25 | 102 [31-28] - K. Walker: 16/4/7; B. Gordon; 18/4/2; Kidd-Gilchrist: 14/8/2
POR 28 22 36 34 | 120 [21-39] - Batum: 26/4/3; Lillard: 27/1/7; Aldridge: 18/9/2\

3/4/2013 - Wesley Matthews Injured - Out 1-2 Weeks
Lower Back Strain

Blazers Outlast Grizzlies In OT
3/6/2013 - Blazers 104 @ Grizzlies 101 [OT]

With a new coach and a home crowd behind them, the lottery-bound Grizzlies weren't going to down without a fight. Portland learned that the hard way as they blew a double digit third quarter lead to find themselves trailing by four with three minutes to go in overtime.

Rudy Gay killed the Blazers all night, ending up with 38 points and looking like an all-star. However, a big three pointer by Batum and zone defense helped the Blazers go on an 8-2 run and led by three and had the ball with 40 seconds to go. Terry missed a jumper, and a quick two was given up. Terry got his points back from the line and Memphis took their timeout. Great defense from Portland forced Zach Randolph to attempt the three to tie the game, which missed badly.

The Blazers improve to a season-best four games above .500 with the victory. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way for Portland with 32 points on impeccable efficiency, while the rest of the starters also came to play. Their road trip continues next with a visit to the Spurs in San Antonio.

POR 22 23 24 21 14 | 104 [32-28] - Aldridge: 32/3/1, 15-21 FG; Batum: 16/13/3; Lillard: 21/2/7, 7-23 FG
MEM 22 22 22 24 11 | 101 [19-40] - Gay: 38/5/3; T. Allen: 12/6/6; Z. Randolph: 16/6/0

Blazers Stun Spurs With Second Straight OT Win
3/8/2013 - Blazers 107 @ Spurs 98 [OT]

The Portland Trail Blazers have arrived! Winning their fourth straight and improving to 33-28, the Blazers got huge games from LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard as they upset the Spurs at the AT&T Center in OT. The game was close throughout, with the Spurs staying in the game courtesy of balanced scoring and Portland turnovers. However, the Blazers came alive in the overtime period, dominating the team they just might play in the first round of the playoffs.

POR 21 28 19 24 15 | 107 [33-28] - Aldridge: 26/18/2; Lillard: 27/5/10/6 TO's; Terry: 14/3/1
SA 25 18 24 25 6 | 98 [36-27] - Blair: 17/8/2; T. Parker: 20/1/4; Duncan: 16/8/1

Playoff Picture

1 Oklahoma City 38-24
2 LA Clippers 39-25
3 LA Lakers 38-25
4 Denver 37-27
5 San Antonio 36-27
6 Golden State 35-29
7 Minnesota 32-27
8 Portland 33-28
Phoenix 32-31
Houston 30-34
Dallas 28-33
Utah 27-36

by **hova-** on Mon Jan 07, 2013 6:49 am

Wow, you changed to beast mode. But PHX does not give up. Will be a tight race.

by **Axel.** on Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:29 am

Batum had a couple of good games in that stretch. (Y)

If you guys keep playing that way there's no way Phoenix will catch up to you.

by **Valor** on Mon Jan 07, 2013 1:30 pm

Aldridge's slam (Y)

Lets hope you keep up the win streak and grab a higher seed cause OKC's gonna be a tough one...

by **Durant35** on Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:31 am

Damn. That's first-class basketball right there.

by **Mark.** on Tue Jan 08, 2013 6:49 am

Man, really on a tear here! Really interesting to follow- a bit of suspense in each update to see how you went and whether you made (or now still hold) a playoff position. With your current momentum jumping up a few seeds is certainly not out of the question. Would be epic if you could make 5th and have a first round match-up with the Nuggets.... that would be a series to watch!

Aldridge seems to be playing awesome for you, I have always wanted to play a dynasty with him. May have to try trade for him at some stage

Oh and thanks for using Terrance Williams in the dunk contest

by **The X** on Sun Jan 13, 2013 8:53 pm

Glad to see the real life Blazers spurring you onto a better record

by **Lamrock** on Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:40 am

WEEK TWENTY: March 10-16, 2013
Record: 36-29 (3-1) | 4th in division, 7th in conference, 12th in Power Rankings (-1)

Hornets End Blazers' Win Streak Behind Gordon's Big Game
3/10/2012 - Blazers 105 @ Hornets 114

Portland fell behind huge in the first quarter and could never recover as Eric Gordon and the Hornets end the Blazers' win streak at 4 games. Anthony Davis also played well, in a head-to-head against fellow rookie of the year candidate Damian Lillard. Wesley Matthews had 20 points on as many shots in his return from injury.

POR 18 35 18 24 | 105 [33-29] - Aldridge: 18/13/3; Lillard: 18/5/9; Matthews: 20/0/0
NO 34 31 24 25 | 114 [25-39] - E. Gordon: 26/7/7; A. Davis: 17/10/0; G. Vasquez: 15/3/9

Blazers Take Over In Fourth To Defeat Grizzlies
3/12/2012 - Grizzlies 85 @ Blazers 94

The Blazers are now just one win away from a sweep of the season series against the Grizzlies. The game was close throughout as Aldridge fought foul trouble, the Lillard kept them in it with his near triple-double and the Blazers were able to close out Memphis with a strong fourth quarter to improve to 34-29.

MEM 11 28 23 23 | 85 [20-42] - Gay: 15/8/4; Conley: 20/2/6; Randolph: 16/3/1
POR 19 20 21 34 | 94 [34-29] - Lillard: 22/8/8; Batum: 14/11/3; Matthews: 18/1/2

Behind Lillard's First Triple Double, Blazers Win In Double OT
3/14/2013 - Knicks 125 @ Blazers 126 [2OT]

It took two overtimes, but Damian Lillard adds another accomplishment to his resume: a triple double. More importantly, the Blazers also got the win. The first half saw the Blazers struggle to contain the Stoudemire-less Knicks offense, falling behind 58-50 at the half.

The third period saw the Blazers lock down on defense and go to Aldridge more for some easy looks. The fourth quarter was a see-sawing affair with Carmelo Anthony sinking a game-tying jumper with .3 to go in regulation to force OT. New York scored the first six points of the first overtime, but the Blazers rallied back in the second one.

Damian Lillard grabbed his tenth rebound early in the second OT and despite Melo's best efforts, Portland found themselves up three with 25 seconds to go. Anthony was able to sink a pair of free throws off a missed three but with two seconds left, Lillard outran the Knicks defenders to get a huge 126-125 victory.

NYK 29 29 21 25 10 11 | 125 [35-28] - C. Anthony: 47/11/6 stls; Brand: 13/9/0; R. Brewer: 14/7/2
POR 26 24 27 27 10 12 | 126 [35-29] - Lillard: 25/10/11; Aldridge: 27/12/5; Batum: 16/9/4

Lillard Drops Franchise Record 68 Points In Second Straight Double-OT Win
3/16/2013 - Pistons 150 @ Blazers 152 [2OT]

Damon Stoudamire's franchise record of 54 points in a game was shattered in a shocking display by rookie Damian Lillard, who dropped an incredible 68 points on the Pistons in a double overtime shoot-out. Let me repeat that. Damian Lillard scored 68 points.

Lillard was Mr. Everything from the start for Portland, scoring the team's first 19 points. Unfortunately, Detroit pushed the pace and the Blazers had no answer on defense. Both teams continued to run-and-gun and play well on offense, and the Pistons found themselves with a 67-60 halftime lead. Not to let this one slip away, Damian Lillard led a big third quarter run to take the lead going into the fourth quarter, entering the period with 39 points, one short of his previous career high.

The Pistons offense was un-stoppable in the fourth, and it took everything the Blazers had to keep up with them. Neither team could seem to get a stop, and a blocked Knight layup sent things into overtime. Despite Lillard hitting shot after shot, the Blazer defense was not there. Lillard had 63, but we were going into a second overtime. Lillard fell just short of 70, but Portland was able to take control and overcame a pair of late gaffes to pull out an epic 152-150 victory.

The Blazers win their second consecutive double overtime game at home, giving the fans yet another treat. They also improve to 36-29, good for 7th place and a virtual three-way tie for the 6-8 seeds. The Pistons meanwhile suffer a heartbreaking loss that would have nearly punched their playoff ticket had they won. "We score 127 *expletive* points in regulation and lose! What the *expletive*!", commented Lawrence Frank after the game. Lillard shatters the franchise records in points (68) and field goals made (22). He also posts the highest scoring game by a rookie in NBA history, beating Wilt Chamberlain's mark by 10. Truly a historic night for Lillard, the Blazers and the NBA.

DET 37 30 21 39 12 11 | 150 [34-34] - Stuckey: 27/7/9; Ilyasova: 21/11/3; Prince: 26/7/8
POR 32 28 32 35 12 13 | 152 [36-29] - Lillard: 68/8/4, 22-41 FG, 8-17 3pt, 16-17 FT; Batum: 21/13/5; Aldridge: 17/9/1

Playoff Picture:

1 Oklahoma City 42-24
2 LA Lakers 41-26
3 Denver 40-27
4 San Antonio 37-30
5 LA Clippers 39-27
6 Minnesota 35-28
7 Portland 36-29
8 Golden State 37-30
Houston 32-34
Dallas 31-34
Phoenix 32-35
Utah 28-38

by **Martti.** on Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:52 am

Wow, Lillard's gone apeshit. Looks like he'll single-handedly carry you to the Playoffs.

by **Valor** on Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:00 am

Wait WHAT!? :shock:

holy crap Lillard went insane....

Btw, duplicated first two pics :wink:

by **hova-** on Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:57 pm

Okay, this is sick. It's a video-game, but somehow I don't find it unrealistic. I mean Jennings scored that 50+ in his rookie campaign and your game went to double OT, so why not. The triple double was also nice.

From what he is playing like right now, D-Lill will be an All-Star by next season. And your go-to-guy for years to come. Great development. (Y)

(btw youre doing a good job with this story. It's going fast, is indepth when needed and fun to read)

by **Eirsej** on Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:05 pm

Wow. Damian Lillard with 68 points! Is that a record for most points by a rookie? Incredible performance :applaud:

by **Phil89** on Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:17 pm

Great job getting those double-overtime wins, especially with Melo seemingly on fire in the Knicks game.

Maybe I could try this with Bradley Beal. Although getting him to 20 points is hard enough for me.

by **Lamrock** on Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:21 am

Thanks gang. Aldridge is still my best player but I've gotten pretty good with Lillard. Some nights he'll be like 4-17 but he's the one player I can score at will with. Glad Jennings' 54 is still fresh in everybody's memories.

Season's getting down to the wire. Expect some draftee coverage coming up as well.

by **Martti.** on Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:58 am

Jennings had 55, scoreless in the first quarter, 29 in the third. That's in my memory for a long time.

by **Mark.** on Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:02 am

Man huge games from Lillard to keep you in the race. I think you will jump on or two more spots. Question is, which match up is more favorable? I would almost say I would rather face Denver as a 6th seed than the Spurs as a 5th!

by **Axel.** on Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:17 pm

Wow. Epic double OT wins and Lillard's performances are just the icing on the cake. (Y)

by **Sit** on Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:08 pm

Well, it's a given that Lillard will win ROY. I am hoping you guys make the playoffs. Good job since I've been gone. Looks like I have missed a lot!

by **Durant35** on Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:17 pm

JAILBLAZEEEEERRRRSSSS!

by **Lamrock** on Thu Jan 17, 2013 2:04 am

WEEK TWENTY-ONE: March 17-23, 2013
Team Record: 37-32 (1-3) | 4th in division, 7th in conference, 13th in Power Ranking

Portland faced a difficult week with a four game Eastern Conference road trip. Thanks to squandered opportunities in Philadelphia and Atlanta, the team went just 1-3, losing some ground in the playoff race, but still sit three games above Houston for a playoff spot. However, it will not be easy for the young Blazers, who will face a tough schedule to finish the season.

Sixers Cool Down Blazers
3/18/2013 - Blazers 97 @ Sixers 100

Lillard fell back to Earth after his 68 point outburst, as the Blazers blow a fourth quarter lead to fall to the elite 76ers in Philadelphia. The red-hot Blazers stayed in the game throughout, and nearly pulled off the upset, but they could not contain Thaddeus Young in the fourth quarter, as they fall to 36-30.

POR 22 26 18 26 | 92 [36-30] - Batum: 26/4/2; Lillard: 20/5/6; Terry: 13/2/0
PHI 26 19 16 42 | 100 [45-21] - A. Bynum: 23/9/2; T. Young: 25/7/0; Ge. Hill: 11/4/8

Blazers Shut Down Bucks
3/19/2013 - Blazers 94 @ Bucks 78

Portland bounced back from their narrow loss in Philly with a big win over the Bucks. Milwaukee's offense struggled throughout, as only Drew Gooden was able to put up solid numbers. Portland improves to 37-30 with the win, while Milwaukee's season pretty much ends, if it hadn't already.

POR 24 22 24 24 | 94 [37-30] - Lillard: 23/4/5; Aldridge: 22/7/1; Batum: 10/8/4
MIL 17 15 21 25 | 78 [25-41] - Gooden: 24/13/2; Barbosa: 14/4/5; Nene: 11/10/0

Bulls Dominate Portland's Lackluster Defense
3/21/2013 - Blazers 97 @ Bulls 114

The big three of Lillard, Aldridge and Batum all had solid individual games (Lillard's 8 turnovers aside...) but unfortunately the team couldn't get a stop as the Bulls had a field day against Portland. Taking advantage of their depth, the Bulls were able to make several runs to enter halftime with a 14 point lead.

Portland had a fantastic offensive third quarter, but unfortunately so did Chicago. Six Bulls scored in double digits and Derrick Rose ultimately outplayed Damian Lillard at the point guard position. With the win, the Bulls improve to 43-24, inching them closer to Philadelphia for 2nd in the East. The Blazers meanwhile fall to 37-31, but are still well in the playoff picture.

POR 23 20 34 20 | 97 [37-31] - Batum: 17/11/6, 5-8 FG; Lillard: 29/1/3/8 TO's; Aldridge: 23/9/2
CHI 27 30 26 21 | 115 [43-24] - Rose: 21/2/8/6 stls; Hamilton: 18/7/5; Boozer: 18/7/4

Matthews Dislocates Finger As Blazers Lose In Atlanta
3/22/2013 - Blazers 93 @ Hawks 97

Wesley Matthews was seemingly the injury-prone Blazers' "iron man" for a while there, but the shooting guard suffered another minor injury. Even worse, the Blazers lost to the Hawks. Thanks to huge games from Josh Smith and Lou Williams, the Hawks rode fourth quarter momentum to defeat the Blazers, improving their ever-promising playoff hopes. Portland meanwhile falls to 37-32. Matthews however is not expected to miss time.

POR 20 30 24 19 | 93 [37-32] - Aldridge: 30/6/0, 14-19 FG; Lillard: 15/6/6, 6-18 FG; Matthews: 12/4/4
ATL 26 25 18 28 | 97 [29-40] - J. Smith: 26/8/5; L. Williams: 19/3/7/4 stls; Teague: 16/0/0

Conference Standings:

1 LA Lakers 44-26
2 Oklahoma City 44-26
3 Denver 42-29
4 San Antonio 39-30
5 LA Clippers 40-30
6 Minnesota 37-30
7 Portland 37-32
8 Golden State 38-33
Houston 34-35
Phoenix 33-37
Dallas 31-38
New Orleans 29-41
Utah 28-41
Sacramento 28-42
Memphis 25-44

by **Mark.** on Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:48 am

Not the best series of games there. IMO you really need that 6th seed.

by **Sit** on Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:51 am

Come on team. And where was the 101 point performance???? I thought it was legit

by **Valor** on Fri Jan 18, 2013 5:55 pm

Sit wrote:Come on team. And where was the 101 point performance???? I thought it was legit

That ain't ever happening :roll:

by **Lamrock** on Sun Jan 20, 2013 1:09 pm

Week 22: Mar. 24 - Mar. 30, 2013
Team Record: 39-34 (2-2); 4th in division, 8th in conference, 12th in Power Rankings, Wins to Clinch Playoff Spot: 7

The Blazers faced a tough week with games in OKC and Golden State but capitalized on their opportunities at home to go 2-2 and maintain their lead over the Rockets for the final spots. However, Portland finds themselves currently slated to play the Thunder in the first round and will hope to improve their odds of pulling off a first round upset by improving their seed.

Blazers Finish Road Trip With Blowout Loss In OKC
3/24/2013 - Blazers 85 @ Thunder 117

The Trailblazer bench was not on their game and neither was the team's defense as the Thunder dominated from start to finish, blowing out Portland 117-85. Portland drops its third straight game and falls to 8th place in the West, while OKC improves to 1st. Based on this game, the Thunder would not mind the playoff picture staying the way it is and a first round match-up with Portland.

POR 27 21 9 28 | 85 [37-33] - Lillard: 23/5/5; Aldridge: 17/8/0; Batum: 18/2/3
OKC 29 26 23 39 | 117 [45-26] - Durant: 28/9/7; K. Martin: 29/3/2; Westbrook: 14/6/6

Aldridge Takes Over In Fourth To Defeat Nets
3/27/2013 - Nets 104 @ Blazers 112

The Blazers have been playing a more up-tempo style of basketball as of late, and that's what the first half had to offer as the teams entered halftime tied at 58. With Lillard and Aldridge delivering steady buckets and the three balls going down, the Blazers survived a more grind-it-out third quarter.

The Blazers won the game in the fourth with a late run led by none other than LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge scored 17 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter as he dominated Brook Lopez, Reggie Evans and even former Blazer Greg Oden (who in his return to the Rose Garden was received with heartily appreciated cheers). The Blazers end their three game skid to jump back into a tie for 7th place. Brooklyn meanwhile is now very likely to be the 4 seed.

BKN 28 30 24 22 | 104 [44-27] - J. Johnson: 26/4/2; D. Williams: 3/5/23; G. Wallace: 19/9/3
POR 34 24 22 32 | 112 [38-33] - Aldridge: 37/6/5; Lillard: 21/7/11; Matthews: 13/4/4

Blazers Eliminate Jazz With Blowout Win
3/29/2013 - Jazz 72 @ Blazers 96

In a game that was never close, the Blazers blew out Utah at the Rose Garden to officially dash their division rivals' playoff hopes. Damian Lillard led the way with 23 as Portland jumped out to a double digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back. After the game, Terry Stotts praised the team's defense, but was disappointed that the team failed to reach the 100 point Chalupa threshold.

UTA 16 22 22 12 | 72 [30-43] - A. Jefferson: 20/12/1; Mo Williams: 20/6/4; Millsap: 15/9/1
POR 30 19 22 25 | 96 [39-33] - Lillard: 23/5/6; Aldridge: 18/6/0; Matthews: 17/3/2

Warriors Win Tiebreaker In Blowout Fashion
3/30/2013 - Blazers 77 @ Warriors 101

In a game with major playoff implications, the Warriors defeated the Blazers 101-77 to clinch the season series and leapfrog them to seventh place. LaMarcus Aldridge carried the team in the first half, but the Warriors shut down Portland in the second half, holding them to just thirty points.

POR 23 24 14 16 | 77 [39-34] - L. Aldridge: 26/12/0; Lillard: 15/5/7; Hayes: 6/4/2, 3-4 FG
GS 33 22 18 28 | 101 [40-34] - S. Curry: 28/3/7, 11-18 FG; D. Lee: 22/12/2; Bogut: 14/10/1

Playoff Picture:

x-1 Oklahoma City 47-27
2 LA Lakers 46-28
3 Minnesota 42-30
4 Denver 43-31
5 San Antonio 41-32
6 LA Clippers 40-34
7 Golden State 40-34
8 Portland 39-34
Houston 37-36
Phoenix 34-40
Dallas 32-41
New Orleans 32-42

by **Valor** on Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:47 pm

Looking good down the stretch, aside from getting your butt kicked by Golden State. 7 wins shouldn't be that hard, good luck!

by **Lamrock** on Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:51 am

2013 NLSC Scouting Report: 1 of 3

A few months ago, the 2013 NBA Draft was perceived to be a very weak one. However, with some surprising late entries in the draft, there is hype that it could be the deepest in years. Today, we spotlight four first round draft picks who recently declared.

Chris Hova (Germany)
SG/SF - 6'4", 195 lbs | Age 24 | Proj. Mid-Late Lottery

German swingman Chris Hova is 24 years old but is one of the top prospects in the draft thanks to his well-rounded game. Despite a 6'4" frame, Hova is a tenacious rebounder, and his biggest obstacle in the league would be his mediocre jumpshot. Nonetheless, Hova should be able to come in and immediately help a team.

Ryan Alexander (Syracuse)
SF/PF - 6'10", 228 lbs | Age 20 | Proj. Mid-Late Lottery

Drawing comparisons from Carmelo Anthony to Ryan Anderson, Syracuse's Ryan Alexander has had a tremendous sophomore season and has been climbing up the draft boards. Alexander isn't a freak athlete, but is a scoring machine and solid in the clutch. He should be able to come in and contribute right away.

J.R. Young (Duke)
SF/SG - 6'5", 185 lbs | Age 23 | Proj. Late Lottery

J.R. Young is the latest in a long line of pasty sharpshooters out of Duke University. Though his defense is suspect, Young is an extremely potent offensive weapon, with surprising leaping ability. Young could be a sixth man of the year candidate for years to come, as his elite range should give him a long NBA career.

Leo Lai (New Zealand)
SG - 6'6", 200 lbs | Age 21 | Proj. Mid-First Rounder

Enigmatic New Zealand 2 guard Leo Lai likens himself to Kobe Bryant, but doubts about his attitude and level of competition could keep him out of the lottery and possibly the first round entirely. Lai has tremendous potential and was third in the NBL in scoring last season. He hopes to proves doubters wrong and vows to be "a legit superstar in this league".

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