View topic: Lillard hit game-tying 3-pointers in regulation

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San Antonio, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers became the second team this week to beat the San Antonio Spurs in triple-overtime. Damian Lillard had a career-high 43 points, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 32 and the Blazers pulled away in the third overtime to top the Spurs 129-119 on Friday night. Lillard hit game-tying 3-pointers in regulation and the first overtime and scored nine of Portlands 17 points in the third overtime as the Blazers wrapped up their fourth consecutive win. Cory Joseph hit a tying shot in the second OT for San Antonio, which became the first NBA team in 63 years to play in consecutive three-overtime games. At least the 1951-52 Baltimore Bullets split theirs. The Spurs fell to Memphis 117-116 in Wednesdays triple-OT thriller, two days after the Blazers beat them in Portland. The three-game losing streak for the reigning NBA champions is their longest since a three-game slide Jan. 26-29. Tim Duncan had a season-high 32 points and Danny Green added 27 for the Spurs, who lost despite starting the first two overtimes on 6-0 runs. In the initial overtime, they scored just one more point over the next 2 1/2 minutes. Lillards tying 3-pointer came after Wesley Matthews missed a 3 and Aldridge got the offensive rebound, kicking it back to Lillard at the point. Manu Ginobili missed an off-balance shot for the Spurs before the buzzer. Earlier, Danny Green had a 3-pointer waived off after a replay review showed he was still touching the ball when the shot clock expired. In the second overtime, Duncan also had a basket taken off the board for the same reason. After scoring the first six points again, the Spurs got two more in the next two minutes of the second overtime. Lillard sparked an 8-0 run with a dunk after splitting the defense, which was followed by 3s from Dorell Wright and Steve Blake for a 112-110 lead. But the Spurs tied it when Joseph rattled in a baseline leaner at the other end. Matthews missed a 3 off the back of the rim at the buzzer with a chance to win it, but the Blazers scored 11 straight points to start the third overtime to pull away. It was the largest lead by either team since the Spurs 11-point advantage in the second quarter. Earlier, after Lillard missed a dunk off the back of the rim with Duncan in his face, the Spurs took a 97-95 lead with 5.7 seconds left in regulation on Greens 3 from in front of the Portland bench. But Lillard tied the score at the other end by dribbling past Green off an inbounds pass and getting a layup to drop with Duncan there again. The Spurs, with 1.4 seconds to work with, were unable to win in regulation after Greens 3 at the buzzer was blocked by Lillard on the high right side. Game Notes Aldridge had 16 rebounds while Duncan and Green both pulled down 10 … Matthews scored 16 points … Joseph had 10 points and seven assists … The Spurs are in Dallas on Saturday to take on the division-rival Mavericks, who expect to have new point guard Rajon Rondo in uniform … The Blazers opened a four-game road trip that continues Saturday in New Orleans. New Balance Outlet Scontate .Y. – Syracuses streak lives on – barely. New Balance Saldi Online . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. Negozi Scarpe New Balance Outlet Italia On line Scontate e Saldi Offerta Vendita. Yet heading to New York, the Habs remain positive as it all comes down to the one main ingredient that the organization has built its team on - character. New Balance Italia Negozi . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. New Balance Outlet Italia . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell.PITTSBURGH – When Daniel Alfredsson pulled off the stunner of the NHL off-season by leaving the Ottawa Senators as a free agent, the rationale he gave was simple: He thought the Detroit Red Wings offered him a better chance to win the Stanley Cup. At the time, skeptics looked at the Senators and questioned if that was true. They had just overcome injuries to Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson to reach the second round of the playoffs, and even Alfredsson saw a bright future ahead. Playing into his 40s, Alfredsson just didnt "have the time to wait for that." As a disappointing season unfolded in Ottawa, it became clear the longtime Senators captain was right, and on Wednesday night the Red Wings validated his decision to sign in Detroit by making the playoffs and giving him another opportunity to chase the Cup. "Thats what you play for: to get into the playoffs," Alfredsson said after the Red Wings clinched with a shootout loss in Pittsburgh. "I played a long time in this league, I played a lot of playoff games but I havent won the Stanley Cup, and thats what you dream about. Thats the only reason Im still playing." The easy move, as Alfredsson acknowledged July 5, wouldve been to re-sign with the Senators and play out a career that would then include his No. 11 being raised to the rafters and maybe a statue being built outside Canadian Tire Centre. Leaving immediately clouded his legacy. In the wake of Alfredssons departure, the Senators couldnt seem to get out of a fog early and were never able to catch up. They missed the playoffs for the third time in six years, but even from afar the former face of that franchise didnt get any satisfaction in watching the Sens struggle. "I was hoping that they would do well, theres no question," Alfredsson said Tuesday in Buffalo. "Other than that, my focus is solely on this team and on the present and finishing out this season strong." Led by Alfredsson and fellow Swede Gustav Nyquist, the Red Wings made a strong push to qualify for the playoffs on the night they played their 80th game of the season. And they did so despite missing stars Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg for almost half the season due to injuries, while Alfredsson, himself, missed 13 games. Thanks to major contributions from young players like Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, Detroit overcame those and many more injuries to make a 23rd consecutive playoff appearance. The Red Wings also leaned heavily veteran defenceman Niklas Kronwall, Alfredsson and coach Mike Babcock to steady the ship. "I think theres a few factors: goaltendings been consistent for us, I think Kronwall has pulled a really heavy load throughout the year on and off the ice for this team," Alfredsson said. "And (the) coaching staff, as well, adjusting to the team we have and giving us a chance and a game plan to win every night. Theyve been pushing us hard. Its been hard-fought to get here, but it feels great." A sseason full of injuries putting a coach in line for a Jack Adams Award – sound familiar? Ottawas Paul MacLean won it last year, and Babcock will be a serious candidate given how many Red Wings regulars missed time this season.dddddddddddd Of course someone has to score to make that happen. Alfredssons 49 points on 18 goals and 31 assists have him tied with Kronwall for the team lead with two games left. Alfredsson was all smiles in the visiting locker room Wednesday night after helping Detroit pick up the one point it needed to make it. And while clinching a playoff spot was a proud accomplishment, he didnt deny doubts crept in when the Red Wings learned Datsyuk and Zetterberg would be out for a while. "We knew it was going to be tough," Alfredsson said. "We had a similar situation in Ottawa last year where we lost Spezza, Karlsson, (Milan) Michalek and Anderson for longer periods of time. "If you get something going and you get a good feeling within a locker-room, you can accomplish a lot of things, and I think thats what weve done. Were a good group, we have fun and we know how to work for each other. Its kind of contagious when you see everybody going. Everybody kind of drags along and knows that they have to pull their share, as well." Taking a step back from the situations, Alfredsson didnt see much more of a correlation between the triumphs of the 2013 Senators and the 2013-14 Red Wings. In his estimation, this year was worse. "I think in Ottawa it was more right away we knew a few guys were out for longer periods of time," he said. "It wasnt as much guys coming back, guys coming out. Weve been shuffling lines for most of the year but still found ways to get everybody contributing." Alfredsson was one of 34 skaters to dress for the Red Wings this season, second only to the Penguins (37) among playoff teams. Beyond Nyquist and Tatar, Detroit likely wouldnt have extended its NHL-best playoff streak were it not for minor-league call-ups Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening and Tomas Jurco. The kids – a couple of whom werent even alive the last time the Red Wings missed the playoffs – are all right in Alfredssons eyes. But he also believes Babcock and his staff deserve some credit. "They gave them that chance and didnt make it a big deal," Alfredsson said. "Its just, You can do this. I think that gave them confidence. They definitely made the most of it. I think Coach gave them a chance, and they repaid him with solid play." Anything less than solid play wouldve meant an early summer for the Red Wings and a quicker start to the retirement questions for Alfredsson. Instead, the 41-year-old winger gets to compete in the playoffs for the 15th time in his NHL career. This time is extra special because of how difficult it was. "I think we worked extremely hard to get to this point, and it feels great," Alfredsson said. "This group has overcome a lot of adversity and that makes it even more fun." Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '