Final
Rockets hope for home split with Blazers
Apr 23, 2014 - 2:16 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Houston Rockets will try to even their Western Conference quarterfinal series with the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night when the teams play Game 2 at the Toyota Center.Portland snatched Game 1, 122-120, in overtime on Sunday night in Houston thanks to amazing heroics from its two All-Stars.
Damian Lillard finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists and LaMarcus Aldridge turned in a monster performance with 46 points and 18 rebounds before fouling out in the extra session. Aldridge's 46 points set a Blazers' franchise record for points in a postseason game.
Down nine with less than five minutes to go in regulation, the Blazers employed the "hack-a-Howard" strategy.
Dwight Howard, a 54.7-percent foul shooter, made his first two attempts, but missed the next four as the Blazers rallied with the next 11 points to tie the game on Aldridge's two from the line with 2:46 left.
James Harden got a tough jumper to fall just inside the final minute of regulation for a 102-99 lead and Aldridge cut it to one with a pair of free throws 13 seconds later.
Jeremy Lin missed a runner on the other end, but Howard grabbed the rebound and was fouled. This time, Howard came through for his team and knocked down both free throws for a 104-101 edge.
Lillard, however, buried a game-tying trey. On the inbounds pass, Lillard ran his defender Patrick Beverley into a brutal screen which sent him to the deck. Lillard then got Terrance Jones to bite on a pump fake before knocking down the triple.
After Harden made it 106-104 with seven seconds left, Wesley Matthews attempted a three from the time out, but it drew iron. Lillard was there for the rebound, but his tip-in didn't fall. Aldridge, though, cleaned up that miss and tied the game again with 2.9 seconds left.
Harden couldn't get a tough look from the corner to go as the horn sounded, sending the game into overtime.
The Rockets scored the first six points of the bonus period thanks to three- point plays from Howard and Lin. Aldridge and Nicolas Batum, though, hit back- to-back treys and Matthews knocked down two free throws to give the Blazers their first lead since late in the first half.
The teams traded blows until Lin blew by his defender and got a layup to fall for a 118-116 lead with 53 seconds left. Lillard, however, used a three-point play on the ensuing trip to put Portland in front.
Garcia and Howard split from the stripe before Lillard made the go-ahead free throws.
"That was a tremendous game. Obviously when we fouled Dwight he missed some of the free throws, that was a turning point," said Blazers coach Terry Stotts. "They came out and scored the first six in OT, but we responded. We had to win one here, we did it, but we're not satisfied. Tonight is behind us, we have to keep going."
Howard and Harden both finished with 27 points while Howard pulled down 15 rebounds. Chandler Parsons added 24 and Lin chipped in 14 off the bench. Jones registered a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards.
Beverley injured his knee, but it wasn't as bad as originally diagnosed. He's expected to play Wednesday night.
"Woke up at home, tried to put some weight on it, felt good. Squatted and felt good, one-legged jump felt good," said Beverley. "I did this all at home. I just have an ability to heal quicker than others I guess."
Game 3 will be Friday night in Portland.
Apr 24 12:25 AM- 198
rootsRUWTbot Added 25 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 102, Rockets 98 4th - 1:08Apr 24 12:09 AM - 173
rootsRUWTbot Added 23 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 102, Rockets 96 4th - 1:40Apr 24 12:08 AM - 150
rootsRUWTbot Took away 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 102, Rockets 93 4th - 3:01Apr 24 12:03 AM - 169
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 100, Rockets 93 4th - 3:29Apr 24 12:02 AM - 145
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 100, Rockets 91 4th - 3:44Apr 24 12:02 AM - 137
rootsRUWTbot Took away 30 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 99, Rockets 91 4th - 3:44Apr 24 12:02 AM - 167
rootsRUWTbot Added 27 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 98, Rockets 91 4th - 4:18Apr 24 12:00 AM - 140
rootsRUWTbot Took away 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 98, Rockets 89 4th - 4:27Apr 23 11:59 PM - 164
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 96, Rockets 89 4th - 4:48Apr 23 11:59 PM - 140
rootsRUWTbot Took away 19 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 96, Rockets 87 4th - 5:00Apr 23 11:58 PM - 159
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 94, Rockets 87 4th - 5:15Apr 23 11:55 PM - 135
rootsRUWTbot Took away 20 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 94, Rockets 85 4th - 5:40Apr 23 11:54 PM - 155
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 92, Rockets 85 4th - 6:04Apr 23 11:54 PM - 131
rootsRUWTbot Took away 17 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 91, Rockets 83 4th - 7:03Apr 23 11:52 PM - 148
rootsRUWTbot Added 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 89, Rockets 83 4th - 7:21Apr 23 11:51 PM - 124
rootsRUWTbot Took away 43 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 89, Rockets 81 4th - 8:29Apr 23 11:47 PM - 167
rootsRUWTbot Took away 23 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 86, Rockets 81 4th - 9:00Apr 23 11:46 PM - 190
rootsRUWTbot Added 17 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 83, Rockets 81 4th - 9:24Apr 23 11:45 PM - 173
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 83, Rockets 79 4th - 9:56Apr 23 11:45 PM - 164
rootsRUWTbot Added 15 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 83, Rockets 78 4th - 11:04Apr 23 11:42 PM - 149
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 83, Rockets 77 4th - 11:16Apr 23 11:42 PM - PORTLAND: 83
HOUSTON: 77
End of 3rd
Apr 23 11:36 PM - 140
rootsRUWTbot Took away 6 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 83, Rockets 77 3rd - 0:07Apr 23 11:36 PM - 146
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 81, Rockets 77 3rd - 0:28Apr 23 11:35 PM - 136
rootsRUWTbot Took away 14 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 79, Rockets 75 3rd - 1:17Apr 23 11:34 PM - 150
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 76, Rockets 75 3rd - 1:56Apr 23 11:33 PM - 143
rootsRUWTbot Added 12 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 74, Rockets 73 3rd - 2:34Apr 23 11:32 PM - 131
rootsRUWTbot Added 17 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 72, Rockets 71 3rd - 3:43Apr 23 11:29 PM - 114
rootsRUWTbot Took away 5 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 72, Rockets 67 3rd - 4:54Apr 23 11:28 PM - 119
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 69, Rockets 67 3rd - 5:41Apr 23 11:27 PM - 112
rootsRUWTbot Added 12 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 67, Rockets 67 3rd - 6:00Apr 23 11:26 PM - 95
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 67, Rockets 58 3rd - 8:17Apr 23 11:17 PM - 86
rootsRUWTbot Added 5 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 65, Rockets 58 3rd - 8:49Apr 23 11:17 PM - 81
rootsRUWTbot Added 11 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 61, Rockets 57 3rd - 9:54Apr 23 11:12 PM - PORTLAND: 53
HOUSTON: 53
Halftime
Apr 23 10:49 PM - PORTLAND: 23
HOUSTON: 31
End of 1st
Apr 23 10:14 PM - PORTLAND: 0
HOUSTON: 0
1st Quarter - 11:44
Apr 23 9:47 PM
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