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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich took pains to make sure guard Tony Parker was well rested for the playoffs. "I barely played in April," Parker said. "I was joking with Pop if I was still with the Spurs." The break has paid off. Parker scored 29 points and San Antonio took a 3-0 lead in its Western Conference semifinal series against the Portland Trail Blazers with a 118-103 victory on Saturday night. Parker has scored 29 or more points in three of his last four playoff games. He had 20 points in the first half alone in Game 3 against Portland. "Hes been the engine for us," Popovich said. "He started out really well tonight. He made shots, he involved everybody else. He was playing great D at the other end. Hes really playing a whole complete game." The Spurs led by as many as 23 points in the first half, building a big early lead just as they had in the first two games of the series in San Antonio. "I think it just happened," Parker said of the third straight game with a big jump on Portland. "We just wanted to come in and have a good start, take care of the ball and play good defence like we did at home." The teams meet again on Monday night at the Moda Center. LaMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Portland, which pulled within eight points in the third quarter but couldnt get any closer. The Blazers were hurt by 15 turnovers and only six points from their bench. "Theyre just persistent," Aldridge said. "They play championship basketball and thats what we have to get to." No NBA team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a seven-game series. In 2003, the Blazers rebounded with three wins after dropping the first three against Dallas, but ultimately lost the first-round series deciding game. San Antonio, the top seed in the West, is vying for a second straight trip to the finals: Last season the Spurs fell to the Miami Heat in seven games. The winner of the series goes on to meet the winner of the conference semifinal between Oklahoma City and the Clippers. The Thunder lead that series 2-1. San Antonio has dominated this one. On Thursday night, the Spurs built a 20-point lead and won 114-97. The Spurs routed the Blazers 116-92 in the series opener after a hard-fought seven-game series against the Dallas Mavericks. The Blazers were without reserve guard Mo Williams, who has a groin injury. Williams played just 9 minutes in Game 2, and the Spurs backups outscored Portlands 50-19. Williams has consistently brought a spark and leadership off the bench the whole season, and has capably filled in while Lillard rests. Earl Watson and Will Barton helped spell starter Damian Lillard in Game 3. The Blazers took a brief 13-12 lead midway through the first quarter on Lillards step-back jumper. It was just their second lead of the series. But Parker pestered the Blazers and his finger-roll layup put the Spurs up 25-15. Marco Belinellis falling-down jumper pushed the lead to 28-17 before the first quarter was over. Parkers back-to-back 3-pointers gave the Spurs a 58-35 late first-half lead and they went into the break ahead 60-40. Portland rallied to start the second half, pulling to 64-52 after Nicolas Batums 3-pointer. He hit another 3 to narrow it to 68-60, but the Spurs kept the Blazers from coming any closer and led 83-69 going into the fourth. Parkers layup and free throw gave San Antonio a 100-81 lead in the fourth. Portland mounted a rally to get to 103-91 on Robin Lopezs layup with 5:46 left but it was too late. "Pop, you have to give him credit. He looked at the big picture, and rested me (the last month)," Parker said. "When we started the playoffs, he told me Be ready to play 37-38 minutes a game, were going to need you to play at your best. And so far its working." Portland advanced to the second round for the first time in 14 years by defeating the Houston Rockets in six games, clinching the series with Lillards amazing 3-pointer at the buzzer at home for a 99-98 victory in the deciding game. The Spurs have a 3-2 series advantage over Portland in the playoffs, sweeping the previous meeting in the 1999 conference finals. The teams split the regular-season series 2-2. NOTES: Before Game 2 in San Antonio, Blazers forward Thomas Robinson saw a snake in the locker room at the AT&T Center. Because the snake hissed, the team at first thought it was a rattlesnake, but it later turned out it was not venomous. So before Saturday nights game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was asked if his team had seen any critters in the Moda Center: "We expected a Beaver but we didnt see one," he laughed. ... Tim Duncan moved past Karl Malone into fifth place all-time for career playoff points. He trails only Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille ONeal. Wholesale Saints Jerseys China .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. Austin Carr Jersey .com) - The Dallas Mavericks had a five-game winning streak snapped last time out, but theyll try to get back into the winners circle Sunday evening when the Milwaukee Bucks pay a visit to American Airlines Center. http://www.cheapsaintsjerseyssale.com/?t...ersey-sale. The Bulls seem to be getting along fine without him. D.J. Augustin scored 27 points in a start for Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson matched a career high with 26 filling in for Carlos Boozer as the Bulls improved to 7-2 since trading the popular Deng with a 98-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Patrick Robinson Jersey . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. TreQuan Smith Jersey . At this rate, the Flyers captain is set to be remembered more for a fantastic finish.TORONTO - As far as training camps go, this years has been a relatively quiet and uneventful edition for the Toronto Raptors, not that they mind. Valuing continuity over the summer, theyve avoided the excitement that tends to surround teams with high or notable turnover entering a new campaign (see: Cavaliers, Cleveland). 10 of the 14 players under guaranteed contract for this coming season are holdovers from last years division-winning club. Everyone who scored a point during their seven-game playoff series, save for John Salmons, is back. Once again, theyve had the benefit of good health (Amir Johnson suffered a minor foot injury in Fridays pre-season win, but returned to practice Monday), and Dwane Caseys rotation should look familiar, more or less, when it takes shape over the next 10 days. Theres just one decision left to be made. Who will claim the 15th and final spot on the Raptors roster when they open the season on Oct. 29? Toronto has three players in camp, all on non-guaranteed deals, vying for the job; hard working centre Greg Stiemsma, sharpshooting forward Jordan Hamilton and speedy point guard Will Cherry. NBA rosters must be set for opening day on Oct. 27, meaning the Raptors will have to make their final cuts - ultimately determining who stays on - by Noon et. Saturday and Casey doesnt anticipate making a decision until then. Ill tell you what, its going to be a difficult decision, the Raptors head coach admitted, speaking after practice Monday afternoon. All three guys have done something special. The coaching staff has raved about their contribution throughout camp and with each player standing out, to some degree, during the teams 5-1 start to the pre-season, theyve made strong cases for themselves to stay. Its a good problem to have, Casey said, because that means that we brought guys in that fit what we do and fit into our program. [Cherry] has played hard in practice and worked [Kyle Lowry] hard, he added. He hasnt had a chance to show a lot in games because we were experimenting with [Lou Williams] at the point. [Stiemsma] has done an excellent job in spots and then [Hamilton] has scored the ball at a high level. So all [three] guys have brought something special to the table and all three are NBA players in their own right. The Raptors were in a similar situation at this time a year ago, with three players - two guards and a forward - battling it out for one spot. In the end it went to Julyan Stone, the better defender and most versatile of the group. Unlike last year though, these three candidates play three different positions and as a result the decision could come down to whichever one addresses a more pressing need on the roster. The 6-foot-11 Stiemsma looked like an early favourite, and that still may be the case given the teams lack of size off the bench. The 29-year-old spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, his third team in three NBA seasons, and would become Torontos second oldest player, should he make the team. His game isnt pretty - hes committed 16 fouls and scored just nine points in 65 pre-season minutes - but his workmanlike approach and ability to defend the rim, a weakness of Torontos last year, seem to be a good fit in a situational role behind Jonas Vallanciunas, Johnson and Patrick Patterson, platooning with Tyler Hansbrough and Chuck Hayes.dddddddddddd. Its all about opportunities, Stiemsma said, hoping to take advantage of this one. This whole league, my whole career has been about opportunities. Ive just got to look at it like, whatever amount of minutes I have is an opportunity to succeed, to play well and to show what I can do. Its a roller coaster. It can be up and down, day-to-day, but youve just got to try to stay consistent, control the things you can control, worry about those things and then just let the chips fall where they may. Of the three, Hamilton may have come in facing the steepest battle given the teams talent and depth on the wing, but hes had an impressive pre-season averaging 10.4 points on an efficient 63 per cent shooting. Hes knocked down five of his eight attempts from three-point range and logged over 20 minutes in half of Torontos six pre-season contests, also standing out on the defensive end. Hamilton, 24, also has the better NBA resume. After a mid-season trade sent him from Denver - where he spent his first two years - to Houston, Hamilton played nearly 17 minutes a night and made 39 per cent of his three-point tries. He also has a history with Masai Ujiri - the Raptors GM acquired him in a draft-night deal back when Ujiri was with the Nuggets, after Hamilton was selected 26th overall in 2011. As Casey alluded to, Cherry has seen less playing time, appearing in just four pre-season games. A Summer League standout in the off-season, most of the praise hes received comes from the effort and energy hes brought to practice. His disadvantage may be inexperience at the NBA level. He spent last season playing for the Canton Charge of the D-League, where he averaged 11.6 points and 4.5 assists in 18 games. The fate of Cherry will likely be determined by the coaching staffs confidence in Lowrys health and Williams ability to play - and most importantly, defend - the point guard position in a pinch. Although the Raptors could conceivably keep two of the three and cut one of their own, that scenario is very unlikely. Like Stone a year ago, whomever does win the job wont be anything more than insurance at the end of the bench for a team with playoff aspirations. Barring injuries, they shouldnt be a factor in Caseys regular rotation and it would set them back financially to waive someone under guaranteed contract. As for the decision itself, Casey says it will be a collaborative process this coming weekend. Its always a good debate with the coaching staff and management, he said. Theres a lot involved, [a lot of] voices as far as who stays and who doesnt in those situations. We have a great line of communication with the front office, with [Ujiri] and [Jeff Weltman, VP of basketball operations], and we talk all the time as far as players [go]. They know exactly how we feel and we know how they feel, so its a team effort. The three players contending for that final gig will likely have one last opportunity to make their case on the court, as Casey will continue monitoring the minutes of his regulars during Wednesdays exhibition game at home to Maccabi Haifa before shifting to a more fixed rotation in Fridays pre-season finale. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys China Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Near Me Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic MLB Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Throwback Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '
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