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First Half Update
The Rockets jumped out to a 9-0 lead that none of the country saw because the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls were exchanging dumb fouls for 15 minutes.But Portland quickly pulled back into the game with a few stops and timely jumpers. Aldridge tied it up at 13 with a jumper at the halfway point of the quarter. But Patrick Beverley hit 3 first quarter three-pointers to keep Houston ahead. As the calls went against Portland during the second half of the quarter, Houston jumped ahead. After erasing a Blazer three-pointer due to a moving screen, the refs ignored a moving screen for Houston, opening James Harden for a three-pointer to give the Rockets an 11 point lead at the buzzer.
Houston pushed the lead to 12, but with Aldridge on the bench, Lillard took over, scoring 7 straight to contribute to a 16 point Blazer run, leaving the Rockets shocked and headed to a timeout. Behind Lopez' defense and Batum creating on offense (and Lillard going crazy all over the court), Portland's lead reached 5. As Houston quickly closed the gap, Aldridge returned with 5 minutes left in the quarter. Houston's pick and roll worked like magic, keeping them ahead as the quarter wound down. But a loose-ball foul by Patrick Beverley on an offensive rebound gave the Blazers a one-point halftime lead.
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Welcome to the Gameday Open Thread at Blazer’s Edge! This is a place to hang out and enjoy tonight’s festivities with your fellow fans. Treat it as if you’re watching a game at the local watering hole, but hopefully without the language. Expect some disagreements, and a fair amount of changing emotions. But we'll get through it together.
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Injuries: Both teams report no injuries.
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The usual Gameday Thread rules apply. Please take them seriously, it keeps things smooth during the stress of the playoffs!
1. No swearing
2. No pictures
3. No discussion of unlicensed Internet streaming
4. Be cool to each other!
Hang out and enjoy the game! -- Tim