Live from the Rose Garden as the Portland Trail Blazers welcome the Miami Heat. Depending on your level of sanity, tonight is either the lone visit of the season for the superstar-heavy Heat, or an exciting preview of the 2011 NBA Finals. The Heat have won 20 of their past 21 games, including a dozen in a row on the road. Meanwhile the Blazers have come out victorious in their past eight games in this building. One of those streaks will end tonight.
Let's all take our talents to South Beach together...
PRE-GAME:
Happy LeBron James replica jersey night, everyone! All fairweather fans were given one upon entry into the arena. It's a reversible jersey with a Kobe Bryant/Lakers replica on the inside, that way you never known what it is like to loose.
While the Blazers are not expected to win tonight (Vegas has the team as six points underdogs), a victory would be monumental, the sort of win that changes the direction of the entire season. But that won't come easy, since the Heat haven't lost on the road since a few days after Thanksgiving—that's like three holidays ago. Four if you count Boxer Day, which thankfully no one does.
In addition to the imposing trio of LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, Miami has the ability to smother opposing offenses with a stingy defensive front that is second best in the NBA. The Heat hold their competition to less than 73% from the field, which is tops in the league. They might clog the SportsCenters highlight reel with acrobatic dunks—and rosin powder tosses to the heavens—but this is a very disciplined team that wins with defense. Not that they can't score on you, especially LeBron. He's averaging over 37 pointers per game in his three previous visits to the Rose Garden.
Dante Cunningham chose the warmup music and he went with "Whip My Hair" by Willow Smith. In other news, Dante Cunningham is a nine-year-old girl.
Welcome back to Portland, Juwan Howard. I apologize for making fun of your age all last season. I really just assumed you'd retire and not join ranks with the most hated team in basketball history. My bad.
LeBron just did his signature introduction, guess that means it's time to start. That poor rosin, it was just one day from retirement.
FIRST QUARTER:
11:23 - It took about 30 seconds for the Heat to net a Wade jumper and for James to pickup a steal. Only 47 more minutes to go. 2-0 Heat.
10:02 - After burying a jumper Nicolas Batum is sent flying by James, no foul call though. They give one to Zydrunas Ilgauskas a few seconds later. Always blame it on the Lithuanian. Just look at him, he looks like a Bond villain. 2-2 tie.
8:34 - Frenchy came to play. He completes a fastbreak by taking the ball to, and over, said Lithuanian. Hey, it's Zydrunas Ilgauskas humiliation night! 8-6 Blazers.
6:42 - And that was the first Miami shot not taken by Wade/James/Bosh. Carlos Arroyo clanks a layup. His fingers will be broken during the next timeout for making such a foolish mistake. 10-8 Blazers
5:41 - So far so good, Portland looks focused and is pressing hard on the defensive end. Plus, shooting 60% from the field never hurts. 12-10 Blazers.
4:50 - Bosh hits an 18-foot jumper. That's always an ominous sign. Like a stern warning from the old man at the bait shop, once it happens you know bad things will soon follow. 17-12 Heat.
3:53 - Wade has 15 points in about eight minutes. That is more than the Blazers have. Combined. 19-14 Blazers.
2:53 - {Obligatory update about this blogger questioning the lack of fouls called on LeBron. Redacted.] 21-17 Heat.
1:35 - Juwan picks up a technical foul. Someone must have eaten the last Werther's Original from his candy bowl. Yay, old person jokes! 25-22 Heat.
1:02 - Batum with a huge block on James that results in a standing ovation for Frenchy. (Update: Here's video.) 25-24 Heat.
0:00 - Total number of shots attempted by Miami Heat players not named Wade/James/Bosh after one quarter of play: Three. Sounds about right. Meanwhile nine different players attempted shots for Portland. 27-26 Heat.
SECOND QUARTER:
12:00- All things considered, that was an excellent quarter from the home team. Normally you don't trail after playing that well to start the game.
10:23 - Przybilla looks slow and awkward out there. Slower and awkwarder (totally a word) than usual. It's clear that he's still a bit away from returning to his old self, but I guess it sure beats bringing in the services of Sean Marks. 28-27 Blazers.
9:03 - Someone is jamming on a vuvuzela. I'm going to blame them for LaMarcus Aldridge clanking that wide open dunk. 32-28 Heat.
7:41 - Wade is eight for ten shooting on the night. It delays everything when the lower the rim and hand him that foam Nerf™ ball, but it's totally worth it to see a player dominate a game like this. 34-28 Heat.
5:22 - The Blazers should feel fortunate they are trailing by single digits after shooting 38% from the field and one-for-ten from beyond the arc. 38-30 Heat.
4:18 - Batum and Matthews trade-off baskets and now the lead is back to single basket. 38-35 Heat.
3:37 - Miller to Batum for an alley-oop. That's 13 for Batum so far. 38-37 Heat.
3:06 - Yeah, buddy. This basketball game was a perfectly good opportunity to poorly paint your face with the University of Oregon colors. That'll show Cam Newton. Oh, and you're about 40, which might be pushing it on the face paint age limit. 38-37 Heat.
2:54 - Blazers lead! Now to hold this bountiful one point advantage for the next 26 minutes. 39-38 Blazers.
2:04 - Blocking the 7'3 Ilgauskas would be more impressive if the man was capable of jumping, but hey, whatever. Way to go, Marcus Camby. 42-39 Heat.
0:38 - Not sure what was more surprising, LeBron alley-oop passing the ball to himself, or him getting whistled for the traveling violation on the play. 44-41 Heat.
0:25 - Wesley Matthews puts on his three goggles. His first make in five attempts. Ooooh, tie game. 44-44.
0:04 - James with an isolation jumper to give the visiting team the lead at the half. 46-44 Heat.
HALFTIME:
Ate popcorn, talked about Sharon Van Etten, and spotted Tom Penn in the media room. Not bad.
THREE QUARTER:
11:44 - Batum quickly adds to his great first half with a 12-foot jumper. Please can we see more of that in the next two quarters? 46-46 tie.
9:59 - Aldridge > Bosh. 50-48 Blazers.
8:00 - Congratulations, dude with the vuvuzela. You just passed "Free Throw Guy" as the most annoying person in the Rose Garden. 54-54 Blazers.
7:41- Aldridge with a dunk and then he blows on his dunking hand. That was either a badass, my hand is soooo hot right now move, or an injury. (Because as we all know, you can cure an injury by breathing on it.) Matthews follows with a dunk of his own. No hand blowing. Look at that scoreboard, 58-52 Blazers.
6:04 - After fending off James, Batum aggressively takes the ball to the basket to draw the foul. Again, more please. Batum has never had more than four free-throw attempts in his career. Much like Rudy, he's a better player if he can get near the rim. 60-56 Blazers.
4:23 - James smacks the back of Matthews' head during a layup attempt. No foul. Surprised Matthews didn't get a whistle for his skull getting in the way of James' hand. 60-56 Blazers.
3:29 - Non Wade/James/Bosh players have scored four points combined on two-for-nine shooting. They should just pull them and play 3-on-5. Same thing, really. 62-58 Blazers.
1:43 - Rudy for three. Goggles up. 64-62 Blazers.
1:07 - Batum is still feeling it. That's 20 for him so far. 67-62 Blazers.
0:00 - Following a James Jones three (Remember him?), Patty Mills dribbles down the clock, nearly turns it over, then airballs a 30-foot three. Well played, sir. 67-65 Blazers.
FOURTH QUARTER:
12:00 - Despite only two players in double figures, Portland has the lead into the final period? Aldridge already has a double-double, his fifth straight. Valiant victory? Fourth quarter collapse? Let's find out.
10:52 - Dante Cunningham and LeBron James trading baskets. It's a battle for the ages. 71-67 Blazers.
9:38 - Cunningham clobbers James on a drive and leaves to a standing ovation. 71-68 Blazers.
8:44 - Mills is fouled very hard (yet cleanly) by Bosh, who then leers at the Aussie he knocked to the ground. Way to show a bench player you have probably never heard of before tonight, Bosh. 71-68 Blazers.
8:35 - Just spotted a man holding up a "Yes, LaMarcus Aldridge, I will marry you sign." Congrats for coming out like that, LaMarcus. I admire your courage. It gets better, buddy. 73-68 Blazers.
8:00 - it just got better for Mills, he just drained a three. 76-68 Blazers.
7:29 - Wade answers with a ridiculous three of his own. He also strutted after that. Give him another point for flair. 76-71 Blazers.
6:25 - Woah, Patty. Mills receives a passes from Aldridge and tosses up a scooped reverse shot of some sort. Talk about points for flair. Timeout for Miami. 80-73 Blazers.
6:02 - Motivational "make some noise" video from... Joey Harrington? Oh, Oregon. 80-73 Blazers.
4:43 - Miami completes an amazing sequence from Mario Chalmers to LeBron to Wade. Two passes, the entire length of the court, and two of the easiest points you will ever see. It is stunning how good this Heat team is. No lead is safe. 80-78 Blazers.
3:29 - Matthews quick passes to Aldridge for a layup before the Heat defense gets settled. Smart play. 86-82 Blazers.
2:12 - Matthews for the biggest three as a Blazer. Three goggles in front of the big three. That was impressive, especially since his shot has been off all night. 89-82 Blazers.
1:13 - Every time Portland builds on the lead, the Heat answer back in half the time. Despite Portland scoring on an Aldridge layup, the Heat cut a seven point lead to a two point deficit in less than a minute. There is no scarier team to play in the final minute than Miami. 91-89 Blazers.
0:53 - Matthews misses a three and in the transition James gets away—shocking, I know—with a very blatant double dribble. That was hard to watch. Former Blazer James Jones is fouled on the other end and hits both. Tie game. 91-91.
0:24 - Aldridge with a scoop shot in the lane. James has a clear look at the basket, but is prevented and fouled by Camby. Remember when LeBron couldn't shoot free-throws? He doesn't. He buries both of them. Tie game, again. 93-93. Blazers have the ball and all but .06 seconds of the shot clock. Their game to win, right here.
0:00 - Miller holds the ball until there are eight seconds remaining, but his 14-footer rims out, and while he gets another shot as time expires, it falls short. Not the best offensive sequence, especially since Miller has been a non-factor offensively. The Blazers won't get another chance as good as that. Overtime, here we come! 93-93 tie.
OVERTIME:
4:44 - Take it back. The only thing worse than playing Miami in the final minute is playing them in overtime. I have a bad feeling about this. 95-93 Heat.
4:03 - Back to back fouls on James. I have never ripped a toy away from a small child, but thanks to James I now know how they will react if I choose to do just that. 95-93 Heat.
3:10 - Matthews with a three at the shot clock buzzer, nothing but net... the front part of the net. As in an airball. Blazers have yet to score in OT. 97-93 Heat.
2:30 - Until Aldridge dunks it home. 97-95 Heat.
2:06 - James answers with a cold-blooded three. He even threw in a slap of his own butt on the celebration. I prefer the three goggles. 100-95 Heat.
1:41 - James mows over Mills. Foul on Mills. Sure, why not? 100-96 Heat.
1:25 - Aldridge, who has all three of Blazers' points in OT, is sent to the line. He hits both. 102-98 Heat.
1:08 - This entire overtime period is like going on a date with someone who you know is about to dump to, but before that happens you have to sit through agonizing small talk at the restaurant (it's in public, don't make a scene). 104-98 Heat.
0:57 - Batum with a jumper and Matthews nearly steals the ball on the inbound. Nearly counts, right? Portland needs a stop here in a bad, bad, bad way. 104-100 Heat.
0:34 - The Blazers catch a break when Wade goes for a foul and doesn't get the whistle, but they cough it up when Aldridge (of all people) double-dribbles. James answers with a three that stakes the heart of everyone in this building. That was the game right there. 107-100 Heat.
0:00 - And that will do it. The Blazers had more than a few good chances to come away with the win, but ultimately fall to a superior Heat team. If you want to know how useless Miami's surrounding cast is, Joel Anthony played over 28 minutes and had zero points, zero rebounds, zero steals, zero assists and zero blocks. Aldridge had 31 points and 14 boards, plus one crippling double dribble. Batum added 22, but only two of which came in the final quarter. Your heartbreaking final score, Miami 107, Portland 100.
