PORTLAND, Ore. cheapjerseyfreeshipping.us . -- Last month when the 76ers hosted the Trail Blazers, they were embarrassed by a barrage of 3-pointers. Since then Philadelphia has made some defensive adjustments. It showed on Saturday night when the Sixers paid back the Blazers in Portland by beating them 101-99. It was Philadelphias fourth straight win to conclude a six-game road trip. "I give the guys so much credit for fixing the things that were so poor when we played them the last time," coach Brett Brown said. Thaddeus Young matched his season high with 30 points and the 76ers (12-21) displayed vastly improved defence in holding off a furious late rally by the Blazers (26-7). Evan Turner added 23 points and rookie star Michael Carter-Williams had 16, but fell hard on the court at the final buzzer when he was trying to keep Damian Lillard from scoring the game-tying basket. Carter-Williams appeared to hit his head and stayed down for several moments while his teammates held off their celebration. When he finally rose, he held his hand to his head. "He got hit in the head by Thaddeus," Brown said, adding that Carter-Williams was undergoing concussion tests and his condition was not immediately available. Portlands LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and 14 rebounds for his 20th double-double this season. Robin Lopez added 14 points and 15 rebounds in just the Blazers fourth loss at home this season. Portland led 76-69 going into the fourth quarter, but Youngs layup tied it at 84 and Spencer Hawes added another to give the 76ers the lead. Tony Wroten hit a pair of baskets to make it 90-84 for Philadelphia, but Wesley Matthews, Lillard and Lopez all made free throws to tie the game at 90 with 2:32 left. Philadelphia held off the Blazers and Youngs tip-in gave the Sixers a 96-94 lead. Spencer Hawes made a pair of free throws to give the 76ers a 99-95 lead with 19.3 seconds left. But after Aldridge hit a layup and Turner made free throws, Lillards layup closed Portland to 101-99 with 7.9 seconds left. A steal by Robin Lopez gave Portland back the ball but Lillard missed a layup at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. "I had a good look," Lillard said. "Off-balance or not, Ive got to make that." On Dec. 14 when the Blazers visited Philadelphia they drained a franchise-best 21 3-pointers en route to a 139-105 victory. Carter-Williams did not play in that game because of a skin infection on his right knee. Portland matched the franchise record on Thursday, when they had 21 3s in a 134-104 rout over the Charlotte Bobcats. It was the first time a team has had at least 20 3-pointers in two games in a single season. The NBA record for 3-pointers in a single game is 23. It appeared that this game could be similar 3-point clinic. The Blazers ranked atop the league with 349 3s this season and a 40.5 3-point percentage. But Portland made just three of 22 3-point attempts. "When I heard they hit like 21 the other night, you think of the law of averages. Sometimes the basketball god says Tonights not your night from the 3-point line," said Turner. The 76ers jumped out to an 18-4 lead midway through the first half on Thaddeus Youngs dunk. Portland was sloppy, with five turnovers in the first seven minutes, and had trouble adjusting to Philadelphias energetic tempo. But the Blazers chipped away, pulling to within 39-32 on Mo Williams long jumper. He added a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 47-45, before Wesley Matthews fast-break layup tied it. Portland pulled in front on Aldridges jumper but the Sixers led 52-50 at the half. Portland led by nine points late in the third quarter, but the stubborn Sixers wouldnt let the Blazers go up by double digits. Wroten made a pair of free throws that got Philadelphia within 78-77 early in the final period. NOTES: With his first six points, Aldridge became the fourth-leading scorer in Trail Blazers history, passing Jerome Kersey (10,067). ... Portlands Nicolas Batum has had at least seven rebounds and seven assists eight times this year, second only to LeBron James with 11. ... After the game the Blazers said Batum sustained an avulsion fracture of his left middle finger, meaning a fragment pulled away from the bone, but he is still listed as probable for Tuesdays game at Sacramento. ... Young has at least 25 points in six of his last seven games. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Bayer Leverkusen beat Hannover 2-0 as the trio of leaders opened a significant gap seven games into the season. Dortmund leads on goal difference over Bayern. Leverkusen was a point behind them, six ahead of Hannover. Cheap Lakers Jerseys . And the Ottawa Redblacks linebacker wanted to be sure his words delivered their full effect. "Its an insult," he said over the phone Wednesday after the CFL Players Association lifted its media ban, giving its members the ability to speak openly about stalling collective bargaining talks. VANCOUVER -- Five years ago Andrew Harris was sitting on metal bleachers in frigid Winnipeg watching the B.C. Lions beat Montreal for the Grey Cup. On Sunday, he was a lot warmer, feeling the glow of being voted the most outstanding Canadian in the Lions 34-23 victory over the Blue Bombers in the CFL title game. "Im warm right now, I got the Cup, Im getting a ring," said Harris who scored the games first touchdown to give B.C. a 7-0 lead 8:27 after the opening kickoff. "Its amazing." The diminutive Harris started the Lions on the road to victory with that 19-yard burst up the middle. The second-year running back also helped seal the win with clock-eating carries late in the game. "Its such a big honour to be named that and its such a great league with so many good Canadians," said Harris, who generously listed at five-feet-11 and 195 pounds -- but thats probably with his pads on. "Its just hard work, dedication and hopefully more to come." He finished with 10 carries for a game-high 65 rushing yards, the longest being his run to paydirt. "Thats something we looked at," the whippet-fast Harris said of the play that sprung him loose. "We knew it was going to be open all week. It was just a great hole. I just went outside a bit and cut back. Ive got to credit my O-line for doing a hell of a job. It was a pretty easy touchdown." At the end of the game the Lions showed their confidence in Harris who came to the team via the Nanaimo, B.C.-based Vancouver Island Raiders junior club. "Hes a fine football player," said B.C. coach Wally Buono. "He has tremendous skill and I look at him as a B.C. Lion and not an import or a non-import. "At the end of it, he competes with other players who are professional football players. Its a tremendous credit to him." Harris was carrying the ball for key first downs late in the game. "Its a great feeling when your coach has confidence in you and trusts you," he said. Harris grew up in Winnipeg, idolizing the five-foot-six Charles Roberts, who scampered out of the Bombers backfield. "TTheres been small backs in this league for a long time and I dont think its going to change," Harris said. http://www.cheapjerseyfreeshipping.us/NBA-Jerseys-dr-94_Los-Angeles-Lakers-Jersey-ja-50/. "The CFLs a big field and you need to be quick. "I dont consider myself a small guy compared to some of the guys but Ive defined my role and I relish it." While Harris spins out of tackles and makes defenders miss with his shifty style, Roberts was quite a load too. "He was smaller but he worked hard and it was his work ethic I looked up to," Harris said. Harris had another chance to score a touchdown in the third quarter but was outside the end zone when Travis Lulays pass arrived. "That was my fault," Harris said. "It was bad judgment on where I was on the field. "When it came that close, I should have jumped more inside and came out and got it." In the second quarter he threw what first appeared to be an incomplete pass on a designed play. Not so, said Harris, who had minus-two yards in four carries in his only other start against the Bombers this season. "That was supposed to be a run," Harris said. "It felt like we were losing negative yards so I just threw it away ... just a heads-up play. I didnt want to lose five yards." Harris was a protege of Buono, commuting by ferry from Nanaimo to practise with the Lions as a junior and a territorial exemption. Last season he ran back kicks and had 23 carries for 205 yards. This year his role expanded. He caught 30 passes for 395 yards and seven touchdowns while running for 458 yards and another major. Now there are fewer Nanaimo ferry rides in his future. "I was going back and forth every day in 2009 but its definitely worth it now," Harris said as orange and white confetti drifted down. "I had to wait in line and pay full price. It was terrible." NOTES: The Bombers forced the most turnovers in the league during the regular season ... Winnipeg won seven of its first eight games after going 4-14 last season ... the game featured the CFLs top two defensive units with the Bombers edging the Lions in that category during the regular season. ' ' ' |