RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Worn out from their longest road trip in
nearly 22 years, the Portland Trail Blazers were happy to let Rasheed Wallace carry the load for one more game.
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Wallace scored 25 points and drove the baseline for a key layup with 1:41 left as the Portland Trail Blazers won their fourth straight, beating the New Jersey Nets 86-84 Saturday night.
"You put him in the same position as a Tim Duncan or KG (Kevin
Garnett), and ask him to do those things night in and night out,"
Blazers point guard Damon Stoudamire said of Wallace. "He's just as good or better."
Wallace, who averaged a career-high 16.4 points last season, is
up to 20.3 this season. He was nearly impossible to guard early
against the Nets, scoring 13 points in the first eight minutes. He
scored just three points in the fourth quarter, but they helped
Portland seal the win.
The Blazers led by nine with 7:22 left, but New Jersey cut the
lead to one point three times in the final 4½ minutes. After Evan
Eschmeyer's free throws pulled the Nets to 83-82, Wallace made the
first free throw but missed the second. Dale Davis grabbed the
rebound and got the ball to Wallace, who spun around Aaron Williams
for the easy basket and an 86-82 lead.
"That's typical of the way he's been delivering," Portland coach Mike Dunleavy said.
Kendall Gill cut the lead to 86-84 on a layup with 1:17 left and
the Nets had a chance to tie in the final minute, but Stephon
Marbury missed a 22-foot jumper. After Portland's Damon Stoudamire
threw the ball away at the other end, Gill missed a 19-footer with
1.7 seconds left.
"We got two good looks," Nets coach Byron Scott said. "Steph
was wide open, and 75 percent of the time he's going to make that
shot. Gill came up wide open, and most of the time he makes that
shot."
Williams scored 17 points to lead the Nets, who lost their third straight. Marbury, tied for second in the NBA in scoring at 27.8 points per game, had 15, as did Gill.
Portland center Arvydas Sabonis got his first start of the season and had 11 points and three rebounds. The 7-foot-3
Lithuanian, who will be 36 next month, missed the first eight games after having surgery on Oct. 13 to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Nets rookie Kenyon Martin, who played well against Karl Malone
in Friday night's loss at Utah, fared considerably worse against
Wallace. Martin scored just six points on 0-of-4 shooting before
fouling out with 2:58 left, and he was overmatched by Wallace in
the post.
The Blazers began a three-game home stretch after playing 10 of
their first 14 games on the road, tying Seattle for the most road
games in the league. The Blazers went 5-2 on their recent Eastern
Conference trip, the longest for the team since January 1979.
The Nets went 1-3 on their Western trip, the only victory coming
by a point over the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening game.
As has been their habit lately, the Blazers started quickly and
then slacked off before putting away a lesser opponent. Greg
Anthony's 3-pointer put the Blazers up 79-70 with 7:22 left, but
the Nets responded with an 8-0 run, started by two layups from
Eschmeyer.
The Nets were just plain bad in the first quarter, falling
behind 19-9. They made just 5 of 18 shots in the quarter and
committed seven turnovers. Wallace had a lot to do with New
Jersey's ineptitude, forcing wild shots over his outstretched arms
and knocking away passes.
"Every night, regardless of who's checking him, he's going to have a matchup problem," Stoudamire said. "One thing that has baffled everyone on this team is that they don't double-team him. They haven't all season."
Wallace's first six points came on breakaway dunks to open the
game. After the second one, Wallace glared at referee Ted Bernhardt
and dismissed him with a wave for not calling a foul. That earned
Wallace his eighth technical foul of the season.
Marbury launched a 3-pointer from 27 feet with 2.8 seconds left
before halftime to cut the lead to 46-43.
Game notes
The Blazers have led or been tied after the first quarter
in 11 straight games. They outscored New Jersey 59-31 in the
opening quarter of their two games. ... Portland forward Shawn
Kemp's line: 9 minutes, 5 fouls, 3 points. ... Marbury is just 15-of-38 from the field against the Blazers this season. ... The Blazers have won 13 of their last 14 against the Nets in Portland
and hold a 23-3 advantage all-time.
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NBA Scoreboard
New Jersey Clubhouse
Portland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 79
New York 75
Charlotte 109
Cleveland 98
Houston 91
Miami 80
Orlando 114
Atlanta 92
Dallas 108
Denver 84
Washington 107
Milwaukee 100
San Antonio 96
Philadelphia 76
Portland 86
New Jersey 84
Golden State 114
Minnesota 93
Phoenix 95
LA Clippers 89
Sacramento 125
Seattle 101
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Rasheed Wallace was all over the rim for the Blazers on Saturday against the Nets.
avi: 937 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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