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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Shawn Kemp's game and attitude had
deteriorated so much, coach Mike Dunleavy benched him for two
recent games and played him a total of just 16 minutes in three
others.
|  | | Portland's Scottie Pippen dishes off as Golden State's Adonal Foyle defends. |
Finally, the coach sat his aging former superstar down and gave
it to him straight: Shape up or you'll sit some more.
Kemp has responded. On Saturday night, he played his best
basketball since being traded to Portland from Cleveland last
summer, scoring 10 points during a 4:52 span of the first quarter
as the Trail Blazers routed the Golden State Warriors 122-91.
"You get a chance to play, you get a little more comfortable
out there on the court, and you just try to make the most out of
the time you get," said Kemp, who finished with 14 points, three
rebounds, four assists -- and six fouls -- in 16 minutes.
Steve Smith and Bonzi Wells each added 18 points as the Blazers
won their fourth straight and clinched their 12th straight winning
season. Damon Stoudamire scored 12 of his 17 points in the third
quarter and Detlef Schrempf had 11 rebounds.
"We know we have something good going for us, and we have to
maintain our momentum," Scottie Pippen said.
Antawn Jamison scored 22 to lead the Warriors, who have lost 10
of 11 and fell 25 1/5 games behind the Pacific Division-leading
Blazers.
Coach Dave Cowens talked to his team for 35 minutes after the
game before opening the doors to the media, but whatever he said
didn't appear to be sinking in.
"I'm tired of talking," Jamison said. "I'm just going to lead
by example on the court. It definitely sunk in; the question is,
will we go out there and do it?"
Kemp's weight and foul trouble have been more problematic for
him here than with the Cavaliers. Portland already is loaded at the
forward position, so Kemp usually gets in behind centers Dale Davis
and Arvydas Sabonis.
Kemp came in with 7:10 left in the first period and made an
immediate impact. He made a 17-foot jumper, got a dunk and driving
layup on two nice feeds from his teammates, and drew two fouls in
the post. Four free throws, followed by Rasheed Wallace's
3-pointer, made it 33-16.
Asked whether the stretch was the best he's looked this season,
Dunleavy said, "Absolutely. But it's not any different than what
I've seen in practice."
Kemp said it was difficult at first to accept a supporting role,
but seeing other Blazers, like Davis and Smith, makes it easier.
"I knew it was going to be a challenge," he said. "I didn't
expect for it to be this much of a challenge. But it's a little
easier to deal with the situation when you know different guys are
sacrificing things. I think that's what's enabled me to accept
things more.
"These guys around here, they accept that so easy that you feel
bad sometimes when you come with a selfish attitude."
Davis made three straight jumpers to start the third quarter,
and Stoudamire took it from there, turning the game into a laugher.
He tried a lob to Wallace for a slam, but Wallace couldn't handle
it. Stoudamire ran down the rebound and sank a 3-pointer for an
86-57 lead.
Stoudamire made two more 3s to push the lead to 97-67 entering
the fourth.
It was Portland's most lopsided victory over Golden State since
a 116-83 win on April 23, 1995.
The Warriors have given up exactly 122 points in four of their
last five games. They allowed that figure in losses to Minnesota,
Milwaukee and Sacramento.
Game notes
Marc Jackson returned from a six-game absence with a
strained right groin and had 14 points, six rebounds and three
assists in 17 minutes. It was the first time the Warriors had
Jackson and fellow big men Erick Dampier and Adonal Foyle play in
the same game since Nov. 30. ... The Warriors' Larry Hughes is
1-for-17 from 3-point range his last 18 games. ... The Blazers have
won six straight in the series and are 64-16 against the Warriors
in Portland.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Golden State Clubhouse
Portland Clubhouse
RECAPS
LA Lakers 98
Vancouver 88
Dallas 100
Houston 95
Milwaukee 126
Chicago 122
San Antonio 124
Atlanta 95
Phoenix 97
Denver 82
Portland 122
Golden State 91
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