Blazers pick apart undermanned Clippers 111-102

Webster, Aldridge lead the offense; Denver next

By Kerry Eggers

LocalNewsDaily.com, Oct 11, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

The Trail Blazers ushered in what they say will be a new era of basketball Wednesday night with a 111-102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Portland’s preseason opener at the Rose Garden.

Last season, the Blazers averaged an NBA-low 94.1 points per game and were also the league’s worst team in fastbreak points. Coach Nate McMillan has implemented what he says will be an offense at a faster pace, and the Blazers at least rolled up a healthy point total against a Clipper team with an abbreviated roster.

“I liked a lot of what I saw,” said McMillan, whose Blazers scored as many as 100 points only 24 times in 82 regular-season games a year ago. “We can certainly build off that performance.

“The question I asked (the players) before the game was, ‘Who are you?’ How will we play? Let’s go out there and try to establish that style.”

Portland had only 12 fastbreak points but got plenty of easy baskets against the Clippers (1-1), who were without injured starters Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Shaun Livingston, Corey Maggette and Cuttino Mobley.

“We had 29 assists and only (11) turnovers – nice job taking care of the ball,” McMillan said. “I liked our attack. We played relaxed and kept the pressure on the defense. Except for rebounding (a 54-39 deficit), we were solid.”

Portland’s Martell Webster had one of those nights where his stroke was golden from the outside. The third-year swing man knocked down 10 of his first 11 shots – almost all from the perimeter – en route to a 28-point night.

“Martell was on fire,” said LaMarcus Aldridge, who added 21 points to the Blazer attack. “Every time he touched the ball, he made it. I was like, ‘Just give him the ball.’ “

“When you take a shot with confidence, it definitely help,” said Webster, who finished 11 of 14 from the floor and 4 of 6 from 3-point range. “If you’re hesitant, most of the times you’ll miss the shot. If you get in a rhythm, it feels good every time you shoot the ball. That’s where I was tonight.”

Portland is next in action Friday night against the Denver Nuggets at Boulder, Colo.

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