Portland beats Cleveland 105-76

The Trail Blazers’ 105-76 beatdown of the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday night at Moda Center was as unlikely as it was impressive. On Monday night, he’ll have to go against one of the best rebounders in the league in Kenneth Faried, who also ranks 5th in the National Basketball Association in field goal percentage.

Kevin Love scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds while appearing to play through a hand injury in the second half for the Cavs, while LeBron James had 14 points, four rebounds and seven assists. So if James can get back into his groove, the Cavaliers will end their West Coast road-trip 2-2, and return home in a positive state of mind. “If we do that, we will put us in a good position to win games”. But somehow they scored 44 points in the paint – 19 more than their season average. The loss in Golden State should have helped them out instead of stun them or wear them out.

On the good side, Cavs coach David Blatt’s decision to put Tristan Thompson in the starting lineup in place of Timofey Mozgov paid off in the sense that Cleveland won to snap its two-game skid and Thompson was reasonably effective (five points and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes) in his expanded role. Portland shot. 461 from the field, including.

Portland went 8 of 15 from 3-point range and didn’t commit a turnover during the first half. “I was struggling a lot”. I just told myself, I’m due for one, man.’ I had two days off, got to relax, got my legs back.

However, what happened last night, good lord that was bad.

After a scoreless third quarter, Warren exploded for 13 fourth-quarter points on 5-of-7 shooting including his third and fourth 3-pointers of the game and one free throw. Blatt soon removed his starters, and they were not to return. Once again it’s Crabbe in the corner and he opens up a 28-point lead for the TrailBlazers. Portland’s 63-point first half is a season-high for a Cavaliers opponent, and the Blazers’ 34 first-quarter points ties a season high….

The Blazers increased the difference to 40-16 before the Cavaliers answered with an 8-0 spurt that cut the gap to 40-24. They came out lethargic and had very little energy throughout the game. “You know, it’s going to take time, because you know for the first eight weeks we had built chemistry, we knew who was playing, we knew who wasn’t playing.”ABOUT THE SUNS (12-20): Bledsoe underwent an MRI exam and it was determined he tore meniscus cartilage in the knee and he will undergo surgery on Tuesday and will likely be out until around the All-Star break”. “There was no reason for it be like it was tonight”.

The Blazers shocked everyone in the first half, possibly even themselves. Portland’s Ed Davis left the game after stepping on the foot of Cleveland’s Anderson Varajeo in the fourth quarter. One would think taking on a slumping Portland Trail Blazers, who were missing star Damian Lillard, would be the ideal way for Cleveland to get back on track. The Sixers also stopped a 23-game road slide dating to last season.

Bryant, who received a taped message from Hornets owner Michael Jordan before the game, finished with 20 points on 5-of-20 shooting. “I don’t feel we really have to correct. But the shots were there, we took them, and we made them when we needed them”.

The King has been doing the usual this year, leading the Cavs to the East’s best record and averaging at least 25 points per game for the 12th straight season.