November 2, 2013
NOTES
• With the win, Portland now owns the second-longest home opener win streak in NBA history with 13 consecutive wins (Boston Celtics – 14, 1979-92).
• Nicolas Batum notched the third triple-double of his career with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Batum is only the sixth player in Trail Blazers history to record at least three double-doubles with the Trail Blazers (Sidney Wicks, Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Damon Stoudemire).
• Portland is now 13-5 against San Antonio since the 2008-09 season, owning the best record against the Spurs in that time frame. The Miami Heat are the only other team with a winning record against the Spurs since 2008-09 with a record of 5-4.
• The Trail Blazers handed the Spurs their first loss of the 2013-14 season.
• LaMarcus Aldridge is only the second Trail Blazer all-time to record at least 10 made field goals in the first three games of a season (Petrie, 1973).
• LaMarcus Aldridge is the first player to make at least 11 field goals in each of his team’s first three season games since Carmelo Anthony in 2009.
• Nicolas Batum registered double figures in assists for the fifth time in his career, all since Dec. 16, 2012.
• LaMarcus Aldridge is the first Trail Blazer to score 24+ points in each of the team’s first three games of a season since Cliff Robinson (1995).
• Portland had six players score in double figures, Batum – 11, Aldridge – 24, Lopez – 12, Matthews – 20, Lillard – 25, Williams – 13. Five Trail Blazers scored in double figures the previous night in Denver.
• LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 points in the first quarter, his highest first quarter total this season.
• Mo Williams (13 points, 6-for-9 FG) and Robin Lopez (12 points, 6-for-10) both recorded season-high points and made field goals.
On All Five Starters Scoring In Double Figures
“We have a lot of guys that can score. We move the ball well and that’s got to be our thing. On any given night, someone can go off for a big night, but for the most part, for us to stay consistent, for us to continue to win and build wins on top of wins, we have to have that. Mo coming off the bench playing well, Dorrell playing well off the bench and everybody that gets in the game has to produce.”
On Bouncing Back From Opening Night Loss To Suns:
““It feels good, it feels great after the bitter taste of the way we played against Phoenix. You know, you have to tip your hat to them. They beat Utah after us at home. We just didn’t bring the energy that we needed to. We did these past two nights, and they turned into wins for us. ”
Was That Th Best Rhythm You've Been In Here?:
“I think so. I was just focused on the defensive end. Obviously, we’ve got guys who can score. I don’t have to worry about that.”
“My focus is a little different with team. Our starting line-up, offensively at least, it’s stacked I think.”
On Developing Offensive Rhythm With Batum:
“I just know when I roll, he’s going to be looking for me. I think that’s how Nic is with anybody who sets a pick for him. He’s so talented offensively, that people have to watch him, but he’s also a gifted passer. It makes it easy for me.”
After struggling in preseason opener, does it feel good to play well in regular season home opener?
“Well I think I’ll be satisfied tonight and then I’ll wake up in the morning and get back to business. But yeah, definitely.”
On Home Crowd For Opening Night:
“I love that. I think there were a lot of times where I was feeling fatigued and just hearing the roar of the crowd, that picked me back up. It was kind of unbelievable.”
Terry Stotts
On Tonight's Performance:
“Obviously, it was a really good win. It’s nice to get a home win against the defending Western Conference champs. Two different halves – the first half, I thought both teams really played good defense. I was really pleased with our defense in the first half. We took care of the rim, we took care of threes, forced two thirds of their shots were mid-range jump shots. They only took, I don’t know, four threes. The first half was an excellent first half, then I don’t know what happened but both teams caught fire the second half and it was a shootout. I was pleased with our poise down the stretch. We kept making plays that we needed to make at both ends when it mattered. It’s good to open up the home season with a win.”
On Lopez's Game:
“I didn’t realize he had only been out 50 seconds in the second half, but he just kept plugging. He plays hard at both ends, really goes after every rebound. He made a big block down the stretch. His presence in the paint just makes a difference. You feel his effort and you feel his energy when he’s on the court.”
Are You Looking For Balanced Scoring Like You Saw Tonight?:
“I like it because it’s difficult to game plan if you have different players who are capable of making shots and making plays. To me, as long as the ball is moving and the shots are in rhythm, whether everybody scores double figures or one guy gets 40, as long as the game is played at the offensive end with continuity and passing and teamwork, that’s the most important thing.”
Were You Please With The Defensive Execution?:
“Certainly the first half. The first half it was. The second half, probably not as much but I thought we adhered to our principles. We forced a lot of midrange jump shots and they made a decent share in the second half. Fundamentally, how we guarded pick and rolls and tried to keep in front of our guys and chase over guys, that’s what we wanted to do. “
“Belinelli made some unbelievable shots. He almost single handedly made it a game. He kept them in it with timely shooting. Some were twos and some were threes. I thought the last two threes he hit were incredible shots.”
Tony Paker
On Aldridge's Performance Tonight:
"Aldridge always plays well against us, knocking down shots. He opens up everybody else because we have to double-team him. That's why he's an all-star."
On Batum's Buzzer Shot:
"I don't care. I don't care about that."
On What Lost The Game Tonight:
"I think offensively in the first half we could have done better, defensively too. We had a couple of breakdowns. But it's still early in the season so we still have to work on some stuff."
On Belinelli's Fourth Quarter As A Clutch Player:
"He makes big shots, he's known for that - in the NBA, in Europe, in Italy, so he's going to be a good weapon for us to have."
On Boris' Offensive Aggressiveness:
"He played like that all summer. He was the reason why we won the gold medal. He was very impressive, taking shots, and now he's doing the same thing here. We're a better team when he plays like that."
Greg Popovich
On Belinelli's Performance In The Fourth Quarter:
"It wasn't just in the fourth quarter, he's a competitor. He's got, he's from the same cloth as Manu. He's out there to compete and do everything he can to try to win."
On Batum's Buzzer Shot:
"Why would I be mad at that? He's a good kid. I don't care."