Bewerbungen » They showed their balance in a steady

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Los Angeles Clippers goal in their opener was to keep the Portland Trail Blazers from making 3-pointers.The strategy worked: Portland made just four of 18 attempts from the perimeter and the Clippers came away with a 114-106 victory Thursday night.Chris Paul said the Clippers had the luxury of being able to watch Portlands opener two days before.We just saw the clinic they put on at the 3-point line, so we just tried to make it tough on them and get them inside the line, said Paul, who had 27 points.Blake Griffin also had 27 points and added 13 rebounds in what was a contentious game that had fans booing the officials after two flagrant fouls called on Portland players in the fourth quarter. Chris Paul hit a 3-pointer that gave the Clippers a 102-90 lead with 4:07 left and the crowd headed for the exits.The Clippers were the last team in the Western Conference to start the season. Portland opened at home on Tuesday with a 113-104 victory over Utah that included 13 3-pointers.Damian Lillard led the Blazers against the Clippers with 29 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late. His layup got the Blazers to 107-102 with 35.9 seconds left but the rally fell short.I just think we grew frustrated with the way some things went, Lillard said. When were in that situation weve probably got to do a better job of controlling what we can control.The teams last met in the opening round of the playoffs last season. Portland dropped the first two games of the series, but Paul broke his right hand and Griffin reinjured his left quadriceps tendon, and the Blazers won the next four to take the series. Portland would go on to fall to the Golden State Warriors in the conference semifinals.Jamal Crawford hit a 3-pointer that capped a 16-0 run to put the Clippers up 37-27. Griffins layup extended the lead to 49-38 with less than five minutes left in the first half. Paul made a 3 to end the half and the Clippers led 58-49.The game got testy in the third quarter when DeAndre Jordan and Mason Plumlee got into a bit of a pushing match, resulting in offsetting technical fouls.Portland rallied to keep it close throughout the quarter and Allan Crabbes jumper made it 76-73, but Marreese Speights answered for the Clippers with a 3-pointer. It was tied at 82 going into the fourth quarter.Raymond Felton put the Clippers ahead 90-84 but they couldnt extend it any further until midway through the quarter when the game got chippy again and Plumlee was assessed a flagrant foul.I wont comment on the officiating, but obviously I didnt like some of the calls, Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.That shifted the momentum, and the Clippers went up 95-89. CJ McCollum was called for a flagrant on Jordan, who missed both free throws. J.J. Redick made a 3-pointer that put Los Angeles ahead 98-89.When you shoot 40 percent on the road and you have the grit to still win the game, that was pretty cool, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said.TIP INSClippers: The Clippers went after veterans in the offseason, bringing in 11-year pros Felton and Brandon Bass, eight-year pro Speights, and seven-year pro Alan Anderson. ... Los Angeles started Luc Mbah a Moute at small forward.Trail Blazers: Lillard opened the season with 39 points against the Jazz. ... Chance The Rapper was among the fans at the game. ... The Blazers made just four of 18 3-point attempts.TOGETHER: Paul, head of the NBA players union, is one of a group of players that lent their voices to an NBA video to spread a message of unity. Along with Dwyane Wade, Kyle Korver and Carmelo Anthony, the video ends with the words Theres only one way to work through our challenges -- together.The Trail Blazers have been linking arms during the national anthem for the seasons first two games.PLUMLEES GESTURE: He landed in the seats before his dustup with Jordan, startling two kids sitting courtside. After the game he brought them back to the locker room and signed a pair of jerseys for the youngsters.As for the officiating? He said it shouldnt be a distraction.If you are a mentally tough team you dont let that bother you, Plumlee said. Youve got to play through stuff.UP NEXTClippers: Host the Utah Jazz on Sunday night.Trail Blazers: At the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. Cheap Hockey Jerseys ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. NHL Jerseys Outlet . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. http://www.cheaphockeychina.com/cheap-anaheim-ducks-jerseys-china_77g.html . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Cheap Boston Bruins Jerseys China . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. KENT, Ohio -- Jarvion Franklin rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown and Fabian Johnson added a career-high 125 yards as No. 14 Western Michigan rallied for a 37-21 win over Kent State on Tuesday night to become the nations first 10-win team.Franklins 19-yard TD with 8:27 helped the Broncos (10-0, 6-0 Mid-American Conference) finally put away the upset-minded Golden Flashes (3-7, 2-4), who jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.But Western Michigan, abiding by coach P.J. Flecks Row the Boat mantra, kept plugging away and scored 21 straight points before swinging the game with a safety in the fourth.The Broncos are the highest-ranked MAC school in the AP Top 25 poll since 2008 and have their sights on a major bowl bid.Ive never been more proud of a football team in my entire career because they had everything on the line, Fleck said. They had every pressure, expectation, but they continued to row the boat and continued to show their character.Quarterback Zach Terrell scored on a 1-yard keeper in the third quarter, capping a 20-play drive, to give Western Michigan its first lead at 19-14 before he threw a pass to Johnson for the 2-point conversion.Kent State didnt fold and responded with an 83-yard drive, tying it on freshman Justin Rankins 20-yard run.Western Michigans next drive stalled near mid-field, but the Broncos downed a punt at Kent States 1, and on the next play linebacker Robert Spillane stuffed Rankin in the end zone for two points.The Broncos got the ball back, and Johnson, primarily a blocking back, picked up 35 yards on four carries before Franklin scored his 39th career TD, tying the school record held by Jerome Persell (1976-79).Johnson later added a 5-yard TD burst with four minutes left.Kent States defense was missing its best player as star safety Nate Holley was suspended indefinitely following his arrest on felony kidnapping charges.Holleys twin brother,, Nick, Kent States quarterback, rushed for 141 yards.ddddddddddddIt was a tough, hard-nosed football game, Kent State head coach Paul Haynes said. Our guys fought like crazy for as long as we could. When we look at the film, Im sure well see a lot of good individual efforts. We just came up short.The Broncos were the last team in the country to commit a turnover, and that didnt come until their seventh game. But Franklins fumble on their first offensive play put them in a hole.Franklin had the ball jarred loose and it was picked up by Kent State defensive back Najee Murray, who returned it 47 yards to make it 7-0 just 2:07 into the game.The Golden Flashes went up 14-0 on Holleys 3-yard TD run later in the quarter.Western Michigan had not trailed by more than seven all season, and showing the kind of poise Fleck preaches daily, the Broncos scored the next 13, pulling within one on Butch Hamptons 23-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.THE TAKEAWAYWestern Michigan: A national title may be out of the question, but the Broncos are in a class with Alabama, Michigan, Clemson and Washington as the only unbeaten teams left. They showed their balance in a steady rain as star wide receiver Corey Davis was held to one catch for 18 yards after getting 12 for 272 yards last week.Kent State: Once again, the Golden Flashes played well but couldnt finish. Four of their losses have been by 15 combined points.NEXTWestern Michigan: The Broncos get back on a normal schedule and return home on Nov. 19 to play Buffalo, which is just 2-7.Kent State: The Golden Flashes play again next Tuesday night, when they visit Bowling Green, 0-5 in the conference and 1-8 overall.---More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '