SPORTS
Blazers end pre-season with win
By Ashley Conklin
Emerald Sports Editor
With the exhibition season
now behind them, the Portland
Trail Blazers can begin defense
of their Western Conference
championship.
Portland wrapped up the pre
season at li-2 with a 13.1-119
win over the Charlotte Hornets
in McArthur Court Sunday
night.
The Blazers open the regular
season Friday night at home,
hosting the Houston Rockets,
and Coach Ric.k Adelman pro
nounced Portland ready for ac
tion.
"With the people we have. I
think we're in much better
shape than last year." he said.
"From the first day of camp
we've wanted to continue to
get better.
Cliff Robinson and Jerome
kersey led seven Blazers in
double figures with 19 and 17
points, respectively, and Danny
Ainge made his Eugene home
coming a successful one with
13 points and five assists.
Portland was without starting
guard Clyde Drexler. who
strained a groin muscle in Sat
urday's 112-97 win over the
Hornets. Drexler stayed in Port
land to receive treatment and
will be ready to go Friday.
Adelman said.
Ainge, who attended North
Kugene High School, got his
only start of the pre-season in
replacing Drexler and respond
ed with a big game, hitting
jump shots on the break and
finding Kersey open under
neath throughout the first half.
Ainge hadn't seen many min
utes throughout the eight pre
season games but figures to be
a kev weapon off the bench for
the Blazers, something Port
land lacked in last year's NBA
Finals against Detroit.
Ainge showed he can still hit
the open shot and the open
man on the break, and said he
was ready for the season to be
gin.
"1 feel very good." he said
"I have much more confidence
in my defense, knowing when
to double down, and I felt like
I’m shooting the hall good "
Portland got out of the gate
in a hurry with Kersey scoring
eight points and Terry Porter
Ptwlu bv Svan Pwton
Trail Blazer lemma Kersey drives the basket for two of his 17
points during an exhibition game against the Charlotte Hor
nets at McArthur Court Sunday night.
hitting for four to lead the Blaz
ers to an early 21-lfi lead, am)
it was the crowd of 9.873.
Adelman said, that played a
key role.
"Everywhere we've gone it's
been like this." Adelman said
"I think after the type of season
we had last year that we're real
ly a state team. It was a good
crowd tonight and they were
very loud.”
After going on top 26-20. the
Blazers < losed out the first peri
od with an 8-0 run to lead
34-20 .ifter one quarter.
The Portland big men helped
the Blazers dominate the sec
ond quarter as Kevin Duck
worth. Alaa Abdelnaby and
Cliff Robinson combined for 18
points to lead Portland to a
72-53 halftime lead as the Blaz
ers closed out the half on 11-2
run.
That allowed Adelman to use
his bench in tin* second half,
and In- got impressive outings
from Robinson and Abdelnaby.
the first-round rookie draft pick
from Duke, who added 13
points
"We played a lot of people
with different combinations in
there so we got some new looks
and I think what we wanted to
accomplish we got," Adolman
said
A del man was also very
pleased with Abdelnaby's play
"He really has such great of
fensive potential," Adolman
said "He is vers quick and he
learns really well lie'll lie able
to do a lot of things for us "
The Blazers were never really
threatened in the second half,
leading hy as many as 2ti points
early in the third quarter and
coasted to an easy win that
made Portland look like a de
fending conference champion
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