Tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, the Portland Trailblazers, down 0-2 in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series with the San Antonio Spurs, will try to ride a raucous home crowd to a Game 3 win that gets them back into the swing of things. Watch the game on ESPN or live stream it free by clicking this link. Spurs fans can hear the radio broadcast on 1200 WOAI, while Blazers fans can tune in to Fox Sports Radio 620.
After ripping a shoddy Rockets defense to shreds in Round 1, Portland is having the same done to them in the semis. Head coach Terry Stotts didn't mince words when he discussed a simple solution to his young club's ills.
"We don't have a chance if we don't rebound and we don't defend," Stotts said. He's gotten plenty from the rock in the frontcourt though, LaMarcus Aldridge. He is averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds a night in Round 2, although the Spurs' team defense has rendered those numbers inefficient (37.5 percent from the field).
Aldridge thinks the Blazers have more in store than they've shown so far. "We know that we haven't played our best basketball, so now we have to," Aldridge said. "Going home, every guy has to play better, starting with me, and I think every guy will."
Spurs point guard Tony Parker said he's pleased to be up 2-0, but reminded folks that they simply took care of business on their home floor. "We did our part and won both games at home of this series, but the series starts when you win one on the road and we know it is one of the toughest arenas to play in," Parker said.
"They play really well at home and they have a great crowd, so it is going to be about how we handle these next two games. We need to play with the same energy, take care of the ball, especially on the road, and play the same defense."
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