DALLAS -- The Portland Trail Blazers no longer are chasing the San Antonio Spurs in the NBAs Western Conference. Moussa Sissoko Jersey. LaMarcus Aldridge had 30 points and 12 rebounds, and the Trail Blazers beat the Dallas Mavericks 127-111 on Saturday night to pull even with the Spurs at 31-9. The Trail Blazers have won five consecutive games, including a 109-100 victory at San Antonio on Friday. "I was really proud of the way our team played, especially on the heels of an emotional win in San Antonio," coach Terry Stotts said. "Our resolve, defensively, I thought was very good and got us into a position to have a large lead." The lead reached 38 points at 111-73 with 9:43 to play. A 25-2 surge against Portlands bench brought Dallas within 15 points with 4:38 remaining before the starters returned to restore order. The Trail Blazers, the NBAs highest-scoring team, reached 30 points in the first quarter for the 14th time in 2013-14, and 100 points in three quarters for the fourth time. "We are just playing great basketball right now," Aldridge said. "Whenever guys guard the way they can, this team is good." Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 18 points in 21 minutes. All five Portland starters scored in double figures, and Aldridge, Robin Lopez and Damian Lillard (14 points, 10 assists) each recorded a double-double. "The first three quarters were beyond embarrassing," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We were poor on offence, too. We werent playing together. We werent helping each other. "You do that against a high-level quality team like Portland, theyre going to make you pay a heavy price." Portland outrebounded Dallas 55-30, scored 60 points in the paint and had 22 second-chance points. Nicolas Batum shot 6 for 7 and scored 15 of his 21 points in the first quarter as the Trail Blazers opened a 35-23 lead. "They were double-teaming LaMarcus," Batum said, "so the other four guys around him moved around to get open. Were a shooting team." Portland shot 51 per cent (46 for 90) for the game, including 59 per cent (26 for 44) for a 71-52 halftime lead. The Trail Blazers defence also was superb, holding the Mavericks to 39 per cent shooting (26 for 66) while running up a 104-70 lead after three quarters. Portland had 30 fast-break points to Dallas 5. "Theyre obviously a tough team to defend," Nowitzki said. "They have LaMarcus on the block and they have shooters out there. They really got whatever they wanted for three quarters and they were very good." Carlisle found a silver lining in the fourth quarter, when the Mavericks outscored the Trail Blazers 41-23. "The guys that were in there in the fourth quarter really fought," he said. "Im going to find guys that will fight and get them in the game, simple as that." Jae Crowder scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, and DeJuan Blair had 11 of his 13. The Mavericks Devin Harris played 17 minutes and scored six points in his first game this season following toe surgery. Harris played the first 3 1/2 of his 10 NBA seasons with Dallas, and re-signed with the team last summer, but missed the first 41 games. He received a standing ovation when he entered the game with 3:22 remaining in the first quarter. Harris missed his first two free throws, but hit a long 2-point field goal at the buzzer later in the quarter. "I actually like what I saw," Nowitzki said. "Were looking forward to getting him out there more and more and playing at a high level." Portlands lead grew to 18 in the second quarter, but the Mavericks battled back within 54-46 with an 18-8 run. With the Trail Blazers starting lineup back in the game, they scored 17 of the final 23 points in the second quarter. Aldridge and Batum each had 17 first-half points. The third quarter also started well for Portland, which quickly stretched its advantage to 83-58. NOTES: Dallas Shawn Marion made his 1,000th NBA start. . The Trail Blazers are just 8-6 when they have scored 30-plus points in the first quarter, but theyre 4-0 when reaching 100 in just three quarters. They entered the night averaging 109.1 points per game. ... The Mavericks reassigned rookie guard Ricky Ledo to Texas of the NBA Development League. He has played in only nine games for Dallas, averaging 3.3 minutes and 1.9 points. ... Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $100,000 for confronting officials on the court and using inappropriate language after Wednesdays game against the Clippers in Los Angeles. ... When asked what knowledge Stotts had gained after Portland won only 33 games last season, Carlisle joked about his former assistant, "You mean other than what he stole here?" Steve Mandanda France Jersey .The rookie goalie made 36 saves to help the Calgary Flames blank their Pacific Division rivals 1-0 on Saturday following a 48-hour ordeal that included lost baggage, a cancelled flight and a new pair of contact lenses. Lucas Digne Jersey . Jones took a beating, the worst one of his record reign, in a bout against Alexander Gustafsson that knocked the light heavyweight champion on the canvas for the first time in his career and put his belt in jeopardy.CLEVELAND - Johnny Manziels ready to hand off his nickname. Or at least share it. After Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill shredded No. 9 South Carolina for 511 yards passing on Thursday, breaking Manziels single-game school record, the Browns rookie QB acknowledged that his replacement in College Station had more than earned some respect and attention. Manziel posted "KENNY FOOTBALL" on his Twitter account and later gave Hill a shout out during his news conference by saying, "Kenny Football, baby! Lets go!" For any Texas A&M fans worried about how the Aggies would replace Manziel, the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, Hill put them at ease. He completed 44 of 60 with three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. Manziel, who threw a TD pass and showed some of his typical flashiness in Clevelands 33-13 exhibition win over Chicago, was asked if he could give up his "Football" nickname so easily. "Hey," he said. "You throw for 511 yards ..." Hill, though, would prefer making his own name. "I dont really like Kenny Football," he said after upsetting the Gamecocks. Johnny Football, meanwhile, made more progress in his fourth preseason game as a pro. Manziel threw a 1-yard TD pass, ran for 55 yards — 22 coming on one run — and had a few of those head-scratching plays he seems to have patented. Manziels passing statistics were poor — 6 of 17 for 83 yards and a 71.4 rating — and he threw a couple passes that wobbled their way toward their intended targets. "I dont think I threw the ball particularly well," Manziel said. "I felt it came out of my hand a little funny with those first few throws and as the drives went on I felt like I threw it better. You have days like that where the ball feels a little different in your hand. I wish that I had some throws back, but I feel llike I went to the right place a few times and I think I just needed to man-up and make the throw in order to give them a better ball. Mathieu Debuchy France Jersey. I was definitely a little upset on the field." Manziel kept his celebrating to a minimum. He didnt flash the "money" gesture after his scoring pass to tight end Jim Dray. He did show some frustration when his first pass, a long throw to Gary Barnidge hit the tight end between the 8 and 2 on his jersey and fell incomplete. Manziel knows drops happen, and hes not afraid to point out his own failures. "Theres times where I miss a throw and Im sure the receivers looking at me wondering the same thing, What the hell is he doing back there?" Manziel said. "I know those guys are out there busting their tail for me. Accidents happen. If somebody drops one, youve got to pick them up and move on to the next play." Manziel kept a couple plays alive with his feet. He danced around in the pocket, sidestepping Bears defensive linemen before hitting Nate Burleson for a 27-yard gain. It was vintage Manziel: electrifying for fans, terrifying for a coach. Mike Pettines getting used to it. "Thats who he is," Clevelands first-year coach said. "Somebody said on the sideline, Theres Johnny being Johnny. There was one play where it was no, no, no, yes, yes, yes that was just typical of his playmaking ability." Manziels performance came on the same day he took on a new persona: "Johnny Jamboogie." Hes featured in a TV commercial for Snickers in which Manziel, dressed in spandex tights and headband, is an aerobics instructor teaching a class of women. Manziel said he enjoyed making the spot. "I was a little out of my comfort zone at the beginning," Manziel said. "It was no Joe Pesci." ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
The Wall