Portland Trail Blazers vs Toronto Raptors Sunday 12-07-08

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• Description : BY ROBERT KREMERS Steve Blakes cl...(more)utch, go-ahead three-pointer with less than 10 seconds to play gave the Portland Trail Blazers (15-7) a 98-97 win against the Toronto Raptors (8-11) in front of 17,671 disappointed fans at the Air Canada Centre Sunday afternoon. With the win, Portland finishing the five game Eastern Conference road trip with a 4-1 record. The victory also keeps Portland atop the Northwest Division standings, with the Denver Nuggets just a half game back. The Trail Blazers sit at second overall on the Western Conference, three games behind the Los Angeles Lakers. Trailing by two points with less than 20 seconds left in the game, Brandon Roy missed a short floater from inside the key. Greg Oden grabbed the rebound and missed a contested jump-hook, and the ball was tipped around multiple times until Rudy Fernandez grabbed it and threw it to Steve Blake. Blake calmly drilled a three pointer with 8.4 seconds left to take the lead 98-97. Chris Bosh tried to answer for Toronto, but missed a driving layup with less than a second left in the game. Blake finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists while committing only one turnover. Its a great win, said Steve Blake shortly after his game winner. Its hard to win the last game of a road trip but we fought. They got on us from the very beginning. We just have to have confidence, believe in each other. Even when they went on runs, we didnt put our heads down, keep battling. Thats what makes a good team. The game was one of hot and cold streaks for the Trail Blazers. Portland got off to a slow start, struggling from the field and also with ball control as Portland had seven first quarter turnovers. Portland took better care of the ball the last three quarters, committing only seven turnovers the rest of the game. LaMarcus Aldridge made the first basket of the game, a free-throw line jumper, but then Portland missed its next seven field goal attempts until Greg Oden sank a hook shot over Andrea Bargnani nearly six minutes later. Oden finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge controlled the boards with 11 of Portlands 18 offensive rebounds. Overall Portland out-rebounded Toronto 48 to 31. The second quarter was a different story. Rudy Fernandez provided the Trail Blazers a spark off the bench, tallying had 14 first half points which contributed to Portlands 23-10 run in the second quarter. The Trail Blazers were firing on all cylinders as the third quarter started after Steve Blake and Aldridge hit back-to-back baseline three pointers. On the ensuing possession, Portland raced up court and Nicolas Batum found Aldridge for a dunk. Aldridge had 13 third quarter points and finished the game with 20 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Former Trail Blazer Jermaine ONeal did all he could to help the Raptors get a win, tallying a season-high 24 points and recorded eight rebounds and six blocked shots. Martell Webster returned to action late in the first quarter for the first time since his foot surgery in early October, but he did not score. After playing five minutes in the first half, Webster felt some soreness in his foot and did not return. The Trail Blazers return to the Rose Garden Tuesday for a game against the Orlando Magic. Portland already beat the Magic earlier this season in Orlando. (less)