Allgemeine Plauderecke » hing tied for 39th and 42nd, respectively

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A broad smile lit up Will Bartons face when he was asked what he thought about the fans chanting his name in Portlands 124-80 rout of Brooklyn. "I like to think Im the peoples champ," Barton joked after scoring had a season-high 20 points and grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds off the bench in an inspired victory for the short-handed Trail Blazers. "I had a lot of fun tonight," he said. "We got a win, a big-time win. We had a lot of guys down (with injuries) so this win was huge for us." Portland won its fourth straight game despite missing forward LaMarcus Aldridge. The teams top scorer and rebounder has been out five straight games with a left groin sprain. Jason Collins, who became the NBAs first openly gay player when he signed a 10-day contract with the Nets on Sunday, entered the game without much fan reaction and played a pair of scoreless stretches in the fourth quarter when coach Jason Kidd had taken out his starters. Deron Williams had 12 points for the Nets, who suffered their third-worst margin of defeat in franchise history. It was the teams lowest point total this season. Kidd said the Nets looked listless. "Our energy was not there," he said. "On the offensive end, we missed shots and we kind of felt sorry for ourselves -- which carried over to the defensive end, and we didnt make stops." Mo Williams scored 21 points and Nicolas Batum had 19 in three quarters to lead seven Trail Blazers in double figures. Portland coach Terry Stotts also pulled his starters in the fourth quarter. The Blazers were hurting up front. In addition to Aldridge, Portland also was without forward Joel Freeland, who was missing his sixth game with a right knee sprain, and second-year centre Myers Leonard, who was out with a right ankle sprain. The Blazers also announced just before the game that forward Thomas Robinson, a key reserve in Aldridges absence, injured his left knee in Portlands 100-95 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. Results of an MRI on Wednesday were negative. The Blazers started Dorell Wright in place of Aldridge, who leads the Blazers with an average of 23.9 points and 11.4 rebounds. "We didnt have anything to lose," guard Wesley Matthews said. "We look like an AAU team out there. We dont have any size other than RoLo (centre Robin Lopez). No one is playing their true positions. Were just playing off ball movement, off chemistry and its working for us." The Nets saw the return of starting guard Shaun Livingston. "That was an ugly night," said Livingston, who did not play in Brooklyns 108-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday because of a bruised tailbone. The Blazers opened with an 11-2 run, which was countered by a 10-2 run by the Nets that gave Brooklyn a 16-15 lead. Portland answered with a 12-2 run to go up 29-20 going into the second quarter. Bartons alley-oop dunk from Williams put Portland up 33-22. His jumper extended the lead to 45-30, and then a 3-pointer and his dunk pushed it to 58-34 at the break. Barton scored 12 points in the second quarter as the Blazers finished off the first half on a 19-4 run. Portland extended its lead to as many as 34 points in the third quarter. Portlands margin of victory was the largest for either team in the history of the series "Well, I didnt see that coming," Stotts said. "It was a good effort by everyone who played." Hours after Collins signed on Sunday he was on the court for the Nets, playing 11 minutes with two rebounds and a steal against the Lakers. He also had five fouls. Against the Blazers, Collins played seven total minutes and attempted a field goal. The Nets signed him to help in the absence of centre Brook Lopez, who is out for the season because of a broken right foot. The Nets will play again Thursday night in Denver. The Blazers have a break until Saturday night, when they host the Nuggets. NOTES: Portland won the only other meeting between the teams this season, 108-98 at the Barclays Center. ... Portland got a scare in the first quarter when starting guard Matthews fell after getting tangled up with Paul Pierce and briefly retreated to the locker room. Matthews later returned to hearty applause from the fans. ... Brooklyns 34 points was a first-half low for a Portland opponent. Goedkope Nike Schoenen Outlet . Ryan Callahan trade talks caught a lot of people off guard. Details are now emerging about why the Rangers would consider such a move. Darren Dreger: He wants a lot of money. Its been widely reported that Callahan is looking for a seven-year term around $6 million per year. That is not accurate. Im told that it is more than $6. Nike Schoenen Sale Outlet . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. http://www.nikeschoenenoutletnederland.com/. -- Justin Verlander took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight decision, leading Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Sunday and extending the Tigers winning streak to a season-high five games. Nike Schoenen Online Goedkoop . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. Nike Schoenen Outlet Nederland . The veteran fighter will be squaring off with Henderson in a five-round lightweight bout as part of another network televised card at the United Center on Saturday night.SHENZHEN, China -- A day after Alexander Levy played a near-perfect 62 in the second round at the China Open -- the best 18-hole score of his career -- the Frenchman was happy just to get off the course with a 2-under 70 Saturday in pelting rain with gusting winds. That was solid enough to maintain a three-stroke lead over Alvaro Quiros of Spain heading into the final round. "It was tough to stay focused, but I kept my mind in good condition and played some good shots," Levy said. Levy, aiming for his first European Tour title, wasnt nearly as accurate as he was on Friday, when he holed a 20-foot putt for eagle and made eight birdies en route to setting a new course record at Genzon Golf Club. But he handled the nasty weather at the start of the third round and maintained his composure after bogeying Nos. 14 and 16, managing to avoid a third bogey with a 15-foot putt for par on the 18th. He has a 16-under total of 200. Levy knows he will face a lot more pressure on Sunday, even with a three-stroke cushion. Last year, he was tied with Ernie Els for the lead heading into the final round of the BMW International Open, but committed four bogeys in his last nine holes to slip to third. "I will be nervous, but because youre nervous doesnt mean you cant play well," he said. "Ill sleep nicely because Im tired. It was a long day with the weather and difficult golf course." Quiros has six European Tour titles to his credit but hasnt got a win -- or even a top-three finish -- since his title at the Dubai World Championship in November 2011. "If Alex plays really well then we might not be able to catch him," Quiros said. "It has been two-and-a-half years since I won so I have not had those feelings for a long time." Finlands Mikko Ilonen was four strokes back in third place after a 67, while Englands Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Spains Adrian Otaegui (71) were another stroke behind in a tie for fourth. A day after 15--year-old Chinese amateur Guan Tianlang failed to make the cut, another young homegrown talent, 18-year-old Li Haotong, shot a 67 to match the lowest score of the day and jump into joint eighth at 7 under.dddddddddddd. With the leaders so far ahead, Li is playing for another goal -- a big payday. The golf club has pledged to double the purse for any Chinese player finishing in the top five. While Guan has received most of the attention in China after his breakthrough performance at last years Masters, where he became the youngest player to make the cut, Li is perhaps better poised to make an immediate impact on the game. Last year, he signed an endorsement deal with Nike and coped remarkably well against elite fields at the HSBC Champions and BMW Masters in his hometown of Shanghai, finishing tied for 39th and 42nd, respectively. And after practicing on the Genzon Golf Club course for the last two months, hes close to his first top-five finish. "Im very happy. I want to keep that name on the leaderboard," he said. Englands Ian Poulter also shot a 67 Saturday to move up to equal 11th place. But Poulter said he was still smarting from a two-stroke penalty he incurred on the 13th hole Friday when he improperly measured his drop after hitting into the rough. He took a triple-bogey 8 on the hole, following a double bogey on the 12th. "I shouldnt be happy with the position Im in. I dropped five shots yesterday in two holes. Its unacceptable. Its disgraceful," he said. "I should be a lot closer to the lead, but thats golf. You cant have it perfect all the time." Third-ranked Henrik Stenson would certainly agree. The Swede hasnt played his best since coming down with the flu earlier this week, and couldnt make up any ground on the leaders Saturday, falling 12 shots behind after shooting a 71. He needed a win here to take over the top ranking from Tiger Woods -- a goal that now appears well out of reach. ' ' '