Teint » overturned. Span then moved to third on an infie

CHICAGO -- The Portland Trail Blazers had dropped three straight games and appeared in danger of losing considerable playoff ground in the tough Western Conference before LaMarcus Aldridge returned to the lineup on Thursday. Two games later, the Blazers seemed to have turned things following a pair of comfortable wins, the latest a 91-74 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. Is the turnaround as easily explained as the return of an All-Star performer? Well, yeah, the Blazers say. "Other than us getting our best player back, which changes everything, I think our urgency is going up," Damian Lillard said. "After the loss at Orlando (on Tuesday), we realized, All right, its time to turn it around now. We cant wait and we cant have all of these lackadaisical efforts. "Everybodys got on the same page and, during these last two games, weve really defended and done everything together." Mo Williams scored 18 points to lead five Blazers in double figures. Lillard had 16 points, Nicolas Batum and Robin Lopez each had 13, Wesley Matthews had 11 and Thomas Robinson added 10. The Blazers got past the Bulls easily, despite a quiet night from Aldridge, who was playing just his second game after missing two weeks with a back injury. He had five points and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes after having 25 points and 16 rebounds in Atlanta. "His presence on the court puts pressure on everyone," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "He does a lot more to help us win than just his field-goal percentage." No one in the Bulls locker room would disagree. "He is a load down there; a great player," Joakim Noah said. "You can tell when he is on the court, whether he scores or not. He changes their team. He is one of the best in the game." Carlos Boozer had 16 points and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes to lead Chicago. D.J. Augustin had 15, Taj Gibson 13 and Noah added 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Bulls, who had a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win on their own, lost both games of the season series and have dropped 11 of 13 overall against Portland, including five of seven at the United Center. With the New York Knicks loss to the Phoenix Suns, the Bulls still managed to wrap up a playoff spot. Before Friday, the Bulls had been 10-3 in their last 13 home games, averaging 96.8 points on 44.5 per cent shooting during that span. But it was apparent early that they wouldnt approach either of those marks in this one. "We were flat," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "They had something to do with that." Getting off to fast starts was one reason behind the Bulls recent home success, but they were cold at the start, going 8-of-23 (34.8 per cent) from the field in scoring 16 points in the first quarter. Minus Boozers 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting, the rest of the team managed just six points on 3-of-13 shooting. The Blazers had a 47-36 halftime lead and then took charge at the start of the third quarter, beginning the second half with a dunk by Lopez and a 3-pointer by Batum to make it 52-36. In all, Portland stretched the run to 15-2 for a 62-38 lead. The Bulls ended the third quarter on a mini-spurt -- including a three-point play on a dunk and foul by Gibson -- to trim the deficit to 73-58 entering the fourth quarter. The Bulls got the ball first in the final quarter and had a couple of inside looks on that initial possession, but came up empty. Lillard then essentially dashed any hopes of a huge rally with a 3-pointer at the other end to make it 76-58. The Bulls failed to score 80 points for the 11th time this season and are 0-11 in those games. "Our defence tonight was just an example of everybody being there for each other," Lopez said. "When you know there is someone behind you, it gives you the confidence to be aggressive." NOTES: Bulls G Derrick Rose, out for the season with a torn right meniscus, suffered the injury in the first game against the Blazers on Nov. 22 and had surgery three days later. ... Thibodeau was asked if he was taking part in the Bulls NCAA pool. "I didnt get a chance to participate," the coach said. "I was looking at that Quicken Loans one. I think I would have won that." That was the contest in which Warren Buffett offered $1 billion to anyone who could fill out a perfect bracket. No one made it through the third day without at least one game wrong. ... Portland entered with a 20-18 road record but was 2-7 in last nine. Cheap Vikings Jerseys .J. - Trying to learn and absorb the new West Coast offence being installed by new offensive co-ordinator Ben McAdoo, the New York Giants wrapped their final organized team activity Thursday before a three-day mini-camp next week. Wholesale Vikings Jerseys .Hammel pitched inside more and it helped him get into the seventh inning as the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Friday night. http://www.cheapvikingsjerseysauthentic.com/ . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said.WASHINGTON -- Anthony Rendon homered to spark a three-run seventh inning, and pinch-hitter Nate McLouth came through with a tiebreaking sacrifice fly as the Washington Nationals rallied past the Houston Astros 6-5 Wednesday night for a two-game sweep. Washington extended its NL East lead to 1 1/2 games over Atlanta and Miami. The Nationals open a four-game series against the Braves on Thursday night in Washington. Rendon led off the seventh against Josh Zeid with his 10th home run, cutting the deficit to 5-4. Jayson Werth walked and went to third on Adam LaRoches single off Darin Downs (1-1). Kyle Farnsworth came on to face Ryan Zimmerman, who grounded into a fielders choice, beating the relay to first as Werth scored to tie it. Ian Desmond then doubled Zimmerman to third. After Danny Espinosa was intentionally walked, McLouths long fly to left field scored Zimmerman with the go-ahead run. Aaron Barrett (3-0) got one out for the win and Rafael Soriano earned his 15th save. Matt Dominguez drove in two runs for the Astros, who have lost three straight. Rendon, a Houston native, is 9 for 18 against the Astros with seven RBIs. For the second night in a row, neither starter made it past the fifth inning. Astros right-hander Scott Feldman left after five innings with a 4-2 lead. He gave up six hits and three walks while striking out five. Gio Gonzalez, activated Wednesday after missing 29 games due to left shoulder inflammation, pitched five innings, allowing four runs and five hits. He struck out six and walked three while throwing 93 pitches. Gonzalez has allowed 16 earned runs over 12 1-3 innings in his last three starts, including his last two before going on the disabled list.dddddddddddd His ERA climbed to 4.94, the highest it has been in June or later since 2009. A replay review helped Washington take a 1-0 lead in the first. Denard Span walked and was called out attempting to steal second. Nationals manager Matt Williams challenged the call, and after a replay review it was overturned. Span then moved to third on an infield single by Rendon and scored on LaRoches sacrifice fly. In the third, Werth walked, stole second and scored on Desmonds single. With Houston trailing 2-0 in the fourth, five straight Astros reached safely. After a walk and a hit batter, Jon Singleton singled to load the bases. With the count 2-1, Dominguez lined Gonzalezs fastball to left field for a two-run single. Jason Castro followed with an RBI double and Jonathan Villar added a sacrifice fly to put Houston ahead 4-2. The Nationals cut the deficit to one when Spans two-out double in the sixth scored Espinosa. The Astros got it right back in the seventh. Robbie Grossman went from first to third on a single by Jose Altuve and scored on Ross Detwilers wild pitch. NOTES: The Nationals stole a season-high five bases, all in the first three innings. ... Houston RHP Brad Peacock (stomach virus) didnt make the trip to Washington and will rejoin the team Thursday when it opens a four-game series at Tampa Bay. ... RHP Jordan Zimmermann (5-3, 2.98 ERA) opposes Atlanta RHP Gavin Floyd (1-2, 2.98) in Thursdays series opener. ... Houston RHP Collin McHugh (4-4, 3.03) faces RHP Chris Archer (3-4, 3.40) on Thursday at Tampa Bay. ' ' '