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Live from the Rose Garden as the Portland Trail Blazers welcome the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are not too far removed from their championship seasons of yore, although few teams have exposed their age like the youthful (when healthy) Blazers. Portland has won the last four meetings between these two teams, and five of the last six as well. San Antonio is the pinnacle of a well-run franchise—the very model Portland has tried to emulate—and while they might be the lumbering dinosaurs of the NBA, this team isn't finished.

As is custom these days, let's do the injury checklist for the Blazers: Brandon Roy (hell naw, out until Saturday's game against the Lakers), Nicolas Batum (yup, Frenchy 88 will be playing), and Jerryd Bayless (he's probable, which in Baylessese means he'll play until he dies). For the Spurs, Tony Parker returns after a three game absence due to a sprained ankle.

No injuries can stop this hot live blog action.

PRE-GAME:
Francophiles takes note. Tonight will feature the rare combination of not un, or deux, but trois Frenchmen. The aforementioned Batum and Parker, plus Spurs bench player Ian Mahinmi as well. How delightful.

Before this season, as most Blazers fans were sizing their digits for the championship ring this team was destined to eventually win, the playoffs seemed like a given thing. But now... um, not so much. The Oklahoma City Thunder (yes, that is a real team) is currently higher on the playoff ladder than the Blazers, and Portland is a few games out of the 11th slot in the Western Conference. Not good. Granted, this team has been mauled by injuries and is trapped in a historically difficult Western Conference. When it rains...

FIRST QUARTER:
10:44 - In the early going this game has the feel of last week's thumping courtesy of the Utah Jazz. The Spurs are either shooting wide open threes or scoring at will from under the basket. Granted, they are missing. The Blazers, meanwhile, are settling for contested jumpers and looking less than motivated on offense. 4-0 Spurs.

6:35 - George Hill isn't having much trouble getting wide open at will for the Spurs, while LaMarcus Aldridge hasn't even come close to hitting any of three attempts. Sometimes it would be nice to have a PF that scored within 16 feet of the basket. Not the start Portland hoped for. 13-5 Spurs.

6:32 - Rebecca Harlow sighting... in the crowd. I guess that means she gets TNT games off. Craig Sager's suits are kinder on the eyes.

6:15 - This is the worst game I have seen from Aldridge is quite some time. He's just sleepwalking through the motions. I'd hate to think last season was a contract year performance for him. 13-7 Spurs.

4:22 - Of course, sensing my disappointment, Aldridge hits his next two attempts. This turn of events has done wonders for my ego. One play later, Portland gets a Miller-to-Rudy-to-Webster-to-Rudy fastbreak layup to tie the game. 15-15.

1:54 - I'm not the biggest Tony Parker fan on the planet, but he sure does have a knack for finding his way directly under the basket for a small player. A few Blazer players could learn from him. 22-19 Spurs.

0:12 - I'll take Rudy scoring at the rim to the usual Rudy recklessly bombing threes any night. His driving layup brings Portland within one, and Aldridge gets the team's eighth fastbreak point with his layup (while fouled). 24-22 Blazers.

0:01 - Once again, Rudy with another layup. I like national TV Rudy the best. 26-24 Blazers.

SECOND QUARTER:
11:03 - As much as it's a treat to see Portland's rookies in the rotation, both Dante Cunningham and Jeff Pendergraph are great, but neither are ready top be out there. Cunningham picking up two fouls in about 40 seconds is proof of that. How many other (competitive) teams have had to lean on their second round draft picks like this? 31-30 Spurs.

9:55 - Woah. Manu Ginobli tosses a pass through the legs of Juwan Howard to DeJuan Blair for a layup while getting fouled by Blake. Poor Juwan. This game has slowed to a snail's pace, which is exactly what the Spurs wanted. 35-30 Spurs.

8:11 - Batum for three. Thank god. If I had to watch Parker dribble around Blake again I was going to lose my lunch. 39-36 Spurs.

6:25 - The Blazers are now running Batum on Parker to stop the bleeding, but it's not helping. Parker has 16. So much for that ankle injury. 44-38 Spurs.

5:22 - The more Portland runs, the better chance they have. That's 11 fastbreak points, finished with a Cunningham layup. One play later, the rookie hits a short jumper and the Spurs call timeout. They planned for a lot of players to contribute, but not that kid. 46-44 Spurs.

4:29 - Bayless just left for the locker room. He was bogged down by a few injuries and might be done for the night. Cunningham is not done, he hits another. 46-46 tie.

2:40 - Webster for three and Portland has the lead. 49-48 Blazers.

2:24 - Bayless is back. Riding the stationary bike by the bench. It's really odd sight, like exercising in front of 20,000 people. I'd be self conscious. 49-49 tie.

0:20 - Portland with a chance to tie at the break, but Webster misses a soft running jumper. San Antonio leads at the half. 53-51 Spurs.

THIRD QUARTER:
12:00 - Bayless is back. The exercise bike is lonely.

9:30 - The Blazers staring five just run the ball through Aldridge and wait for something to happen. Funny how much more active their bench players are. I like Rudy on the court with Batum, but it would be nice to see some variety instead of just five starters killing time until Roy returns. 57-53 Spurs.

6:59 - Old on old action: Antonio McDyess with a jumper over Howard and Portland calls a timeout (and hopefully fires up the bench players). 59-55 Spurs.

5:33 - The uninspired offense gets a shot in the arm courtesy of a three from Webster. 59-58 Spurs.

4:04 - Miller is shooting two for nine on the night. I don't see 52 points happening tonight. 61-60 Spurs.

2:23 - Cue up the broken record: Aldridge needs to take the ball, while dribbling, and go towards—not away—from the basket. As a last resort he drove on Duncan and while not scoring he got fouled and hit both free-throws. Do this more. 66-64 Spurs.

1:12 - Again, I make fun of Aldridge's game and he responds. That's six in a row from him. He's now being double-teamed by San Antonio. 71-66 Spurs.

0:00 - Ginobli with a wide open three and one of the Blazers radio announcer just slams down on the counsel. I am in serious danger right now. Send help. 74-66 Spurs.

FOURTH QUARTER:
10:44 - Rudy with an inspired bounce pass... into the seats. Reel it back in, big guy. This game might be getting out of hand unless Portland shapes up. 76-66 Spurs.

9:26 - Blake gets caught fouling—well, barely fouling—Hill during a three point attempt. That hurt to watch. 76-68 Spurs.

8:37 - Rudy with a three attempt. Clank. He is 0-6 from three. One play later, Cunningham hits a driving layup while getting the whistle. Hopefully that is the spark they need. He hits the free-throw. 77-71 Spurs.

7:10 - Following another jumper from the balding—that has nothing to do with anything—Ginobili, Miller drives and scores while getting fouled. His shooting has been off all night, which means he misses from the charity stripe. 83-75 Spurs.

And then the internet died.

Great timing since just as Portland was about to roll over and die, the team is sparked by Miller's layup, some defensive stops, and a clutch three-pointer in the corner from Webster. All of sudden this became the most exciting game of the year.

Portland took the lead in a hectic series of plays around the two minute mark. Howard tossed a bad pass, but Batum stole the ball right back and Portland clung to a one point advantage into the final minute. Parker missed a jumper at 0:42, and following a wild offensive possession where Miller was spent flying to the hardwood on his pass, Webster (Mr. First Quarter) drains a heroic three at the 0:22 mark, putting Portland up 91-87. Game over, right?

Nope.

Ginobili takes all of four seconds to score on a driving layup, trimming Portland's lead to one. Miller is fouled on the inbound pass. He misses his two previous free-throws, and that streak continues as he only converts one of two. 92-89 Portland with 0:15 seconds left.

The Spurs run a great offensive look, but Ginobili misses long on a wide open (seriously, he was the loneliest man in the world out there, no one anywhere near him) and Webster is fouled after getting the rebound. He hits both. Game over again, right?

Nope.

Hill hits a quick three to make it a two point game with 0:04 seconds remaining. Again, Webster is fouled, and again he hits them both. 96-92 Blazers. Game over again, for real this time, right?

Not quite.

Hill is fouled (what?) by Miller, but can't convert and Aldridge is sent to the line with a chance to—finally—end this game. He misses the first. He just needs one. He misses the second. Thankfully the Spurs do not have a timeout and have to settle for a prayer of a shot, which isn't even close.

Your final score: Portland 96, San Antonio 93. See you Saturday night when the Lakers come to town.