Trail Blazers edge past Hawks 94-93 (AP) Updated: 2005-11-07 09:39
PORTLAND, Ore. - Zach Randolph made a free throw with 0.2 seconds remaining
and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Atlanta Hawks 94-93 Saturday night in
their home opener.
Randolph had 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Blazers, who lost their first
two games of the season. Sebastian Telfair added 18 points.
Joe Johnson had 23 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who are 0-3 and
have lost eight straight to the Blazers.
Rookie reserve Salim Stoudamire scored 15 points for the Hawks for the second
straight night.
Johnson tied the game at 93 on a layup with 17 seconds left, and the Blazers
held for the last shot. Telfair let the clock run down before driving to the
hoop. His layup missed, but Randolph grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Zaza
Pachulia on the follow. Time expired, but officials determined the foul came
before the buzzer.
Josh Smith had 14 points and Josh Childress added 13 for the Hawks. Blazers
forward Darius Miles had 11 of his 13 points in the first half.
Atlanta had been outscored by an average of 20 points in its first two games,
and the Blazers were coming off a 107-68 loss in Denver.
The Blazers led 50-48 at halftime before Johnson, acquired in an offseason
sign-and-trade with Phoenix, hit a 3-pointer to put the Hawks up early in the
third quarter.
The Blazers quickly rallied and built a six-point lead when Jarrett Jack
stole the ball scored on a breakaway dunk with just over five minutes to go.
Johnson scored only four points in the fourth quarter, but both came on key
shots down the stretch. His running hook shot cut the lead to 88-87, and his
backdoor layup tied it before Randolph's free throw.
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