» McClaren was under

MINNEAPOLIS -- The banged-up Minnesota Timberwolves were just what the Portland Trail Blazers needed. Having lost six of their previous 10 games, and with a date against first-place Oklahoma City looming on Tuesday, the Blazers took advantage of a Timberwolves team missing three of its best players. "We felt that way even if they had all their guys," LaMarcus Aldridge said after scoring 26 points to lead Portland past Minnesota 117-110 Saturday night. "If they had those guys, it definitely wouldve been different, but this was a must-win game either way." Aldridge scored 16 of his points in the second half and Wesley Matthews added 21 as the Blazers held off a tougher-than-expected Wolves team missing starters Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin. Just minutes before tipoff, the Wolves announced Love -- their All-Star power forward -- would miss the game with a bruised left quadriceps sustained in Friday nights loss in New Orleans. Shortly before that, Martin was ruled out indefinitely with a broken left thumb, also suffered against the Pelicans. Combined with Pekovic, the trio accounts for an average of 60 points and 25 rebounds per game. "It takes a little edge off the game," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "We found out Kevin Martin wasnt going to play early and then Love wasnt going to play. I think that deflates the balloon a little bit, you kind of get yourself up for guys like that." But the Blazers knew they couldnt afford to let up against the scrappy Wolves, who trailed for most of the first half but led 82-75 with 1:50 to play in the third quarter. Corey Brewer led Minnesota with 26 points and Ricky Rubio scored a career-high 25. Minnesota led 87-85 with 9:48 to play in the game before Portland went on a 13-1 run to put the game away. Minnesota pulled within 101-96 with 3:29 to play before Matthews scored five straight and Robin Lopez hit a layup to put the game out of reach. The Wolves got 19 points from Chase Budinger, 14 from Dante Cunningham and a season-high 12 from rookie Shabazz Muhammad. "It doesnt matter whos out," coach Rick Adelman said. "The next guy steps up, thats how you have to approach it. You cant worry about whos not playing, worry about who is playing, and make the best out of the situation. I thought we played well tonight." Aldridge had six points during Portlands game-deciding 13-1 run in the fourth quarter. That run came with Rubio on the bench. Rookie C.J. McCollum had a season-high 19 points and Nicolas Batum added 15 for the Blazers, who finished their four-game road trip 2-2. "We were really counting on our bench tonight because I really wanted to rest the starters," Stotts said. "They all played a lot of minutes last night and the first half the bench really gave us a boost. We were able to make a little ground with them in the game." Minnesotas key starters also got a rest -- in their street clothes. "Its tough having all of those guys out," Budinger said. "Those are huge impact guys for us and were hoping Kevin was able to go but he was really struggling and hurting. He tried to get himself going but just couldnt do it." NOTES: During halftime, Love told The AP he hopes to play on Monday night against Houston. ... The Blazers played a second-straight game without backup point guard Mo Williams, who left the team Friday for family reasons. Stotts did not have an update on when Williams might return. ... Adelman is assuming Pekovic will not return until after the All-Star break. ... Love bought a full-page advertisement in Sundays Minneapolis Star Tribune thanking fans for voting him an All-Star starter. "Just my way of paying tribute to the fans," he said at halftime. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . Both of Padakins goals came in the second period while Zane Jones added a single in the first period for Calgary (13-6-4). Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger finished with 30 saves for the shutout. Vlade Divac Jersey . For the Blue Jays the time was Wednesday and the ace was R.A. Dickey. He stepped up. "I feel some responsibility as a stopper from time to time," said Dickey. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/1951j-...y-lakers.html.J. -- Having Ondrej Pavelec earn his 100th NHL win and seeing Mark Scheifele and Evander Kane break goal droughts were nice highlights for the Winnipeg Jets. Andrew Bynum Lakers Jersey . In the last race before the Sochi Olympics, Bjoergen followed up her win in the 10-kilometre classical race on Saturday by beating World Cup sprint leader Denise Herrmann of Germany by 0.43 seconds for her fifth victory of the season. Steve Nash Lakers Jersey . With just under five seconds remaining - the Raptors having clawed back from a 19-point deficit and pulled within one - DeRozan took the handoff from Chuck Hayes.Stats, quotes and expert opinion on Newcastles 2015/16 Premier League season, which saw them relegated... Finishing position: 18th (-3)Total points: 37 (-2) FA Cup: Third roundCapital One Cup: Third roundTop scorer: Georginio Wijnaldum (11)WhoScored top rating: Andros Townsend (7.35) Steve McClaren shows the strain Season reviewJonas Gutierrez joyously stripped off his shirt as Newcastle saved themselves on the final afternoon of last term. But one soul-destroying season has been followed by another and this time there was no fumbled escape - despite a shock last-day thrashing of Spurs. The Championship awaits; the Toon Army must squeeze into Burtons 6,900-capacity stadium.In the cruellest twist, Sunderland rubber-stamped relegation but Newcastle fans will know their fate was sealed not on Wearside but rather in their own boardroom; a demise long set in motion by calamitous decisions, erratic recruitment and misplaced priorities.Steve McClaren - ominously named on the clubs football board - had talked up his dream job and his top-eight target. But Newcastle did not win until October and despite eye-catching victories against Liverpool and Norwich, still languished in the bottom three at the turn of the year. Defeats at Sunderland, West Ham and Crystal Palace - where a shambolic-looking side shipped five goals - were particularly damaging. Cup exits at the first hurdle felt familiarly depressing. Newcastle spent 206 days in the relegation zone After summers spree on players who looked good on paper, January brought more big-money arrivals. But while Andros Townsend offered rare hope for optimism until the end, defensive reinforcements that were desperately needed never came. McClaren clung on through February and into March but a home defeat to Bournemouth, the air thick with mutiny, finally prompted action from above. Rafa Benitez, swayed by the rush of the Premier League and struck by the clubs potential, took on a 10-game gamble and it so nearly paid off. But though the man who had started the campaign managing Real Madrid egos guided Newcastle to their best run since November 2014, this was like 2009 again: too little, too late.Newcastle are back in the second tier for the second time in maligned owner Mike Ashleys nine-year tenure. How they hope Benitez - hailed by fans throughout the final fixture - will get the assurances he needs to revive the club he pertinently noted needs to wake up. Rafael Benitez was unable to inspire a late surge to safety Quotes of the seasonJudge me after 10 games … judge me after 12 games … judge me at the end of the season. - McClaren, laying down one marker and then another…Listen, Ill put my house on it that Newcastle will not go down, - former chairman Freddy Shepherd in February.This is the most frustrating team Ive worked with. We see fantastic performances from individuals one week and we look capable of beating anyone, then the next week its the polar opposite and we can lose by five or six goals, - beleaguered Steve McClaren speaking after a 5-1 thrashing at Chelsea pushed his side back into the drop zone. We look at where it went wrong for McClaren at Newcastle in his own words Many of you have expressed strong views about what we could have done differently.ddddddddddddI respect those views but I would like to reiterate that it has always been my intention to try to achieve the very best for Newcastle United, - owner Mike Ashley in a statement after relegation.My heart is obviously telling me yes. Its a fantastic opportunity, a fantastic atmosphere. My heart is very clear - but at the same time you have to use the brain. - Rafa Benitez, speaking to Sky Sports after a final-day rout of Tottenham. We take a look back at some of the most memorable quotes from the 2015/16 Premier League season Stats of the seasonNewcastles failure to find a victory in their first eight matches of the campaign made it their worst start to a season since 1898/99.Steve McClarens win ratio at Newcastle was just 22.6 per cent - the lowest of his career.Newcastle spent 206 days in the relegation zone - beaten only by Aston Villa and Sunderland.Only Manchester City had a bigger net spend than Newcastles £75m. £29m was splashed in January on Shelvey, Townsend and Henri Saviet - who played just 148 minutes of first team football.Phil Thompsons view Maybe if Rafael Benitez had come in earlier they might have stayed up but it was too little, too late. Phil Thompson Steve McClaren always had a difficult job. Theres more politics to it than we know, with player recruitment especially, and while Mike Ashley may have dug deep this season you have to look at whether theyve had the desire. McClaren was under massive pressure and didnt succeed because they were defensively dreadful. Maybe if Rafael Benitez had come in earlier they might have stayed up but it was too little, too late. Also See: Newcastle video Newcastle fixtures Newcastle stats Get a ￡10 free bet! ' ' '