Der X Cup » matchup of the 2014 CFL season, as the Week 4

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 Devils Jerseys China . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout. Cheap Devils Jerseys . -- The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a $25 million, five-year contract Saturday. http://www.cheapdevilsjerseys.com/ . TSN2 December 18 Knicks at Bulls 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 December 18 Thunder at Warriors 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 December 21 Pacers at Timberwolves 7pm et/4pm pt. TSN2 December 23 Timberwolves at Cavaliers 7pm et/4pm pt TSN2 December 25 Wizards at Knicks 12pm et/9am pt TSN December 25 Thunder at Spurs 2:30pm et/11:30pt TSN December 25 Cavaliers at Heat 5pm et/2pm pt TSN December 25 Lakers at Bulls 8pm et/5pm pt TSN December 25 Warriors at Clippers 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN NBA on TSN - January Date Game Time Network January 1 Kings at Timberwolves 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 3 Jazz at Timberwolves 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 5 Nuggets at Timberwolves 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 7 Rockets at Cavaliers 7pm et/4pm pt TSN January 7 Suns at Timberwolves 9:30pm et/6:30 pt. TSN January 9 Bulls at Wizards 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 9 Cavaliers at Warriors 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 January 13 Timberwolves at Pacers 7pm et/4pm pt TSN2 January 15 Thunder at Rockets 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 15 Cavaliers at Lakers 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 January 16 Cavaliers at Clippers 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 January 22 NBA All-Star Selection Show 7pm et/4pm pt TSN2 January 22 Spurs at Bulls 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 22 Nets at Clippers 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 January 25 Heat at Bulls 1pm et/10am pt TSN January 25 Thunder at Cavaliers 3:30pm et/12:30pm pt TSN January 26 Timberwolves at Thunder 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 29 Nuggets at Grizzlies 8pm et/5pm pt TSN2 January 29 Bulls at Lakers 10:30pm et/7:30pt TSN2 NBA on TSN - February Date Game Time Network February 5 Clippers vs. Cheap New Jersey Devils Jerseys .com) - The Carolina Hurricanes placed defenseman John-Michael Liles on injured reserve Tuesday. Cheap Adidas Devils Jerseys .J. -- The Houston Astros had the No.An eye-opening 3-0 start following a tumultuous 3-15 season has more than a few across southern Manitoba and the entire CFL landscape taken aback by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and their surge out of the gate to start 2014. But dont think for a second the clubs rookie head coach is surprised. Answered in language reminiscent of a coach delivering his halftime speech in a Hollywood underdog story, Winnipegs Mike OShea responded matter-of-factly when asked if he was surprised by his teams 3-0 start. "No. No. This is what you put the work in for. This is why you make the decisions you make. This is why you keep the players you keep, and this is why you coach them as hard as you do. You do it because these guys want to win, and you need to give them your best shot," OShea told TSN 1290 Radio. "The group of guys weve got in here and how quickly theyve bought in to what were trying to do and accepted some change is just a credit to those guys. The guys in the room are the ones that get it done on the field." But neither the coach or the players are resting on the laurels from a quick start to the season. "Were not satisfied with what weve done so far," said OShea. "Were satisfied with the fact weve got six points (in the standings), but when we look at the film and we see the number of mistakes and the number of penalties and the decisions were making that cost us plays and drives, were not satisfied with that by any stretch of the imagination. Were not pleased." Early success and finding it were part of OSheas plan to help turn the Blue Bombers franchise around and get it back on a track to sustained success. "I said it right from the start. We need to win and win early to get this started. To get whatever this buy-in, the feeling, to be able to exhale and let stuff go from the prior year. But, once again, I wasnt here last year so I dont now how beaten-down they were." The last coupple years in Winnipeg have been rough on those in the football club, and thats putting things mildly.ddddddddddddOShea wants to ensure any lingering negativity from seasons past is wiped away, and that veteran Blue Bombers are ready to move on. "The idea that its not here we go again. I think with some teams you can sense it. You can sense the attitude just changes to, oh, here we go again, and it was important that we got rid of that very quickly. This isnt, here we go again. This is something completely different. We should be past that stage now. With these two last wins, coming from behind, I think were past that now, so whatever that next challenge is it gets revealed in the next tight game. Weve got to be able to conquer that too." That next challenge will likely come in the first marquee matchup of the 2014 CFL season, as the Week 4 schedule kicks off with a battle of the undefeated Thursday night. The 3-0 Edmonton Eskimos enter Winnipegs Investors Group Field looking to knock off the 3-0 Blue Bombers and grab sole possession of first place in the West. -- In addition to the return of defensive tackle Zach Anderson from a heel contusion, the only major change to Winnipegs lineup this week is at boundary wide receiver. Aaron Kellys left knee injury, deemed by Mike OShea as "a pain management" issue, will keep the receiver on the sidelines. Starting in his place will be 34-year-old Romby Bryant, who makes his first start in Blue and Gold since he was traded to Calgary back in 2009. "It feels good to get out there and get another chance, and play where it all started at," said Bryant, who began his CFL career with the Blue Bombers in 2008. "Thats how Im looking at it, is coming full circle. Do it for the fans that embraced me when I first got here." Bryant was released by the Toronto Argonauts earlier this season and signed with Winnipeg as a free agent in late June. ' ' '