ch, so Ive just been taking extra batting practi

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Houston has a LaMarcus Aldridge problem. The Trail Blazers All-Star forward has been dominating with more than 40 points in each of the opening two playoff games with the Rockets in Houston. Portland is up 2-0 as the series moves to Rip City on Friday night, giving the Rockets little time to figure out how to defend Aldridge. He opened the playoffs with a franchise post-season-best 46 points in the Blazers 122-120 overtime victory, then followed it up with 43 points in the 112-105 win on Wednesday night. Rockets coach Kevin McHale summed it up best when he said: "So far, hes had a hell of a series." Aldridge found success in the paint in the opener so the Rockets adjusted -- but so did Aldridge, who went outside to pepper Houston with midrange jumpers. Thirteen of his 18 field goals came from 10 feet out or more. "Hes making tough shots, hes getting to the foul line. Hes offensive rebounding. Hes doing the whole package and its tough for us," said Houston guard James Harden. "We gotta figure something out real soon. In game three, it is either we win or its over." Aldridge is the first player to score 43 or more points in consecutive playoff games since Tracy McGrady in 2003, and the first to score at least 40 in back-to-back post-season games since LeBron James in 2009. It almost goes without saying that Aldridge is the first Blazer with at least 40 points in back-to-back playoff games. "You can tell just by his approach how hes really dialed in and hes playing big. Hes really taken it upon himself to do all these things," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said Thursday. "Give him all the credit. Hes been wanting this moment for a long time and hes rising to the challenge." Aldridge acknowledged the team for his success. "This team in general just believes in me so much and they ride the wave so well," he said. "When Im going one through 15, they are all cheering and telling me to shoot it. If I pass up a shot, theyre all mad at me and I think having 15 guys having your back like that is great." Aldridges play has put Portland in charge as the team returns home. The Blazers havent opened a playoff series 2-0 since 1977, when they got the early jump on the Lakers en route to the Western Conference title. Portland went on to beat Philadelphia for its lone NBA championship Portland ranked seventh in the league during the regular season with just 10 losses at home. Only three teams have come back to win after losing the first two games of a seven-game series at home: The last was the 2004-05 Mavericks, who came back against the Rockets. Houston is 0-7 overall when falling behind 0-2 in the first round since the 1983-84 expansion. Dwight Howard said its no time to panic. "Weve played against Portland in the regular season and we were successful. We just got to play basketball. We cant look back. We have to stay positive," he said. "They (Portland) won two games but its the first to four and we cant let our heads down. We dug a hole but we can always get out of it." Howard had 32 points and 14 rebounds in Wednesdays loss, while Harden had 18 points. Harden was the leagues top shooting guard in the regular season, but hes 14 of 47 from the field in the playoffs for his worst two-game stretch of the season. Part of that is due to Portlands Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum taking turns at shutting him down. "Weve done a good job guarding without fouling and one thing about playoff basketball is that everybody has the every possession mentality," Stotts said. "We didnt fall asleep on him and I dont think he got a lot of easy looks and every great player in this league, you just want to make them work and I think Nick and Wes in particular really have made him work." For his part, Harden isnt really concerned about a slump. Hes more focused on the Blazers -- and stopping Aldridge. "Im not worried about my offence, Im worried about our defence, our defence as a team. When we get stops and get out in transition everybody feels good about themselves and thats when the assists flow in and things start going well," he said. "If we cant get stops it makes it more difficult. They are a very good team." Custom Mexico Jerseys . -- Down to 10 men and behind on the scoreboard, Toronto FC displayed its perseverance. Oribe Peralta Jersey . Marek Hamsik, who had earlier missed a penalty, headed Napoli in front in the 23rd minute and Pandev added a second goal five minutes from halftime. Alessandro Matri got Juventus back into the game just after the break but Pandev was on hand to score again in the 68th. http://www.soccermexicojerseysteamstore....-mexico-jersey/. The Red Sox maintained a share of the AL wild-card lead Tuesday night, using four home runs to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 and set up a dramatic conclusion to the regular season. The skidding Red Sox were 6-19 this month before rebounding to edge the last-place Orioles. Edson Alvarez Jersey .com) - Many people at Eastern Washington are waiting to see if star quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. Alfredo Talavera Jersey . Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. PHILADELPHIA -- All that extra batting practice paid off for Wilmer Flores. Flores hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs, Bartolo Colon threw seven-plus sharp innings and the New York Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-2 Monday night in a makeup from an April rainout. "It felt good," Flores said. "Been struggling the last couple games, and I didnt feel good my first two at-bats, but as the game was going I made the adjustment, so I put a good swing on it. I havent been playing that much, so Ive just been taking extra batting practice. That helped." After playing 39 innings in the three previous games, the teams finally didnt go extras. The Mets took four of five from the Phillies and are 9-1 in Citizens Bank Park, dating to last season. Colon (5-5) allowed two runs and six hits to win his third straight decision. The 41-year-old righty has a 1.61 ERA in his last three outings. "He knows when he has to put a little something on it," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Hes the master of taking stuff, taking speed off the ball, getting it to sink, getting it to move. When he needs it, theres still plenty there." The last-place Phillies went 4-7 on a season-long 11-game homestand. Theyre a season-worst seven games under .500 and barely resemble the team that won five consecutive NL East titles from 2007-11. "We didnt play that well this homestand," Chase Utley said. "Nothing we can do about it now. We have to go on the road and win games." Roberto Hernandez (2-3) failed to pitch six innings for the sixth time in 10 starts. He allowed five runs -- four earned -- and five hits in 5 1-3 innings. Bobby Abreu and Lucas Duda hit consecutive doubles in the second to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. The Mets chased Hernandez in the sixth. Matt den Dekker and Daniel Murphy hit consecutive singles to start the inning. David Wright drove theem both in with a shot off the wall in centre.dddddddddddd After a one-out walk to Abreu, Hernandez was replaced by Mario Hollands. Duda hit a grounder to second base that shouldve been an inning-ending double play, but Utley booted it for an error. Flores then looped a two-run double down the right-field line for a 5-0 lead. The Mets blew it open with six runs in the ninth off Jake Diekman and Phillippe Aumont capped by Flores hitting a grand slam, his second career homer in 145 at-bats. "I just want to prove to them that I can do the job," Flores said. "I know Im good and I can do this." Den Dekker, called up from Triple-A Las Vegas a day after being sent down, robbed Ryan Howard of his third homer in three games. He jumped above the short wall in centre and grabbed Howards drive in the second. Den Dekker saved another run in the third when he threw out Reid Brignac trying to score from second on Ben Reveres single. Brignac hadnt even reached third base when den Dekker fielded the ball in medium centre, but third-base coach Pete Mackanin inexplicably waived him home. Howards RBI groundout in the sixth ended Colons scoreless innings streak at 16 1-3. Revere scored on Jeurys Familias wild pitch in the eighth to cut it to 5-2. NOTES: The Mets placed CF Juan Lagares on the 15-day DL with a strained right intercostal muscle. Den Dekker replaced him. ... Phillies ace Cliff Lee, out with an elbow strain, hopes to start a throwing program during Philadelphias upcoming road trip. ... The Phillies are 12-19 at home; 12-12 on the road. The Phillies start a three-game series at Washington on Tuesday. David Buchanan (1-1, 3.86) makes his third career start filling in for Lee. Jordan Zimmermann (3-2, 4.07) goes for the Nationals. ... The Mets head to Chicago for a three-game series vs. the Cubs. Zack Wheeler (2-5, 4.31) faces Jake Arrieta (1-1, 3.20) on Tuesday night. Cheap Celtics Jerseys Wholesale Nets Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Stitched 76ers Jerseys Raptors Jerseys China Cheap Bulls Jerseys Wholesale Cavaliers Jerseys Pistons Jerseys China Pacers Jerseys China Cheap Bucks Jerseys Online Wholesale Hawks Jerseys Cheap Hornets Jerseys Wholesale Heat Jerseys Cheap Magic Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Wizards Jerseys Nuggets Jerseys China Timberwolves Jerseys China Cheap Thunder Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Blazers Jerseys Wholesale Jazz Jerseys Cheap Warriors Jerseys For Sale Cheap Clippers Jerseys Lakers Jerseys China Wholesale Suns Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Authentic Cheap Mavericks Jerseys Rockets Jerseys China Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Wholesale Pelicans Jerseys Spurs Jerseys China ' ' '