SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs continued rolling against the elite teams they struggled against early in the season, using a balanced attack to beat the Portland Trail Blazers for their eighth straight victory. Maurice Stokes Jersey . Patty Mills scored 15 points, Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes, and San Antonio trailed for only 11 seconds late in the first quarter of a 103-90 victory over Portland on Wednesday night. Since the All-Star break, the Spurs (48-16) have beaten the Trail Blazers twice and also defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago and Miami. They were 1-11 in the seasons first half against the Easts top two teams and remaining top five in the West. "Were getting a rhythm," San Antonio point guard Tony Parker said. "You dont want to peak too early, but were playing good basketball. Hopefully we can keep it going and stay healthy. The most important, like everybody knows, is the playoffs." Damian Lillard had 23 points for Portland (42-23), which lost LaMarcus Aldridge to a bruised back early in the second half. Aldridges status is unknown after X-rays on his back were negative. He was taken to the locker room and X-ray room in a wheelchair. San Antonios bench outscored Portlands 46-23, enabling coach Gregg Popovich to limit Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili to less than 30 minutes. The Spurs Big 3 tied Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers for second all-time as a trio in total victories (490) and games played (663) as a trio. "Its remarkable," Ginobili said. "We were not thinking about that in the game and I guess were going to win a few more. But even if you didnt tell me that stat, we know were in a very unique position and situation. Having played together for 12 seasons with the same coach; it doesnt happen very often in the league and with that stat you can tell. Very proud of what weve accomplished; what were accomplishing." The trio achieved the feat using the same formula San Antonio has employed this season — aggressive defence and ball movement. Danny Green added 14 points for the Spurs, Ginobili scored 13, Kawhi Leonard had 12, and Tiago Splitter had 12 points and 10 rebounds. San Antonio had 21 assists and only 12 turnovers. The Spurs held the Trail Blazers to 38.6 shooting and was 4 for 21 on 3s. "I thought defence was good," Popovich said. "Obviously they missed LaMarcus in the second half. So that was a really tough break for them. I hope hes going to come back quickly. Hes a hell of player and nobody wants to see that." Portland opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run after trailing by as many as 17 in the first half, but lost Aldridge 43 seconds into the quarter. Aldridge drove the lane and rose for a running, 6-foot jumper, but tumbled backward after having his right knee hit Aron Baynes side. Unable to brace himself, Aldridge took the brunt of the fall on his left hip. He remained on the court for 3 minutes, grabbing his lower back before being helped off the court by teammates. "When a guy takes a tough fall like that, when youre airborne, you just dont know what can happen when you land," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "The longer he stayed down, you just dont know." With Aldridge unable to continue, Thomas Robinson replaced him and made the ensuing free throw. Aldridge finished with 14 points and four rebounds in 21 minutes. With Aldridge out, fellow All-Star Lillard took over in the third. The speedy point guard scored 10 points, hitting a pair of 3s and throwing down a hard dunk while shooting 4 for 9 in the quarter. His second 3 pulled Portland within 61-55 with 5:45 left in third, but the Trail Blazers got no closer. "We played small," Stotts said. "There were a couple of points in the half that I thought we were climbing back in, but San Antonio, in beginning of the fourth, hits two 3s right when were in the thick of it. It was tough to get over the hump." San Antonio was 3 for 4 on 3s to open the fourth quarter for a 79-64 lead and cruised to victory. Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum scored 13 points each for Portland. "The aggressor in every fight wins," Matthews said. "I dont know if youve ever in a fight before, but the aggressor in any fight wins." NOTES: Portland G Mo Williams did not play after straining his right hip in the second quarter of the Blazers game Tuesday in Memphis. Williams was injured while driving around a screen for an 8-foot jumper. Williams finished with four points in 11 minutes. He is averaging nine points and 4.5 assists as the Trail Blazers primary sub. ... Popovich yelled at official David Guthrie a minute into the game over a perceived missed call, prompting Stotts to smile and tease his counterpart. "If hes going to start yelling now, so am I," Stotts said. Kenny Smith Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Bogdan Bogdanovic Jersey . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken.LOS ANGELES -- Steve Nash will be out of the Los Angeles Lakers lineup for at least two weeks with nerve root irritation. The Lakers announced the latest injury setback for the two-time NBA MVP on Monday after Nash consulted with a back specialist. Nash played just 13 minutes in the Lakers loss to Minnesota on Sunday night before sitting out with pain in his back and hamstrings. He is expected to receive an epidural block on Tuesday, and will be evaluated in 10 days. "Im a little emotional," Nash said after Sundays game. "Its hard. I really want to play, and I really want to play the way Im accustomed to playing. To be so limited is frustrating, and also to not know (when) kind of a clean-ish bill of health is (possible) is a little daunting, too." Nash is the NBAs oldest player at 39. Although the Canadian star still shows flashes of his heyday as arguably the best point guard of his generation, he has struggled with injuries since shortly after joining the Lakers in summer 2012. He missed 32 of the Lakers 82 games last season, breaking his left leg in the second game before struggling with injuries affecting his back, hip and hamstrings down the stretch. He also missed Los Angeles last two playoff games despite getting several epidural shots for pain management. Nash has struggled with back pain for years, but his broken leg caused new woes. "Its nerves coming from my back," Nash saaid. Bobby Wanzer Jersey. "You could call it the back, you could call it the nerves. Im getting the pain in the hamstring. Its basically the same thing from the end of last year." The Lakers have attempted to be careful this fall with Nash, who is under contract for $18 million through next season. Despite sitting out two games already this season to conserve his health on back-to-back stretches of the schedule, Nash is averaging just 6.7 points and 4.8 assists. "Im concerned," Lakers coach Mike DAntoni said after Sundays game. "He was struggling physically tonight. You could see it on his face, and thats why I took him out. We shut him down, more or less, and he was struggling. .. Im hoping (Nash will recover), like everyone else is." Steve Blake, Jordan Farmar and Jodie Meeks all will get more playing time in the absence of both members of Los Angeles decorated backcourt. The Lakers have lost five of seven without Kobe Bryant, who still hasnt returned to practice from surgery on his torn Achilles tendon in April. Blake is off to a strong start to the season while playing both guard positions, averaging 10.0 points and 5.0 assists. Meeks is the Lakers leading scorer this season with 12.8 points per game. "I hate to see him struggling like that with injuries," Blake said of Nash. "Hopefully we can get him back." Los Angeles hosts New Orleans on Tuesday night. ' ' '
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