[narek]

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (23-38) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (31-30).

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Where: Bradley Center.

Broadcasts: TV - FSN Wisconsin cable. Radio - AM-620.

About the Trail Blazers: This is the first game of a five-game trip for Portland, which is coming off losses Tuesday at home to Phoenix and Sunday at Golden State. The Trail Blazers put themselves in position to win both games only to falter down the stretch.


PLAYER TO WATCH

JAMES JONES, Trail Blazers

The team thinks it was no coincidence that when the 6-foot-8 reserve forward returned after missing a month with a left-knee injury, Portland scored one of its biggest victories of the season, on Feb. 26 against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. The Blazers are 23-14 when Jones plays and 8-14 when he doesn't. Portland is 17-5 when Jones plays at least 24 minutes. He is shooting 48.8% from three-point range.

LINEUPS
PROBABLE BLAZERS STARTERS

Player Ht. From
G-Steve Blake 6-3 Maryland
G-Brandon Roy 6-6 Washington
F-LaMarcus Aldridge 6-11 Texas
F-Martell Webster 6-7 Seattle
C-Joel Przybilla 7-1 Minnesota

Coach: Nate McMillan (third season, 84-141; eighth overall, 296-324).

Injury report: Darius Miles (right knee) and Greg Oden (right knee) are out.

PROBABLE BUCKS STARTERS

Player Ht. From
G-Mo Williams 6-1 Alabama
G-Michael Redd 6-6 Ohio State
F-Desmond Mason 6-5 Oklahoma State
F-Charlie Villanueva 6-11 Connecticut
C-Andrew Bogut 7-0 Utah

Coach: Larry Krystkowiak (second season, 28-51).

Injury report: Yi Jianlian (right wrist) is out. Mo Williams (abdominal strain) is day to day.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=725561

[narek]

blech.

Another game they could have won, but didn't, and not hitting key free throws is just inexcusable.

[narek]

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge was a thorn in the Bucks' side right up until the end and finished with 29 points.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Aldridge's baseline jumper with 2.4 seconds to go sealed the Bucks' fate.

STATISTICS SHEET: Portland made 12 of 19 shots in the fourth quarter (63.2%) and 25 of 40 in the second half (62.5%).

OFF THE BENCH: Backup center Michael Ruffin put in a good night's work for the Bucks, playing some defense and grabbing three rebounds in 14 minutes.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=726035