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DENVER -- Nicolas Batum got hot early, Wesley Matthews hit a critical shot when Denver was making a late charge and LaMarcus Aldridge added the finishing touches. Thats simply the way the Portland Trail Blazers plan to roll this season, a different player stepping up when hes called. Aldridge scored nine of his 25 points late in the fourth quarter to help the Blazers hold off Denver 113-98 on Friday night, spoiling the home debut of Nuggets coach Brian Shaw and snapping their 23-game regular-season home winning streak. "Top to bottom, solid win for us," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. Batum was the go-to scorer early, getting all 21 of his points in the first half. Then, Matthews came to the rescue as the Blazers saw a 26-point lead late in the third quarter shrink to 101-94 with 4:57 remaining. Matthews hit a 3-pointer late to give the Blazers some breathing room. And that set the stage for Aldridge, who closed out the victory by hitting jumper after jumper over a steady rotation of Denver defenders. "Its good to have a guy like that who can make those plays and guys can play off of him," said Stotts, whose team got back on track after a season-opening loss in Phoenix. "The way we kept our composure when they made their run is something we should be proud of." That wasnt quiet the case for the Nuggets as they suffered a rare home loss. Although they made a late run, Shaw still called his squads early effort "lacklustre." "Our team looked very tired, just to be honest with you, from the jump," Shaw said. "They just looked winded. They looked like they were the team that played in altitude and we were the team that was coming in on the second night of a back-to-back." Reserve Nate Robinson scored 24 points for Denver, while Ty Lawson added 21. "Came out a little flat in the first half," Robinson said. "We kept the crowd involved by trying to get energy from them." Last season, the Nuggets constantly fed off the crowd noise and were nearly unbeatable at home. The last regular-season loss for Denver was on Jan. 18, against Washington. The team then reeled off 23 straight wins to finish a league-best 38-3 at home. Denver fell at home to Golden State in a first-round playoff game. "We just didnt come out and play," Lawson said. So far, the Nuggets have been slow to grasp the new system of Shaw, who was hired after George Karl was fired following a season in which the team had a franchise-record 57 wins. Shaw said it might take some time for the Nuggets to fully adopt his style, which features more of a half-court offence rather than an up-tempo pace Lawson and the Nuggets grew accustomed to under Karl. "We knew this was going to be a process," Shaw said. "The way were playing I dont think is the problem. Tonight, defence was the problem." Hard to argue. The Nuggets gave up 64 points in the first half and allowed the Blazers to shoot 14 of 22 from beyond the 3-point line. "We didnt play defence and it was just too big of a hole to come back from," Lawson said. Batum scored the Blazers first 10 points of the game. Aldridge got into the act when he hit a jumper midway through the first quarter. The 6-foot-8 Batum stayed hot the rest of the half, scoring 21 points -- including five 3-pointers -- to help the Blazers take a 64-50 lead. "I have to find a balance for creating everybody else and creating my own shot," he said. "Tonight, I tried to score first." The Nuggets have been experimenting at small forward with Wilson Chandler sidelined by a strained left hamstring and Danilo Gallinari out until at least December as he recovers from a torn ACL. Denver has tried Anthony Randolph and even Evan Fournier, whos more of a guard, at the spot. "Just trying to find the right mix," Shaw explained. "I dont think everybody is settled into when exactly theyre going to be coming into the game. It will be that way until we get everybody back in the fold." NOTES: The Blazers open at home on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs. Portland has won its last four home openers. ... Matthews finished with 12 rebounds. ... Portland snapped a nine-game slide against Denver at Pepsi Center. ... Shaw said before the game theres no timetable for Chandlers return. ... Nuggets mascot "Rocky" got the wind knocked out of him while performing a pregame stunt. ... Nuggets F Kenneth Faried had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Cheap Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys China . Argentina, who have yet to beat New Zealand in 17 meetings, rocked the All Blacks with an early converted try to backrower Juan Manuel Leguizamon and led 7-0 after five minutes. But Smiths double in the 23rd and 26th minutes - when Argentina was reduced to 14 men by the sin-binning of hooker Eusebio Guinazu - turned the tide of the match and set up New Zealands third straight Championship win. Cheap Jerseys From China . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. http://www.cheapchinajerseysforauthentic.com/ .Y. -- Nothing seems to phase No. Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China . -- A.J. Burnett was happy to escape from New York. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . LOUIS - The St.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss the strategy of the CFLPA, the Oilers hiring of Bob Nicholson, the Alouettes firing of offensive coordinator Rick Worman and the U.S. Open. Gary Lawless, TSN Radio - My thumb is down to the ill-fated strategy of the CFLPA and the underwhelming results theyve achieved once again. Disorganized and delusional best describe the players union in this latest CFL labour impasse. Their first offer was inflammatory and unattainable. They followed up with a series of retreats and eventual surrender. The CFLPA has followed the lead of legal counsel Ed Molstad since 1974. Lacking best describes the results. The CFLPA needs to represent its constituency with a spirit of inclusion and a face of diversity. The union must look inward and evolve. Questions must be asked and answered and hard decisions executed. The CFLPA finds itself at the intersection of change and rot. Its time to pick a new route. Steve Simmons, Sun Media - My thumb is up to Edmonton Oilers owner Darryl Katz for going outside the family and hiring Bob Nicholson to oversee everything that is Oiler. This isnt necessarily a hockey move as much as it is a business move but in either area Nicholson is clearly equipped for the challenge. And this is a challenge both in the standings and from what Katz wants from the newly formed business called Oilers Entertainment Group. Sports is no longer about only wins and losses. Its so much about veneer. In Edmonton, there will be a new downtown arena, an area to grow around it, a footprint for the future. When Nicholson took over Hockey Canadaa, it was a small disorganized operation, lacking in business acumen.dddddddddddd He left it as a hockey corporation. The Oilers are fortunate to have him. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated - My thumb is down to the Alouettes for the firing of offensive coordinator Rick Worman. Three months after coach Tom Higgins hired Worman, he canned him - before Montreal had played an exhibition game. Higgins was right to act sooner rather than later, unlike 2013 when the era of occupationally-challenged head coach Dan Hawkins lasted five games. But the abrupt dismissal speaks to the dysfunction of the franchise, whose owner, Robert Wetenhall, hired Higgins without involving GM Jim Popp. The Alouettes used to stand for quality on the field and steadfastness off it. If the Worman saga is an indication, soon the only thing the Alouettes will stand for is O Canada. Dave Hodge, TSN - My thumb is up to the U.S. Open golf championship, with emphasis on "open". To win the Masters, you have to be invited. To win the Open, you have to qualify, and everyone is eligible to try, which means anyone from anywhere can win. And that creates interest because "anyone" can be someone like 49-year-old Fran Quinn, who put his name on the leaderboard with a first-round 68. Who is Fran Quinn? He has one year of experience on the PGA Tour. Last year? No, 1992. He played in 18 events that year and he missed the cut 12 times. This year, he has played one event - on the Web.com Tour, golfs development league, if you will. Fran Quinn is still playing at Pinehurst - he followed his 68 with rounds of 74 and 79. He wont win. But he had a chance to win. ' ' '