PORTLAND, Ore. [url=http://www.customchiefsjersey.com/custom-mitchell-schwartz-jersey-l arge-2186n.html]Mitchell Schwartz Jersey[/url] . -- Given an opportunity to clinch a post-season berth, the Trail Blazers made the most if it. LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 18 rebounds and Portland earned a

PORTLAND, Ore. Mitchell Schwartz Jersey . -- Given an opportunity to clinch a post-season berth, the Trail Blazers made the most if it. LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and 18 rebounds and Portland earned a playoff spot for the first time in three seasons with a 100-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night. Wesley Matthews added 21 points, Damian Lillard 20 and Nicolas Batum had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Portland (50-28). The Blazers are in fifth place in the Western Conference with four games remaining. "Fifty wins is always a big honour in this league," Aldridge said. "Especially being in the West with so many good teams. Its definitely not something to take for granted. Guys are happy about it and were definitely happy to be locked into the playoffs." Memphis loss to San Antonio earlier in the evening cleared the way for Portland to clinch. It appeared the Trail Blazers might fumble the chance when New Orleans took a 10-point second quarter lead. But the Blazers blew past the Pelicans with a 25-6 third quarter run and never trailed again. Reserve Anthony Morrow scored 17 for New Orleans and Anthony Davis had 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting. New Orleans got within 97-94 with 35.9 seconds left when Morrow nailed a jumper, but Lillard scored on a driving layup and then made one of two free throws. "They made runs - thats what they do," said Morrow, who is averaging 19.4 points in his last seven games. "We know when this team is at home they are going to make runs, they are going to hit shots." Portland had won four in a row before running out of gas Friday and losing 109-93 in Phoenix. Clinching a playoff spot at home was an important step for a team that won just 33 games last season, but the Blazers werent whooping it up in the locker room after the game. "We were happy for about five minutes," Batum said. "But we have four more games and then the playoffs start." The Pelicans, last in the Southwest Division and out of the playoff race, have lost five straight games. Davis started the game despite back spasms that kept him out for long stretches of the past two games. He limited Aldridge to 6-of-16 shooting in the first half. "Hes just trying to do everything he can to help his team and tonight was no different," coach Monty Williams said. "Thats why we love him." Davis had 11 points in the first quarter, but the Pelicans went on a run with their All-Star on the bench in the second, going up 39-29 as reserve big men Al-Farouq Aminu and Alexis Ajinca combined for 10 points in a 14-4 run. Portland trailed 55-48 at the half. The Blazers picked up the pace in the third, as Aldridge regained his shot and Lillard, Matthews and Batum each scored in transition. Portland led 77-67 just before the end of the third. Several players scoffed at suggestions that the Blazers rest some starters with the playoffs in hand, and coach Terry Stotts indicated there were no plans to change focus. "Were not prepping for the playoffs," he said. "We want to keep going in the right direction." NOTES: Portlands last playoff appearance was in 2010-11, when the Blazers lost a first-round matchup to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. ... New Orleans G Eric Gordon missed his ninth straight game with knee tendinitis, and is not with the team after travelling to Los Angeles for a medical examination. . The Pelicans are 12-27 on the road this season. Their last win in Portland was in 2010. Mike Garrett Jersey . Bayern winger Franck Ribery marked his league return after recovering from a cracked rib by scoring two goals and setting up two more as the league leaders inflicted the heaviest home defeat on Bremen in the Bundesliga. Kevin Ross Jersey . Cleary also had two assists and Patrick Eaves added two goals for the Red Wings, who also ousted Phoenix in seven games during the first round of the 2010 postseason. Todd Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist for Detroit, which got a goal apiece from Tomas Holmstrom and Niklas Kronwall and suffered no shortage of offense despite the absences of Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. http://www.customchiefsjersey.com/custom-john-alt-jersey-large-796n.html . "Weve given ourselves now a tougher task," said Carlyle after the Friday practice, the Toronto head coach notably chipper and upbeat throughout. "But the bottom line is we just have to win our share of games [and] not worry about what anybody else is doing.First things first, congratulations to the Canadian athletes who did our country proud at the Olympics in Sochi. It wasnt just the medal count that was impressive, but the manner in which our Canadian men and women carried themselves on the World stage. Canadians proved once again that when they have the support they need, they can compete with any country in the world. And a very special thanks to our mens and womens hockey teams. They are the two teams that every four years seem to have more pressure on them to perform than any team in the history of sport. One observation before we get to football. Im not a hockey analyst, but Im a hockey fan, and fan of watching excellence, and it is very impressive to watch head coach Mike Babcock in action. Two things stood out while watching Babcock bring a group of superstars together. First, at about the midway point of the tourney, Babcock was asked why Sidney Crosby wasnt scoring. His reply: "everyone evaluates Sid on scoring, and I evaluate Sid on winning." He went on to suggest that Canadas lack of scoring shouldnt be judged as a poor offensive effort. "Dont get confused, we outchanced these teams big-time; we didnt score. We were a great offensive team. Thats how we coached." Babcock had asked this group of talented players to check their egos at the door and play a well rounded team game, and they complied. Proof of that was after the Gold Medal game, when Jonathan Toews was asked about the teams low offensive output in the tourney, and Toews answer suggested that at any time anyone on the Team Canada roster could have become more creative offensively and tried to put up big points, but that wasnt the plan and this team was going to stick to the plan. Yes, there were some close games including the 1-0 win against the Americans, but in the end Babcocks plan was bang on, and clearly not one player on Canadas roster was confused. Great stuff! Now to football, where one story has been in the shadows while we watched the Olympics. It involves the leagues newest team, the Ottawa Redblacks, and their quarterback situation. Lets hit the refresh button on the computer for a second. Just prior to the start of the Olympics, the Redblacks signed Henry Burris, and named him the starter at the press conference. This occurred not long after the expansion draft where Ottawa GM Marcel Desjardins chose Kevin Glenn from the Calgary Stampeders. In a conference call after the draft Glenn talked about how excited he was to have his own team to lead in the 2014 season. Then after the Burris announcement, Glenn had a bit of a Twitter issue where it looked like he was trying to direct message a couple of other players and accidentally sent a comment to the masses that wasnt exactly a ringing endorsement for the organization. Now Glenn claimed he was hacked, and maybe he was, but it doesnt change the fact that there could be a quarterback controversy brewing in the Nations Capital before they even take their first offensive snap. In a brief chat with Desjardins at the CFL Congress, the Ottawa GM indicated that he would listen to all trade offers of course, but would like to go to camp with all the QBs he currently has on his roster. However, will that be easier said than done? Glenn turned down my request to an interview for this story, as I tried to gauge where he is at mentally with regards to all that has developed in Ottawa. Now I respect Glenns choice to avoid hhaving to comment on the situation, but it does force us to speculate. Larry Johnson Jersey. Does Glenn not want to talk publicly right now because he has nothing positive or constructive to say about the situation? Or is he declining interviews because he doesnt think there is anything to this story and that he is perfectly comfortable going to camp as the back-up to Burris? I know where my vote would go, but again it is only speculation. There are a few teams that could benefit from the addition of Kevin Glenn, and at the top of that list is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Bombers have been searching for stability at QB for years now, and if they could somehow swing a trade with Ottawa, they would finally have it. In fact with Drew Willy getting his shot for the Bombers this year, acquiring Glenn would create a situation similar to what we have watched in Calgary the last couple of years. The Stamps have felt the future is Drew Tate (and now possibly Bo Levi Mitchell) and over the last two years had Glenn as the best insurance policy in the game. Willy with the veteran Glenn behind him is the same scenario and all of a sudden would give the Bombers a real chance to turn things around. Then again, how will Glenn feel about backing up Willy? Glenns situation is another example of the cliché that you hear from general managers all the time. "It is a great game but a terrible business." You cant fault Desjardins and head coach Rick Campbell for trying to acquire the best talent possible and create competition in camp. On the other hand, it is impossible to not feel for Kevin Glenn who just doesnt ever seem to be able to shake that back-up label, despite leading the Stamps to a West Final and a Grey Cup over the last two seasons. Also it is not that much of a stretch to suggest that the team that is able to acquire Glenn will become the best team in the league at the most important position on the field. Pick a team: BC, Travis Lulay and Kevin Glenn, not bad especially since Lulay is coming off another shoulder injury. Edmonton, Mike Rielly, Glenn and Matt Nichols. Reilly was very good last year and will be better, Nichols is working his way back from injury, Glenn gives them stability. Saskatchewan, Darian Durant and Glenn, tough to beat that experience. Toronto, Ricky Ray and Glenn, working in Scott Milanovichs offensive system, yikes! Montreal, the young Troy Smith learning from the veteran Glenn in meetings and on the practice field. I have left out Calgary and Hamilton because Glenn returning to either of those teams seems like a longer shot, however its not out of the realm of possibility, and both those teams would improve their chances of winning by adding Glenn. Which camp Kevin Glenn attends is a question that may not be answered for a while as teams sort through their rosters. However, it is a story I wanted to wedge in between the Olympics and the NHL trade deadline and one to watch as the off-season continues. In the meantime we can continue to speculate as to whether or not Glenn is angry with Ottawa and wants out, or is content to be the back-up to Burris and just doesnt want to talk about it. If the situation becomes confusing for Glenn or the brass in Ottawa they can refer back to Team Canadas Babcock and what he was able to do with that group of superstar hockey players. "Everyone evaluates Sid on scoring, and I evaluate Sid on winning." Dont get confused. ' ' '