Saturday, January 31, 2015 SPORTS East Oregonian Page 3B NBA XLIX Hawks stay on streak Gronk vs Chancellor matchup crucial By CHARLES ODUM Associated Press By TIM BOOTH bined four catches for 50 Associated Press yards against the Seahawks. ATLANTA — The Atlan- Atlanta Portland Vernon Davis hasn’t caught ta Hawks overcame 37 points 105 99 PHOENIX — On some more than three passes by Portland’s LaMarcus Al- point Sunday it will happen. DJDLQVW6HDWWOHLQ¿YHJDPHV At least everyone hopes it over the past two seasons. Ju- dridge to extend their fran- Millsap scored 21 points chise-record winning streak happens. lius Thomas was limited four to lead six Atlanta scorers in The biggest, most athlet- catches for all of 27 yards in to 18 games by beating the GRXEOH ¿JXUHV $O +RUIRUG Trail Blazers 105-99 on Fri- ic tight end in football will last year’s Super Bowl romp. had 17 points and Kyle Korv- EH UXQQLQJ GRZQ¿HOG DQG ³7KH\ GH¿QLWHO\ KDYH day night. er 16. Atlanta outscored Port- Portland, which has lost be met in a full-speed colli- an image of being physical. ODQGLQWKH¿QDOSHULRG sion with the hardest-hitting They’ve got an image of com- IRXU RI ¿YH OHG DIWHU HDFK Atlanta improved to 13-2 RIWKH¿UVWWKUHHTXDUWHUVEXW strong safety in the game to- ing out and being ready to against the Western Con- day. dominate,” Gronkowski said. couldn’t stretch the advan- ference, including a fran- tage to more than six points. What will happen when Why is Seattle so good at chise-record 12 straight wins. the NFL’s version of Thun- defending tight ends? A lot of Following four ties in the Aldridge had a game- AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File ¿QDO SHULRG SRLQWHUV E\ derdome comes to the Super credit falls to Chancellor. His high 11 rebounds. Wesley Bowl, featuring Rob Gron- In this Oct. 14, 2012, file photo, ’ size, speed and strength can Mike Scott and Paul Millsap Matthews had 16 points and Rob Gronkowski (87) is tackled by ’ gave Atlanta its biggest lead kowski in one corner and counter the matchup prob- Damian Lillard had 13 points in the other? Kam Chancellor in the second half of an NFL football lems many tight ends create. at 97-91. Portland came no with 11 assists. game in Seattle. closer than four points the re- “I don’t know. I’ll be sit- But the rest of Seattle’s Aldridge, who has con- ting there with popcorn,” Se- most of the Seahawks have attle is they have Chancellor defensive scheme was for- mainder of the game. tinued to play with a torn The Hawks have not lost attle’s Richard Sherman said. been respectful of his skill. — a safety with a linebacker mulated so Chancellor is not ligament in his left thumb, “It’ll be good football.” alone. Especially when Seat- in 2015. The winning streak VFRUHG  SRLQWV LQ WKH ¿UVW Rightfully so. build and speed began after a loss to Milwau- There are a bevy of im- Gronkowski might have — who can match up with tle is playing zone defense, half while making nine of 12 portant individual matchups responsibility is placed on kee on Dec. 26. shots. been better in 2011, but con- Gronkowski. Many felt it was when New England and Seat- sidering the injuries he’s over- Chancellor and not Malcolm linebackers K.J. Wright and tle meet on Sunday. Will Tom come, 2014 could be his most Smith that should have been to cover those Brady throw at Sherman? impressive season. He had 51 Super Bowl MVP a year ago. “hook areas” as defensive co- Can the Patriots’ defensive receptions and eight touch- It was Chancellor’s hit on De- ordinator Dan Quinn calls it, front slow down Marshawn GRZQVLQWKH¿QDOHLJKWJDPHV maryius Thomas on Denver’s where tight ends often roam. Lynch? What about LeGar- of the regular season and an- second possession that set the “You have to have the rette Blount trying to run other 10 receptions and two tone for Seattle’s rout. speed to play when the quar- against the best defense in the scores already in the playoffs. “That hit alone could terback throws it how fast NFL? Only once this season did have gotten him Super Bowl can you close and make the All those factors could Gronkowski have fewer than MVP,” Sherman said. . I think the speed and PDWWHU LQ WKH ¿QDO RXWFRPH three catches in a game. Seattle struggled earlier the length of K.J. in specif- Trumping them all might be “Aw man, Beast Mode. in the season defending tight ic, allows him to do that and whether Chancellor and the He’s an animal, man,” New ends, breaking from a trend Bobby, his instincts to know Seahawks are able to keep England wide receiver Bran- of being able to shut down after the ball is thrown, we’ve Gronkowski under control. don LaFell said stealing a elite players at that position all seen the speed that he has Even the NFL anticipated phrase normally used to de- in the past. San Diego’s Anto- to close,” Quinn said. “And the potential matchup: Both scribe Lynch. “When you nio Gates caught three touch- then when we play man-to- Gronkowski and Chancellor put a corner on him, he’s too downs in Week 2 against Se- man, both of those guys are sat at the same podium on small. When you put a safety attle and Oakland’s Mychal able to match up, whether media day. on him, he’s too slow, man. Rivera had eight catches and it be on tight ends or backs, “I guess it was destiny. It You know, when Gronk is two TDs in early November. again due to their speed and was destiny for us to have the out there doing his thing he Those performances were cover ability. I think it’s a AP Photo/John Bazemore same seat,” Chancellor said. is demanding a double team outliers. Against most elite combination of the way we Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) goes up for While Seattle nickel cor- and if he’s not being double tight ends, Seattle has been play zone, their speed to do a basket against Portland Trail Blazers’ LaMarcus Al- nerback said teamed, he’s out there mak- at its best. In two games last it, their keys and dridge (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball last week that he didn’t think ing plays for us.” season against New Orleans, the ability for them to play in game Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, in Atlanta. Gronkowski was that good, The difference with Se- Jimmy Graham had a com- man-to-man.” Hernandez SUPER BOWL: New England offense lacking explosiveness of past seasons Continued from 1B those problems to win games. “People hate us because, you And keep Rob Gronkowski from tak- The only evidence needed is what jury given back-to-back Super Bowl titles fac- know, when you talk a lot of smack, ing over the game. ing New England. For as important a the Seahawks did in the NFC cham- people usually hate you,” Seattle de- Sounds like a lot. But if success- Super Bowl role as Lynch might end up playing, pionship game. Three times in the fensive end Michael Bennett said. ful, Seattle will be put in position to whether Seattle is lifting a second ¿UVWKDOIWKH3DFNHUVWRRNSRVVHVVLRQ “But when you talk a lot of smack do what no team has done before be- restrictions straight Lombardi Trophy will be inside the Seattle 35 and came away and you back it up, they hate you even cause of the way it’s been constructed. dictated by its defense. with only nine points. That defense more.” They are talented. They are still Associated Press The outcome is certainly deeper allowed the Seahawks to hang around So how does Seattle earn a second young. And they have most of their than just how Seattle plays defensively. long enough to post its late rally. title with its defense? By not giving core players together through at least FALL RIVER, Mass. — Has Seattle fully recovered emotion- There is a reason Seattle is being up big plays. They allowed only 39 WKHVHDVRQZLWK¿QDQFLDOÀH[L- The 18 New England resi- ally from the NFC title game and its mentioned in the same category as plays of 20 or more yards the entire bility. Some of that extra money will dents sitting on the jury in remarkable comeback against Green the “Purple People Eaters,” the “Steel regular season and just 17 of those in be consumed by a new contract for the murder trial of former Pa- Bay just to get to the Super Bowl? Curtain,” and the “Monsters of the WKH¿QDOHLJKWJDPHV Wilson, but there will still be room to triots star Aaron Hernandez Can be an effective Midway.” And that’s not the strength of the supplement what Seattle has already will be allowed to watch the passer against a New England second- They have accomplished statistical Patriots. New England ranked 26th in created. home team play in Sunday’s ary that with Darrelle Revis and Bran- feats that haven’t been seen in nearly the league in offensive plays of 20 or That’s what makes the potential Super Bowl, but the judge don Browner is far better than the one 30 years. The best scoring defense. more yards. for Sunday so unique. There has nev- overseeing the case says they Wilson faced as a rookie? And where The best at stopping the pass. The best Make the Patriots move in small er been a team to win three straight must leave the room if his is Lynch’s head after a week where he overall. chunks. Get to just Super Bowls and that will be all the name is mentioned. was the center of attention? All they need is another Super enough to throw off his timing. Make talk for and his crew go- Hernandez caught quar- The difference is Seattle’s defense Bowl title to add credence to their sure LeGarrette Blount and the New ing into next season: terback Tom Brady’s last Su- has shown it’s capable of overcoming status. England run game doesn’t get started. Seahawks 23, Patriots 19 per Bowl pass in the Patriots’ 2012 loss to the SCOREBOARD New York Giants. Now he is on trial for murder, charged Phoenix 28 20 .583 10 UCLA at Oregon St, 7 p.m. Detroit 28 12 9 65 145 128 Correction Sacramento 16 29 .356 20½ Washington at Stanford, 7 p.m. Boston 26 16 7 59 131 123 with the June 2013 killing of Gonzaga defeated University of Portland 64-46 in L.A. Lakers 13 34 .277 24½ Florida 21 15 10 52 114 129 men’s basketball on Thursday. Incorrect information ——— CCC Toronto 22 24 4 48 144 155 Odin Lloyd, who was dating Ottawa 19 19 9 47 129 134 appeared in the Jan. 30 edition. The EO sincerely Friday’s Games Eastern Oregon 78, Warner Pacific 44 KLV¿DQFHH¶VVLVWHU Philadelphia 103, Minnesota 94 Buffalo 14 33 3 31 94 179 apologizes for the error. Metropolitan Division Atlanta 105, Portland 99 The trial is playing out Golf W L OT Pts GF GA Houston 93, Boston 87 N.Y. Islanders 32 15 1 65 157 135 Local Slate PGA just as Hernandez’s old team Toronto 127, Brooklyn 122, OT Pittsburgh 28 13 8 64 145 125 Phoenix Open is preparing to take on the BOYS PREP BASKETBALL Cleveland 101, Sacramento 90 Washington 25 14 9 59 144 124 Saturday New Orleans 108, L.A. Clippers 103 Friday’s Leaders N.Y. Rangers 27 15 4 58 135 111 Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Vale at Umatilla, 5:30 p.m. Dallas 93, Miami 72 At TPC Scottsdale, Stadium Course Philadelphia 21 22 7 49 139 151 Scottsdale, Ariz. Ione at Condon/Wheeler, 5:30 p.m. Utah 110, Golden State 100 Columbus 21 23 3 45 119 148 championship game. Purse: $6.3 million Arlington at Mitchell/Spray, 5:30 p.m. Phoenix 99, Chicago 93 New Jersey 18 22 9 45 110 137 Bristol County Superior Yardage: 7,266; Par: 71 Carolina 17 25 6 40 104 125 Echo at Joseph, 5:30 p.m. Saturday’s Games Partial Second Round Powder Valley at Nixyaawii, 5:30 p.m. Toronto at Washington, 4 p.m. WESTERN CONFERENCE Court Judge Susan Garsh Martin Laird 66-66—132 Central Division Riverside at Nyssa, 6 p.m. Dallas at Orlando, 4 p.m. Daniel Berger 65-69—134 closed the second day of testi- Sacramento at Indiana, 4 p.m. W L OT Pts GF GA Justin Thomas 67-68—135 Nashville 31 11 6 68 145 115 GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL Philadelphia at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m. mony Friday by telling jurors Bubba Watson 65-71—136 St. Louis 31 13 4 66 156 117 Houston at Detroit, 4:30 p.m. they may watch the game if it Saturday Ryan Palmer 64-72—136 Chicago 31 16 2 64 155 113 Vale at Umatilla, 4 p.m. Oklahoma City at Memphis, 5 p.m. Ryan Moore 69-67—136 Winnipeg 26 16 8 60 140 127 is important to them, but they Ione at Condon/Wheeler, 4 p.m. Cleveland at Minnesota, 5 p.m. Zach Johnson 66-70—136 Colorado 21 18 11 53 131 141 Arlington at Mitchell/Spray, 4 p.m. Portland at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m. Robert Streb 66-70—136 Dallas 22 19 7 51 152 157 must be vigilant for mention Echo at Joseph, 4 p.m. Charlotte at Denver, 6 p.m. Angel Cabrera 67-69—136 Minnesota 22 20 6 50 131 138 Powder Valley at Nixyaawii, 4 p.m. L.A. Clippers at San Antonio, 6 p.m. Geoff Ogilvy 68-69—137 Pacific Division of the case or Hernandez. K.J. Choi 68-69—137 Riverside at Nyssa, 4:30 p.m. Phoenix at Golden State, 7:30 p.m. W L OT Pts GF GA Graham DeLaet 67-70—137 “You hear that word, Sunday’s Games Anaheim 32 12 6 70 147 134 Brendon de Jonge 67-71—138 San Jose 26 17 6 58 137 135 you’ve got to walk out of the PREP SWIMMING Miami at Boston, 10 a.m. Jordan Spieth 70-68—138 Saturday L.A. Lakers at New York, 11 a.m. Vancouver 27 17 3 57 129 120 Brendan Steele 71-67—138 Calgary 26 20 3 55 140 127 room,” Garsh said. “Distance Pendleton, Hermiston at Baker City, noon Jon Rahm 70-68—138 NCAA Los Angeles 21 15 12 54 133 129 yourself.” Keegan Bradley 65-73—138 Arizona 17 25 6 40 111 161 COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL Men Top 25 Brandt Snedeker 70-68—138 Edmonton 13 27 9 35 113 162 The judge previously Saturday’s Games Saturday Morgan Hoffmann 72-67—139 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime told jurors that they are not Blue Mountain at Treasure Valley, 4 p.m. No. 1 Kentucky vs. Alabama, 4 p.m. Billy Horschel 69-70—139 loss. Eastern Oregon at Concordia, 7:30 p.m. No. 2 vs. No. 4 Duke, 4 p.m. Rory Sabbatini 68-71—139 Friday’s Games allowed to discuss the case No. 3 Gonzaga vs. Memphis, 7 p.m. Ben Martin 66-73—139 St. Louis 3, Carolina 2, SO with anyone, even to tell their COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL No. 5 Wisconsin at Iowa, 9 a.m. Patrick Reed 71-69—140 Pittsburgh 2, New Jersey 1, OT Saturday No. 7 Villanova at DePaul, 11 a.m. Hideki Matsuyama 69-71—140 Colorado 3, Nashville 0 Mark Wilson 70-70—140 families or employers that Blue Mountain at Treasure Valley, 2 p.m. No. 8 Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, 9 a.m. Vancouver 5, Buffalo 2 Chad Campbell 70-70—140 Eastern Oregon at Concordia, 7:30 p.m. No. 9 Kansas vs. Kansas State, 11 a.m. Chicago 4, Anaheim 1 they are sitting on the jury Andrew Svoboda 70-70—140 Saturday’s Games No. 10 Louisville vs. No. 13 North Carolina, 4 p.m. Tony Finau 72-68—140 for Hernandez. During jury Basketball No. 12 Wichita State at No. 18 Northern Iowa, 1 p.m. Washington at Montreal, 10 a.m. Kevin Chappell 75-65—140 N.Y. Islanders at Detroit, 11 a.m. NBA No. 14 VCU vs. Richmond, 11 a.m. James Hahn 67-73—140 selection, jurors were asked EASTERN CONFERENCE No. 15 Iowa State vs. TCU, 11 a.m. Arizona at Ottawa, Noon Hunter Mahan 69-71—140 Dallas at Winnipeg, 4 p.m. Atlantic Division No. 17 West Virginia vs. Texas Tech, 9 a.m. if they were Patriots fans, but Matt Kuchar 70-70—140 Toronto at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. No. 19 Texas at No. 20 Baylor, 3 p.m. that did not mean they were W L Pct GB Russell Henley 69-71—140 Carolina at N.Y. Rangers, 4 p.m. Toronto 32 15 .681 — No. 21 Georgetown at Creighton, 11 a.m. Justin Leonard 67-73—140 Florida at New Jersey, 4 p.m. DXWRPDWLFDOO\ GLVTXDOL¿HG Brooklyn 18 28 .391 13½ No. 22 Indiana vs. Rutgers, 12:15 p.m. Boo Weekley 69-71—140 Los Angeles at Boston, 4 p.m. from being selected. Boston 16 29 .356 15 No. 24 Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, 5 p.m. Lucas Glover 70-70—140 Columbus at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m. Philadelphia 10 37 .213 22 No. 25 Butler at Marquette, 11 a.m. Edmonton at Calgary, 7 p.m. Hernandez had a $40 mil- New York 9 38 .191 23 Sunday’s Games Tennis Chicago at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Southeast Division No. 11 Utah at Southern Cal, 11:30 a.m. Sunday’s Games Australian Open lion contract with the Patriots W L Pct GB No. 23 Miami at Florida State, 9:30 a.m. Arizona at Montreal, 10 a.m. Friday Atlanta 39 8 .830 — St. Louis at Washington, 10 a.m. when he was arrested. At Melbourne Park Washington 31 16 .660 8 Pac-12 Melbourne, Australia Nashville at Pittsburgh, 11 a.m. Earlier Friday, Lloyd’s Men Miami 20 26 .435 18½ Purse: $32.9 million (Grand Slam) Minnesota at Vancouver, Noon mother, Ursula Ward, was Charlotte 19 27 .413 19½ Friday’s Games Surface: Hard-Outdoor overcome with emotion and Orlando 15 34 .306 25 Oregon 68, Arizona State 67 (OT) Singles WHL Central Division Arizona 57, Oregon State 34 Men Friday’s results had to leave the courtroom as W L Pct GB Saturday’s Games Semifinals Swift Current 6 Saskatoon 2 Chicago 30 19 .612 — Stanford at Washington St., 5:30 p.m. Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, def. Stan Wawrinka (4), Brandon 6 Moose Jaw 4 a prosecutor showed graph- Cleveland 28 20 .583 1½ Colorado at UCLA, 7:30 p.m. Switzerland, 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. Kelowna 6 Lethbridge 3 ic photos of her son’s body Milwaukee 24 22 .522 4½ Sunday’s Games Doubles Calgary 10 Prince Albert 1 Detroit 17 30 .362 12 Utah at USC, 11:30 a.m. Women Kootenay 4 Regina 3 (OT) at the industrial park where Indiana 17 31 .354 12½ California at Washington, Noon Championship Edmonton 4 Red Deer 0 he was found. The 27-year- WESTERN CONFERENCE Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States, and Lucie Seattle 9 Prince George 2 Southwest Division CCC Safarova, Czech Republic, def. Chan Yung-jan, Taiwan, Portland 6 Kamloops 2 old Lloyd was shown lying W L Pct GB Warner Pacific 76, Eastern Oregon 59 and Zheng Jie (14), China, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Medicine Hat 4 Tri-City 1 RQKLVEDFNZLWKKLVOHIW¿VW Memphis 34 12 .739 — Mixed Victoria 3 Spokane 0 Houston 33 14 .702 1½ Women Semifinals Everett 7 Vancouver 1 curled in a ball over the gun- Dallas 31 17 .646 4 Friday’s Games Martina Hingis, Switzerland, and Leander Paes (7), Saturday’s games shot wounds to his chest. San Antonio 30 17 .638 4½ Arizona State 68, Colorado 60 India, def. Hsieh Su-wei, Taiwan, and Pablo Cuevas, Edmonton at Calgary, 1 p.m. New Orleans 25 22 .532 9½ Utah 62, Arizona 48 Uruguay, 7-5, 6-4. Brandon at Moose Jaw, 5 p.m. It was the second straight Northwest Division Saturday’s Games Kristina Mladenovic, France, and Daniel Nestor (3), Swift Current at Saskatoon, 5:05 p.m. day she left the courtroom in W L Pct GB UCLA at Oregon, 12:30 p.m. Canada, def. Sania Mirza, India, and Bruno Soares (1), Kelowna at Kootenay, 6 p.m. Portland 32 15 .681 — Washington St. at Stanford, 12:30 p.m. Brazil, 3-6, 6-2, 10-8. Regina at Lethbridge, 6 p.m. tears. Oklahoma City 23 23 .500 8½ Washington at California, 2:30 p.m. Prince Albert at Red Deer, 6 p.m. Lloyd’s body was found Denver 19 28 .404 13 USC at Oregon St., 2:30 p.m. Hockey Seattle at Prince George, 7 p.m. Utah 17 30 .362 15 Sunday’s Games Kamloops at Vancouver, 7 p.m. NHL riddled with bullets in an in- Minnesota 8 38 .174 23½ Arizona at Colorado, 10, a.m. Everett at Portland, 7 p.m. EASTERN CONFERENCE dustrial park near Hernandez’s Pacific Division Arizona St. at Utah, Noon Medicine Hat at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. Atlantic Division Victoria at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m. W L Pct GB Monday’s Games W L OT Pts GF GA North Attleborough home, not Golden State 36 8 .818 — USC at Oregon, 5 p.m. Sunday’s Games Tampa Bay 31 15 4 66 163 132 No games scheduled far from Gillette Stadium. L.A. Clippers 32 15 .681 5½ Washington St. at California, 5 p.m. Montreal 31 13 3 65 127 108