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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. Nike Air Vapormax Discount . Chelsea took until the second half to trouble the leagues bottom team, but Schuerrle then ripped through the defence with ease at Craven Cottage to keep Jose Mourinhos side on track for the title. White Nike Air Vapormax .com) - Devin Booker scored 19 points and top-ranked Kentucky put on a defensive clinic in an 83-44 obliteration of UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic. http://www.cheapairvapormaxsale.com/. Pinch-hitter Tommy Medica singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in their first home game since Gwynn died of cancer Monday. Womens Nike Air Vapormax . A wide-eyed 18-year-old visiting North America for only the second time in his young life, Caboclo immediately noticed the "big tower" his new home is best known for. Cheap Nike Air Vapormax China . Grilli hasnt pitched since straining his left oblique in late April. Manager Clint Hurdle says the right-hander will make a couple of appearances in middle relief before the team determines whether to return Grilli to the back end of the bullpen.NEW YORK -- Palace Malice, last years Belmont Stakes winner, won the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap on Saturday at Belmont Park. The $1.5 million Belmont Stakes topped the richest day in New York racing. Total purses for the 13-race card were $8 million, including four stakes worth at least $1 million. Palace Malice, a 4-year-old trained by Todd Pletcher, drove through an opening on the rail to beat a determined Goldencents, last years Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner, by a length. John Velazquez was aboard as Palace Malice continued his emergence as a leader in the older horse division. "Its pretty extraordinary to have a horse win the Belmont and come back a year later to win the Met Mile," Pletcher said. Palace Malice is 4 for 4 on the season and the latest victory was his sternest test so far. The race, the premier event on the undercard, attracted a deep and talented field of 12. Palace Malice paid $4.70 to win. The time was 1:33.56. The $1 million Ogden Phipps for fillies and mares drew only six runners yet it produced a thrilling finish as Close Hatches held off Princess of Sylmar by a head. It was the fifth win in the last six races for the 4-year-old trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Joel Rosario. The lone loss in that span was a second-place finish to Beholder in the Breeders Cup Distaff in November. Beholder ran fourth in the Phipps. Close Hatches paid $7.80 to win. The time was 1:40.55 for 1 1/16 miles. Real Solution beat Kaigun by 1 1/4 lengths in the $1 million Manhattan on the turf. The winner of last years Arlington Million on a disqualification, Real Solution improved to 5 for 13. Javier Castellano rode for trainer Chad Brown as Real Solution paid $13 to win. The time was 1:59.27 for 1 1/4 miles. Sweet Reason pulled a 9-1 upset in the $750,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies, beating Sweet Whiskey pay a half-length with Irad Ortiz Jr. riding for Leah Gyarmati. She paid $20.80 to win. TThe time was 1:34.dddddddddddd98 for a mile. My Miss Sophia, the 4-5 favourite, finished seventh. Coffee Clique edged Starthnaver by a nose in the $750,000 Just a Game Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf. The 4-year-old is unbeaten in three races this year for trainer Brian Lynch. Javier Castellano guided her through the mile in 1:32.52. Bayern rebounded from a ninth-place finish in the Preakness to romp by 7 1/2 lengths in the $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes for 3-year-olds. He obviously appreciated the reduction in distance from the 1 3/16 miles in the Preakness to seven furlongs for the Hall of Fame team of trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Gary Stevens. He paid $20.40 for his first stakes victory. Bayern did finish first in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, but was disqualified and placed second. The time was a dazzling 1:20.75. Top Fortitude was a distant second with Social Inclusion getting third to replicate his finish in the Preakness. Norumbega got up in the final strides for a 10-1 upset in the $500,000 Brooklyn Invitational run at the same 1 1/2 mile distance as the Belmont. The grey 4-year-old trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by Joel Rosario edged Micromanage by a neck for his fourth victory in 13 starts Norumbega paid $22.40 for the upset score. The time was 2:27.13. Undrafted, owned by NFL star Wes Welker, roared through the lane to take the $300,000 Jaipur Invitational for grass sprinters. Undrafted beat Marchman by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:07.24 for the team of jockey Velazquez and trainer Wesley Ward. He paid $11.80 to win, the fourth victory in 14 starts for the 4-year-old gelding. Kid Cruz, once under consideration for the Belmont, found an easier and a shorter spot in the $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes for 3-year-olds. The colt trained by Linda Rice rallied from last for his fourth win in seven starts. He paid $8.90 to win with Ortiz aboard. The time was 1:41.12 for 1 1/16 miles. ' ' '