total that I know can play at a real high level, that will

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim. With the final buzzer about to sound, he took his shot. "I got my feet squared up and it felt real good leaving my hands," Portlands point guard said. "Once I saw it on line, I said, Thats got a chance." Lillards shot fell and the Trail Blazers stunned the Houston Rockets 99-98 to take their playoff series in six games and advance to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time in 14 years. In the frenzied postgame celebration, Lillard took the public address microphone and shouted "Rip City!" The hometown crowd roared. Portland, making its first playoff appearance since 2011, had been eliminated in the first round in its last six trips, and hadnt advanced to the second round since 2000. "Its a great feeling," said fellow guard Wesley Matthews. "Im excited for Portland, of course excited for us. The grind of the season: Youre a competitor, you want to win, you want to play, you want to advance, you want to be a champion. ... Its unbelievable." Dwight Howard made four consecutive free throws to tie the game at 91 before making a bank shot that put Houston ahead with 3:04 to go. Robin Lopez scored on a tip shot to give the Blazers a 94-93 lead with 2:15 left, setting up a wild finish. Howards layup and foul shot put the Rockets back up 96-94 before Nicolas Batums fadeaway jumper tied it again with 39.9 seconds left. Chandler Parsons scored on a reverse layup with 0.9 seconds left to give Houston the lead. Lillard prevented the series from going back to Houston with his 3-pointer as time ran out. He finished with 25 points. The Trail Blazers said Lillard is the first player to make a buzzer-beating shot to win a playoff series since John Stocktons 3 that led Utah over Houston in 1997s Western Conference finals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. "He made a hell of a shot," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said of Lillard. Portland will face the winner of the series between San Antonio and Dallas. The Mavericks forced a deciding Game 7 with a 113-111 victory over the Spurs on Friday night. There are five first-round playoff series that have gone to seven games. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers with 30 points and 13 rebounds. He averaged 29.8 points during the series. After losing the opening two games in Houston, then claiming one of a pair in Portland, the Rockets staved off elimination with a 108-98 victory on Wednesday night to narrow Portlands advantage in the series to 3-2. Howard had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jeremy Lin redeemed himself from a poor performance in Game 4 with 21 points off the bench. James Harden led the Rockets on Friday night with 34 points. Howard had 26 points and 11 rebounds as Houston -- which earned the nickname "Clutch City" back in the mid-1990s when the team won back-to-back NBA championships -- failed to become the ninth team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series and advance. "It hurts," Howard said. "When you put everything youve got on the floor and somebody hits you with a dagger like that, its a tough pill to swallow." After Lillards 3, Howard went over to congratulate his friend and told him he was proud of him and to go win the title. Aldridge helped the Blazers steal the first two games in Houston, scoring 46 points in a 122-120 overtime Game 1 win, then 43 in a 112-105 victory. The Rockets claimed the first of two in Portland, 121-116 in overtime, led by Harden with 37 points. The series third OT game ended in a 123-120 Blazers win. Aldridge gave the Rockets credit for making the Blazers better. "We felt like they definitely helped us grow. Were so young in the playoffs, but they definitely helped us grow and we feel we should be better for the next round," Aldridge said. "Were happy now, but were not satisfied." NOTES: The Blazers honoured former coach Jack Ramsay, who led the team to its lone NBA championship in 1977, in a moving pregame ceremony. Ramsay died Monday after a long battle with cancer in Florida. ... A fan at the game held a sign reading: "Play like its 1977." ... Lillard has multiple 3-pointers in six straight playoff games, a franchise record. ... It was the first time that the Blazers had defeated Houston in the post-season after three previous meetings. Orioles Jerseys 2019 .Y. - The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence these days, thanks to a standout goalie and a newfound winning attitude. Cheap Orioles Jerseys . Pressley missed all of last season with Cincinnati because of a knee injury, but the 5-foot-10, 249-pounder had been expected to fill a need on Clevelands roster. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ .com) - It may just be the right place and the right opponent for the Detroit Red Wings to snap their longest losing streak of the season. Stitched Orioles Jerseys .com) - New England Patriots starting center Bryan Stork will not play in Sundays AFC Championship against Indianapolis due to a knee injury the rookie sustained last week. Custom Baltimore Orioles Jerseys . -- Jack Del Rio only wanted to talk about the Cowboys, not the Trojans.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets quarterback situation is no mystery. And, if it was, everyone has gotten enough clues by now to solve it. While no one who has a say in the decision-making process has come right out and said it, it has become very clear that Geno Smith is the starting quarterback and Michael Vick is the backup. Today, tomorrow and next month. And its offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinwegs task to make it all work. "Heres my job, this is my responsibility and my duty, really: Ive got to continue to progress the young quarterback thats got 16 games under his belt," Mornhinweg said Wednesday. "That has to happen." Thats why, despite Vicks extensive experience and familiarity with Mornhinwegs offence, Smith is getting the bulk of the work with the starting offence in minicamp and will continue to do so in training camp in late July. "Things can change, as you know," Mornhinweg said. "Theyll start out very similarly. Geno has gotten, and hell get about, lets say 70-75 per cent of the reps with the 1s. Geno, Ill get him a couple reps there with the second group as well." Its not a major revelation, especially after Mornhinweg recently acknowledged that the snaps wouldnt be equal between the two quarterbacks -- confirming Vicks assertion that it wasnt necessarily an "open competition." The two will continue to compete, of course, with Smith getting the chance to end any debate with a solid showing this summer. From what Mornhinweg has seen, he believes that could end up being the case. "Last year about this time ... things were spinning on him a little bit, which was certainly anticipated," Mornhinweg said. "We started our off-season, hes got the bull by the horns (and) hes driving it. Quite different that way. "Very confident, very sure of himself with each play." Last season, Smith threw 12 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions after being thrust into the starting job when Mark Sanchez was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. Cutting down on the turnovers has been the major focus since December. Quarterbacks coach David Lee has worked closely with Smith, who is getting rid of the ball a lot faster than he was at any point a year ago. "Hes thrown a couple of interceptions since OTAs and hadnt thrown any in minicamp," Lee said. "Of course, its not 82,000 (fans) out there and nine million people watching on television. AAnd thats really where youve got to evaluate a quarterback is in those games.dddddddddddd "Thats when you really know how much better hes gotten when you get to the ballgames." But if Smith struggles or is injured, Mornhinweg is counting on Vick -- who thrived under him during their four seasons together in Philadelphia -- to be able to step in seamlessly and lead the offence. "We just have to get Michael Vick playing at the high level that he played at in the past within this system," Mornhinweg said. "So, he needs some reps." Both Smith and Vick are getting used to a revamped wide receiver corps, which has Eric Decker, Jeremy Kerley and a host of others trying to earn roster spots. That might be where the real competition is with the Jets -- not with the guys throwing the football, but the guys catching it. "We are extremely deep at that spot," Mornhinweg said. "So weve got more than a handful of guys that can play at a high level." David Nelson and Jacoby Ford are two veterans vying for spots, while youngsters Greg Salas, Clyde Gates, Michael Campbell and Saalim Hakim and draft picks Jalen Saunders, Shaq Evans and Quincy Enunwa are also in the mix. "Weve got four to five guys total that I know can play at a real high level, that will catch the ball consistently, will separate consistently," Mornhinweg said. "We have three to four guys who can really run. I mean fast, fast. ... Then we have another handful of guys, many of them young players that have shown some things where, this is going to be a heck of a competition here for some roster spots and some playing time and being able to help our football team." Coach Rex Ryan is also intrigued by a promising group of tight ends, including Jeff Cumberland, second-round pick Jace Amaro and the developing Zach Sudfeld. "I could see Marty being real creative with this group," Ryan said. Running back Chris Johnson is expected to be ready to go when training camp opens after recovering from off-season knee surgery. Chris Ivory rolled an ankle Wednesday, but Ryan said it was nothing serious. If healthy, Johnson and Ivory could form one of the leagues most lethal backfield duos. "We need to get Chris Johnson on the field," Mornhinweg said. "He needs some reps, certainly, but it is going to be exciting. At least Im excited." ' ' '