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Cavs Stun Blazers


Shawn Kemp's outside shot finally looked like it was in shape.

Playing with five fouls, Kemp made four jumpers and set up Lamond Murray's crucial 3-pointer in the final 4:41 Tuesday night as the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped Portland's six-game winning streak, stunning the Trail Blazers 103-100.

Kemp, struggling with his shot this season, had 28 points and 10 rebounds as Cleveland became the first team to score 100 points against Portland, the NBA's top team this season, and ended its own three-game losing skid.

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  • "We beat the best team in the league," Cavs guard Bob Sura said. "We played harder than they did tonight. They made a good run at us, but Kemp and Murray won it for us."

    "We didn't really deserve to win," Portland's Scottie Pippen said. "We've been lucky and fortunate to have such a great record."

    Kemp, possibly miffed about newspaper stories saying he is out of shape again this year, bolted from Gund Arena before talking to reporters after the game.

    The Blazers had plenty to say about him.

    "Kemp came up big for them," Brian Grant said. "With the game on the line, he delivered. You can't deny that."

    Portland, playing its fifth straight road game, lost for just the second time in 12 games. The Blazers shot just 40 percent from the field and made only 5-of-21 3-pointers.

    Murray scored 20 points in his first start of the year, rookie Andre Miller had 12 points and Brevin Knight had 11 points and 12 assists for Cleveland.

    Detlef Schrempf's 22 points, 16 in the fourth quarter, paced the Blazers, who had their worst shooting performance of the season. Portland looked like it couldn't wait to get back home.

    "We came in and looked tired," Grant said. "We've been on the road and had trouble at the start. That's no excuse. We have to learn to deal with it. We'd been sitting around for three days and looked stale."

    Steve Smith added 18 points and Damon Stoudamire had 10 assists for the Blazers. Pippen had 10 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes, and spent most of his night jawing with fans near the Blazers' bench.

    Kemp picked up his fifth personal foul with 7:40 remaining and spent the next three minutes watching as the Cavs, who led by 20 in the first half, tried to hang on.

    He returned with Cleveland leading 85-84 and promptly dropped a baseline jumper to put Cleveland up three. After Smith's 3-pointer tied it, Kemp, who entered the game shooting just 40 percent from the field, hit two more outside jumpers as the teams traded baskets.

    With the score tied 93-all, Kemp whipped a pass to Murray, whose 3 gave the Cavs the lead for good. Stoudamire missed a jumper on Portland's next trip, Kemp rebounded and then drained a 19-footer, giving the Cavs a 5-point lead.

    Pippen said he wasn't surprised Kemp pulled up instead of trying to take the ball down low.

    "Kemp should take those shots," Pippen said. "Those are like free throws for him."

    Cleveland failed to put Portland away at the line, and the Blazers got within 102-100 on Wallace's putback.

    Miller, who pulled the Cavs' offense out of a funk early in the fourth quarter, then made one of two free throws with nine seconds left. Pippen tried to intimidate the rookie before his attempts.

    "Scottie was just talking to me, saying 'Just miss one for me. Miss one for me,"' Miller said. "And I did, but it was a lot of pressure. Everyone was saying something to me."

    Miller's miss gave the Blazer one last chance but long 3s by Schrempf and Wallace were way off just before the buzzer.

    After cutting a 20-point deficit to 10 by halftime, the Blazers pulled within two on Arvydas Sabonis' short hook with 2:04 left in the third quarter. Following a turnover, Stoudamire drilled a 3-pointer from the right side to give Portland its first lead at 67-66.

    Notes

  • Cleveland outrebounded Portland 51-34.
  • Schrempf was 13-of-14 from the line.
  • Portland ends its six-game road trip Wednesday night in Minnesota.
  • Sabonis, Portland's 7-foot-4 center, showed off his soccer skills during one stoppage by popping the ball up off thfloor and dribbling it three more times off his foot.
  • The Cavs dressed only 10 players as F Danny Ferry (calf) and C Mark Bryant (back) are still bothered by injuries.

    ©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

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