Trail Blazers 77, Hawks 75

<p>Josh Smith showed off his leaping ability last year by winning the NBA slam-dunk contest, but some may still doubt he can jump so high without help.</p><p>In a controversial call, official Phil Robinson said Smith grabbed the rim to make an offensive rebound with 7.2 seconds left, giving Portland the ball for Darius Miles' winning shot in a 77-75 victory over Atlanta on Sunday.</p><p>Miles' bank shot over Zaza Pachulia with 1.3 seconds left gave Portland the win, ending the Hawks' two-game winning streak, but everybody was talking about the ruling on Smith's rebound.</p><p>Hawks coach Mike Woodson called it "bogus."</p><p>"The guy never even hung on the rim," Woodson said. "I went back and watched it on the tape. It was a bad call."</p><p>Smith said he asked Robinson for a clarification.</p><p>"They said I grabbed the rim and pulled up to get the rebound," Smith said. "I was shocked."</p><p>Asked if he touched the rim, Smith said "No, I didn't. ... That's the call they made. I had to go with it."</p><p>Added Atlanta's Al Harrington: "I was standing there. I didn't see him grab the rim. I don't know what (Robinson) saw there. You've got to love our refs, man. They do a great job night in and night out."</p><p>Hawks' rookie Salim Stoudamire missed a last-second jumper following Miles' basket.</p><p>Zach Randolph led Portland with 24 points, making 12 of 15 shots from the field. Randolph missed two free throws with 1:06 left and the Blazers leading by two, giving the Hawks an opening. Joe Johnson's spinning drive tied it at 75 with 49 seconds left.</p><p>Following a miss by Miles, Johnson missed a baseline jumper. Smith soared above the rim to grab the rebound, but Robinson's ruling gave Portland possession. TV replays indicated Smith did not touch the rim.</p><p>Portland coach Nate McMillan said even if the officials had not ruled Smith grabbed the rim, the possession should have changed on a foul.</p><p>"There was a foul, first of all, because (Pachulia) went over the back," McMillan said. "Grabbing the net was the second call that was there. We had a guy in position. I think Pachulia went over the back. I thought there were two calls that might be made."</p><p>No player on either team said he saw Smith grab the rim.</p><p>"It was all too fast," said Portland's Martell Webster. "All I saw was him come down with the ball. The referee said he grabbed the rim. We needed that."</p><p>The Blazers, who snapped a two-game losing streak, are 2-0 against the Hawks in two last-second wins. Portland beat Atlanta 94-93 on Nov. 5 on Randolph's free throw with 0.2 seconds left. The Hawks opened the season with nine straight losses.</p><p>Harrington led Atlanta with 16 points and Pachulia had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Johnson also had 15 points and Smith added 14.</p><p>Miles had 12 points for Portland. Martell Webster was the Blazers' only other scorer in double figures, with 10 points.</p><p>Randolph scored 14 points in the opening period as the Blazers took a lead of nine points. The Blazers led 25-18 at the end of the period, but Randolph did not score in the second period and the Hawks led 41-39 at halftime.</p><p>Atlanta came out running in the second half. Smith capped a break by soaring down the baseline for a left-handed jam for a 55-43 lead midway through the quarter.</p><p>Pachulia added another breakaway jam on a pass from Harrington to push the lead to 63-50.</p><p>"We were trying to bounce back," Randolph said. "We played together and we felt real confident."</p><p>In a streak that began late in the third quarter and continued through the opening minutes of the final period, the Blazers used an 18-2 run to lead 68-65. Portland scored 13 straight points at the end of the run.</p><p>Notes: Portland G Juan Dixon was held out with flu symptoms. ... Blazers C Theo Ratliff was taken to the locker room early in the second period to have his ankle re-taped. He returned in the third quarter. ... Hawks newly acquired center John Thomas, acquired on waivers Friday, was active but did not play.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/11/134522