We kind of got into a panic and we didnt execute our game well

SAN ANTONIO -- The Portland Trail Blazers were clearly rattled by the San Antonio Spurs in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals, and they were almost snake bit before Game 2. A baby rattlesnake, estimated at about 3 to 4 feet, was discovered in the teams locker room at the AT&T Center about two hours before the game Thursday. It was found by reserve forward Thomas Robinson, who recoiled a few feet after seeing the snake when he moved a bag from his locker. "I didnt (see it)," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "They said it was a young one." Young or not, guard Mo Williams tweeted that it was a scary experience. Rattlesnakes are a venomous species that can grow up to 8 feet and weigh more than 10 pounds. It takes its name from a "rattle" at the end of its tail that produces a rattling sound when shaken to warn predators of its presence. It is unknown if the rattlesnake found in the locker room made any noise, but Robinsons cries were enough to alert his teammates of its presence. "Well, its bizarre to have a venomous snake in your locker room," Stotts said. "I dont know if its ever happened before. That sounds like an ABA story." The Spurs have a history in the ABA and also with critters in the AT&T Center. The stadium hosts the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo each February and its grounds are used for livestock shows during the three-week event. Spurs guard Manu Ginobili also swatted down a bat that was flying above the court at the AT&T Center on Nov. 1, 2009. Ginobili had to have rabies shots after striking the bat with his bare hands. Fortunately for the Spurs, Ginobili wasnt needed to corral the snake. "I think some people here (captured it)," Stotts said, smiling. "They have them on hand at the AT&T Center. They have a specialist." It probably wasnt a good omen for Portland, which is seeking to even its series with San Antonio. "Or a good sign," Stotts said. "We survived." The Trail Blazers will gladly accept any good fortune after being walloped in their first second-round appearance in 14 years. San Antonio led by as many as 31 points and never trailed in rolling to a 116-92 victory on Tuesday. Tony Parker had 32 points and nine assists, as many as Portland had as a team, as the Trail Blazers never threatened the defending Western Conference champions. Stotts was asked if he thought someone from the Spurs had planted the snake to rattle his young charges. "Youre the investigative reporter, you figure it out," Stotts said, tongue in cheek. Stotts was then asked if he considered returning the favour and planting the snake in San Antonios locker room. "That thing, its like Fort Knox over there. You cant get in," he said. Well, the room with officials Joe Crawford, Bill Spooner, Derrick Stafford and Sean Wright is only about 50 feet away from the Blazers locker room. "And I cant comment on the officials," Stotts said, laughing. Wayman Britt Jersey Signed . Saskatchewans Darian Durant is expected to miss the rest of the Roughriders season with a torn tendon in his right elbow. The 32-year-old, who will undergo surgery in the next couple days to repair the injury, was added to the teams six-game injury list Tuesday. Bob Riley Jersey Signed . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. https://www.cheapnbajerseysjustwholesale.com/ .Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself. Bobby Brown Jersey Signed .Hoffenheim forward Anthony Modeste opened the scoring on a counterattack in the 15th minute, shooting though Jaroslav Drobnys legs after Lewis Holtby lost the ball in midfield. Stitched NBA Jerseys . Costa injured his right thigh muscle against Barcelona last Saturday and had sought treatment in Belgrade from a doctor specializing in using fluid derived from horse placenta to repair damaged cells.SAN ANTONIO -- The Big Three rescued the San Antonio Spurs again. Manu Ginobili scored 28 points, Tony Parker added 22, and Tim Duncan had 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio to a 112-104 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. After heavy contributions from the Spurs reserves and role players to start the season, Parker was jokingly asked if it was about time the Big Three stepped up. "So weve been playing bad the whole season. Thats what youre trying to say? The starting five, we (stink)?" Parker said, playing along. "(The bench has) been playing great; theyve been giving us a lot of energy." Boris Diaw had 14 points and Tiago Splitter added 11 for San Antonio (24-7). Struggling mightily on defence for much of the second half, the Spurs turned to their Big Three to close out the upstart Kings. Ginobili, Duncan and Parker scored San Antonios final 21 points in a 23-8 run to close the game. "It just showed their experience," Sacramento forward Rudy Gay said. "Theyre a great team, thats the reason their record is like it is year after year. Because they are great, they play great together. They know where they want the ball and they get it there exactly where they want it." DeMarcus Cousins had 29 points and 14 rebounds, Isaiah Thomas added 27 points and Gay had 24 for Sacramento (9-20). Shouting could be heard behind the closed doors of the Kings locker room following the game. Coach Michael Malone said his team was "a little frustrated" but "fine." The frustration came from a game that got away from the young Kings. Sacramento, which is 3-9 on the road, outscored San Antonio 38-24 in the third quarter to take an 87-87 lead entering the fourth. "They definitely turned up the heat," Malone said. "We had our way with them in the third quarter, but you know Pop is going to get on his team and their team is going to respond like they always do. I think it was a combination of them turning up the pressure, getting into us and us not responding to their pressure very well." Ginobili had consecutive 3s to tie the game at 102 with 3 minutes remaining. After being hobbled by injuries at the close of last season, Ginobili is continuing his resurgence. He is averaging 17.4 points in his past five games, and his best effort came at the right time. "Hes stronger this year than hes been in several years," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.dddddddddddd "Both the rest and weightlifting he did all summer. He feels real confident and good about his body. He had two days of rest before tonights game and it showed. His legs were great and he was very energetic." With Ginobili sparking the offence, the Spurs turned to Duncan to shut down the Kings inside. After Cousins scored all his points primarily against Tiago Splitter, the Spurs put the eight-time All-Defensive first-team member on the Kings centre. The move immediately paid off as Cousins committed a backcourt violation while attempting to take an inbounds from Ben McLemore. "(Cousins) is a tough guy to cover," Popovich said. "Hes so big. But Timmy did a good job to make him work early and making it tough for him to get the shot off. His length helped on DeMarcus down the stretch." Duncan then hit a free throw to complete a three-point play after drawing Cousins second foul on the ensuing possession. Cousins then shot an airball while attempting several spins and duck-and-under moves against Duncan. Parker followed with a 3 to put San Antonio up 108-102 with less than a minute remaining. "We kind of got into a panic and we didnt execute our game well," Cousins said. "Defensively, we broke down a lot." The Kings were 1 for 6 in scoring just two points in the final 3 minutes and committed two turnovers. "We got a little selfish at that point," Gay said. "The ball stuck a little bit, you cant do that." That wasnt the case in the third, with the Kings shooting 15 for 24 with Gay and Thomas combining for 27 points in the quarter. Thomas scored 15 points in the third, going 3 for 3 on 3-pointers with Mills and Parker closely guarding. NOTES: Kings F Carl Landry remains out with a torn left hip flexor muscle. Landry has not played this season. . The mascots for the Texas Longhorns and Oregon Ducks appeared in a skit during the first quarter to promote Mondays Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome, former home to the Spurs. ... Popovich was teased about his wardrobe selection, wearing a black jacket with a white checkered pattern. Spurs television analyst and former player Sean Elliott attempted to play tic-tac-toe on the jacket when Popovich appeared on the local coverage. ' ' '