ey have too much quality to be in this position, and that maybe its an attitude p

NEW YORK -- C.J. McCollum took over in the third quarter for the Portland Trail Blazers to victory.McCollum scored 33 points, Evan Turner had 19 and the Trail Blazers beat the Brooklyn Nets 129-109 on Sunday. Portland snapped a three-game losing streak and extended Brooklyns skid to four.Damian Lillard added 18 points for the Trail Blazers, and Allen Crabbe had 14. Crabbe signed a four-year, $75 million restricted free-agent offer sheet with Brooklyn before Portland matched in the offseason.Brook Lopez had 21 points for the Nets. Trevor Booker had 16, and Bojan Bogdanovic 15.McCollum made four 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the third quarter to help the Trail Blazers take a 99-84 lead into the fourth.McCollum extended Portlands lead to 22 by making a driving layup and then sinking a free throw to give the Trail Blazers a 110-88 lead with 8:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. Portland never looked back.I had some good looks, McCollum said. Guys did a great job moving the ball and finding the weak side. It was like throwing rocks in the ocean.Poor third quarters are becoming a trend, according to Lopez.I think one of the things that is difficult for us is the third quarters, Lopez said. I think there are usually games where weve come out and teams have made a run and come out and hit first. It is tough to come back from that playing behind the rest of the night.I just think we come out flat. I think its on us 100 percent. I mean, I dont think you can look at the other teams. Weve had a variety of different guys, and they play differently. I think that one is on us for sure.TIP-INSTrail Blazers: Coach Terry Stotts praised the growth of Mason Plumlee as a playmaker. What we use the most is his playmaking ability, his passing. We give him the freedom to get a rebound and take it up. We play through him out on the perimeter because hes a good passer. He sees the game. I think he helps our perimeter guys get better shots because of his playmaking, passing and rolling, rolling to the weak side. ... Al-Farouq Aminu (left calf) and Festus Ezeli (left knee) were inactive.Nets: Coach Kenny Atkinson left the door open for former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett to have an expanded role going forward. That was a pleasant surprise to see Anthony come in and help us out. Well keep looking at it. Were going to keep looking at our rotations and, really, we want to give guys opportunity. When we see something in practice, when we see another guy might need a rest, I think were always looking at giving our guys opportunities. Yes, youll see him and other guys thrown in there at times. ... Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) and Caris LeVert (left foot rehab) were inactive.LIN RETURN?Jeremy is progressing well, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. I cant give you a timetable or an update in terms of a specific day hes back. I just think hes progressing on schedule.UP NEXTTrail Blazers: Visit New York on Tuesday night. Portland heads to New York as losers of three of its last four.Nets: Host Boston on Wednesday night. Brooklyn hope to snap a four-game losing streak against Boston.Wholesale Cardinals Jerseys .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Jack Buck Jersey .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. https://www.cheapcardinalsonline.com/1634t-daniel-ponce-de-leon-jersey-cardinals.html . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Keith Hernandez Jersey . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Kolten Wong Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments.We analyse Rafael Benitezs first game in charge of Newcastle after his reign began with a 1-0 defeat by Premier League leaders Leicester… There was no winning start for Rafael Benitez as Shinji Okazakis first-half bicycle kick kept Newcastle one point adrift of safety. But amid the gloom of a 10th defeat in 13 games, there were signs that the new manager is already putting his stamp on the team ahead of their Super Sunday showdown with Sunderland.Benitez described commitment as the main attribute he wanted to see from his Newcastle players in the build-up to their trip to the Midlands, and the former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager will certainly have taken encouragement from how they started at the King Power Stadium. Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez focused on the positives following his first game in charge against Leicester Moussa Sissoko set the tone by sprinting 50 yards to close down Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in the opening 20 seconds, and Newcastles aggressive approach immediately put Claudio Ranieris side on the back foot.In the Monday Night Football studio, Southampton manger Ronald Koeman was impressed. They showed really good mentality from the start in the game, he said. Ayoze Perez, Jack Colback and Sissoko had presentable scoring chances in the early stages, and after 20 minutes Newcastle had already had as many shots (five) as in the whole of their last away game against Stoke. Carragher on Newcastle Carra says Toon squad lacks quality The attacking intent was a welcome sight for the travelling fans, and there was also evidence of improved defensive organisation. If I had to think of Newcastle in the Premier League era, it would be madness, people running all over the place and getting caught out of position, said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher before kick-off. But while Benitez had only had three days to work with his new players, he had clearly managed to get some of his ideas across. Newcastle lined up in two tight banks of four when Leicester had possession, with Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic also helping out from more advanced positions.You never associate Newcastle with being a compact team, but thats everything Rafas about, added Carragher, who played under the Spaniard for six years at Anfield. Thats really tight, and very difficult to beat. Thats what they were doing - they were really frustrating Leicester. Newcastle were compact when Leicester had possession, with striker Alleksandar Mitrovic positioned not too far away from the back four With Benitez a typically animated figure in the dugout, Newcastle succeeded in limiting Leicesters scoring opportunities.dddddddddddd You could see what Rafa had worked on in his first two or three days, added Carragher. It took me back to what we were doing at Liverpool. Very difficult to play through, very compact and very organised. Hard-working Newcastle Newcastle covered 110.96km at the King Power Stadium compared to Leicesters 109.73km. Leicester did occasionally find space to attack Newcastles makeshift defence, but it took Okazakis moment of magic to find a way through. The stats highlighted how effectively the visitors contained the hosts, with the winner coming from the Foxes only shot on target.It was the first time all season that Leicester have only mustered a single shot on target over the course of a Premier League fixture, and their overall total of four efforts on goal was way down on their average of 10.17 per game. Newcastles Vurnon Anita and Leicesters Jamie Vardy in action Newcastle were ultimately undone by a failure to defend a set piece, but Koeman and Carragher felt they were unlucky to fall behind - especially with questions of offside over Jamie Vardys positioning in the build-up to the goal. The goal came out of nothing, said Koeman. Newcastle were making it very difficult and Leicester didnt create anything.Benitezs men continued to stifle the hosts for most of the second half, but they couldnt find the cutting edge in attack to match their new-found defensive solidity. Their struggles in front of goal were summed up by a mis-hit effort from substitute Siem de Jong in the 84th minute, and Carragher felt a lack of quality up front should be Benitezs biggest concern.A perception of Newcastle is that they have too much quality to be in this position, and that maybe its an attitude problem, he said. But I think there is a lack of quality there. Only bottom side Aston Villa have scored fewer goals than Newcastle this season, and only seven of their 28 have come away from St James Park. I think the goal record shows that there arent enough good players and thats why theyre in this situation, added Carragher. We didnt see that quality in front of goal. Its difficult against Leicester but the goal record tells you everything.Benitez will need to find a remedy to Newcastles goalscoring travails ahead of Sundays vital Tyne-Wear derby, but he can take heart from other aspects of their performance against Leicester. With games against fellow strugglers Sunderland, Norwich and Aston Villa still to come, the Magpies might yet be able to fight their way out of trouble. Get Sky Sports Alerts Breaking news, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - direct to your mobileAlso See:Okazaki sends Foxes five clearBenitez focused on positivesArsenal, City out of title raceRanieri hails fantastic spirit ' ' '