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8C ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM NO sports PORTLAND, Ore. With huge ice packs strapped to each knee minutes after another painful loss Thursday night one with Kristaps Porzingis having to shoulder much of the load the 7-foot-3 second-year player looked like he could use the day off that awaited him Friday. But Porzingis had other plans. thinking about getting back in the gym right now, (Friday) when we get to San he said, sounding alittle bit like Kobe Bryant or the other NBA superstars he grew up hoping to emulate. The one-sided loss to the Blazers on Thursday presented Porzingis with a challenge and a chance to look into the future.

With three starters sidelined, including the two dominant offensive forces on the Knicks Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose Porzingis was handed the opportunity to serve as the focal point of the offense. It is a role that he will take up at some point soon on a regular basis. Anthony seems more and more open to a trade to free himself from the poking and prodding from Knicks president Phil Jackson and the constant struggles of a team that is headed for its fourth straight season out of the playoffs. And Rose, after coming to New York in a trade last summer, is bound for free agency and a long shot to return to the Knicks where he has proven to be an ill-fitting piece in the efforts to accelerate the growth of Porzingis. This was a bit of an unfair test with two of the best players sidelined and three rookies inserted into the lineup against a Portland team scrambling to make the playoffs.

Even if Anthony and Rose depart in the summer, there will be alottery pick added to the roster and salary cap space to add other pieces. Still, on this night, Porzingis took the chal- lenge willingly, even if it turn out the way he hoped. the guys that got minutes tonight, everybody was ready to go, ready to fight, give it all on the Porzingis said. important. Obviously we have the talent that we have with Carmelo on the floor and D-Rose.

But this was a great experience for everybody, getting more minutes, getting a feel for the game. Just keep going. think just the attention is more on me. With them, they draw a lot of atten- tion and that way it kind of opens things up for everybody else. Even today I had a lot of good looks, a lot of open threes.

just disappointed that I missed them all. Imissed a lot of good shots. That would have changed the whole game for Porzingis led the Knicks with 18 points and 9 rebounds, but he was just 8- for-21 from the floor including 0-for-5 from beyond the arc and got to the line for just three free throw attempts. he said. trying to learn how to be the guy, how to be the kind of focal point make a play or create a shot for myself.

still working on that. I still have a lot to learn. one thing as I keep growing as a player have to learn and be better at. felt comfortable out there. I felt good out there.

I just missed shots. what was disappointing me. It happens. look at the video and it be that bad. But right now it just feels like I kind of was not making a lot of The Knicks will finish off the four- game road trip Saturday in San Antonio and after three straight losses to start the journey, Porzingis at least hopes to use this final stop to continue his lessons.

Rose was hopeful of being back from a foot injury and Anthony will likely be back after resting a sore knee. one of the top organizations there Porzingis said. can only learn from them, the way they do stuff and how they build their team and build the Steve Popper writes for The Record of North Jersey. Email: sey.com KNICKS Porzingis adjusting to role Enjoys being focal point of offense STEVE POPPER USA TODAY NETWORK STEVE DYKES-USA TODAY SPORTS Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis led the Knicks on Thursday with 18 points and 9 rebounds, but he was just 8-for-21 from the floor including 0-for-5 from beyond the arc. WASHINGTON John Wall scored 22 points despite dealing with migraine headache symptoms earlier in the day, Bradley Beal added 19 points and the Washington Wizards cruised past the Brooklyn Nets 129-108 on Friday night.

Brandon Jennings had 18 points, one of three bench players to score in double-figures as the third-place Wizards moved a game ahead of idle Toronto in the Eastern Conference. Wall and Jennings each had nine assists as Washington won its second straight before embarking on a five- game road trip. Justin Hamilton scored 20 points off the bench to lead the Nets a day after Brooklyn beat Phoenix 126-98 for its second-largest win of the season. second unit outscored 33-14 in a first-half onslaught, helping coach Scott Brooks give some rest to his starters before game at Cleveland. Wall and Beal each played 24 minutes, with Wall seeing fewer than 30 minutes of action in a game for just the third time this season.

Neither played in the fourth quarter. Washington trailed 13-4 early before outscoring Brooklyn 55-18 over a 15- minute stretch of the first and second quarters. The Wizards led 63-42 at halftime and by at least 14 throughout the second half. Tip-ins: Nets: Suffered their 30th road loss off the season. Allowed their most points since a 130-116 loss at Portland on March 4.

Wizards: Have swept the season series with Brooklyn in three of its last four seasons. Improved to 18-11 in games that are part of back-to-back sets. perfect Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17 points in his first game against Brooklyn since leaving the Nets for Washington at the February trade deadline. He entered Friday averaging 14.6 points in 16 games off the bench, often benefiting from distribution. WIZARDS 129, NETS 108 Wizards fly right past Nets IAN QUILLEN ASSOCIATED PRESS AP Wizards guard John Wall (top) grabs the ball from Nets guard Jeremy Lin during the first half of game in Washington.

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. Rafael first fist pump Friday followed his second point in the Miami Open, when he kissed a forehand off the sideline to win a long rally. He accompanied the celebratory gesture with a skip in his step and then hit the accelerator, holding every service game to beat Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-4. Thus began latest bid to win Key Biscayne. playing the tournament for the 13th time and has never won it, although he was the runner-up in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2014.

At 0 for 12, longest drought at any event, and perhaps the most glaring gap in the 14- time Grand Slam resume. Does it bug him? He admit to any frustration, but lets slip that he still remembers the exact score when he was two points from the title in the third set versus Novak Djokovic. That was six years ago. Novak 6-5, Nadal said. The Spaniard has always enjoyed the atmosphere in Miami, where Latin fans give him enthusiastic support, and he likes the hard courts.

simply overdue. trying my best every Nadal told the stadium crowd after dispatching Sela. been very close four times. I will try to give myself another Nadal is 15-4 this year and pleased with his play. He lost to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, and again in the fourth round at Indian Wells last week.

Against Sela, Nadal served well, erased the only two break points he faced and overcame the occasional errant groundstroke on a windy afternoon. Making title bid easier will be the absence of six-time champion Djokovic and two-time champion Andy Murray, both out with elbow injuries. But No. 3-seeded Milos Raonic is back. He won in his first match since Feb.

25, beating Viktor Troicki 6-3, 7-5. Raonic had been sidelined by a right leg injury. No. 2 Kei Nishikori beat Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3. No.

7 Marin Cilic lost to Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. In play, Elena Vesnina made aquick exit only five days after winning the biggest title of her career. Seeded 13th, Vesnina lost her opening match to wild card Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6, 6-4, 7-5. Vesnina beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Indian Wells final. In a match that took two days because of rain, No.

6 Garbine Muguruza rallied past Christina McHale 0-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4. No. 3 Simona Ha- lep beat Naomi Osaka 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. American qualifier Taylor Townsend eliminated No. 25 Robert Vinci 6-3, 6-2.

TENNIS Nadal advances to start bid for 1st Miami Open title STEVEN WINE ASSOCIATED PRESS John Moore be sure how he would play once he returned to the lineup. But all he knew as he missed 17 games over five weeks with a concussion was he wanted to improve. really kind of challenged myself when I was injured and, to be completely honest, I really know how I was going to respond to Moore said. the scale of injuries, it was kind of a bigger The Devils, who could officially be eliminated from the playoffs this weekend, have back-to-back games at Prudential Center as they face the Hurricanes today and the Stars on Sunday and Moore, out from Jan. 2-Feb.

6 after being stretchered off the ice following a scary blow from the Tom Wilson, is coming off the first two-goal game of his career in 4-2 loss at Toronto. There are still plenty of uncertainties for the well-traveled, 26-year-old de- fenseman despite having one season remaining on his three-year, $5 million deal. But he wants to let his play prove to the brass he can be a long-term part to this rebuilding effort. Moore, who worked intensively with Devils skills coach Pertti Hasanen during his injury layoff, has nine goals and 10 assists in 54 games as set a career high for goals and tied his career high for points, which he first reached last season. He has three goals and two assists over his last six games.

Johnny is playing Devils coach John Hynes said. can see engaged. His speed is a factor. been able to jump into the rush and, at the offensive blue line, done a nice job of getting shots through and making decisions. Defensively, a strong player.

It seems as though settled down in that area and is making better strength has always been his skating can skate himself out of a lot of captain Andy Greene said that has been far from enough through inconsistent seasons with the Blue Jackets, Rangers and Coyotes after the Blue Jackets selected him 21st overall in 2009. He has yet to play three straight full seasons with the same team and this off- season, too, could be an uncertain one for Moore as the Devils must decide whether to protect him in the expansion draft with the Vegas Golden Knights joining the NHL. think a lot of that is determined by how you Moore said. is an opportunity for everyone to prove their worth and I certainly want to be here. I want to be a part of this.

I really believe in John and Ray and everything going on here. As as it is, really, all I can do is be a good pro, come to the rink every day, compete and try to earn my way here. feel like been around long enough that I know that opportunities are few and far between in this Moore added. just trying to take ad- vantage of Briefs: The Devils re-assigned rookie right wing Nick Lappin to Albany (AHL). Lappin was scoreless in eight games since being recalled on March 4 and was a healthy scratch on Thursday.

outdoor, interactive NHL Centennial Fan Arena touring exhibit will be at The Rock this weekend at the corner of Mulberry and Market Streets, with the Stanley Cup on display and alumni Bruce Driver, Grant Marshall, Bryce Salvador and Colin White in attendance. The event opens on Saturday at 2 p.m. to Members with a valid membership ID card and to the general public at 4 p.m. On Sunday, it opens at 1 p.m. for Members and at 2 p.m.

to the general public. Andrew Gross writes for The REcord of North Jersey. E-mail: jersey.com DEVILS Has Moore found a home? ANDREW GROSS USA TODAY NETWORK AP Devils defenseman John Moore (left) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with teammate Taylor Hall in their game Thursday..