Blazers Down Kings 123-119 in NBA
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Damian Lillard had 44 points, including 10 straight at a key moment down the stretch, to give the Portland Trail Blazers a 123-119 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
Enes Kanter added 22 points and 21 rebounds for the Blazers, who have won three straight and are 21-14 heading into the All-Star break. It’s the Blazers’ best start through 35 games since 2015.
Lillard said the difference in the first half was that the team never got down after CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic were injured.
De’Aaron Fox had 32 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds for Sacramento, which had six players score in double figures.
Richaun Holmes dunked to give the Kings a 103-98 lead with 5:41 left, but Lillard answered with a 3-pointer and Kanter’s layup tied it at 103.
Sacramento went up 108-103 with 3:49 to go on Harrison Barnes’ layup and Buddy Hield’s 3. Lillard responded with a pullup jumper, a layup and a pair of 3-pointers in quick succession to put the Blazers ahead 115-108 with just more than a minute left.
Sacramento wasn’t quite done, pulling within 119-118 on a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left. After Gary Trent Jr. made two free throws for the Blazers, Fox hit one then appeared to miss the second intentionally. After a review over whether the ball hit the rim, Portland got the ball back with 3.7 seconds left and Lillard was fouled to close it out.
Lillard finished with eight 3-pointers.
Both teams were also playing the second of a back-to-back heading into the All-Star break.
The Kings had won two of their last three games after a nine-game losing streak. Sacramento was still without reigning NBA rookie of the month Tyrese Haliburton, who missed his fourth game with a calf injury.
Nemanja Bjelica’s 3-pointer gave the Kings an early 21-16 lead. Lillard’s 3 late in the opening quarter put Portland up 28-27, and the All-Star had 15 points by the end of the period.
Enes Kanter added 22 points and 21 rebounds for the Blazers, who have won three straight and are 21-14 heading into the All-Star break. It’s the Blazers’ best start through 35 games since 2015.
Lillard said the difference in the first half was that the team never got down after CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic were injured.
De’Aaron Fox had 32 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds for Sacramento, which had six players score in double figures.
Richaun Holmes dunked to give the Kings a 103-98 lead with 5:41 left, but Lillard answered with a 3-pointer and Kanter’s layup tied it at 103.
Sacramento went up 108-103 with 3:49 to go on Harrison Barnes’ layup and Buddy Hield’s 3. Lillard responded with a pullup jumper, a layup and a pair of 3-pointers in quick succession to put the Blazers ahead 115-108 with just more than a minute left.
Sacramento wasn’t quite done, pulling within 119-118 on a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds left. After Gary Trent Jr. made two free throws for the Blazers, Fox hit one then appeared to miss the second intentionally. After a review over whether the ball hit the rim, Portland got the ball back with 3.7 seconds left and Lillard was fouled to close it out.
Lillard finished with eight 3-pointers.
Both teams were also playing the second of a back-to-back heading into the All-Star break.
The Kings had won two of their last three games after a nine-game losing streak. Sacramento was still without reigning NBA rookie of the month Tyrese Haliburton, who missed his fourth game with a calf injury.
Nemanja Bjelica’s 3-pointer gave the Kings an early 21-16 lead. Lillard’s 3 late in the opening quarter put Portland up 28-27, and the All-Star had 15 points by the end of the period.