The Sports Xchange
By Danny Sanchez, The Sports Xchange
Portland 136. San Antonio 106
SAN ANTONIO — Damian Lillard had 35 points and nine assists to help the Portland Trail Blazers defeat the San Antonio Spurs 136-106 Friday night at the AT&T; Center.
The frontrunner for NBA rookie of the year was 12 of 20 from the field, 3- of 4 from the 3-point line and had no turnover. His 14 points in the fourth quarter stretched an eight point lead to 30. He nailed a 3-pointer with 5:00 to play to make it 116-97.
The first half was tied six times and there were six lead changes.
The Blazers took control in the fourth quarter.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and J.J. Hickson added 23 points and 11 rebounds. Eric Maynor scored 20 points and Will Matthews added 15 as Portland improved to 28-32. Portland currently is one and half games behind Utah for the eighth playoff spot.
San Antonio, which had the best record in the NBA until the Miami Heat’s win tonight, struggled without its best player, Tony Parker, who is out three weeks. It was one week ago that the all-start point guard landed on his left ankle and suffered a grade two sprain.
Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 20 points. Tim Duncan scored 18 points, Kawhi Leonard scored 16, Corey Joseph 13 and Danny Green 10 as San Antonio fell to 48-15. The Spurs dropped only their fourth home game of the season.
It was the most points the Spurs have given up this season, with the previous high, 134, coming against the Houston Rockets in overtime.
The Trail Blazers got 33 of their 57 first-half points form Aldridge and Hickson, who shot a combined 14 of 22.
But Ginoblili tied the game at 57 at halftime when he hit a 3-pointer with four seconds left on the clock.
Notes: Aldridge, sixth year forward, is the first NBA player to have more than 1,200 points and 500 rebounds this season. … Portland center Meyers Leonard went down on the court in the second quarter. He was diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and did not return to the game. … The Spurs are in sync on both ends of the court. They rank in the top five in offensive efficiency, sitting at fifth with 107.5 ppg, and defensive efficiency ranking third at 97.7 points per game. … The Trail Blazers have fared well in San Antonio, going 4-3 in their past seven visits. Portland won the season series 2-1. … The San Antonio Spurs honored the men and women in the United States armed forces with Military Appreciation Night. More than 1,500 tickets were donated to military personnel and their families, and many tributes to the military were displayed throughout the game.
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