Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) -

LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 15 rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers took down the Kings in Sacramento on Sunday, 110-99.

It was Aldridge's third straight double-double, and Portland's
third straight win, since he missed a 98-92 loss to Memphis on Feb.
22 with a thumb sprain.

Damian Lillard tallied a game-high 31 points with seven assists and
Wesley Matthews added 17 points for the Blazers.

"The last two or three games, I've felt really good out there,"
said Lillard. "It's time to win. It's time to play winning
basketball."

Sacramento gave them a game despite All-Star center DeMarcus
Cousins missing his second straight game with a left ankle sprain
and bruised left hip.

Rudy Gay went for 24 points and eight rebounds for the short-handed
Kings, while Derrick Williams chipped in 18 points in a reserve
role.

After Portland controlled the opening 12 minutes, Ben McLemore
scored the first eight points of the second quarter to get the
Kings back within three. Meyers Leonard slowed the momentum with a
3-pointer at the other end.

Williams' dunk at 5:23 again cut it to three, but Portland closed
the half on a 20-9 run to take a 64-50 lead into halftime.

The Kings got as close as seven in the third and one in the fourth,
but failed to get over the hump without their star. Williams scored
six straight early in the final stanza and Gay followed with a
3-ball to get Sacramento within 89-88. Lillard silenced the crowd
with a 3, then potted a mid-range jumper on the next series.

"We didn't have much going throughout the first couple quarters,"
said Kings coach George Karl. "They're a very good team."

Portland finished the game on an 8-2 run.

Game Notes

The Kings kick off an eight-game road trip in New York on Tuesday
... The Kings fell to 2-12 without Cousins this season ...
Sacramento shot 3-for-12 from behind the arc ... Sacramento's
reserves outscored Portland's, 44-19.



~ACN~

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03-01-2015 21:15:01