Trail Blazers
Avdija, Lillard power Blazers past Kings 110-98 in paint-dominated preseason win
Portland routed Sacramento 110-98 at Golden 1 Center, building a 35-point lead and never trailing. Deni Avdija scored 26 and Damian Lillard added 14 on a team-best plus-32 as the Blazers outscored the Kings 54-22 in the paint. Both teams are still 0-0 in the preseason, but Portland's depth and interior pressure were the story of the night.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 8 d ago01The story of the nightPortland never let goThe Blazers scored the game's first points and never trailed, matching the Kings 33-22 in the first quarter before…
The Blazers scored the game's first points and never trailed, matching the Kings 33-22 in the first quarter before pulling away 66-39 at the half. Portland pushed the lead to as many as 35 points and led 93-66 after three quarters. Sacramento's only real push came in the fourth, when it outscored Portland 32-17, but by then the game was decided. There were zero lead changes all night — this was Portland's game from tip to final horn.
02Avdija and Lillard lead the wayDeni Avdija was the best player on the floor, scoring 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting with 9 rebounds and 4 assists in…
Deni Avdija was the best player on the floor, scoring 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting with 9 rebounds and 4 assists in just under 25 minutes. Damian Lillard added 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-8 from three, and posted a team-high plus-32. Ja Morant came off the bench for 14 points and 6 assists, and Toumani Camara chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds. For Sacramento, Jonathan Mogbo and Tristen Newton each scored 15 off the bench, and Precious Achiuwa added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
03Won in the paint, lost on the glassPortland shot 44.8% from the field against Sacramento's 33.3% and dominated the paint 54-22, the single biggest…
Portland shot 44.8% from the field against Sacramento's 33.3% and dominated the paint 54-22, the single biggest number in the box score. The Blazers also had the edge in assists, 30 to 23, and blocks, 9 to 4. Sacramento won the rebounding battle 67-64 and the fast-break points 25-2, and got more bench production, 64 points to Portland's 46. But none of that mattered against a team shooting nearly 12 points better from the field and controlling the interior all night.
04Early look, little meaningBoth teams are 0-0 in the preseason, so this result carries no standings weight.
Both teams are 0-0 in the preseason, so this result carries no standings weight. For Portland, the paint presence from Avdija, Camara and Donovan Clingan (5 blocks) and the bench scoring from Morant and Jrue Holiday are encouraging early signs. For Sacramento, Nique Clifford's 0-of-11 shooting night and Keegan Murray's minus-23 stand out as things to clean up, though Mogbo and Newton's bench scoring offer something to build on before the regular season starts.
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