Deni Avdija scored 26 points and the Portland Trail Blazers overcame a 12-point first-quarter deficit en route to a 128-120 victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Damian Lillard and Toumani Camara scored 19 points apiece and Sidy Cissoko scored 15 points, all in the first half, as Portland improved to 2-0. Robert Williams III scored 13 points while Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday each had 12 points for the Trail Blazers.
Kings rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 33 points in his second career game and Domantas Sabonis had 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists for his 69th career triple-double.
Zach LaVine scored 22 points, Precious Achiuwa added 14 and Keegan Murray had 12 as Sacramento lost its second straight game to open the season. The contest was the Kings’ home opener.
Portland shot 47.9% from the field, including 14 of 49 (28.6%) from 3-point range. Camara made five 3-pointers and Donovan Clingan grabbed 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers.
The Kings made 46.2% of their attempts and were 8 of 30 (26.7%) from behind the arc.
Portland scored the first 15 points of the third quarter to turn a five-point deficit into a 74-64 advantage. Camara scored the final seven points of the burst.
Morant drained a 3-pointer to make it 84-73 just prior to the midway point of the quarter. Sacramento trailed 88-83 after Achiuwa’s layup with 3:39 remaining in the period before Portland pushed the lead back to 103-90 on Avdija’s floater with 1.3 seconds left.
The Trail Blazers had an 8-1 edge in 3-pointers during a 44-point third quarter while committing just one turnover.
Lillard’s short jumper gave Portland a 113-102 edge with 7:09 remaining. Acuff scored the next six points for Sacramento, and he later connected on a 3-pointer to bring the Kings within 118-113 with 4:51 to play.
Sacramento got within three, but Camara responded with a trey to give Portland a 121-115 lead with 3:47 left.
Four straight points by Clingan gave the Trail Blazers a seven-point lead with 1:50 to play.
Avdija sank two free throws to make it an eight-point margin with 28.3 seconds left as Portland sealed its fifth straight victory over the Kings.
Sabonis had 17 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in the first half, when the Kings never trailed. Sacramento led 64-59 at the break.
–Field Level Media
