Kings-Trail Blazers Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Dec 27 2011 2:26AM

LaMarcus Aldridge vowed to be more aggressive for the Portland Trail Blazers after they suffered some devastating injuries in the offseason. He was true to his word in their opener.

Aldridge and the Trail Blazers look to improve to 2-0 when they host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

After Portland learned Brandon Roy was forced to retire because of recurring knee problems and that Greg Oden, a former No. 1 overall pick, suffered a setback following another microfracture surgery on his knees, it was clear Aldridge would be the new face of the Trail Blazers.

Aldridge, who averaged 21.8 points and 8.8 rebounds last season, got off to a strong start in Portland's 107-103 win over Philadelphia on Monday, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

Despite the injuries, the Blazers actually consider their depth a strength this season. Jamal Crawford, signed in the offseason to come off the bench, finished with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in just under 22 minutes against the 76ers.

"We have a lot of weapons," Aldridge said. "I think as times got tight for us, guys stepped up and made big plays."

Aldridge and the Blazers will continue a three-game, season-opening homestand against Sacramento, which is feeling good in its own right after opening its 2011-12 season Monday with a 100-91 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marcus Thornton scored 27 points and Tyreke Evans added 20 for the Kings, who held the Lakers to 42.0 percent shooting overall and 40 points in the first half, but nearly saw a 14-point third-quarter lead evaporate.

"We stayed the course," Thornton said. "We didn't get riled up. When they were making that run, we shot a couple of quick shots. We got back to doing what we do best."

Thornton, who signed a four-year, $33 million contract in the offseason, averaged 21.3 points in 27 games for Sacramento in 2010-11, blossoming in a bigger role after the Kings acquired the shooting guard from New Orleans, where he'd scored just 7.8 points per game off the bench. The Kings are looking for him to form a solid backcourt tandem with Evans.

Ankle injuries limited Evans to 57 games last season - his second in the league after he averaged 20.1 points as a rookie. Evans shot just 40.9 percent from the field last season, but went 6 for 13 on Monday.

Sacramento, which finished with the second-worst record in the Western Conference last season despite winning three of its first four, is playing its first four games all against teams that reached the playoffs in 2010-11.

Portland has won nine of 10 meetings with Sacramento since the start of the 2008-09 season, with the only loss in that span a 96-81 defeat at the Rose Garden last Jan. 24.

Wallace helps lead Blazers over Kings

Posted Dec 28 2011 2:03AM

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) With two wins in two nights, Marcus Camby joked that he and the Portland Trail Blazers were ready to play again the next day.

LaMarcus Aldridge was having none of it.

"He can play by himself," Aldridge said. "I need a day off."

Aldridge was only half-kidding after scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds as the Trail Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings 101-79 Tuesday night.

Gerald Wallace had 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Blazers. Nicolas Batum added 15 points and five rebounds off the bench. Portland gets a day off before concluding its three-game homestand Thursday against Denver.

The Kings led for much of the first half but made just 9 of 38 shots after halftime. Sacramento had just 14 points in the final quarter.

"We had our moments in the first 16, 18, 20 minutes then we fell apart," Sacramento coach Paul Westphal said. "This was a step in our development that was painful. We got taught by a more experienced team that is far above us now."

DeMarcus Cousins led the way for Sacramento (1-1) with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Marcus Thornton added 14 points and Jason Thompson had 11. The Kings committed 23 fouls and 20 turnovers for the game.

The Kings have the youngest opening-day roster in the NBA with an average age of 24.347 years. Ten of the Kings have played two seasons or less in the NBA.

Both teams were playing after opening their seasons on Monday. The Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-91 behind Thornton's 27 points. Portland managed a 107-103 win over Philadelphia.

"I felt kind of sluggish in the beginning, kinda had dead legs," Aldridge said. "I just played through it and I felt really good in the second half."

The Kings were in control early, getting baskets from seven of eight players in the opening quarter and leading by as many as 10 in the second. However, the Blazers erased the gap with a 16-6 run and went into halftime tied at 46.

The Blazers took a 76-65 lead on the first basket of the fourth. Batum finished a fast-break with a layup to make it 88-73 with 4:38 remaining.

"We moved the ball way better in the first half," Thompson said. "We didn't move it around in the second half, and sometimes when we didn't have things going they started to build a lead on us."

NOTES: Portland has won 10 of its last 11 against the Kings. ... The Kings made only 3 of 16 3-pointers while Portland was just 3 of 18. ... Sacramento reserve J.J Hickson, picked up in a deal with Cleveland, had 10 points and five rebounds.

Kings-Trail Blazers notebook

By Kerry Eggers, for NBA.com
Posted Wednesday December 28, 2011 2:09AM

THE FACTS: Portland closed the first half with a 14-2 rush to go into intermission in a 46-46 tie and dominated from there in a 101-79 rout of Sacramento on Tuesday night at the Rose Garden. Forwards Gerald Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 49 points and 16 rebounds for the Blazers (2-0). DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings (1-1) with 16 points and 11 boards.

QUOTABLE: "You try to play through it, but I was tired. I was really tired. I had to push the energy button and try to get my teammates going."
-- Gerald Wallace, who scored 10 of his 25 points in the first quarter when the Blazers weren't getting much done at either end.

THE STAT: In the game's first 20 minutes, Sacramento had six turnovers and was 21-for-38 (.553) from the field. Over the game's final 28 minutes, the Kings turned the ball over 14 times and were 10-for-44 (.227) from the field.

TURNING POINT: Sacramento led 44-32 with four minutes left in the first half when Portland went on its 14-2 tear to get even at the half. All the momentum went in the home team's direction in the second half.

QUOTABLE II: "He can play by himself. I need a day off. I'm not ready to play tomorrow."
-- LaMarcus Aldridge, after teammate Marcus Camby jokingly told reporters he wished the Blazers had a third straight game on Wednesday.

HOT: Portland led 70-65 late in the third quarter, then hit five of its next six shots en route to a 10-0 tear that all but put the game out of reach for the Kings.

NOT: After two games, Blazer guards Jamal Crawford (.333), Raymond Felton (.273) and Wesley Matthews (.286) are all struggling with their shot.

QUOTABLE III: "We had our moments, and then we fell apart."
-- Coach Paul Westphal on the Kings' second-half collapse.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Actor Daniel Dae Kim of the TV show "Hawaii 5-0" and Chicago Cubs second baseman Darwin Barney were in the house.

GOOD MOVE: Portland used its size to full advantage in the second half, posting up over smaller defenders time and time again. The Blazers outscored the Kings 52-42 in points in the paint -- 28-12 in the second half.

BAD MOVE: Westphal used 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas and 6-foot-2 Jimmer Fredette in the backcourt together for several minutes in the third quarter. Portland posted up Fredette with 6-foot-8 Nicolas Batum three times before Westphal was forced to remove the rookie.

NOTABLE: The Blazers have won 10 of their last 11 meetings with the Kings.

UP NEXT: For the Blazers, Thursday vs. Denver, Sunday @ L.A. Clippers, Tuesday @ Oklahoma City. For the Kings, Thursday vs. Chicago, Saturday vs. New York, Sunday vs. New Orleans.

• Kings: Whiteside
• Trail Blazers: Johnson, Oden

• Kings: --
• Trail Blazers: Wallace

• Lead Changes: 10
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Rose Garden, Portland, OR
• Officials: #14 Ed Malloy, #42 Eric Lewis, #74 Curtis Blair
• Attendance: 20350
• Duration: 2:15