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Blazers Hold On To Beat Celtics, Extend Win Streak To Four Games

PORTLAND -- The Trail Blazers finally figured out how to close out the Celtics.

After being swept by Boston last season despite holding double-digit leads in both games, the Trail Blazers found themselves in a similar situation Sunday night, building a 21-point lead in the first half. And the Celtics were in the same boat, rallying to cut Portland's lead to one point in the fourth.

But this time, thanks to a few hard-fought rebounds and a couple of timely three-pointers, the Trail Blazers held on to defeat the Celtics 100-94 in front of a sellout crowd of 19,712 Sunday night at the Moda Center.

“It was a really good basketball game," said Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. "Both teams made their runs. We made ours in the first half, they made theirs in the second half. We made our threes in the first half, they made their threes in the second half. It came down to making plays at the end, so it was a good game and I’m glad we came out on top.”

The Trail Blazers are now 10-3 overall and 7-2 at home this season. Portland finishes a six-game homestand, their longest of the season, with a 5-1 record after winning four-straight. The win also breaks a three-game losing streak to the Celtics.

If you were in the Moda Center Sunday night and for some reason didn't see either game of the two-game series between the Trail Blazers and Celtics last season, you probably felt pretty good about Portland's chances of pulling away. After all, they've won their last three games by double-digits and were facing a Celtics team that had lost three straight, four out of their last five and were playing the final game of a six-game road trip.

And after the Trail Blazers went on a 26-6 run in the second quarter to take their largest lead of the night at 54-33, there was good reason to beleive Portland was well on their way to finishing out their homestand with a comfortable victory.

But as the saying goes, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and Sunday night, Celtics guard Jayson Tatum more than willing to teach that lesson. The second-year wing out of Duke came on strong in the second half, scoring 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three in the third quarter. And with Kyrie Irving scoring 10 points in the first 10 minutes after the intermission, a Celtics team that looked moribund in the first half came to life in the second.

Though unlike last season, the Trail Blazers would do an apt job of combating Boston's run -- Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 21 points in the third quarter -- to take an 83-70 lead into the fourth quarter after the Celtics cut the margin to five points midway through the third. 

That lead would be short-lived, eight points in just over four minutes from Marcus Morris helped the Celtics tie the game at 86-86 with 7:27 to play in regulation. Damian Lillard would score on the next possession to reclaim the lead, and it would stay that way thanks to back-to-back offense rebounds from Jusuf Nurkić that resulted in a putback for the Bosnian and a four-point lead with 4:29 to play. 

But it was two three-pointers from Al-Farouq Aminu, including a deep make from the "M" of the "MODA CENTER" logo with just one minute to play, that would ultimately tilt the scales in Portland's favor.

"It felt good, man, that your teammates trust you," said Aminu. "Dame passed it up and it felt good. I feel like the trust this year has been amazing. I mean, it's been good since I've been here, but this year, for sure, just good that we're continuing with it, that we trust each other in all situations, beginning and at the end of the game."

Which could very well be the reason why the Trail Blazers were able to do something Sunday night that they had been unable to do in two games versus the Celtics last season.

TOP PERFORMERS

Portland had four players finish in double figures led by Damian Lillard, who went 7-of-15 from the field and 2-of-7 from three for 19 points to go with 12 assists for his first double-double of the season.

Jusuf Nurkic also put up a double-double, his sixth of the season, with 18 points and 17 rebounds, seven on the offensive end, to go with three assists in 27 minutes.

CJ McCollum shot 6-of-15 for 14 points. Al-Farouq Aminu scored all of his points from the field from three to finish with 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes.

Jayson Tatum matched his career high with 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and 5-of-9 shooting from three for the Celtics.

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NOTABLE

• Portland won its fourth consecutive game, marking the longest winning streak of the season. The Trail Blazers finished their longest homestand of the season with a 5-1 record.• The Trail Blazers outrebounded the Celtics, 55-42, and outscored them in the paint, 42-26.• The Trail Blazers and Celtics both made 14 three-pointers. Portland shot 14-of-36 from deep (38.9%) while the Celtics were 14-of-42 from long-distance (33.3%).• Portland’s reserves outscored their Boston counterparts, 30-22.• Both teams shot 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.• Portland held Boston to 38.7% shooting from the field (36-of-93), marking the third time this season that the Trail Blazers have held their opponent below 40.0% from the field.

QUOTABLE

"We’ve found ways to win. Different people have it going at different times. I think they’ve been team wins, we’re finding different people at different times." -- Terry Stotts on Portland starting the season 10-3

NEXT UP

With a six-game homestand now over, the Trail Blazers hit the road for a nine-day, six-game road trip which starts Wednesday night versus the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.