(SportsNetwork.com) – The Portland Trail Blazers will play the Denver Nuggets
again when the Northwest rivals collide Wednesday at the Pepsi Center.
The division-leading Blazers defeated the Nuggets, 116-100, on Sunday and were
led by LaMarcus Aldridge’s 28 points and nine rebounds. Wesley Matthews scored
21 points for Portland, which has won five in a row against the Nuggets.
Portland, though, has lost 18 of the past 21 games in the Rocky Mountains.
The Trail Blazers will make a quick turnaround after Tuesday’s 102-100 triumph
versus the Charlotte Hornets. Gary Neal’s game-tying basket came after the
buzzer sounded and the Blazers escaped with the win, They were led by Damian
Lillard’s 29 points and seven assists, while Aldridge was a force with 25
points to go along with 14 rebounds.
“We just had to keep playing,” Lillard said. “They came out and shot the ball
really well. We played physical.”
Matthews scored 16 points for Portland, which has won four of five games.
Portland, which is averaging 102.4 ppg and allowing only 95.3 ppg, was without
swingman Nicolas Batum (knee contusion) and he is questionable against the
Nuggets.
The Nuggets are 29th in opponents’ scoring at 108.0 ppg and have lost five in
a row after opening the season with a win. In Sunday’s loss to the Blazers,
Kenneth Faried ended with 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
“It was a battle of who could get the most offensive boards and make the most
of opportunities when they got them,” said Faried.
Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson each scored 18 points, and Timofey Mozgov had
seven points to go along with his season-best 16 rebounds. Lawson missed the
loss to Cleveland last Friday with an ankle injury and dished out eight
assists against Portland.
After hosting the Blazers, the Nuggets will head east for three games against
Indiana, New York and Cleveland. They are 0-3 on the road and 1-2 at home.
