{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Portland 122, Sacramento 120
When: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, November 11, 2016
Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #20 Leroy Richardson, #46 Ben Taylor
Attendance: 19918

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers fought off the Sacramento Kings 122-120 in overtime Friday night at Moda Center.

The teams traded blows and big shots in the extra period, with the lead changing hands eight times.

With Portland leading 119-118, Sacramento's Darren Collison made two free throws at the 33.8-second mark, following a loose ball foul on Blazers guard Damian Lillard.

About six seconds later, Portland's Meyers Leonard was fouled going to the basket, and he sank two free throws for a 121-120 lead.

Rudy Gay missed a 17-footer for the Kings, and Portland's Allen Crabbe rebounded and was fouled with 10.1 seconds left. Crabbe hit one of two free throws to make the score 122-120.

Cousins failed on a 3, but the ball went off the Blazers and out of bounds with 6.6 seconds remaining.

Gay couldn't connect on a well-guarded (by Moe Harkless) fadeaway in the final second.

Lillard led the way for Portland, scoring 36 points on 12-for-19 shooting from the field. Backcourt mate CJ McCollum added 31 points, hitting 13 of 24 shots, and reserve guard Crabbe had 16 points.

For the Kings, forward DeMarcus Cousins had 33 points and nine rebounds, and forward Gay finished with 29 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Portland improved to 6-4. Sacramento fell to 4-7.

Surprise starter Leonard joined Harkless and Mason Plumlee on the Portland front line, with 7-foot-1 Leonard guarding Sacramento star Cousins, as Harkless went from power forward to small forward.

The Kings' defense offered little early resistance, and Portland led 22-13 after six minutes. Around that time, Leonard and Cousins became engaged in two or three shoving matches around the basket, with each player receiving a technical foul on one such play.

The two-man battle included a dunk and pose from Leonard (away from Cousins) late in the first quarter, Leonard drawing a charge moments later -- and Cousins finishing the period with a routine 13 points and six rebounds. Portland led, 35-31.

At the half, the Blazers led 62-57, with McCollum (16 points), Lillard (13) and Crabbe (10) the leading scorers out of a backcourt-driven Portland offense, and with Cousins (15) and Gay (14) pacing the Kings.

A Cousins step-back shot tied the score at 68-68 with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter. Gay's 3-pointer less than a minute later put Sacramento in the lead, 71-68. Leonard hit a 3 to even the count. Going into the fourth quarter, Portland was on top 84-83, after a 10-point period by Lillard.

The Kings led 95-88 midway through the fourth quarter, but Portland was ahead 106-101 inside the final minute of regulation. Cousins hit a 3 with 31.8 seconds left to bring the Kings to within 106-104. He followed with a tough roll through the lane that tied the score with 9.7 seconds to go. Lillard missed a long, step-back 3 off the dribble at the buzzer, and the teams went to overtime.

NOTES: Portland F Al-Farouq Aminu (strained left calf), who last played on Nov. 8, will be "re-evaluated in a couple weeks," coach Terry Stotts said. As for who starts in his place, Stotts said "we'll do whatever I think is best that night," with F Noah Vonleh, G/F Evan Turner and G Allen Crabbe all in the mix for the job. ... Turner, a first-year Blazer signed for four years and $70 million, has struggled. "It takes time. It's a process," Stotts said, saying Turner has "played good defense." ... The Kings have now lost seven in a row overall to the Blazers, including all four last season by an average of 10 points. Sacramento lost Thursday night at home to the Los Angeles Lakers, 101-91. But, "we need contributions from everybody, and I've got to find ways to get guys involved and do a better job of that," coach Dave Joerger said.
Top Game Performances
 
Sacramento   Portland
DeMarcus Cousins 33 Scoring Damian Lillard 36
Darren Collison 4 Assists Damian Lillard 7
Rudy Gay 14 Rebounds Maurice Harkless 8
Rudy Gay 9 Free Throws Made Damian Lillard 7
Rudy Gay 2 Steals C.J. McCollum 4
DeMarcus Cousins 2 Blocks Mason Plumlee 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Sacramento 120 48.9 6-21 28-35 18 48 3 7 15
Portland 122 52.3 13-33 19-27 29 36 4 8 13
Upcoming Games
  • Portland will play their next game at home against Denver. The Trail Blazers have a W/L % of .400 after a win and .800 after a loss.
  • Sacramento will play their next game at home against San Antonio. The Kings have a W/L % of .250 after a win and .429 after a loss.