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New-look Blazers host Nuggets at Rose Garden

Feb 25, 2011 - 4:35 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of Western Conference playoff contenders that look significantly different after the NBA's trade deadline square off in Rip City Friday when the Portland Trail Blazers play host to the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets captured their second straight win since the blockbuster deal earlier in the week that sent Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to New York, knocking off the shorthanded Boston Celtics, 89-75, on Thursday after finishing the game with a 16-0 run.

Kenyon Martin, despite battling the flu and going to the locker room for an IV, scored 18 points to lead the way for Denver. Wilson Chandler added 16 points off the bench in his first game with the Nuggets.

Martin buried a three-pointer in the final seconds to punctuate the game- ending run that gave the Nuggets their third straight victory overall.

"It's all about the win, man. Bottom line," said Martin. "If I would have did what I did and we would have lost, it wouldn't have mattered. It's about us getting [wins], it's not about personal accolades."

Denver also debuted Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton, who they got from the Knicks in the blockbuster. Gallinari started at forward and scored two points while Felton had four points off the bench.

"Great game, great win," Gallinari tweeted afterward.

The final pieces of the trade, centers Timofey Mozgov and Kosta Koufos, both sat out.

The Blazers, who are one game behind Denver in the West playoff race, also made some noise on Thursday by acquiring former All-Star forward Gerald Wallace from Charlotte in exchange for center Joel Przybilla, forward Dante Cunningham, forward/center Sean Marks and two future first-round picks.

The 28-year-old Wallace was averaging 15.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 48 starts this season in Charlotte.

"I want to welcome Gerald to the Trail Blazers," Blazers owner Paul Allen said. "He is just the sort of talent we were looking for. I'm sure our fans will embrace him and hopefully he can help us make some noise in the playoffs.

On the floor the Blazers are coming off a tough 106-101 overtime loss to the LA Lakers on Wednesday. Kobe Bryant made two big shots late in regulation to tie the game and added a key jumper in the extra frame of that one for the defending champs.

LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds for the Blazers, who had a six-game winning streak snapped. Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews both donated 22 points.

In good news for Portland, three-time All-Star swingman Brandon Roy returned to the lineup in a limited role. Roy had been sidelined since Dec. 15 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both knees. He ended with five points in 15 1/2 minutes.

"They made plays. We had opportunities to make big shots to close out the game and we missed ours and they made theirs," Aldridge said. "I think that's the case. We were up, went cold, then they made big shots like they do. That's why they're a championship team."

The host has won the last six meetings in this series.