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Cavs visit Rip City to take on Blazers

Mar 17, 2011 - 2:43 PM (Sports Network) - The Portland Trail Blazers hope to continue their push to the postseason tonight when they entertain the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers in Rip City.

Portland snapped a two-game skid on Tuesday with an impressive 104-101 win over Dallas at the Rose Garden. Brandon Roy made a key jumper with 47.8 seconds remaining in that one as the Trail Blazers snuck past the Mavericks in a possible first round playoff preview.

Roy, who missed 30 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both knees in January, ended with 21 points off the bench for the Blazers, who have won five of their last seven games overall.

"That's the best I've seen him this year," said Portland head coach Nate McMillan of Roy. "He's feeling good with the minutes that he's been getting and we need to keep him there."

LaMarcus Aldridge tallied 30 points and eight rebounds for Portland, which is in seventh place in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis and just one-half game behind New Orleans for the sixth slot. Wesley Matthews donated 18 points.

The Cavs, meanwhile, won the opener of a three-game western road trip in Sacramento on Wednesday. Ramon Sessions made the game-winning layup with 18.1 seconds remaining in that one as Cleveland snuck past the Kings, 97-93, in a battle between two of the NBA's worst teams.

Sessions ended with 20 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Cavaliers, who snapped a four-game skid. J.J. Hickson donated 17 points and eight boards.

Luke Harangody chipped in with 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench for Cleveland, which is an NBA-worst 13-53 on the season and improved to just 5-28 on the road.

"It's amazing what happens when you compete," Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott said. "I told the guys before the game that, I know that I have been very critical of us the last couple of games. I just pretty much told them the three things I expect each and every night and the things they should do each and every night, no matter what our record is, no matter what the situation is."

Point guard Baron Davis, who missed the Cavs' last three games to be with his family following the death of his grandmother, is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight.

Portland snapped a six-game skid to the Cavs with a 111-105 win in Cleveland back on Feb. 5. The Blazers have, however, lost three straight to the Cavs in the Pacific Northwest but all of that damage was incurred when superstar LeBron James called Cleveland home.