Wizards 124 - 109 Trail Blazers
Final
  for this game

Blazers try to halt home skid vs. Wizards

Feb 14, 2012 - 3:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Portland Trail Blazers will try to halt a rare losing streak at the Rose Garden when they play host to a Washington Wizards team coming in off its second road victory.

The Blazers had been a gaudy 11-1 in Rip City before losing two tough ones to Oklahoma City last Monday and Houston two days later. They rebounded in New Orleans on Friday before tripping in a 97-94 double overtime loss at Dallas on Saturday.

All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge netted a game-high 33 points in Big D for the Blazers, including a game-tying bucket with 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Aldridge also pulled down 12 rebounds, while Jamal Crawford contributed 19 points for Portland, which fell to 4-10 on the road.

"I thought our guys fought tonight to get themselves back into the game, and to give ourselves a chance to win the game," Portland head coach Nate McMillan said. "We have opportunities, and we've had them all season long where you've got to make plays, you've got to make shots, you've got to get stops, and, again, tonight we don't make shots when we have the opportunity."

The Blazers haven't lost three straight in the Pacific Northwest since March 29-April 6, 2008 but could be without starting center Marcus Camby tonight. The big man sprained his right ankle in Dallas and is listed as questionable.

The Wizards, meanwhile, won just their second road game of the season on Sunday in Auburn Hills when John Wall matched a career-high with 15 assists and scored all nine of his points during a game-changing run in the second half as Washington thumped the Pistons, 98-77.

JaVale McGee recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds and Nick Young added 22 points for the Wizards, who are 2-10 away from home this season. The Wizards had lost six of their last seven games coming in.

"These games when we're close to these teams and have the same kind of record, these are like championship games," Wall said of the 8-21 Pistons. The Wizards are 6-22. "You have to take advantage of them."

Washington, which is a dismal 1-16 against teams with winning records, has dropped six straight in Rip City since a 114-106 triumph back on March 28, 2005.






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