Final
Aldridge, Lillard lead Blazers over Rockets
Feb 9, 2015 - 6:10 AMVideo
C.J. McCollum and Meyers Leonard each netted 12 points for the Blazers, who bounced back from an overtime loss at Dallas on Saturday to win for the third time in their last four outings.
"Well especially on the heels of last night's game, I thought this was a real gritty win for us," said Portland coach Terry Stotts.
James Harden, who scored 44 points in Houston's 110-95 win over Portland on Dec. 22, poured in a season high-tying 45 points with nine rebounds and eight assists on Sunday. Josh Smith added 16 points as the Rockets had their two-game winning streak snapped.
"Against a good team like Portland, we gotta be on edge all four quarters," Harden said. "We have to play all four quarters as hard as we did in that second half."
McCollum's 3-pointer cut Portland's deficit to 27-26 after the first quarter.
Lillard, who was named to the Western Conference All-Star team earlier in the day to replace Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, capped a 12-3 run with a 3-pointer for a 51-40 Blazers lead late in the second.
Portland was up by 16 in the final minute before Harden nailed a 3 to cut Houston's deficit to 61-48 at halftime.
The Blazers continued to lead by double digits in the third until the Rockets went on a 15-4 run that closed the gap to 77-73. Smith, who tied a career high with four 3-pointers, buried a shot from deep to tie the game at 79-79 moments later. Portland led 81-80 entering the fourth.
Smith opened the fourth with a 3, then Leonard score the Blazers' next nine points as part of an 11-2 run. A Donatas Motiejunas dunk brought the Rockets within four with under two minutes left, but Nicolas Batum fired in a trey that gave the visitors a 103-96 lead with 1:26 remaining.
Game Notes
Portland snapped a seven-game losing streak on the road ... Houston had won 10 of the last 13 regular-season matchups in the series ... Harden went 19-of-23 from the foul line. Portland attempted 23 free throws as a team ... Portland outscored Houston, 46-30, in the paint ... The Blazer shot 52.6 percent from the floor, limiting Houston to 37.8 percent shooting.
- PORTLAND: 109
HOUSTON: 98
Final
Feb 8 9:31 PM - 203
rootsRUWTbot Added 39 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 98, Rockets 94 4th - 2:20Feb 8 9:23 PM - 164
rootsRUWTbot Added 30 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 98, Rockets 91 4th - 4:09Feb 8 9:18 PM - 134
rootsRUWTbot Took away 27 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 97, Rockets 89 4th - 5:08Feb 8 9:17 PM - 161
rootsRUWTbot Took away 28 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 96, Rockets 89 4th - 5:08Feb 8 9:16 PM - 189
rootsRUWTbot Added 25 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 94, Rockets 89 4th - 5:29Feb 8 9:16 PM - 164
rootsRUWTbot Took away 17 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 94, Rockets 87 4th - 5:57Feb 8 9:15 PM - 181
rootsRUWTbot Added 30 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 92, Rockets 87 4th - 6:20Feb 8 9:14 PM - 151
rootsRUWTbot Took away 15 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 92, Rockets 85 4th - 6:31Feb 8 9:13 PM - 166
rootsRUWTbot Added 10 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 88, Rockets 85 4th - 7:50Feb 8 9:08 PM - 156
rootsRUWTbot Took away 24 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 88, Rockets 85 4th - 8:26Feb 8 9:08 PM - 180
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 85, Rockets 85 4th - 9:16Feb 8 9:04 PM - 172
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 85, Rockets 83 4th - 9:59Feb 8 9:03 PM - 163
rootsRUWTbot Added 11 roots (Close Finish, Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 81, Rockets 83 4th - 11:07Feb 8 9:01 PM - PORTLAND: 81
HOUSTON: 80
End of 3rd
Feb 8 8:57 PM - 152
roots - 134
roots - 124
roots - 119
roots - 105
roots - 93
rootsRUWTbot Took away 9 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 79, Rockets 73 3rd - 3:40Feb 8 8:48 PM - 102
roots - 92
roots - 87
rootsRUWTbot Took away 6 roots (Individual Performance)
Trail Blazers 76, Rockets 68 3rd - 4:56Feb 8 8:43 PM - 93
roots - 83
roots - 77
roots - PORTLAND: 61
HOUSTON: 48
Halftime
Feb 8 8:10 PM - PORTLAND: 26
HOUSTON: 27
End of 1st
Feb 8 7:39 PM - PORTLAND: 0
HOUSTON: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Feb 8 7:11 PM
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