Avdija, Lillard drive Trail Blazers to first NBA Cup win over Kings
Portland outscored Sacramento 51-33 from three-point range in a 120-107 victory on Friday.
By Ariana Flores ·
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Sacramento Kings 120-107 on Friday at Golden 1 Center to claim their first victory in NBA Cup play this season.
Deni Avdija led all scorers with 34 points on 11-of-13 shooting. Damian Lillard added 29 points, including six three-pointers, and six assists. Together, the two guards accounted for 63 points, nine made three-pointers, and 20 made free throws.
Donovan Clingan contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds for Portland. Toumani Camara scored 14 points, while Scoot Henderson added 11. The Blazers improved to 1-1 in West Group C and won their third consecutive game overall.
Portland shot 40.5% from beyond the arc, making 17 of 42 attempts. The team also converted 29 of 31 free throws. Sacramento managed only 10 three-pointers and 18 free-throw points.
Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 21 points and 12 rebounds. He had played a scoreless game in his last outing. De'Andre Hunter added 24 points for Sacramento, while Darius Acuff Jr. recorded 17, Keegan Murray 16, and Zach LaVine 12. Acuff and LaVine each had six assists.
The Kings' bench contributed 17 points, ten fewer than Portland's reserves. Sacramento fell to 0-2 in the NBA Cup and lost its fifth straight game overall.
The Blazers opened the game with a 9-0 run to take the lead. They led 64-53 at halftime and never trailed in the second half, building a 20-point advantage at one point.
