NEW YORK CITY: LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and eight rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers shook off early struggles Monday to beat the Brooklyn Nets 108-98 and win their seventh consecutive NBA game.
Wesley Matthews added 24 points for Portland while Damian Lillard contributed 19 points and nine assists and Mo Williams added 12 points off the bench for the Trail Blazers, who improved to 9-2.
The Nets scored on 19 of their first 20 possessions on the way to a 40-31 lead after the first quarter, but Portland’s defenders clamped down after that and Brooklyn shot only 22 percent (9-of-41) from the floor in the second half.
Shaun Livingston, who started his second straight game for injured Deron Williams, led Brooklyn with 23 points.
Kevin Garnett, in his 19th NBA campaign, made his first six shots but finished 8-for-19 from the field, finishing 16 points and eight rebounds for the Nets, who fell to 3-7.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers who have made a better start to this season than many had expected in the absence of Kobe Bryant, there is no question that their 15-time All-Star shooting guard has been sorely missed.
The Lakers have lurched between a few surprising wins, most notably against the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets, and several disappointing losses, where they suffered due to the lack of a dominating presence in the final quarter.
Bryant is widely regarded as one of the greatest closers in the game and his teammates are eagerly awaiting the return of the ‘Black Mamba,’ who has been sidelined since mid-April with a torn left Achilles’ tendon.
“He’s so intelligent that he helps guys get in the right spots and makes the game a lot easier not only for myself but for the whole team,” backup shooting guard Jodie Meeks told reporters.
“He’s been in the league for almost 20 years, he knows it all inside and out. He’s the alpha dog. He tells everybody where to go, gets everyone in the right spots and gives everyone confidence.”
Bryant was given full medical clearance to resume all basketball activities over the weekend and the 35-year-old certainly gave his teammates a welcome boost when he joined them on Saturday for several practice drills.Agencies
