Aldridge, Gasol lead Spurs to 93-91 win over Trail Blazers
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points, Pau Gasol had 20 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 93-91 on Wednesday night.
Aldridge hit 10 of 17 shots against his former team. Gasol and Aldridge each scored 16 points during the first half to help the Spurs (22-10) win their third consecutive game.
The short-handed Spurs were without Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. Both were rested as part of San Antonio’s injury management program, as this was the first game of a back-to-back for the Spurs. Leonard and Parker are recovering from quadriceps injuries.
Patty Mills and Manu Ginobili came off the bench to score 10 points apiece for San Antonio.
Portland, coming off a 3-2 road trip, lost its fifth consecutive home game. The Blazers (16-15) are the only NBA team with a winning overall record but a losing mark at home.
Damian Lillard led Portland with 17 points, while Jusuf Nurkic had 15. Evan Turner and Shabazz Napier scored 14 each for the Blazers.
Portland’s backcourt of Lillard and C.J. McCollum struggled offensively, as the two combined to shoot 11 of 39. McCollum, who was 5 of 22, had 13 points.
San Antonio outrebounded Portland 53-38.
The Spurs took the lead for good with five minutes remaining at 86-85 on a layup by Ginobili. But the win wasn’t secure until the end, when McCollum’s 3-point shot glanced off the rim as time expired.
San Antonio led 54-46 at halftime after a torrid first half from Aldridge and Gasol, who combined to shoot 15 of 20 from the floor.
The Spurs withstood a rough stretch during the third quarter, when Nurkic scored 11 points during a 17-4 run that gave the Blazers a 64-61 lead. But the Spurs recovered, grabbing a 74-72 lead after three quarters on Kyle Anderson’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
TIP-INS
Spurs: San Antonio attempted only one free throw in the first half. Neither team shot a free throw during the first quarter. … Anderson (left MCL sprain) returned to action for the first time in nine games. Also back after missing two games was Danny Green (groin). … Leonard averaged 28.3 points in three games against Portland last season.
Trail Blazers: A semi-truck hauling a large trash bin lost control while driving down a steep road in Southwest Portland, plunging into Turner’s swimming pool Wednesday morning. Turner was home in bed at the time. The driver was taken to Oregon Health and Science University Medical Center with serious injuries. … McCollum missed his first 11 shots before finally hitting a 12-footer midway through the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Thursday at Utah.
Trail Blazers: Friday at home against Denver.
