The Trail Blazers have controlled the scoring through three quarters, with Avdija and Lillard leading the charge.
Portland leads Sacramento 93-78 through three quarters Friday, building on a 34-25 opening period and adding to its advantage in each quarter. Deni Avdija has 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Damian Lillard has 23 points and five three-pointers. De’Andre Hunter has kept Sacramento’s offense moving with 20 points, but the Kings have been outscored in all three periods. The gap reflects the teams’ season profiles: Portland is 8-3 and seventh in the power index, while Sacramento is 1-10 and 28th.
Key Performers
Damian Lillard (Portland): 23 points, 5-of-10 from three, 5 assists Deni Avdija (Portland): 20 points, 7-of-9 shooting, 4 rebounds De’Andre Hunter (Sacramento): 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals