The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-103 on Tuesday and 118-108 on Wednesday to complete a two-game sweep.
The Story
The Portland Trail Blazers finished a two-game sweep of the Oklahoma City Thunder with consecutive wins at the Moda Center, including an 118-108 victory on Wednesday night after a 123-103 win on Tuesday.
The back-to-back results ended a difficult stretch in which Portland had lost 19 of its previous 20 meetings against Oklahoma City. Tuesday’s game featured Portland taking control early, with Damian Lillard scoring 25 points and Deni Avdija adding 24 points and eight assists.
Portland’s third-quarter surge on Tuesday was decisive, outscoring Oklahoma City 38-21 in the period and carrying a 17-point lead into the final frame.
On Wednesday, the Thunder pushed back, with Oklahoma City moving ahead 92-88 early in the fourth after trailing by as many as 12 in the third. Portland responded and regained control when it mattered most, helped by a strong closing stretch.
Avdija led the way on Wednesday with 28 points, six assists and four steals, while Lillard scored 18. Jrue Holiday and Sidy Cissoko each scored 19 points to provide additional scoring as Portland pulled away.
Portland’s momentum in the final period was fueled by production from its stars and supporting cast, with Avdija and Lillard combining for 20 of the team’s 30 fourth-quarter points.
The sweep also came while Portland dealt with key absences. The club listed Ja Morant as sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Shaedon Sharpe and Vit Krejci were also unavailable. The team made lineup adjustments, including moving Scoot Henderson to the bench and expanding Sidy Cissoko’s role.
Cissoko scored 17 points in Tuesday’s win and followed with 19 points on Wednesday, and Holiday scored off the bench in the rematch as Portland found multiple ways to close.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, entered the pair of games short-handed, with Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace listed among the key players unavailable. Following the Wednesday win, Portland improved to an 8-3 record early in the season.
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