Deni Avdija recorded 24 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds to help the Portland Trail Blazers notch a 98-93 victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Saturday night to sweep a home-and-home set.
Shaedon Sharpe had 23 points, Toumani Camara added 15 points and four steals while Donovan Clingan registered 14 points and 14 rebounds for Portland, which won its third straight game.
The Kings’ Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six assists off the bench and rookie Maxime Raynaud had 17 points and matched his career best with 11 rebounds for the second straight game. Sacramento lost its fifth straight game and 22nd in 28 overall this season.
DeMar DeRozan had 15 points and five steals and Keegan Murray also scored 15 for the Kings. Backup Nique Clifford had 12 points off the bench.
The Trail Blazers recorded a 134-133 overtime victory at home on Thursday in the first contest of the two-game set. That game saw Portland blow a 15-point lead over the final 1:53 of regulation before prevailing in the extra session.
DeRozan hinted at another comeback when he made a 3-pointer to pull Sacramento within 96-92 with 36.6 seconds remaining. Dylan Cardwell split two free throws with 18.2 seconds to play.
But Robert Williams III made two free throws with 16.5 seconds left as the Trail Blazers closed it out.
Portland shot 43.2% from the field, including 11 of 31 from 3-point range. Jerami Grant (Achilles) sat out for the Trail Blazers.
The Kings made 38.4% of their shots and were just 6 of 31 from behind the arc.
Williams scored on a dunk and Avdija followed with consecutive 3-pointers as Portland took an 84-76 lead with 7:36 remaining.
The Kings pulled within 90-89 on two free throws by Raynaud with 3:56 left.
Clingan scored a basket with 2:29 left and Sharpe added another 16 seconds later. Clingan then scored in the interior to give Portland a 96-89 lead with 54.3 seconds to go.
Earlier, Clingan’s trey gave Portland a 64-52 lead with 6:37 left in the third quarter.
Sacramento answered with a 10-2 run, Clifford capping it with a 31-foot 3-pointer to bring the Kings within four.
The Kings moved within one on Schroder’s basket with 11.2 seconds left before Sharpe’s layup with 1.1 seconds to play allowed the Trail Blazers to take a 72-69 lead into the final stanza.
At the outset, Sacramento missed its first nine shots as Portland sped out to a 15-2 lead. The Trail Blazers led 47-44 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
