New Orleans Pelicans vs Portland Trail Blazers Match Player Stats On Oct 24, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 25, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. -- CJ McCollum scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Portland Trail Blazers closed the game with a 9-0 run in a 103-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night in their 2017-18 home opener at Moda Center.

Evan Turner and Damian Lillard each scored 13 points, and Ed Davis added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers (3-1).

DeMarcus Cousins collected 39 points and 13 rebounds for New Orleans (1-3).

Pelicans All-Star forward Anthony Davis played only the first five minutes before departing with a left knee injury. He did not return.

The Trail Blazers shot 37.5 percent from the field and committed 12 turnovers yet trailed only 48-47 at halftime. Cousins had 13 points and nine rebounds to lead the Pelicans.

Cousins scored eight straight points, then dished out an assist as New Orleans seized a 71-66 lead late in the third quarter. The Pelicans carried a 73-71 edge into the fourth.

Portland used an 11-0 run to snap an 81-81 tie and go ahead 92-81 with 6:19 to play. McCollum started the spurt by knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers. The Pelicans responded with a 10-0 run to close within 92-91 with four minutes to play.

Jusuf Nurkic sank two free throws to up Portland's lead to 94-91 with 3:42 left. Jameer Nelson answered with two at the other end to make it 94-93 with 3:32 to go.

Nurkic hit two more gift shots to give the Trail Blazers a 96-93 edge with 2:01 remaining. Damian Lillard was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws for a 99-93 advantage with 1:25 to play.

The Pelicans got no closer than six points the rest of the way.

New Orleans jumped to an 18-13 lead, but the Trail Blazers outscored the Pelicans 16-1 the rest of the quarter to take a 29-19 advantage into the second quarter.

The Pelicans seized control from there and took a one-point advantage into intermission.

NOTES: The Trail Blazers have won an NBA-record 17 consecutive home openers dating to a 96-86 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. ... The Blazers won the rebound battle 63-42. ... Portland C Jusuf Nurkic drew three fouls in the first 6:17 and didn't play the rest of the first half. He finished with 12 points and seven boards in 20 minutes. ... Portland G Damian Lillard started 0-for-9 from the field and didn't hit his first basket until 4:40 was left in the third quarter. Lillard ended 3-for-16 from the field. ... Lillard moved into 10th place on the franchise career scoring list with 8,964 points. Barring injury, he should climb to fourth place by season’s end and trail only Clyde Drexler (18,040, 1983-95), LaMarcus Aldridge (12,562, 2006-15) and Terry Porter (11,330, 1985-95). ... New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said the return of G Rajon Rondo (core muscle) is "probably at least a couple of weeks away."