LaMarcus Aldridge couldn't match the scoring output of Kevin Durant, but he did enough to lead the Blazers to a 98-94 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Tuesday night.
Blazers vs. Thunder recap: Kevin Durant dominates in vain as OKC falls, 98-94
The Thunder couldn’t keep up with LaMarcus Aldridge and his efficient game as the All-Star made plays on both ends of the floor despite an outstanding effort from Kevin Durant.
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Aldridge poured in 25 points to go along with 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. Damian Lillard was also a key factor in the victory as he added 21 points and 11 assists. Portland (25-7) used terrific ball security to mitigate a disappointing effort that saw it shoot just 39.6 percent from the field and 24.2 percent from the three-point line.
Kevin Durant paced the scoring with a game-high 37 points and 14 rebounds for the Thunder (25-6), who shot 43.9 percent from the field but just 21.4 percent from the three-point line. Serge Ibaka had 17 points and Reggie Jackson added 12 while starting for injured starter Russell Westbrook.
The Thunder dominated the interior with 46 points in the paint against just 28 by the Blazers. OKC led by as many as 16, but couldn’t sustain the lead due to Portland’s ball control; the Blazers committed just six turnovers.
The Blazers moved to within a half game of the Thunder in the Western Conference standings with the victory and continued to show they’re a serious playoff contender entering the new year.
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