Pelicans vs. Trail Blazers: Anthony Davis, New Orleans steal Game 1 in Portland

Anthony Davis was in control on both ends of the court in leading the New Orleans Pelicans to a 97-95 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoff series on Saturday night in Portland.

Davis scored 35 points on 14-for-26 shooting and grabbed 14 boards to give New Orleans a 1-0 series lead. But he also blocked four shots and had two steals, controlling the middle on defense, throttling the Blazers offense. It was the first playoff win in Davis’ career.

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined for 37 points on just 13-for-41 shooting. 34 of those points from Portland’s backcourt came in the second half, when the Blazers were able to cut a 19-point deficit to one in the final minute.

Portland had two possessions down a point in the final minute but failed to convert either one. Davis grabbed the rebound after the second stop and hit two free throws to widen New Orleans’ advantage to three points with 12.4 seconds remaining.

Jrue Holiday scored 21 for the Pelicans and had three huge defensive stops down the stretch, including a game-sealing block of Pat Connaughton.

Rajon Rondo scored just six points but dished out 17 assists and grabbed eight rebounds in the win.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Portland.

A 17-5 run by Portland has pulled the Blazers to within one. CJ McCollum has a pair of threes during this run, and 16 points in the second half.

Anthony Davis one one end is smothering Portland on defense, and on offense he has 29 points and 11 boards with six minutes remaining.

He is in select company.

It was more of the same for New Orleans in the third quarter, with Anthony Davis putting his stamp on the game. He scored seven in the quarter and has 24 in the game. Rajon Rondo has just two points but has been in control, with seven rebounds and 15 assists, the latter five more than Portland has through three quarters as a team.

New Orleans takes the lead into the break thanks to a strong first half from Jrue Holliday, who scored 15 points and four boards. Not to be out done, Anthony Davis had 17 points and six rebounds.

Portland shot just 31.9% in the first half and trails by nine. CJ McCollum was held scoreless and he combined with Damian Lillard for just three points on 1-for-15 shooting, each playing 18 minutes in the first half.

Anthony Davis was alive early with eight points and five boards, including two on this pass from Rajon Rondo:

The Portland Trail Blazers host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoff series in a tightly-packed Western Conference.

Just three wins separated the No. 3 seed in the west — Portland, with 49 wins — and the No. 9 seed — Denver, with 46 wins. The Blazers rode a 13-game winning streak after the All-Star break into home court advantage, leaving themselves enough cushion for a 5-7 finish to their regular season.

New Orleans had a double-digit win streak of their own, a 10-game run in February and March made even more remarkable since it came after DeMarcus Cousins ruptured his Achilles tendon. The Pelicans were the eighth seed in the west with 10 days left in the season but finished their year with a five-game winning streak to move up two spots in the conference standings.

The Pelicans somehow finished with a better record without Cousins (21-13, .618) than with him (27-21, .563), and find themselves in the playoffs for the first time in three years.

Anthony Davis picked up the slack with Cousins out, averaging 30.2 points per game without his front court mate after scoring 26.5 points per game with Cousins.

The Blazers have a dynamic duo of their own but in the back court, with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combining for 48 points per game. Lillard’s 25 games with 30 or more points this season ranked fifth in the NBA; Davis was tied for first, with 32 such games.

Portland has home court advantage in the series, but New Orleans owns the fifth-best road record in the NBA at 24-17. The Blazers (21-20 away from home) and Pelicans are two of just 10 teams with a winning road record this season.

These two teams split four games in the regular season, with each team winning once on the road.

Location: Moda Center, Portland

Game time: 10:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Announcers: Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Cassidy Hubbarth

Online streaming: Watch ESPN