Trail Blazers at Rockets
LaMarcus Aldridge has quite an act to follow up when the Portland Trail Blazers attempt to take a 2-0 lead when they visit the Houston Rockets in Wednesday’s Game 2 of the Western Conference playoff series. Aldridge put on the best performance in Portland’s playoff history with a franchise-record 46 points to go with 18 rebounds as the Trail Blazers recorded a 122-120 overtime win in the opener. Houston badly needs a win prior to the scene shifting to Portland for Game 3.
The Rockets had no answers for how to slow Aldridge in Game 1 and are focusing on avoiding a repeat occurrence on Wednesday. “We are going to try some different matchups,” center Dwight Howard told reporters. “When I check him, he tries to get me in a lot of pick and rolls so I am probably going to check him for a good part of the game and try to keep him out of the post.” Houston also hopes for a better shooting performance from guard James Harden, who was just 8-of-28 from the field while scoring 27 points in the opener.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW (Portland), CSN Houston
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: While Aldridge and point guard Damian Lillard (31 points) were having customary big games, shooting guard Wesley Matthews was the unsung standout. Matthews had 18 points and three steals and was the primary defender on Harden for most of the contest.” I don’t know how much of that was me guarding him and how much him being off, and honestly I don’t care,” Matthews told reporters. “He is a guy who can score and I am going to have to be ready to see him again.”
ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Point guard Patrick Beverley has been cleared to play after once again injuring his troublesome right knee in the opener. An MRI exam displayed no new damage but the knee remains a concern as Beverley tore the meniscus in late March and rest was the route taken as opposed to season-ending surgery. The feisty Beverley plays with a relentless in-your-face style and insists the knee isn’t an issue moving forward. “I know my body better than anybody else,” Beverley told reporters. “I felt a real stiff little pain toward the area that I hurt before. I was fortunate, though. It healed fast, I guess.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Aldridge is the first NBA player with at least 46 points and 18 rebounds in a road playoff game since Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals.
2. Howard had 27 points and 15 rebounds but his shooting was subpar from both the field (9-of-21) and the free-throw line (9-of-17) in the opener.
3. Portland received just seven points on 2-of-14 shooting from its bench in Game 1.