Trail Blazers 104, Bucks 97
Trail Blazers 104, Bucks 97: Damian Lillard had 29 points and seven assists as host Portland took advantage of injury-stricken Milwaukee.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 23 points and 15 rebounds to help Portland to a 52-32 advantage on the glass. Thomas Robinson moved into the starting lineup after Robin Lopez suffered a fractured right hand Monday and produced his first double-double of the season, finishing with season-bests of 15 points and 16 boards for the Trail Blazers.
Milwaukee was playing its first game since starting forward Jabari Parker went down with a season-ending torn left ACL on Monday, and the Bucks suffered another loss when starting shooting guard Giannis Antetokounmpo sprained his left ankle during the game and did not return. Milwaukee went with a four-guard starting lineup and Brandon Knight led the way with 24 points.
Neither team led by more than four points in the second half until Portland scored 11 unanswered points to go up 88-79 with 4:11 remaining in the game. O.J. Mayo ended the run with a free throw but the Trail Blazers, who trailed by 10 midway through the second quarter, took their first double-digit lead on a 20-footer by Aldridge, his third straight basket for Portland, and the Trail Blazers made enough free throws down the stretch to hold off the Bucks.
Portland held Milwaukee without a field goal over the final 5:47 of the first half and took a 43-41 lead into the break. Neither team led by more than four points in the third quarter as the advantage switched and the Bucks took a two-point lead into the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Trail Blazers have won 14 straight games against visiting Eastern Conference teams. … Lillard shot 4-for-7 from 3-point range, giving him an NBA-leading 10 games this season with at least four 3-pointers. … Portland G C.J. McCollum returned after missing 14 games with a fractured index finger and had three points and three assists in 14 minutes.