PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Deni Avdija scored a season-high 41 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Houston Rockets 103-102 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory.
It looked like Tari Eason tipped in for Houston at the final buzzer and the Rockets cleared their bench to celebrate, but upon review, the basket didn’t go out of time.
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The teams will meet again Friday night at the Fashion Center.
The Trail Blazers held the Rockets for much of the second half, but Amen Thompson’s free throws tied the game at 84 with 8:56 left. Shaden Sharpe’s three-pointer put the Trail Blazers back in the lead.
The Rockets cut Portland’s lead to 101-99 on a Kevin Durant jumper and free throws with just over a minute left. Avdija responded with a layup.
The Trail Blazers led 103-100 when Durant made two free throws with 5.9 seconds left. On one of Portland’s drives, Houston was called for a loose ball foul, which coach Ime Udoka successfully challenged, giving the ball to the Rockets.
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Durant, who scored 37 points, missed a 19-foot shot with 2.1 seconds left, and then Eason failed to make a shot at the buzzer.
The Rockets played without Alperen Sengun, who sprained his ankle in Saturday’s loss to Dallas and is expected to miss two weeks.
Jan Hansen, the Trail Blazers’ 7-foot first-round pick last year, hit a long 3-pointer late in the first quarter to give Portland a 25-21 lead.
Ethan only played four minutes in the first quarter and was on the bench with his left knee, but he hit a three-pointer after the start of the second quarter to help the Rockets lead 27-25.
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Portland went on a 17-7 run to end the half and led 57-47 at the break.
Avdija hit a 19-foot layup at the buzzer to give the Trail Blazers an 81-75 lead heading into the final quarter.
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