PORTLAND — Behind a fast start and a 24 points and 13 rebounds from LaMarcus Aldridge, the Portland Trail Blazers blew past the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-91.
Per NBA rules, the Blazers and the Wolves were required to play each other on Wednesday night.
Only seven days stand between the place that both franchises would rather be. For the Blazers, it’s the playoffs and for the Wolves, it’s the end of a season that can’t end soon enough, before they pray for ping pong balls to give them the top pick in the upcoming draft.
Both of these teams would rather hit the fast forward button, but the only team that showed that were the Timberwolves.
The Wolves played lazy defense and the Blazers ran.
One player that didn’t need to be at the Moda Center was Wesley Matthews.
Matthews, who is out for the season with a torn left achilles, was in the building, but only was briefly. He came to take the team’s yearly photo as well as one with team employees.
In Matthews’ locker was just one right shoe. But he ducked out before the game began.
In the spirit of their injured teammate and emotional leader, the Blazers did not waste any time taking care of business, seizing the opportunity to run the Wolves out of the building.
It was a far cry from their last meeting with the Wolves, where they gave up 121 points and lost, which coincidentally was their first game without Matthews.
Aldridge, Damian Lillard and Nicolas Batum all enjoyed the fourth quarter from the bench.
After having played a close game the previous night in Sacramento, Minnesota coach Flip Saunders played up the fatigue factor.
“Tired men,” Saunders said answered when asked why his team couldn’t get it going.
The Blazers kept pushing the pace and getting all of the shots they wanted. The Wolves transition defense also suspect.
The Wolves, who are without almost all their big men, were all unable to guard to Aldridge. The Wolves were forced to stick small forward Chase Budinger on Aldridge at times.
“I thought we played a solid game at both ends of the court,” Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said. “Obviously, Minnesota is undermanned and has a lot of young guys out there, but I liked our approach from the beginning. Coming out in the third quarter, taking care of business and allowing our bench to get on the court.”
Portland’s bench helped keep their 10-point first quarter lead. Meyers Leonard and CJ McCollum continued to contribute. McCollum scored in double figures for the fifth straight game, the longest stretch of his career.
Leonard grabbed at least seven defensive rebounds for his second straight game, following a 17-point, 15-rebound double-double, something he’s done only once before in his career.
Leonard even unleashed a jab-step or two, which his coach has no issue with.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Stotts said of Leonard. “I’m not going to screw that up.”
After Aldridge returned, the Blazers pushed their lead to 19 by halftime.
Since the All-Star break, Batum has shot nearly 45 percent from 3-point range going into Wednesday.
Batum scored 11 points, six rebounds and five assists while going 3-of-4 from long-range.
The Blazers now travel to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors, the league’s best team.
Although this game was formality, the Blazers are glad they got the rest.
“It’s going to be a big one tomorrow, big one against the best team in the NBA,” Batum said. “They’ve lost two games in a row and they’re at home. It’s going to be a big one.”
“They’re going to play to win it, we’re going to play to win it, so it’s going to be a good test for both of us,” Stotts said.
The Blazers are 1 1/2 games behind the Clippers and Spurs for home court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
