PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points and eight rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers got off to a slow start but pulled away to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-78 on Sunday night.
Wesley Matthews added 24 points for the Blazers, who led by as many as 24.
Kyrie Irving, the top pick in last June’s NBA draft, had 21 points — 11 in the third quarter. Antawn Jamison, who was Cleveland’s top scorer going into the game, made a 3-pointer for his only basket of the game, but had 11 rebounds.
The Cavaliers were only allowing an average of six fast-break points per game, but Portland had 22 even though the overall pace of the game seemed sluggish.
