Blazers cruise to wire-to-wire win over floundering Nets

Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara scored 18 points apiece as the Portland Trail Blazers never trailed and withstood a shaky fourth quarter in a 114-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night in New York.

Portland raced out ahead by scoring the game's first 10 points, took a 31-point lead late in the third quarter and withstood getting outscored 30-23 in the fourth.

Avdija shot 4 of 13 from the field but made 9 of 12 free throws as the Blazers attempted 29 foul shots. Camara made 7 of 9 shots after shooting 5 of 20 in his previous two games.

Scoot Henderson added 16 off the bench while Donovan Clingan collected 14 and 11 rebounds for his 29th double-double this season.

Jerami Grant had 12 points while Kris Murray contributed 11 for the Blazers. Jrue Holiday chipped in 11 and nine rebounds to go along with five assists as Portland withstood committing 19 turnovers.

Portland shot 51.2% from the field, scored 58 points in the paint and handed out 30 assists.

Brooklyn leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. missed his third straight game with a sprained right ankle. The Nets also sat Noah Clowney (rest) and Terance Mann (left Achilles soreness) as they dropped their fourth straight and lost for the 14th time in 16 games.

Rookie Chaney Johnson led the Nets with 17 points. Tyson Etienne and rookie Ben Saraf added 15 apiece as the Nets continued playing younger players in the fourth.

Nic Claxton was the lone Brooklyn starter to reach double figures as he finished with 12 in three quarters. Claxton also grabbed 11 rebounds.

Brooklyn shot 38.4%, made 9 of 34 3s and committed 17 turnovers.

After letting the lead slip to 11 in the opening minutes of the second, Portland outscored Brooklyn, 21-11 over the final seven-plus minutes and held a 65-41 lead by halftime.

Brooklyn scored nine straight points and Drake Powell's layup cut the lead to 69-50 with 9:09 left in the third. Following a timeout, Grant hit a 3-pointer as the Blazers scored the next nine for a 78-50 lead with 6:10 and led by 31 after a hoop by Henderson with 50 seconds left in the third.

The Nets chipped away by scoring 16 straight points and trailed 91-76 following a basket by Saraf with 9:13 left. Brooklyn cut the lead to 15 on a 3 by

Etienne with 4:23 and never got closer the rest of the way.

--Field Level Media