The Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak to four games with a 102-97 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. Anfernee Simons led the way, scoring 17 of his 27 points in the second half to help Portland secure the road win.
Jerami Grant added 22 points, and Deni Avdija chipped in 18 as the Trail Blazers improved to 17-28 on the season. Donovan Clingan grabbed 13 rebounds, anchoring the team defensively and contributing to a 29-22 fourth-quarter advantage that proved decisive.
Charlotte, playing without LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller, leaned on Nick Smith Jr. and Josh Okogie for scoring. Smith finished with 17 points, while Okogie recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Hornets fell to 11-30 and struggled offensively in the final period, shooting just 7-of-22 from the field.
Portland’s defense continued its strong play after holding Orlando to just 79 points on Thursday night. They limited the Hornets to 41% shooting overall, including 29% from beyond the arc. On offense, the Blazers capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 27-of-39 attempts compared to Charlotte’s 24-of-28.
Simons was particularly efficient, shooting 8-of-16 from the floor and hitting four three-pointers, while Grant knocked down four triples of his own. Avdija provided steady support, scoring 11 of his 18 points at the charity stripe.
Charlotte’s offensive struggles were compounded by poor three-point shooting and limited options in crunch time. The Hornets are missing Miller for the rest of the season after wrist surgery, leaving the team searching for consistent scoring threats.
On the boards, Portland outrebounded Charlotte 47-46 and held a 15-8 edge in second-chance points, thanks in part to the hustle of Toumani Camara and Clingan.
