Deni Avdija scored 24 points and handed out 10 assists to lead the Portland Trail Blazers (12-16) to a 98-93 victory over the Sacramento Kings (6-22) Saturday night at Golden 1 Center. Avdija added seven rebounds as Portland completed a home-and-home sweep against Sacramento.
Shaedon Sharpe contributed 23 points, Toumani Camara added 15, and Donovan Clingan posted a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Trail Blazers have won three straight games and improved to 12-16 on the season.
Sacramento, missing Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine, got 21 points from Dennis Schroder and 17 points and 12 rebounds from rookie Maxime Raynaud. The Kings have lost five consecutive games and nine of their last 10, falling further in the Western Conference standings.
Portland held a narrow lead throughout the first half, outscoring the Kings 28-26 in the first quarter and 19-18 in the second. Avdija’s consistent scoring helped keep Portland ahead despite Sacramento’s efforts to close the gap.
The Trail Blazers extended their lead in the third quarter with a 25-point effort, while the Kings matched that frame point-for-point. In the fourth, Portland pulled away with 26 points, securing a five-point win and a sweep of the two-game series.
Clingan’s presence on the boards, combined with Avdija’s playmaking, allowed Portland to control rebounds 46-50 and create opportunities for secondary scorers. Sharpe and Camara provided timely scoring runs that kept Sacramento from mounting a comeback.
Portland will travel to face Minnesota on Monday, while the Kings return home to host Houston on Sunday.
