Young, Sixers Hold Off Blazers For 101-99 Win
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Thaddeus Young matched his season-high with 30 points and the Philadelphia 76ers held off a furious late rally by the Portland Trail Blazers to pull out a 101-99 victory Saturday night for their fourth straight win, all on the road.
Evan Turner added 23 points and rookie star Michael Carter-Williams had 16, but fell hard on the court at the final buzzer when he was trying to keep Damian Lillard from scoring the game-tying basket.
Carter-Williams appeared to hit his head and stayed down for several moments while his teammates held off their celebration. When he finally rose, he held his hand to his head.
Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and 14 rebounds for his 20th double-double this season. Robin Lopez added 14 points and 15 rebounds in just the Blazers' fourth loss at home this season.
The contest was the last of a six-game road trip for the 76ers. The trip started out with a pair of losses, but then the 76ers reeled off wins against the Lakers, Nuggets and Kings.
Portland led 76-69 going into the fourth quarter, but Young's layup tied it at 84 and Spencer Hawes added another to give the 76ers the lead.
Tony Wroten hit a pair of baskets to make it 90-84 for Philadelphia, but Wesley Matthews, Lillard and Lopez all made free throws to tie it at 90.
Philadelphia held off the Blazers and Young's tip-in gave the Sixers a 96-94 lead with 36.2 seconds left. A video replay overturned a Blazers possession and Lillard fouled Spencer Hawes, who made both his free throws to give the 76ers a 99-95 lead with 19.3 seconds left.
But after Aldridge hit a layup and Evan Turner made foul shots, Lillard hit a layup to make it 101-99. Robin Lopez stole Philadelphia's inbounds pass with 5.3 second left, but Lillard missed the layup at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime.
Earlier this month when the Blazers visited Philadelphia, they drained a franchise-best 21 3-pointers en route to a 139-105 victory. Carter-Williams did not play in that game because of a skin infection on his right knee.
Portland matched the franchise record on Thursday, when they had 21 3s in a 134-104 rout over the Charlotte Bobcats. It was the first time a team has had at least 20 3-pointers in two games in a single season. The NBA record for 3-pointers in a single game is 23.
It appeared that this game could be similar 3-point barrage. The Blazers ranked atop the league with 349 3s this season and a 40.5 3-point percentage.
But the 76ers jumped out to an 18-4 lead midway through the first half on Thaddeus Young's dunk. Portland was sloppy, with five turnovers in the first seven minutes.
The Blazers didn't adjust well to Philadelphia's energetic first-half tempo. Portland didn't have a 3-pointer until Mo Williams hit one with just over two minutes left in the first quarter.
But the Blazers chipped away, pulling to within 39-32 on William's long jumper. He hit a 3-pointer to narrow the gap to 47-45, before Wesley Matthews' fast-break layup tied it. Portland pulled in front on Aldridge's jumper but the Sixers led 52-50 at the half.
The Blazers made just three of 14 3-point attempts in the first half.
Portland led by as many as nine points late in the third quarter, but the stubborn Sixers wouldn't let the Blazers go up by double digits. Wroten made a pair of free throws that got Philadelphia within 78-77 early in the final period.
NOTES: With his first six points, Aldridge became the fourth-leading scorer in Trail Blazers history, passing Jerome Kersey (10,067). ... Portland's Nicolas Batum has had at least seven rebounds and seven assists eight times this year, second only to LeBron James with 11. ... Young has at least 25 points in six of his last seven games.