Aldridge, Trail Blazers take Game 1 overtime nail-biter over Houston Rockets

As the NBA play-offs continued to kick off on Sunday, Portland topped Houston in overtime to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series on LaMarcus Aldridge's 46-point effort.

LaMarcus scored a franchise-record 46 points for the Blazers on Sunday night against the Rockets in the NBA play-offs. Bob Levey / Getty Images / AFP / April 20, 2014

LaMarcus Aldridge was playing on another level Sunday night and had the emotional intensity to match the best performance of his career.

Portland’s star was hungry after missing the play-offs the last two seasons and wanted to show his teammates that getting to the post-season was simply not enough.

Aldridge scored a career-high and franchise play-off record 46 points and Damian Lillard added 31, including the go-ahead free throws in overtime, to lift the Trail Blazers to a 122-120 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round play-off series.

“I’ve been here and I’ve went through this process and I understand it and I just think tonight was one of those nights,” Aldridge said.

Aldridge fouled out with about a minute left in overtime and Lillard, who was making his play-off debut, took over. He scored the next five points for Portland and put the Trail Blazers on top by one point with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left. Joel Freeland made one of two free throws seconds later to give the Blazers the win in their first trip to the post-season since 2011.

Lillard said seeing the intensity of Aldridge helped him raise his level of play.

“As far as the passion I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that,” Lillard said. “I saw how bad he wanted to win the game. When you’ve got your best player playing like that it fires you up.”

Game 2 is Wednesday night in Houston.

Aldridge, who was playing in his home state, also had 18 rebounds and two blocks.

“He’s been a handful for us all year long,” Houston coach Kevin McHale said. “We just didn’t have any answers for him.”

James Harden and Dwight Howard each scored 27 points for Houston, and Howard grabbed 15 rebounds.

Houston could have tied it, but Harden missed a short jump shot at the buzzer. He had missed a three-pointer on Houston’s second-to-last possession.

“I’ve got to play better,” Harden said. “I didn’t shoot the ball well ... I’ve got to shake it off, but it will be better in Game 2.”

It was a physical game with the teams combining for 79 free throws.

A three-point play by Lillard gave Portland a one-point lead with 44.5 seconds remaining. Francisco Garcia and Howard both made one of two free throws after that to give Houston a 120-119 lead 20 seconds later.

Aldridge fouled out when he knocked Patrick Beverley to the floor setting a pick with 1:04 left in overtime. An emotional Aldridge continued to yell at the referees after he went to the bench.

“This is one of those games where I could show my team that I wanted to lead,” Aldridge said.

Beverley re-injured his right knee on the play where Aldridge fouled out and McHale said the Rockets would know more about the guard’s status after an MRI exam Monday. Beverley missed eight games late in the season because of a torn meniscus in the knee.

A dunk by Robin Lopez gave Portland a 116-114 lead before he fouled out seconds later. Howard made both free throws to tie it.

Houston scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, with the first four from Howard, to make it 86-73. But Portland used a 10-0 run, with the help of the Hack-A-Howard defence of intentionally fouling the centre, to tie it at 98 with 2:46 remaining. Howard missed four straight free throws as Portland cut the deficit.

The Rockets were frustrated that they let this one get away after leading by double figures late.

“We had no business losing this game,” Houston’s Chandler Parsons said.

OTHER SUNDAY RESULTS

Eastern Conference quarter-finals:

Heat 99, Bobcats 88 (Heat lead 1-0)

LeBron James recorded 27 points and nine rebounds, and a well-rested Dwyane Wade finished with 23 points and five assists to lead the Heat to a 99-88 victory over the Bobcats and a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Wade, who missed 28 contests this season and had averaged 22 minutes per game in his final three regular season appearance, played 33 minutes and helped the Heat overcome a second-half deficit to win their 17th consecutive game against the Bobcats.

Charlotte, making only a second play-off appearance in 10 years, have not defeated the Heat since James and centre Chris Bosh joined Wade in Miami before the 2010/11 season.

Al Jefferson finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte but suffered an apparent heel injury late in the first quarter and laboured throughout.

Wizards 102, Bulls 93 (Wizards lead 1-0)

Starting for the first time in nearly two months, forward Nene poured in 24 points to lead the Washington Wizards to a road play-off win over the Chicago Bulls.

Washington, making their first play-off appearance since 2008, took a 1-0 lead in this first-round series.

Nene missed two months with a sprained left knee, but returned to appear in four games late in the regular season.

Washington took their initial lead of the second half when Trevor Ariza hit two free throws with 4:17 left to make it 88-87, and they built on it from there.

Kirk Hinrich and DJ Augustin had 16 points each for the Bulls who host Game 2 on Tuesday.

Western Conference quarter-finals:

Spurs 90, Mavericks 85 (Spurs lead 1-0)

Tim Duncan shook off a third-quarter knee injury and scored 10 points in the fourth as the Spurs defeated the Mavericks in the opening game of their Western Conference play-off series.

Duncan, who limped off before returning, finished with 27 points while Tony Parker contributed 21 points and six assists as San Antonio used a 14-0 push to erase a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit.

The Mavericks missed 12 straight shots down the stretch, scoring just four points - two on free throws - during the final 7:45.

Reserve Devin Harris came of the bench to score 19 for Dallas, who saw leading scorers Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis each score just 11 on 4-of-14 shooting.

Game 2 is in San Antonio on Wednesday.

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