Deni Avdija recorded 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help the Portland Trail Blazers earn a 98-93 victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Saturday night to sweep a home-and-home set.
Shaedon Sharpe had 23 points, Toumani Camara added 15 points and four steals while Donovan Clingan recorded 14 points and 14 rebounds for Portland, which won its third straight game.
Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six assists off the bench and rookie Maxime Raynaud had 17 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the Kings, who lost their fifth straight game and 22nd of 28 overall this season.
DeMar DeRozan had 15 points and five steals and Keegan Murray also scored 15 for Sacramento. Replacement Nique Clifford had 12 points coming off the bench.
The Trail Blazers recorded a 134-133 overtime victory at home on Thursday in the first game of the two-game series. This game saw Portland blow a 15-point lead in the final 1:53 of regulation before winning in the extra session.
DeRozan hinted at another comeback when he made a 3-pointer to bring Sacramento within 96-92 with 36.6 seconds remaining. Dylan Cardwell split two free throws with 18.2 seconds left.
But Robert Williams III made two free throws with 16.5 seconds left as the Trail Blazers closed out the game.
Portland shot 43.2% from the field, including 11 of 31 from 3-point range. Jerami Grant (Achilles) sat out for the Trail Blazers.
The Kings made 38.4 percent of their shots and were just 6 of 31 from behind the arc.
Williams scored on a dunk and Avdija followed with consecutive 3-pointers as Portland took an 84-76 lead with 7:36 to play.
The Kings pulled within 90-89 thanks to two Raynaud free throws with 3:56 remaining.
Clingan scored a basket with 2:29 left and Sharpe added one 16 seconds later. Clingan then scored inside to give Portland a 96-89 lead with 54.3 seconds remaining.
Earlier, Clingan’s trio gave Portland a 64-52 lead with 6:37 left in the third quarter.
Sacramento responded with a 10-2 run, Clifford capping it with a 31-foot 3-pointer to bring the Kings within four.
The Kings closed on a Schroder basket with 11.2 seconds left before Sharpe’s layup with 1.1 seconds left gave the Trail Blazers a 72-69 lead in the final stanza.
Early on, Sacramento missed its first nine shots as Portland took a 15-2 lead. The Trail Blazers led 47-44 at halftime.
–Field level media
