NBA Roundup : Trail Blazers Win, 98-93, as Vandeweghe Stands Out

Kiki Vandeweghe scored a game-high 27 points to lead Portland to a 98-93 victory over Atlanta Sunday at Portland.

But the key for the Trail Blazers was slowing down Dominique Wilkins. In addition to leading the Trail Blazers in scoring, Vandeweghe held Wilkins to only four points in the first half and Portland held off the Hawks, who were playing their second game in two nights.

“(Wilkens) just didn’t get it going until the end,” Atlanta Coach Mike Fratello said. “He didn’t apply himself--make that we didn’t apply ourselves early.”

Steve Johnson scored 11 points and Vandeweghe added 10 in the third quarter when Portland opened a 79-69 lead.

Johnson had 20 points for the Trail Blazers. Cliff Levingston came off the bench to score 17 for the Hawks, and Koncak finished with 12.

Portland went cold in the fourth quarter, just as the Hawks got rolling. The Trail Blazers made only 4 of 17 shots in the last 5:37 and missed 10 straight at one point.

Wilkins led the Hawks’ rally. He had 22 points for the game, below his average of 28.1 points per game. Jon Koncak’s free throw tied it at 91-91 with 2:51 left.

Fratello said the Hawks, wrapping up a West Coast trip, caught the Blazers in the final quarter by slowing the game’s tempo.

“We felt we’d give ourselves a chance that way, and it worked,” Fratello said.

Wilkins hit two free throws with 1:22 to play to put the Hawks in front, 93-92, their first lead since early in the second quarter.

But Jim Paxson hit four free throws and Caldwell Jones made two in the final seconds to pull it out for Portland.

“If we hadn’t done what we did on Wilkins earlier in the game, we wouldn’t have won tonight,” said Mike Schuler, Portland coach.

“I told our guys this might be our guttiest win of the year.”

New Jersey 120, Cleveland 104--The Nets had seven players score in double figures to beat the Cavaliers at East Rutherford, N.J., breaking a nine-game losing streak.

Forwards Buck Williams and Albert King scored 19 points apiece for the Nets, who had lost 15 of their last 16 games. The Nets’ last win was a 120-114 victory over Phoenix Jan. 21. Cleveland has lost 12 straight road games.

Williams had 15 points in the first half when New Jersey built a 72-47 advantage. The Nets, behind Williams, jumped out to a 23-10 lead and were never threatened.