THE SIDELINES : Portland Expects Edge at Home

The Portland Trail Blazers, riding the emotional high of a sensational overtime victory, will get another boost Sunday with their own fans to carry them.

“We’ve been pretty good at home and this victory gave us life,” Coach Rick Adelman said of Thursday night’s 106-105 triumph at Auburn Hills, Mich., that tied the NBA Finals, 1-1. (Story, C1.) “All I know is that we’ll have the Portland fans screaming for us.”

The Trail Blazers are 9-0 in the playoffs at Memorial Coliseum.

Portland, 35-6 at home during the regular season, could win the title with victories in its next three games, all at home. The Trail Blazers have beaten Detroit 20 straight times at Portland since 1974.

“With the history that Detroit’s had in Portland, we’re excited about going home,” said Terry Porter, who set a Finals record with 15 free throws without a miss in Game 2. “But we’re . . . not (going to) rely on history.” The defending champion Pistons say Portland will have trouble beating them in four consecutive games, regardless of where they are played. “When you lose 20 straight times in somebody’s building, it’s about time for the odds to start turning around,” Isiah Thomas said.