NBA ROUNDUP : Trail Blazers Not Just Hot, They’re on Fire, 117-103

The Portland Trail Blazers, the only unbeaten NBA team, scored 49 points in the first quarter Sunday night at Portland and coasted to a 117-103 victory over the San Antonio Spurs to run their record to 11-0.

After building a 31-point lead in the first 12 minutes, the Blazers became careless. But when the Spurs pulled to within seven in the third quarter, the Blazers roared away again.

Clyde Drexler was seven of eight and the Trail Blazers were 22 of 25 from the field in the first quarter.

The Spurs, leaders of the Midwest Division, fell to 7-3.

In recent weeks the Trail Blazers have scored one-sided victories over most of the elite teams. Their victories over Detroit, Chicago and New York were clinched before the third period was over.

The Trail Blazers, however, almost lost their first three games. In their opener at home, they trailed Houston by 15 points in the third quarter and won by a point at the buzzer. The next night they trailed in overtime at Sacramento, winning when Jerome Kersey made four free throws in the last seven seconds.

On Nov. 6 at the Forum, they fell behind the Lakers by six points in overtime. They pulled that out by scoring the last eight points, but they also felt the wrath of Coach Rick Adelman. He thought they could play better.

How right he was. In their last seven games the Trail Blazers have been blazing. They have averaged 137 points and a winning margin of 21 points.

Adelman thinks it’s too soon to get excited. “We are developing nicely,” he said.

Detroit 105, Sacramento 92--The Kings began this trip East auspiciously, beating Washington for their first victory after seven losses and playing Philadelphia to a virtual standstill.

In their last two, they couldn’t provide a warm-up for Boston or Detroit. In this game at Auburn Hills, Mich., the Pistons (10-2) were in total command.

Houston 107, Minnesota 91--Akeem Olajuwon had 27 points and 20 rebounds at Minneapolis and the Rockets shut down the Timberwolves’ top scorer, Tony Campbell.

Campbell, one of 10 from the field, had only three points. It was the first time in 94 games with Minnesota in which Campbell failed to reach double figures.