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  Saturday, Dec. 11 10:30pm ET
Pippen, Wallace score 24 points each
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers are as impressive away on the road right now as they are at home.

Scottie Pippen and Rasheed Wallace scored 24 points each as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the slumping Sacramento Kings 101-96 Saturday night.

Portland (17-5) is now 10-3 on the road and has the best record in the NBA.

"We're just trying to put ourselves in a position to have the best record in the league," Pippen said.

They've had little trouble defeating the Kings home or away in recent years, winning eight of the past nine meetings.

"They were a good team last year and with Pippen and (Steve) Smith they are even more talented this year," said Kings center Vlade Divac, who finished with two points and two rebounds.

Down by three points midway through the fourth quarter, the Blazers went on a 12-2 run to take the lead for good.

Greg Anthony made consecutive 3-pointers, Wallace followed with two baseline jumpers and Pippen scored from close range, giving Portland a 97-90 lead with 1:08 left.

"It was another road kill," Blazers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We've played well on the road all year. This was a big one for us. Now we have four or five days to rest before our next game."

Sacramento, which lost for the fifth time in eight games, wasted 36 points and 12 rebounds from Chris Webber. Jason Williams added with 15 points and 12 assists.

"Chris Webber made some big plays at the end, offensive rebounds, put backs and they kept right in there," Dunleavy said.

Smith, who had 13 points and nine rebounds, made four free throws in the final 9.6 seconds to keep Portland in control.

Both Wallace and Arvydas Sabonis had 11 rebounds for the Blazers. Anthony made all four 3-point attempts and had 15 points and Damon Stoudamire added 11 assists.

"I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and shots fell," Anthony said. "We did a lot of good things in the fourth quarter, especially defensively."

Back-to-back three-point plays by Webber and Lawrence Funderburke gave Sacramento its last lead at 88-85 with 4:33 remaining.

Midway through the third quarter, the Blazers ran off nine straight points, to take a seven-point lead. The Kings responded behind four straight points from Tyrone Corbin to go ahead 74-73.

But Sabonis scored inside and Smith banked in a shot from near midcourt to end the third quarter, putting Portland ahead 78-74.

Pippen scored 14 points and Wallace had 10 as the Blazers used a 29-19 second quarter to take a 52-50 lead into halftime.

Webber enjoyed a huge first half for the Kings, getting 17 points and six rebounds. Williams added 13 points and six assists for Sacramento.

Game notes
Pippen made two free throws early in the third quarter, becoming the 70th player in league history to surpass 16,000 points. ... Webber had 15 points and six rebounds in the first quarter. ... Portland owned a 34-21 rebounding edge in the first half and the margin was 58-44 overall. ... Blazers forward Detlef Schrempf missed the game with a sore neck.
 


ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard

Portland Clubhouse

Sacramento Clubhouse


RECAPS
LA Lakers 106
Vancouver 94

Indiana 108
LA Clippers 90

Charlotte 106
Philadelphia 84

Cleveland 127
Atlanta 116

Orlando 108
Chicago 87

Dallas 120
Phoenix 115

Golden State 104
Minnesota 76

New Jersey 106
Houston 94

Denver 101
Milwaukee 99

Washington 99
San Antonio 89

Seattle 92
Miami 88

Portland 101
Sacramento 96