RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Portland Trail Blazers' road show is
gaining momentum.
Steve Smith scored 22 points as Portland won consecutive road
games for the first time this season by beating the Washington
Wizards 104-94 Tuesday night.
| | Rasheed Wallace hangs on the rim after missing a dunk over the Wizards' Cherokee Parks. |
Smith isn't satisfied with the team's 4-2 record on the team's
seven-game, 10-day trip.
"I'm a little biased," Smith said. "I think we should have
been 7-0. So I don't think it's that successful."
Greg Anthony added 17 points and five steals for Portland. Mitch
Richmond led Washington with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Rod
Strickland had 16 points.
Blazers Coach Mike Dunleavy, who watched his team struggle to
earn the victory over Washington, had a different perspective than
Smith.
"It was a really good win for us based on the timetable of this
trip," Dunleavy said. "If we can win five games on a seven-game,
10-day road trip, anything with a number five on it is a great
trip."
Portland had a tough time pulling away from the Wizards, who are
1-5 at home. The Blazers' lead didn't grow to double digits until
the third quarter.
Dale Davis' three-point play at the 5:27 mark of the fourth
quarter capped a 12-2 run that gave Portland its biggest lead at
99-84. The Wizards failed to make a field goal for five minutes
during that stretch.
Washington cut Portland's lead to 99-92 as Richmond made
back-to-back jumpers and Juwan Howard added a dunk and a layup, but
time ran out before the Wizards could complete their comeback.
The Blazers "really played to their strength tonight,"
Washington Coach Leonard Hamilton said. "We had our moments, but
the posting up of (Scottie Pippen and Smith) was too hard to
stop."
Portland exploited its height advantage, outrebounding the
Wizards 43-33 and outscoring them 52-32 in the paint.
"They have a big lineup and its tough with the perimeter
players that they have," Chris Whitney said. "You can't just
double team on one person."
Game notes
Portland's Shawn Kemp was ejected from the game after
receiving a double technical from Kevin Fehr with 5:37 remaining in
the second quarter. Kemp was protesting his foul on Jahidi White.
... The Blazers play 10 of their first 14 games away from the Rose
Garden. ... Portland has 74 blocked shots in its last nine games
and lead the NBA in blocks, averaging 8.2. ... Washington announced
time changes for three games. Saturday's game against Milwaukee
will start at 8 p.m. The Wizards also moved the Dec. 2 game against
Miami and the Dec. 31 game against Detroit to 8 p.m. ...
Washington's 3-9 record is not a significant improvement over last
season. The Wizards were 4-8 last year after 12 games.
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NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Houston 101 Indiana 89
Portland 104 Washington 94
Cleveland 117 Detroit 98
Seattle 116 Dallas 110
New York 85 Orlando 84
Golden State 89 Chicago 77
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