Roy, Aldridge score 26 each in Portland win

[March 02, 2009]  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 26 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 102-84 victory over San Antonio on Sunday night, spoiling the return of Tim Duncan to the Spurs.

The Spurs didn't even play Duncan in the fourth quarter after Portland led by as many as 29 points. The All-Star forward had missed the last three games with a right quad injury.

Steve Blake added 15 for the Blazers, who won their ninth straight at the Rose Garden Arena. Portland is 24-5 at home this season.

Portland was coming off a 1-2 road trip that included a 99-84 loss to the Spurs in San Antonio on Wednesday. Tony Parker led the way with 39 points in that one.

He had 15 against Blazers on Sunday, and, like Duncan, did not play the fourth quarter.

Duncan, who leads the Spurs with an average of 20.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, had 14 points in his return. He sat out thee games after his knee became stiff last Tuesday before a game against Dallas.

The Spurs were coming off a 97-86 loss at home Friday to the Cavaliers, which ended a four-game winning streak.

The Blazers were still without rookie center Greg Oden, who missed his seventh game with bone chip in his left knee. He suffered the injury in a game against Golden State before the All-Star break.

It is not believed that the injury will keep Oden out for an extended period. Oden has had light workouts with the team in recent days.

The top pick in the 2007 draft, Oden sat out last season after microfracture surgery on his right knee. He also missed six games early this season with a foot injury.

Portland jumped out to a 20-12 lead after Blake's 3-pointer, then extended it to 31-19 on another 3 from Blake.

Channing Frye, who has been getting more playing time because of Oden's absence, his consecutive layups that gave the Blazers a 44-21 lead.

Frye finished with 12 points.

Rudy Fernandez's 3-pointer made it 52-28 and the Trail Blazers led 64-37 at the half.

There was concern when Roy went to the locker room midway through the third quarter. It was unclear if Portland's All-Star was hurt.

He eventually returned to the game but was played only sparingly the rest of the way because of the Blazers' decisive margin.

Notes: San Antonio reserve guard Malik Hariston, a rookie who went to the University of Oregon, was greeted with warm applause when he entered the game in the second quarter. ... Portland's 64 first-half points tied the mark for the most for a Spurs' opponent. ... San Antonio remained without Manu Ginobili, who is expected to miss at least another week with an ankle injury.

[Associated Press; By ANNE M. PETERSON]

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