Trail Blazers vs. Kings: Deni Avdija scores 26 as Portland wins 128-120, spoiling Darius Acuff Jr.'s 33-point night

The Portland Trail Blazers are off to a 2-0 start. Deni Avdija scored 26 points with six rebounds and six assists, and Portland beat the Sacramento Kings 128-120 on Friday, Oct. 23, spoiling the Kings’ home opener at Golden 1 Center.

Sacramento got a breakout night from rookie Darius Acuff Jr., who scored 33 points, and a triple-double from Domantas Sabonis. It wasn’t enough, and the Kings fell to 0-2.

Trail Blazers vs. Kings final score

The third quarter swung it

Sacramento led by as many as 12 in the first quarter and took a 64-59 lead into halftime. Then Portland came out firing. The Blazers opened the third quarter on a 15-0 run, capped by a Toumani Camara 3-pointer that made it 74-64, according to the Associated Press.

After making just 4 of 22 from deep in the first half, Portland went 8 of 19 from 3-point range in the third quarter alone and outscored the Kings 44-26 in the period. Sabonis called the run to open the half a game-changer, Sactown Sports reported.

The Kings didn’t fold. Sabonis hit his first 3-pointer of the season to cut it to 121-118 with 3:21 left. But Acuff and Zach LaVine missed late 3s, and a basket and two free throws from Donovan Clingan, plus a free throw from Avdija with 43.5 seconds left, sealed it for Portland.

Darius Acuff Jr.’s 33 points

The rookie’s night was a rollercoaster. He was 3 of 10 from the field and 0 for 5 from 3-point range at halftime, and he had started his NBA career 0 for 14 from deep, Sactown Sports noted.

He kept attacking. Acuff hit the first 3-pointer of his career in the fourth quarter, added another soon after, and converted a four-point play with 4:51 left to cut a double-digit deficit to three. He finished with:

• 33 points on 10-of-26 shooting
• 2 of 10 from 3-point range
• 11 of 12 from the free-throw line in 36 minutes

According to Sactown Sports, it was the 10th-highest-scoring game by a Kings rookie in the Sacramento era, which began in 1985.

Sabonis climbs the triple-double list

Sabonis finished with 26 or 27 points (Sactown Sports said 26, the AP said 27), 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Sactown Sports reported it was his 69th career triple-double, moving him into 10th place on the NBA’s all-time list.

Trail Blazers vs. Kings player stats

Sources: AP, Sactown Sports.

What it means for Sacramento

Through two games, the Kings have given up 40 or more points in a quarter twice, including 41 in the first quarter against the Clippers on Wednesday. They shot 8 of 30 from 3-point range Friday, matching their 27% mark for the season, per Sactown Sports. The team also has injuries to manage: Sactown Sports reported Ben Simmons had surgery on a torn right Achilles and will miss the season.

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