Road-weary Cavs no match for Blazers

(AP)
Updated: 2007-01-19 09:14

PORTLAND, Ore. - Zach Randolph had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 94-76 victory over the road-weary Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

LeBron James scored 23 points for Cleveland, which is 2-3 on its seven-game road trip. The Cavaliers were coming off a 101-96 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday night.

The Blazers, who had lost eight of their last 10 games, led by as many as 25 points.

Randolph, who was averaging a career-high 23.4 points but scored just four in a loss to Denver on Sunday, was back in form. His running layup gave the Blazers an 90-66 lead. Randolph has 22 double-doubles this season.

Portland rookie Brandon Roy had his second double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Fellow rookie LaMarcus Aldridge scored 14 points.

Cleveland has won five of the last seven overall games against the Blazers, but has lost seven of its last eight at the Rose Garden.

Larry Hughes added 17 points for the sluggish Cavaliers.

James, who was averaging 26.9 points going into the game, was 8-of-21 from the floor and 6-of-13 on free throws. He retreated to the bench late in the fourth quarter when it was clear the game was out of reach.

It was Portland's largest margin of victory this season.

Portland was without forward Travis Outlaw, who missed his seventh straight game with an ankle sprain. Teammate Jarrett Jack missed his third straight because of a concussion he sustained in an auto accident last week.

The Blazers got off to a fast start, outscoring the Cavaliers 9-2 through the first eight minutes of the game. The first field goal scored by Cleveland was a 3-pointer made by James with 3:51 left in the first quarter.

The Cavaliers trailed 18-9 after the first quarter, their lowest offensive output for the opening quarter this season. James played the entire first period, but spent the first half of the second on the bench donned in a long-sleeved shirt.

James moved the Cavaliers within 40-33 on a turnaround jumper he made from midair with his back turned to the net.

The Blazers, who led by as many as 11 points early, held a 41-37 lead at the half. Although the Cavaliers threatened briefly after the break, coming within two points, the rally was short-lived. Dan Dickau's 3-pointer extended it to 54-42.



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