Portland Trail Blazers guard Ben McLemore, right, and Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton (left) go for the ball at the Moda Center in Portland on Sun Jan 9, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sunday, January 9, 2022

Anfernee Simons poured in 31 points, Jusuf Nurkic nearly put together a triple-double, and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated Sacramento 103-88 Sunday night at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter in Portland.

It was the fourth straight loss for the Kings, while Portland snapped a two-game skid.
Nurkic scored 14 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and collected nine assists for the Trail Blazers. Nassir Little and Ben McLemore each added 13 points for Portland. Simons finished with seven 3-pointers.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Kings with 17 points and nine assists, followed by Alex Len with 16 points and 10 rebounds. De’Aaron Fox had 14 points, Harrison Barnes scored 13 and Buddy Hield scored 10 off the Sacramento bench.

The Trail Blazers never trailed in the contest. Simons, filling in for Damian Lillard, hit a 3-pointer at the 7-minute mark of the fourth quarter to give Portland a 90-70 lead, its biggest of the game.
Sacramento then went on a 10-2 run to pull within 92-80. Simons responded with another 3 to halt the Kings rally with 4:36 remaining.

Fox’s start was a game-time decision because he’s nursing a sore right shoulder. Maurice Harkness sat this game out due to a sore right ankle. Richaun Holmes and Damian Jones were absent from the Kings lineup due to health and safety protocols.

The Kings return home Monday to host Cleveland, the first game of a five-game homestand.