Sacramento Kings Malik Monk (0) can’t look after the Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) hit a three point shot in the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup tournament at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Fri Nov 13, 2026 (AP New photo)
Avdija, Lillard Lead Portland Past Kings 120-107
By Mauricio Segura
Every promising stretch by the Sacramento King (1-11) Friday night seemed to meet an equally convincing response. Behind Deni Avdija’s 34 points and Damian Lillard’s 29, The Portland Trail Blazers (9-3) maintained control through three quarters before holding off Sacramento’s fourth-quarter rally and yet another loss 120-107.
De’Andre Hunter led Sacramento with 24 points, while Domantas Sabonis contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds. Rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. provided an encouraging performance with 17 points and six assists, including a fourth-quarter scoring burst that briefly threatened Portland’s comfortable advantage.
The Kings began with energy around the basket. Sabonis scored six early points, and Keegan Murray contributed a running dunk as Sacramento built a 10-5 lead. Portland quickly answered behind Donovan Clingan and Toumani Camara, whose three-pointer put the Trail Blazers ahead 12-10 with 6:32 remaining in the opening quarter.
Sacramento briefly pulled even at 18, but Portland’s reserves helped establish separation. Jake LaRavia was not involved; instead, Kyle Carlson connected from beyond the arc, and Scoot Henderson added a late three-pointer. Avdija closed the quarter with two free throws, giving Portland a 34-25 advantage.
The second quarter presented Sacramento with its first serious challenge. The Kings reduced the deficit to 38-35 following three free throws from Malik Monk, but their offense struggled to establish consistency.
Portland responded with an 11-2 stretch, highlighted by Avdija’s three-pointer and Henderson’s long-distance basket, extending its lead to 49-37.
Hunter helped Sacramento recover, scoring repeatedly near the basket and converting a midrange jumper. Murray added a three-pointer, while Monk contributed a driving layup as the Kings reduced the margin to 55-48.
However, Lillard finished the half with two three-pointers, including one with a second remaining, sending Portland into intermission leading 64-53.
Sacramento’s difficulty containing Portland’s perimeter offense continued immediately after halftime.
Lillard opened the third quarter with another three-pointer, and Clingan later connected from beyond the arc. Although Zach LaVine answered with consecutive three-pointers, the Kings struggled to sustain the defensive stops necessary to cut the deficit into single digits.
Hunter continued producing offensively, reaching 20 points on a three-pointer with 4:54 remaining in the period. Portland responded through Lillard, who scored eight points over the next 1:18, including a three-pointer and three free throws.
By the end of the third quarter, Portland held a 93-78 advantage. Sacramento had scored 25 points during the period but surrendered 29, allowing the Trail Blazers to expand their halftime lead.
The fourth quarter initially suggested Portland would finish without much resistance. Avdija scored six early points, helping extend the advantage to 100-80.
Sacramento, however, found unexpected momentum through Acuff.
The rookie converted a three-pointer with 9:01 remaining, then followed with two free throws, a driving dunk off a steal and another three-pointer. His individual seven-point surge over 56 seconds brought Sacramento within 105-96 with 7:36 left.
For the first time since the opening half, Portland faced meaningful pressure.
Avdija immediately answered with a three-pointer, restoring a double-digit advantage. He followed with a driving layup, pushing the score to 110-96 and halting Sacramento’s momentum.
Lillard provided another damaging three-pointer with 5:34 remaining, extending Portland’s lead to 113-98.
Sacramento continued competing. Sabonis converted a dunk and later connected on a three-pointer, reducing the deficit to 113-103 with 4:01 remaining. Yet Lillard drew a three-point shooting foul and converted all three free throws, restoring Portland’s 13-point cushion.
The Kings never recovered.
Portland’s offense benefited from Avdija’s versatility, Lillard’s outside shooting and Clingan’s interior presence. Clingan finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Camara contributed 14 points.
For Sacramento, Murray finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, while LaVine recorded 12 points and six assists.
The Kings displayed resilience, particularly behind Acuff’s fourth-quarter effort, but their inability to string together defensive stops proved costly. Portland scored at least 27 points in every quarter and maintained its advantage whenever Sacramento threatened to make the contest interesting.
Sacramento’s offense showed enough potential to compete, but against an opponent capable of answering nearly every scoring run, occasional bursts were insufficient. The Kings will need greater defensive consistency if they hope to turn competitive stretches into victories.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
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