Blazers gain revenge, beat Nuggets

Przybilla big off bench – 10 points, 19 rebounds

The Portland Tribune, Dec 23, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Joel Pryzbilla blocks a shot by Denver's Kenyon Martin in the Blazers' victory Tuesday night.

L.E. BASKOW / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE

LaMarcus Aldridge collected 22 points and eight rebounds and Joel Przybilla came off the bench for 10 points and a season-high 19 rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Trail Blazers to a 101-92 victory over Denver at the Rose Garden.

Portland (18-11) avenged a loss in Denver a night earlier and moved back into a tie with the Nuggets atop the Northwest Division.

“Our guys bounced back,” Portland coach Nate McMillan said. “The challenge tonight was to be the more aggressive team. I knew we could play better.”

The Blazers, the No. 1 rebounding team in the NBA, lost the rebounding battle 44-32 Monday night in Denver. On Tuesday, Portland held a 41-36 edge on the boards and a 34-22 advantage in points in the paint.

"We needed the win tonight,” Przybilla said. The Nuggets “are a great team, but we came out hard. We wanted it more than they did.”

After attempting only three free throws in the first half, the Blazers tried 24 in the second half, finishing 24 of 27 at the line.

“We have to do is make that transition, playing against teams like Phoenix, Denver, Dallas,” McMillan said. “All of these games require the same type of baskeball – very physical and focused. We have to be the aggressors. We have to beat these teams with our aggressive play. We have to be on the attack. Tonight, we did that.”

After equalling his season low of eight points in Monday’s loss, Brandon Roy scored 19 points Tuesday, but got 12 of them in the fourth quarter as Denver continued to focus its defense on the Blazers’ all-star guard.

The Nuggets “did a good job defensively,” Roy said. “This is just another adjustment I have to go through. I have to do my best job of being a decoy right now.”

“When they're committing two (defenders) like that, it's four on three, and we have to find another place to attack,” McMillan said.

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