Blazers’ best win after worst loss

DRAGIC SHRUGS OFF BLACK EYE IN HEAT’S TRIUMPH

SAN ANTONIO – The Portland Trail Blazers did not have a team meeting or scream at one another after suffering their “worst loss” of the season.

The compacted NBA schedule makes it necessary to forget quickly. Portland understood that and it led to their “best win of the year” just 24 hours after a blowout loss.

Damian Lillard scored 36 points and the Trail Blazers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110-106 on Wednesday night, spoiling LaMarcus Aldridge’s return from a health scare.

C. J. McCollum added 26 points for Portland, which was coming off a 23-point loss in New Orleans on Tuesday.

“That had to be probably our best win of the year,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “To beat a team like San Antonio on the road. Not only that, but how we won. I thought it was one of our better games as far as staying focused throughout the game.”

In Miami, Goran Dragic played through a black eye and bloodied mouth to score 33 points, Hassan Whiteside had 20 points and 17 rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 120-112.

Wayne Ellington scored 19 for the Heat, who made 16 3-pointers and have won 18 consecutive games when connecting at least 10 times from beyond the arc. Dion Waiters added 14, and James Johnson and Tyler Johnson had 10 apiece for Miami.

The Heat (33-35) won for the 22nd time in 27 games and are 14-1 in their last 15 at home.

The win, at least temporarily, moved Miami past Milwaukee and into the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference standings – a far cry from where the team was two months ago, when the Heat were trying to avoid having the worst record in the NBA.

Elsewhere, Dallas upended Washington, 112-107; Indiana trounced Charlotte, 98- 77; Boston downed Minnesota, 117- 104; Utah smothered Detroit, 97-83; Memphis held off Chicago, 98-91; Sacramento turned back Phoenix, 107-101; the Milwaukee Bucks edged the Los Angeles Clippers, 9796; and the Houston Rockets routed the Los Angeles Lakers, 139-100.

Back in San Antonio, Portland needed that focus in an emotional game for San Antonio.

Aldridge returned after missing two games with a minor heart arrhythmia. He was cleared Wednesday morning and does not have any playing restrictions.

“I feel good,” Aldridge said. “It felt good to be back out there. We didn’t get a win, so that’s kind of tough to deal with. ( But) happy to be out there with the teammates, just be playing again.”