Roy scores 29 as Blazers stop 3-game skid

PORTLAND, Ore.(AP) Brandon Roy had a
throbbing finger, a swollen knee and a challenge from his coach not to
let either slow him down.Roy scored 29 points before sitting out
the fourth quarter, and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a three-game
losing streak Tuesday night with a 109-77 victory over the struggling
Kings."Brandon is emerging as the kind of player who is able to
take control of the game,'' said Blazers coach Nate McMillan, who met
with Roy before the game for a pep talk. "What you are seeing is what
stars do - the (Kobe Bryants), the (Steve) Nashes, the (Dwyane) Wades.''Playing
with a splint on his injured right pinkie finger, Roy fell just short
of scoring 30 points for the fourth straight game. The All-Star guard
tore a tendon in his finger while scoring a career-high 38 against the
Los Angeles Clippers last Friday. He had fluid drained from his left
knee before Tuesday's game."I bounced right up and got ready to
go out there,'' Roy said. "I'm not going to make any excuses while I am
out there. I'm just going to play.''LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers, who stopped their longest skid of the season.John
Salmons had 16 of his 21 points in the first quarter for the Kings, but
he didn't score in the second half. Sacramento fell to 1-1 under
interim coach Kenny Natt, who took over for the fired Reggie Theus on
Monday. Francisco Garcia was the only other Sacramento player in double
figures with 12 points on 2-of-8 shooting.The Kings beat
Minnesota 118-103 on Monday in Natt's coaching debut. But missing
leader scorer Kevin Martin for the 17th straight game, the Kings lagged
after a quick start.Sacramento made eight of its first nine
shots but finished at just 31 percent in its 11th loss in 13 games.
Point guard Beno Udrih was just 2-of-10 shots and Jason Thompson was
2-of-9."Guys started hanging their heads and feeling sorry for
themselves,'' Natt said. "My job is to try to keep these guys motivated
and try to encourage them as much as possible. Unfortunately this was
one of (the Blazers') nights where they played their best.''Salmons
scored 14 of Sacramento's first 18 points and the Kings led by as many
as eight in the first quarter. The Blazers went on a 16-4 run to take
back the lead and they led 28-27 after the first quarter. Brad Miller's
basket got the Kings within 39-37, but Roy scored Portland's next 11
points and Portland went into halftime up 54-42.Playing for the
second straight night, Sacramento looked tired in the second half.
Missed shots added up and the Blazers pulled away, getting points from
all 12 active players as the lead grew to 30 points and beyond."We had a definite meltdown and lost our defensive effort,'' Natt said.The
Blazers outrebounded the Kings 59-38. Aldridge (10), Greg Oden (10) and
Joel Przybilla (14) each were in double figures in rebounds for
Portland.Notes: The Blazers retired former point guard Terry
Porter's No. 30 in a halftime ceremony. Porter, now coach of the
Phoenix Suns, played for the Blazers from 1985-95 and is Portland's
career leader in assists. Sacramento guard Bobby Jackson was ejected in
the second quarter after picking up two technical fouls for arguing
with official Sean Wright. Roy was 15-of-15 from the free throw line.