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Blazers Extend Streak To 11

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By ANNE M. PETERSON, The Associated Press

Published: December 26, 2007

PORTLAND, Ore. - Brandon Roy and Jarrett Jack each scored 17 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers won their 11th straight game with an 89-79 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics on Tuesday night.

It is the longest current winning streak in the NBA, and the best run for the Blazers since they won 12 in a row during the 2001-02 season.
Joel Przybilla had a season-high 16 rebounds to go with six points, and the Blazers improved to 13-3 at the Rose Garden this season. Portland has played 13 times on Christmas, with a 12-game winning streak.

After a close first half, Portland pulled away in the third quarter with a 16-2 run capped by Roy's 3-pointer that put the Blazers ahead 66-50. Jack's falling-down 3 from the corner made it 89-75 and sealed it with 2:11 left.

Portland won despite shooting 38.7 percent (36 of 93) from the floor.

Seattle's Kevin Durant, averaging nearly 20 points per game to lead the league's rookies, had 23 points. Wally Szczerbiak added 19 points, and Nick Collison had 14 rebounds and nine points.

When the NBA schedule came out, this game was expected to be a holiday showcase for the top two draft picks: center Greg Oden, who went No. 1 to the Blazers, and Durant, who went second to the Sonics. But Oden had microfracture surgery on his right knee and was lost for the season before it started.

Portland's winning streak brought renewed interest in the game, which was nationally televised. Oden watched from the bench wearing a festive red sport coat.

One Blazers fan in the sellout crowd waved a sign reading "11 is Heaven." It is the first time a team has had a 50-loss season, then an 11-game winning streak the following season.

Portland, the youngest team in the NBA, started its streak with a win Dec. 3 at Memphis.

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