Matthews, Aldridge help Trail Blazers beat Clippers 115-86 in exhibition opener

Trail Blazers easily beat Clippers in opener

PORTLAND, Ore. — Wesley Matthews scored 20 points, LaMarcus Aldridge had 17, and the Portland Trail Blazers rolled to a 115-86 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

Matthews, the former Utah guard signed by the Trail Blazers as a free agent this summer, hit three 3-pointers and went 9 of 10 from the free throw line during a 21-minute performance. Aldridge shot 6 of 12 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds in 30 minutes.

Blake Griffin, the No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft, made his first appearance in a Clippers uniform after sustaining a knee injury last summer. Griffin scored nine points, hitting 3-of-5 shots, and grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes.

Portland took a 16-15 lead midway through the first quarter and never trailed after that.

Brandon Roy, Portland’s three-time All-Star guard, scored all of his 12 points during the third quarter after going 0-of-5 in the first half.

Applause was mixed when Portland’s Rudy Fernandez, who said before training camp that his heart was in Spain, entered the game. He quickly turned the crowd in his favor when he hit three consecutive 3-pointers during the second quarter and finished with 15 points.

Center Chris Kaman led the Clippers with 14 points and seven rebounds.

The Clippers played without last season’s starting guards, Baron Davis (knee) and Eric Gordon (rest). Portland was without its trio of centers, Joel Pryzbilla (knee), Greg Oden (knee) and Marcus Camby (groin). Camby’s injury is considered day-to-day.

Portland took control of the game when it outscored Los Angeles 20-7 during the final 6:16 of the first quarter. The Blazers hit five 3-pointers in the second on the way to a 64-36 halftime lead.

Portland led by as many as 38 points in the second half.

Both teams resume preseason action Thursday, with Portland at Utah and Los Angeles at Sacramento.