LaMarcus Aldridge scores 46 points to help Blazers

Aldridge scored a career-high and franchise playoff-record 46 points and Damian Lillard added 31, including the go-ahead free throws in overtime, to lift the Trail Blazers to a 122-120 victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Aldridge fouled out with about a minute left in overtime and Lillard, who was making his playoff debut, took over.

He scored the next five points for Portland and put the Trail Blazers on top by one point with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left.

James Harden and Dwight Howard each scored 27 points for Houston, and Howard grabbed 15 rebounds.

Francisco Garcia and Howard both made one of two free throws after that to give Houston a 120-119 lead 20 seconds later.

Beverley re-injured his right knee on the play where Aldridge fouled out and McHale said the Rockets would know more about the guard’s status after an MRI exam Monday.

Howard missed four straight free throws as Portland cut the deficit.

A 3-pointer by Lillard had tied it at 104-all before Harden put Houston up with two free throws.

The Rockets had a four-point lead early in the third quarter when Harden heated up, scoring 10 points of a 12-3 run that extended Houston’s advantage to 66-53 with 7 minutes left in the period.