The Portland Trail Blazers look to end a three-game slide when they resume a four-game road trip Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers from the Wells Fargo Center.
The Blazers continued their losing ways with Sunday's 98-96 setback at New Jersey, as Wesley Matthews made 5-of-6 three-pointers en route to 25 points off the bench for Portland, which fell to 4-5 away from the Rose City this season. The Blazers had a 52-44 lead at halftime.
"Once we built the lead we kind of got relaxed and comfortable," Matthews said on the team's site. "They picked the tempo up and we slowed down and started ball-watching."
Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge netted 21 and 20 points, respectively, in a losing effort. Roy had missed some games with a knee ailment earlier this season and seems to be back at full strength. He is averaging 19.0 ppg.
Portland had won five straight against the Nets and will also visit Boston and Washington on the road swing.
Meanwhile, the 76ers have won their last two games at home and ended a three-game slide with Saturday's 102-86 win over the visiting Nets.
Jrue Holiday led the way with 20 points and 13 assists, while Andre Iguodala added 16 points and Lou Williams 15 for Philadelphia, which won for just the second time in the last 10 games. Iguodala is averaging 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds the last four games.
"We had that big fourth quarter push and got the job done," said Sixers forward Thaddeus Young, who had 13 points and has scored in double digits in each of his last nine games.
Philadelphia has been a lion on the boards lately, grabbing more rebounds than the opposing team over the previous seven contests. No. 2 overall pick Evan Turner is averaging only 8.1 points this season and hasn't scored in double figures in each of his past three games.
The Sixers are 3-4 at home this season and 4-13 overall.
Portland and Philadelphia split a pair of meetings last season, with each team tasting victory as the guest. The 76ers have won five of the previous seven matchups with the Trail Blazers.
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