--F LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his best games of the season, knocking down important shots in both halves and winning the power forward battle with Pistons F Rasheed Wallace, who managed only 11 points and one rebound.
"I still look up to him," Aldridge said of Wallace. "I pattern my game after his."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Teams have made runs like that against us and we've given in to the pressure. (Today), after Detroit made that run, our guys were calm. They didn't panic. They executed offensively and got the defensive stops we needed." -- Coach Nate McMillan, after Portland's victory over the Pistons.