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PORTLAND, Ore. -- LaMarcus Aldridges big night against the Houston Rockets wasnt about the stats, the All-Star votes or the fans chanting "MVP! MVP!" "This was a we needed a win night for me," said Aldridge, who had 31 points and a career-high 25 rebounds in the Trail Blazers 111-104 victory Thursday. For Aldridge, it was important that Portland (19-4) come away with a win after losing to the Rockets earlier this season -- a rare blip for the Western Conference leaders. It was the first time in franchise history that a Blazers player scored 30 or more points with 25 or more rebounds. "Im blessed," Aldridge said. "(But) I felt tonight, it was needed." Dwight Howard had 32 points and 17 rebounds for the Rockets, who beat the Blazers 116-101 on Nov. 5. That was one of just two losses at home this season for Portland. The Trail Blazers led by 10 early in the fourth quarter, but Chandler Parsons hit a 3-pointer to narrow it to 93-88 with 7:07 left. Houston closed to 97-95 after James Harden made a layup and a free throw with 4:45 to go. Nicolas Batums 3-pointer pushed Portlands lead to 102-95 before Wesley Matthews layup and free throw made it 108-96 with 2:04 left and all but put the game out of reach for the Rockets. "They made some big plays down the stretch," Howard said. "It seemed like every time we would close the gap, they came down and got a great shot. This was big for them." Blazers centre Robin Lopez added 16 points and 10 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season, a career high. Portland was coming off a 105-94 victory in Utah on Monday. The Blazers have scored 100 or more points in 10 consecutive games. Houston had won two straight, including a 98-88 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. The Rockets (15-7) were without Omer Asik, who missed his fourth straight game with a bruised right thigh. Houston did get back guard Jeremy Lin, who missed the previous six games with a sprained right knee. Rockets coach Kevin McHale was not with the team because of the death of his mother. Her funeral is scheduled for Friday in Minnesota. Assistant coach Kelvin Sampson ran the club against the Blazers. "Portland is obviously really good, and theyre really good in this gym," Sampson said. "They are playing with a lot of confidence right now." Neither side was able to get in front by more than five points in the first half. Portland held a 21-20 lead after the opening quarter. Aldridge was just 1 for 7 from the floor but he had nine rebounds. Houston went ahead 32-28 on Parsons layup and Howards hook shot, and the Rockets led 44-43 at halftime. Neither team shot well, with Portland at 32 per cent and Houston at 36 per cent. The Rockets had just five first-half assists. The Blazers opened the second half with an 11-3 run capped by Matthews 3-pointer to take a 54-47 lead. Portland stretched the lead to 59-49 on Lopezs dunk and free throw. Aldridge got rolling with 11 points and eight rebounds. The Rockets closed the gap to 70-68 late in the third quarter when Howard hit a pair of free throws and dunked. Omri Casspi tied it at 70 on free throws with 2 minutes left. The game was tied going into the fourth quarter, but Portland scored 10 unanswered points to go up 86-76. "I think we go into games with a certain level of confidence, but, at the same time, we realize that were playing hard and our success is because were playing hard," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "Our record is what it is, but its not easy. You have to compete every night." NOTES: Aldridge has four 20-20 games, making him the fourth Blazers player with that many. He is the only NBA player with two this season. ... Houstons Terrence Jones went to Portlands Jefferson High School. ... It was the opener of a three-game road trip for the Rockets. ... The Blazers embark on a four-game trip starting at Philadelphia on Saturday. ... Former Oregon Ducks quarterback Darron Thomas threw mini footballs into the crowd to promote Portlands new Arena League team, which begins play next season. Joe Namath Jersey .C. -- The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday theyve signed free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to a two-year contract, helping rebuild a depleted wide receiving corps. Cory Littleton Womens Jersey . The ninth-seeded Safarova doused Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-3 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. The Czech player was a finalist here two years ago and captured back-to-back doubles titles in 2012 and last year. http://www.footballramsshop.us/authentic...es-rams-jersey/. -- Miguel Angel Jimenez quickly shifted his focus back to the Ryder Cup after winning his first Champions Tour event. Jared Goff Womens Jersey . Los Angeles announced its new deal for Kupchak late in the fourth quarter of a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kupchak had one year left on his current contract. Deacon Jones Youth Jersey . The team announced that it exercised the options on 15 players including goalkeepers Evan Bush, Maxime Crepeau and Troy Perkins, defenders Matteo Ferrari, Karl W. DETROIT -- The banged-up Pittsburgh Penguins took another hit. They just hope its not a big one. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists before hurting his left leg early in the third period of Pittsburghs 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. "He was walking around after the game," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. Malkin was in fact walking, but with a noticeable limp. He got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening, lost his balance and his left skate took the brunt of a collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Malkin slowly got up and kept his left skate in the air as he was helped off the ice. He was called for holding on the play, but couldnt serve the penalty because he was being evaluated. Malkin moved past the 600-point mark for his career during the game and ranks among league leaders with 41 points this season. NHL scoring leader Sidney Crosby scored two goals to help the Penguins win without standout defenceman Kris Letang, who was a late scratch because of an upper-body injury. "Losing Kris before the game was tough," Crosby said. "We stuck with it and found a way." Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik hasnt played since being punched Dec. 7 by Bostons Shawn Thornton, who was suspended by the league for 15 games on Saturday. The Penguins might lose another player from their blue line because the NHL is trying to crack down on blows above the shoulders. Defenceman Deryk Engelland put himself in danger of being suspended for an illegal hit to the head. Engelland landed his right shoulder high on Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader late in the first period and was ejected with a match penalty. Abdelkader struggled to get up, had to be helped off the ice and didnt return. "He dumps it in and I try to finish my check," Engelland said. "Obviously Im not trying to hit him in the head or anything like that, but I think I catch his chin a little bit before his body." Detroit defenceman Brendan Smith was suspended for five games two years ago for a similar hit. "I know what it feells like because Ive been in that position," Smith said.dddddddddddd "Its a quick game, things happen." Pittsburghs Jeff Zatkoff made 28 saves, getting the start in part because he was playing near his hometown of Sterling Heights, Mich. "He was pretty pumped up about playing back here at Joe Louis against the Red Wings," Bylsma said. "He was strong." Jonas Gustavsson gave up three goals on 13 shots through two periods, playing in place of injured starter Jimmy Howard, and finished with 21 saves. "When you let four goals in its tough to win," he said. "I got to be better." The Red Wings got off to a good start. They went ahead 1-0 at 6:09 of the first period when Niklas Kronwalls shot just inside the blue line went off Crosbys stick, bounced off the ice and got past Zatkoff. The lead didnt last long. Detroit went to the penalty box twice midway through the first period and the NHLs top team on the power play took advantage. Crosby scored at 9:08 of the first and Malkin made it 2-1 at the 12:50 mark of the period. The Red Wings outshot Pittsburgh 14-4 in the second, which started with them on the power play for four-plus minutes because of Engellands penalty, but didnt score. "We didnt do enough with it," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "We had some looks. Their guy made some saves, but we were perimeter on the power play. Power play is establishing a net-front presence, shooting the puck and getting it back and outworking them to get retrievals and be on top of them." Olli Maatta gave Pittsburgh a two-goal lead in the final minute of the second period. Crosby, who started the night with an NHL-high 44 points, scored his second goal with five-plus minutes left. "We started well on the power play and then were able to shut them down on the five-minute power play," Crosby said. "That was an important part of the game." NOTES: Bylsma (U.S.) and Babcock (Canada) will lead their countries in two months at the Winter Olympics. ... Penguins D Brian Dumoulin made his NHL debut. ' ' '