PORTLAND, Ore. — Guard Reggie Jackson scored 26 fourth-quarter points to lead a furious rally, and the Detroit Pistons stormed past the Portland Trail Blazers 120-103 Sunday night at the Moda Center.
Detroit (5-1) outscored Portland 41-11 in the final period to overcome an 18-point third-quarter deficit and start 2-0 on its six-game road trip.
Jackson finished with a career-high 40 points, while Pistons center Andre Drummond scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 27 rebounds.
Guard Damian Lillard collected 26 points and 11 assists for the Trail Blazers (4-3). Guard CJ McCollum scored 18 points, and forward Meyers Leonard added 17.
Portland shot 60.5 percent from the field in taking a 10-point lead into the second half. Lillard had 12 points and six assists at halftime. Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope kept Detroit within range, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the second quarter. Drummond had 10 points and 12 boards by the break.
The Blazers took up where they left off after intermission, extending their lead to 75-57 midway through the third quarter. The difference was 92-79 heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter was all Detroit. The Pistons made 15 of 24 shots in the period while the Blazers were just 4-for-19 from the field.
Portland scored the final eight points of the first quarter to take a 32-23 lead. Lillard scored 11 points with four assists over the first 12 minutes.
The Blazers stoked their advantage to 50-36 with 4:30 left in the second quarter, but Detroit responded with a 7-0 run to close with 50-43. Portland carried a 57-47 edge into the half.
NOTES: Portland activated F Cliff Alexander, who missed the first six games with a knee injury. … Portland’s Damian Lillard (27.3 points per game) and CJ McCollum (22.2) form the highest-scoring backcourt in the NBA. “Both of those guys can shoot it,” Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. “(The Blazers) are one of the best offensive teams in the league.” … Detroit G Brandon Jennings, who underwent surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon in January, is on the trip with the Pistons. “He’ll get into some drills, maybe some half-court stuff, but we’re still a ways off,” Van Gundy said. “We’re not going to see him (in action) this month.” … The Pistons led the league in offensive rebounds (15.2 per game) and rebounding percentage (55.9 percent) entering Sunday’s games. … Portland (63.9 percent) and Detroit (62.4 percent) began the day ranked 29th and 30th in the NBA, respectively, in free-throw percentage.