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          Trail Blazers start Halloween early in Portland, but Wizards get first win

          • ESPN.com
          Oct 23, 2018, 03:26 AM

          The Portland Trail Blazers opened their season with home wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs at the Moda Center. On Monday, they hosted the Washington Wizards -- and the dress code was a little different.

          Because Portland doesn't play another game at home until November, the team got Halloween started early. Scary!

          Of course, the rookies weren't spared. Anfernee Simons and Gary Trent Jr. got to participate as well.

          As for the game against the Wizards, that was a thriller in itself. Portland led the Wizards 44-34 with 8:54 left in the first half, but John Wall and Bradley Beal outscored the Trail Blazers 20-18 the rest of the second quarter to tie the game at 62 at halftime.

          The Wizards and Trail Blazers tied the game four times in the last three minutes of regulation:

          • Kelly Oubre Jr. scored on a layup plus the free throw with 2:20 left.

          • Damian Lillard hit a floater with 1:20 left to tie the game at 105.

          • Lillard answered a second consecutive 3 by Markieff Morris with a 3 of his own with 52.2 left to tie the game at 108.

          • Beal answered a Nik Stauskas 3 with another to tie the game at 111 with 7.4 left, and he blocked Lillard's layup at the buzzer to force overtime.

          The Wizards closed out in overtime after a sixth 3 by Morris (28 points), a bank shot from Wall with 10.1 seconds left and another block of Lillard (this time by Otto Porter Jr.) to earn a 125-124 win.

          The Trail Blazers start a four-game road trip Thursday in Orlando, and the Wizards continue a five-game road trip Wednesday at Golden State. Washington will host the Trail Blazers on Nov. 18 for a rematch.