The London Lions became the first British club to face an NBA team but suffered a heavy 119-66 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers in Oregon on Monday.
London never led as Portland dominated throughout, leading for 99 per cent of the contest and stretching their advantage to as many as 57 points at one stage. The Trail Blazers extended their lead in every quarter, going into the breaks 34-21, 72-33 and 100-49 ahead, having entered the game as 36.5-point favourites.
Portland shot 56 per cent from the field and made 16 of their 34 three-point attempts, while London managed just 30 per cent overall and went 7 of 33 from beyond the arc. The hosts dominated inside, outscoring the Lions 54-24 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle 51-32. London also committed 24 turnovers, from which Portland scored 39 points.
The game was played under NBA rules rather than European regulations, with 12-minute quarters instead of 10. London briefly threatened at the end of the first quarter, with Ethan Price hitting two three-pointers to bring the Lions within four points at 23-19. But Portland took control with a 38-12 second quarter. Maxwell Lewis led the Lions with 13 points, while Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson led the Trail Blazers with 14 points each.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing