Notebook: Trail Blazers 117, Nuggets 97

By Kerry Eggers, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday February 5, 2012 1:16AM

THE FACTS: Nicolas Batum scored a career-high 33 points and set a franchise record with nine 3-point field goals as Portland routed Denver Saturday night, 117-97, at the Rose Garden. Batum was 11 for 19 from the field and 9 for 15 from 3-point range in his 25 minutes off the bench.

LaMarcus Aldridge collected 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Portland (14-10), which improved to 11-1 at home. Danilo Gallinari scored 20 points for the Nuggets (15-9), who lost their fourth game in the last five outings. It was the third game in as many nights for Denver.

QUOTABLE: "I didn't know if I was going to play until this morning, after shootaround. I talked with coach (Nate McMillan). I was running pretty good, so I said, 'OK, let's try it.' I think it was a good choice."
-- Batum, who missed the previous two games with an injury to his left knee.

THE STAT: Portland won the game at the 3-point line. The Blazers were 15 for 33; the Nuggets were 5 for 22.

TURNING POINT: Portland led 59-57 early in the third quarter when the Blazers went on a 26-10 tear to break the game open.

QUOTABLE II: "They're one of the best home teams in basketball. The times we played them, they're a top-five team. They've played great."
-- Denver head coach George Karl on the Blazers, who are 2-0 against the Nuggets this season ? both times at the Rose Garden.

HOT: Batum missed his first 3-pointer, then drained five in a row, all in the second quarter, the last one staking Portland to a 50-34 lead.

NOT: Denver's Arron Afflalo never got into the swing of things, going scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting in his 20 minutes.

QUOTABLE III: "He was phenomenal. He was stroking the ball and spreading the court, and we were able to have an inside/outside game. It opened it up a lot for (Aldridge), and it takes a lot of pressure off Gerald (Wallace), too. When Nic is like that, I guarantee you we're hard to beat."
-- Portland's Marcus Camby.

INSIDE THE ARENA: University of Oregon running back Kenjon Barner, wearing a Nuggets' No. 24 jersey sitting near the visiting bench. Barner and Denver guard Andre Miller are cousins.

GOOD MOVE: McMillan chose to push the pace ? even against a Denver team that is the top-scoring team in the NBA ? because the Nuggets were playing their third game in three nights. The Blazers got 15 fast-break points and 24 points off 17 Denver turnovers.

BAD MOVE: Karl tried to use 6-3 Andre Miller on the 6-8 Batum for a spell in the second quarter. Batum scored 14 of his 17 first-half points in the period, including four treys.

NOTABLE: Batum had 33 points, zero rebounds and zero assists in 25 minutes. With a sore left knee, "I couldn't do anything but spot up and shoot threes," he said.

UP NEXT: For the Blazers, Oklahoma City Monday, Houston Wednesday, at New Orleans Friday. For the Nuggets, Houston Monday, Dallas Wednesday, Golden State Thursday.