Early in Wednesday night's home opener, Maurice Cheeks could tell the Trail Blazers didn't have their legs.


The rookie coach wasn't thrilled with the way the Blazers threw the ball away, missed shots and generally stunk against the Golden State Warriors. But he also has been around the game long enough to know that is what happens to teams when they play games on successive nights.

"That's all right," Cheeks said, his team trailing by eight points late in the first quarter. "Stay aggressive."

The Blazers did more than that. They also found a couple players with hot hands in Scottie Pippen and Bonzi Wells.

When it was over, Pippen and Wells had combined for 59 points, the Blazers had a 92-87 victory over the Warriors, and Cheeks had a significant career milestone: coaching victory No. 1.

"That was beautiful," Cheeks said. "It wouldn't have been so beautiful if we had lost, but it was good. I enjoyed it.

"I'm not trying to look too far ahead, because I'm hoping there are many more to come. But it's always good to get that first one out of the way."