When they needed him most, the Trail Blazers turned to their All-Star on Saturday.

On a night when the Blazers were far from their best against struggling Detroit, LaMarcus Aldridge put on dominant performance, getting 31 points and 12 rebounds to fuel a 112-101 victory before 20,161 at the Rose Garden.

“He was huge,” Blazers forward Nicolas Batum said. “He had an All-Star game tonight.”

Aldridge’s points weren’t just statbook stuffers. Many came at crucial points of a game the Blazers, trying desperately to make a final playoff push, could not afford to lose.

After trailing by as many as 11 points, the Blazers (31-34) scratched their way into a 77-75 lead at the end of the third quarter, then went to their All-Star to take control.