The Portland Trail Blazers, thanks to a road-heavy start to the year, have played just four home games through the first three weeks of the 2019-20 season. However, the Blazers will end up playing twice in Sacramento in that same time span with the second meeting this season versus the Kings at Golden1 Arena is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 134-79IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 87-18AT THE KINGS: Kings lead, 61-47LAST PORTLAND WIN: 122-112, 10/25/19 (Sacramento)LAST KINGS WIN: 115-107, 1/14/19 (Sacramento)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Two (Portland)
GAME NOTES
• Tuesday’s game marks the second of four games between the Trail Blazers and the Kings during the 2019-20 season. Portland leads the season series, 1-0.
• LAST MEETING: The Trail Blazers defeated the Kings in Sacramento on Oct. 25, 122-112. Damian Lillard led Portland with 35 points (12-20 FG, 3-7 3-PT, 8-8 FT), five rebounds, five assists and three steals while the Kings were paced by De’Aaron Fox, who finished with 28 points (7- 18 FG, 3-5 3-PT, 11-14 FT), six rebounds and five assists.
• Damian Lillard has scored at least 25 points in each of his last five games against the Kings. In that span, he has averaged 34.2 points while shooting 51.3% from the field, 40.8% from the three-point line and 100% from the foul stripe.
• Hassan Whiteside recorded 22 points (9-10 FG, 4-6 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block at Sacramento on Oct. 25. • CJ McCollum had 19 points (8-18 FG, 1-4 3-PT, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, three assists and one steal against the Kings on Oct. 25. He has scored 30-plus points three times in nine career games at Sacramento.
• Anfernee Simons scored 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-6 3-PT) to go with two rebounds and one steal against the Kings on Oct. 25. In two career games against the Kings, Simons has averaged 26.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.00 steal.
• In his last three games against the Trail Blazers, De’Aaron Fox has averaged 20.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
• Buddy Hield scored 21 points (7-18 FG, 4-11 3-PT, 3-3 FT) to go with five rebounds and one assist against the Trail Blazers on Oct. 25. He has averaged 19.0 points in his last four games against Portland while shooting 14-of-28 (50.0%) from the three-point line during that span.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers forward/center Skal Labissiere played his first two-plus seasons for Sacramento (2016-19), averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds.
• CONNECTION: Portland center Hassan Whiteside began his NBA career with the Kings, appearing in 19 games in two seasons from 2010-12.
INJURY NOTES
Rodney Hood (back spasms) and Hassan Whiteside (right foot sprain) are probable for Tuesday's game, while F Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), C Jusuf Nurkic (left lower leg fracture) and C Pau Gasol (left foot fracture) remain out.
As for the Kings, Dewayne Dedmon (right knee sprain) is probable while Marvin Bagley III (right thumb fracture), De'Aaron Fox (left ankle sprain), Kyle Guy (G League - Two-way) and DaQuan Jeffries (G League - Two-way) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Tuesday's game will be shown locally on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam calling the action. Travis Demers and Michael Holton will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations on the Trail Blazers Radio Network.