featured-image

Blazers Continue Six-Game Trip With Another Contest In Texas

After starting a six-game off with a win Friday night in San Antonio, the Trail Blazers are sticking around in Texas for a bit longer to face the Rockets in Houston Monday night at the Toyota Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

SERIES NOTES

ALL TIME: Rockets lead, 110-86IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 52-46AT THE ROCKETS: Rockets lead, 64-34LAST PORTLAND WIN: 110-101, 1/5/19 (Portland)LAST ROCKETS WIN: 111-104, 12/11/18 (Portland)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Portland)

GAME NOTES

• Monday’s game will be the first of four meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Rockets during the 2019-2020 season.

LAST SEASON: Portland won the season series against Houston in 2018-19, 2-1.

BACKCOURT SCORING: The Rockets starting backcourt of James Harden (39.5 ppg) and Russell Westbrook (21.0 ppg) and Portland’s starting backcourt of Damian Lillard (29.8 ppg ) and CJ McCollum (21.0 ppg) represent the two highest-scoring backcourts in the NBA.

VOLUME AND ACCURACY: Houston leads the NBA in free throw attempts per game (29.2) while the Trail Blazers are tied for third in the NBA in free throw accuracy (82.5% FT).

• In three games against Houston last season, Damian Lillard averaged 24.3 points (50.0% FG, 50.0% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 3.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.00 steal. Lillard has scored 20-plus points in seven of his last eight games against the Rockets. He has topped 30 points three times during that span.

• CJ McCollum averaged 22.0 points (47.3% FG, 31.6% 3-PT, 80.0% FT), 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his three games against the Rockets last season. He has dished out at least four assists in five of his last seven games against the Rockets.

• In two games against Portland last season, James Harden averaged 33.5 points (41.1% FG, 34.6% 3-PT, 85.7% FT), 3.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals. Harden has scored 30-plus points in each of his last seven home games against the Trail Blazers. He has made at least three three-pointers in his last five games against Portland.

• In four games against the Trail Blazers with the Thunder last season, Russell Westbrook averaged 29.5 points (43.2% FG, 35.0% 3-PT, 78.4% FT), 10.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists. Westbrook recorded two triple-doubles against Portland last season and has recorded four triple-doubles against the Trail Blazers during his career.

CONNECTION: Houston center Tyson Chandler was the second pick of the 2001 NBA Draft while Portland center Pau Gasol was the third overall selection.

CONNECTION: Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni served as an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers during the 2000-01 season.

INJURY NOTES

Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), Jusuf Nurkic (left lower leg fracture) and Pau Gasol (left foot fracture) are out for Monday's game in Houston.

As for the Rockets, Clint Capela (concussion) and Danuel House Jr. (sacral; contusion) are probable while Eric Gordon (right knee; arthroscopy), Gerald Green (left cuneiform; fracture), Nene Hilario (left Adductor; strain) are out.

BROADCAST NOTES

Monday'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.