The Trail Blazers return to Portland from a five-game trip to host the Milwaukee Bucks in their first home game of 2020. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Bucks lead, 74-52IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 35-27AT THE BUCKS: Bucks lead 47-17LAST PORTLAND WIN: 118-103, 11/6/18 (Portland)LAST BUCKS WIN: 137-129, 11/21/19 (Milwaukee)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Two (Milwaukee)
GAME NOTES
• Saturday’s game will complete the two contests between the Trail Blazers and Bucks during the 2019-20 season. Milwaukee leads the season series, 1-0.
• LAST MEETING: Milwaukee took down Portland, 137-129, on Nov. 21 in Milwaukee. CJ McCollum paced Portland with a season-high 37 points (15-29 FG, 5-10 3-PT, 2-2 FT), six rebounds and 10 assists. Eric Bledsoe led the Bucks with 30 points (11-21 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 6-6 FT), four rebounds and six assists. November 21 was McCollum’s only double-double of the season.
• Rim Protection: The Trail Blazers (6.5 bpg) and the Bucks (6.3 bpg) rank second and third in the NBA in blocks per game, respectively.
• Portland has hit exactly 17 three pointers in three of their last seven matchups with the Bucks.
• Damian Lillard sat out of the last matchup with back spasms, but has scored at least 20 points in four of his last six outings against Milwaukee.
• Carmelo Anthony scored 18 points (6-15 FG, 3-5 3-PT, 3-4 FT) to go with seven rebounds and four assists against Milwaukee on Nov. 21. Anthony has hit three or more three pointers in three of his last six appearances opposite the Bucks.
• CJ McCollum has averaged 33.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists in his last three games against Milwaukee.
• In the previous meeting with Portland, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points (9-27 FG, 1-7 3-PT, 5-10 FT) to go with 19 rebounds and career-high 15 assists. He has scored at least 20 points in each of his last five games versus Portland.
• Khris Middleton was out for the Bucks last game against Portland, but has scored 20 or more points in each of his last three games against the Trail Blazers.
• CONNECTION: Milwaukee guards Pat Connaughton (2015-18) and Wesley Matthews (2010-15) and center Robin Lopez (2013-15) all played multiple seasons for Portland.
• CONNECTION: Portland guard/forward Rodney Hood and Milwaukee guard George Hill were teammates in Utah during the 2016-17 season.
INJURY NOTES
Hassan Whiteside (upper respiratory illness) and Mario Hezonja (low back contusion) are questionable while Rodney Hood (left ruptured Achilles tendon), Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), Skal Labissiere (left knee inflammation) and Jusuf Nurkic (left leg fracture) are out for Saturday's game vs. Milwaukee.
The Bucks, having played Friday night in Sacramento, have not yet released an injury report for Saturday's game.
BROADCAST NOTES
Saturday's game can be seen locally on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam. Travis Demers and Michael Holton will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations on the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.