While there have been minor missteps, the Portland Trail Blazers (2-1) have had a strong start to their 2019-20 season on the road. After defeating the Kings in Sacramento in their home opener and overcoming a 19-point first-half deficit to best the Mavericks in Dallas, the Trail Blazers head to San Antonio to play the Spurs (2-0) in the second night of a back-to-back. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Spurs lead, 86-84IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 54-31AT THE SPURS: Spurs lead, 55-30LAST PORTLAND WIN: 127-118, 2/7/19 (Portland)LAST SPURS WIN: 108-103, 3/16/19 (San Antonio)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (San Antonio)
GAME NOTES
• Monday’s game marks the first of three games between the Trail Blazers and the Spurs during the 2019-20 season.
• LAST SEASON: Portland and San Antonio split the season series in 2018-19, 2-2. • LEADERS FROM THE FIELD: The Trail Blazers rank third in the NBA in field goal percentage (49.0% FG) and second in free throw percent-age (87.3% FT) while the Spurs rank fifth in field goal percentage (48.2% FG) and seventh from the charity stripe (81.1% FT).
• Damian Lillard averaged 31.0 points (47.8% FG, 26.5% 3-PT, 100% FT), 3.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists in four games against San Antonio during the 2018-19 season. He has scored at least 30 points in four of his last seven games against the Spurs. Lillard has shot 100% from the free throw line in his last seven games against San Antonio (44-of-44).
• In four games against the Spurs during the 2018-19 season, CJ McCollum averaged 22.0 points (49.3% FG, 44.8% 3-PT, 83.3% FT), 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He scored at least 24 points in each of Portland’s first three games against San Antonio last season and left the fourth game early with a left knee injury.
• DeMar DeRozan averaged 30.0 points (48.4% FG, 94.1% FT), 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists in four games against the Trail Blazers during the 2018-19 season. He has scored at least 35 points in three of his last five games against Portland.
• Former Trail Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge averaged 17.5 points (48.3% FG, 70.6% FT%), 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in four games against Portland last season. The Trail Blazers have held Aldridge below 40% shooting from the field in each of the last two games against the Spurs.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers center Pau Gasol spent two-plus seasons with San Antonio from 2016-19, averaging 10.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in 168 games.
• CONNECTION: Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge played his first nine seasons with Portland (2006-15), averaging 19.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in 648 games
INJURY NOTES
The Trail Blazers will be short on big men Monday night, and perhaps for even longer, as Zach Collins (dislocated left shoulder) joins Pau Gasol (left foot fracture) and Jusuf Nurkic (left leg) as out versus San Antonio. Collins is expected to undergo an MRI to gauge the severity of the injury, which he suffered in the third quarter of Sunday's victory in Dallas.
In contrast, the Spurs have no injuries to report.
BROADCAST NOTES
Sunday's game will air locally on NBC Sports 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 Trail Blazers Radio Network.