After losing their home opener to the Nuggets Wednesday night at the Moda Center, the Portland Trail Blazers (0-1) head out for a four-game road trip starting Friday night versus the Sacramento Kings in their 2019-20 home opener at Golden 1 Center.
"Whether we won or lost (versus Denver), we had a four-game road trip coming," said Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard. "I think it's going to be a good test for us early. Obviously it's not going to make-or-break us, but it's a good challenge for us."
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 133-79IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 87-18AT THE KINGS: Kings lead, 61-46LAST PORTLAND WIN: 136-131, 4/10/19 (Portland)LAST KINGS WIN: 115-107, 1/14/19 (Sacramento)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Portland)
GAME NOTES
• Friday’s game marks the first of four regular season matchups between the Trail Blazers and the Kings.
• LAST SEASON: Portland won the season series against Sacramento during the 2018-19 season, 2-1.
• Damian Lillard averaged 30.0 points (39.6% FG, 23.8% 3-PT, 100% FT), 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.00 steal in two games against the Kings in 2018-19. In his last four games at Sacramento, Lillard has averaged 34.8 points and 5.3 assists. He scored 50 points at Sacramento on Feb. 9, 2018.
• Hassan Whiteside played 19 games for Sacramento during his first two seasons in the NBA (2010-12). In his last five games against the Kings, Whiteside has recorded three double-doubles while averaging 12.2 points and 16.2 rebounds.
• Anfernee Simons scored 37 points (13-21 FG, 7-11 3-PT, 4-6 FT) to go with six rebounds, nine assists and one steal while playing all 48 minutes against the Kings on April 10, 2019.
• Skal Labissiere recorded 29 points (12-17 FG, 2-2 3-PT, 3-4 FT), 15 rebounds, two steals and one block against Sacramento on April 10, 2019.
• In three games against Portland last season, Buddy Hield averaged 18.3 points (53.8% FG, 58.8% 3-PT, 100% FT), 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. In his last two home games against the Trail Blazers, Hield has averaged 23.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 54.5% from the fi eld and 58.3% from the three-point line.
• Bogdan Bogdanovic averaged 17.3 points (44.4% FG, 32.0% 3-PT, 100% FT), 2.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in three games against Portland last season. Bogdanovic has scored in double figures in six of his seven career games against the Trail Blazers.
• 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: Sacramento forward Caleb Swanigan appeared in 45 games for the Trail Blazers from 2017-19, averaging 2.1 points and 2.4 rebounds.
INJURY NOTES
Trail Blazers center Pau Gasol (left foot) has not yet been cleared for full contact after undergoing surgery on his left foot in May. He is out for Friday night's game and his status going forward is still to be determined, though he is traveling with the team.
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg) is out until at least 2020. He too is with the team in Sacramento.
As for the Kings, Buddy Hield (left ankle sprain) is questionable, Harry Giles III (left knee soreness) is doubtful and Marvin Bagley III (right thumb fracture) is out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Friday'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.