Between losing two of their last three games and Rodney Hood to a ruptured left Achilles, the Trail Blazers' four-game homestead, their longest of the season thus far, hasn't gone as well as they would have hoped. But they've got a chance to finish it off on a high note Tuesday night when they host the New York Knicks at the Moda Center in their last contest before hitting the road for five days. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 66-47IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 42-14AT THE KNICKS: Knicks lead, 33-24LAST PORTLAND WIN: 111-101, 1/7/19 (Portland)LAST KNICKS WIN: 107-103, 11/22/16 (New York)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Five (Portland)
GAME NOTES
Tuesday’s game will be the first of two meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Knicks during the 2019-20 season.
• LAST SEASON: Portland won the season series, 2-0 against New York in the 2018-19 season.
• SEASON SWEEPS: The Trail Blazers are 12-2 in their last 14 games against the Knicks and have won the last five contests. Portland has swept the season series with New York in five of the last seven seasons.
• In two games against the Knicks last season, CJ McCollum averaged 24.0 points (50.0% FG, 43.8% 3-PT, 100% FT), 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. In his last four games against New York, he has shot 14-of-28 (50.0%) from 3-PT range.
• Damian Lillard averaged 23.0 points (38.9% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 86.7% FT), 5.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in two games against the Knicks during the 2018-19 season. Lillard has scored at least 29 points in four of his last five meetings with the Knicks.
• In two games against the Knicks since leaving New York, Carmelo Anthony has averaged 17.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.50 steals. In 18 career games against New York, Anthony has averaged 28.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. It is his highest career scoring average against any opponent.
• Hassan Whiteside has logged a double-double in each of his last three games against the Knicks. In that span, Whiteside has averaged 17.3 points, 14.7 rebounds and 2.33 blocks.
• In three games against Portland with New Orleans last season, Julius Randle averaged 31.0 points (56.1% FG, 25.0% 3-PT, 64.0% FT), 8.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Randle scored a career-high 45 points against Portland on 3/15/19.
• Marcus Morris Sr. averaged 10.5 points (38.1% FG, 25.0% 3-PT, 100% FT), 6.5 rebounds and 0.5 steals in two games against Portland with Boston last season.
• CONNECTION: Portland forward Carmelo Anthony played seven seasons for the Knicks from 2010-17, averaging 24.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 412 games (all starts).
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers forward Mario Hezonja played for New York during the 2018-19 season, averaging 8.8 points and 4.1 rebounds.
INJURY NOTES
Rodney Hood (left ruptured Achilles tendon), Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation) and Jusuf Nurkic (left leg fracture) are out for Tuesday's game versus Oklahoma City.
As for the Knicks, Reggie Bullock (neck) and Wayne Ellington (left Achilles) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Tuesday'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.