The Portland Trail Blazers (0-0) begin their 50th season by hosting the Denver Nuggets (0-0) in both a rematch of the 2019 Western Conference semifinals and an opening-night showdown between Northwest Division rivals. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 98-82IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 69-22AT THE NUGGETS: Nuggets lead, 60-29LAST PORTLAND WIN: 115-108, 4/7/19LAST NUGGETS WIN: 119-110, 4/5/19 (Denver)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Portland)
GAME NOTES
• Wednesday’s game marks the first of four regular season season games between the Trail Blazers and the Nuggets.
• LAST SEASON: Denver won the regular season series between the Trail Blazers and the Nuggets during the 2018-19 season, 3-1. Portland defeated Denver in the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, 4-3.
• Familiar Foes: Portland played Denver four times during the regular season in 2018-19 and seven times during the 2019 Playoffs. The teams played twice during the 2019 preseason. Wednesday’s game is the 14th game between the two teams in the last year.
• Damian Lillard averaged 21.3 points (37.1% FG, 28.6% 3-PT, 95.8% FT), 3.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists in four games (all starts) against the Nuggets during the 2018-19 regular season. Lillard has scored at least 30 points in five of his last 13 regular season games against the Nuggets.
• In three games (all starts) against the Nuggets during the 2018-19 regular season, CJ McCollum averaged 20.0 points (45.3% FG, 26.3% 3-PT, 100% FT), 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. McCollum averaged 26.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists against Denver during the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals.
• In three games (all starts) against the Trail Blazers during the 2018-19 regular season, Nikola Jokic averaged 25.7 points (62.0% FG, 38.5% 3-PT, 76.9% FT), 9.7 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.00 steal. He averaged 27.1 points, 13.9 rebounds and 7.7 assists against Port- land during the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals.
• Paul Millsap averaged 19.3 points (62.9% FG, 60.0% 3-PT, 91.7% FT), 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in three games (all starts) against the Trail Blazers during the 2018-19 regular season.
• CONNECTION: Portland center Jusuf Nurkic spent his first two-plus seasons with the Nuggets from 2014-17, averaging 7.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in 139 games.
• CONNECTION: Denver guard/forward Will Barton (2012-15) and Nuggets center Mason Plumlee (2015-17) both played multiple seasons for the Trail Blazers.
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 Wednesday night's game and his status going forward is still to be determined.
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg) is out until at least 2020.
As for the Nuggets, only rookie Bol Bol (left foot) is unavailable.
BROADCAST NOTES
Wednesday's game will air locally on NBC Sports with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam. The game will also air nationally on ESPN. 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.