Having secured home court in the first round of the 2019 Western Conference playoffs with a win Tuesday night versus the Lakers in Los Angeles, the Portland Trail Blazers finish off their regular season schedule by hosting the Sacramento Kings on Fan Appreciation Night. Tipoff is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 132-79IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 86-18AT THE KINGS: Kings lead, 61-46LAST PORTLAND WIN: 113-108, 1/1/19 (Sacramento)LAST KINGS WIN: 115-107, 1/14/19 (Sacramento)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Sacramento)
GAME NOTES
• Today’s game is the third and final meeting between the Trail Blazers and the Kings during the 2018-19 season. The season series is tied, 1-1.
• LAST MEETING: The Kings defeated the Trail Blazers in Sacramento on Jan. 14, 115-107. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 35 points (11-27 FG, 4-12 3-PT, 9-9 FT), three rebounds, five assists and one steal while Buddy Hield led a balanced Sacramento attack with 19 points (7-10 FG, 2-4 3-PT, 3-3 FT) and seven rebounds.
• NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Trail Blazers have won 10 straight games against the Kings at Moda Center.
•In two games against the Kings this season, Damian Lillard has averaged 30.0 points (39.6% FG, 23.8% 3-PT, 100% FT), 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.00 steal. Lillard has scored at least 25 points in six of his last eight games against Sacramento. In that span, he has averaged 30.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 7.8 assists.
• Al-Farouq Aminu had a double-double of 13 points (3-8 FG, 1-2 3-PT, 6-9 FT) and 13 rebounds to go with three assists and two steals at Sacramento on Jan. 14. Aminu has scored 13 points in each of his last three games against the Kings.
• Jake Layman scored 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 FT) to go with three rebounds at Sacramento on Jan. 14.
• Evan Turner logged 14 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3-PT, 3-3 FT), two rebounds, four assists and one steal at Sacramento on Jan. 14.
• In two games against the Trail Blazers this season, Buddy Hield has averaged 23.0 points (54.5% FG, 58.3% 3-PT, 100% FT), 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Hield has shot 50.0% from the three-point-line over his last five games against Portland (14-of-28).
• De’Aaron Fox had 16 points (3-11 FG, 1-3 3-PT), two rebounds, nine assists and two steals against the Trail Blazers on Jan. 14. Fox has had at least 13 points and eight assists in three of his last four games against Portland.
• CONNECTION: Portland forward/center Zach Collins was selected by the Kings with the 10th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft and then traded to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Justin Jackson and Harry Giles III.
• CONNECTION: The Trail Blazers acquired forward/center Skal Labissiere from Sacramento in exchange for forward Caleb Swanigan on February 7. In 45 games (three starts) in parts of two seasons in Portland, Swanigan averaged 2.1 points, 2.4 rebounds 7.4 minutes.
INJURY NOTES
Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (left leg) is out for the season.
As for the Kings on Wednesday, Harry Giles III (left thigh) and Kosta Koufos (left calf) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Wednesday's game can be seen locally on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam. NBC Sports Northwest also streams 76 live games during the 2018-19 Trail Blazers season.
Brian Wheeler and Michael Holton will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the Trail Blazers Radio Network.