The Portland Trail Blazers begin both their post All-Star break stretch run of the season and their longest road trip in recent memory Thursday night versus the Nets in Brooklyn. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 62-24IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 36-7AT THE NETS: Trail Blazers lead lead, 26-17LAST PORTLAND WIN: 127-125, 11/24/17 (Brooklyn)LAST NETS WIN: 101-97, 11/10/17 (Portland)CURRENT WIN STREAK: One (Portland)
GAME NOTES
• Thursday’s game marks the first of two meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Nets during the 2018-19 season. The teams split the season series in 2017-18, 1-1.
• LAST MEETING: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic combined to score 89 points as the Trail Blazers beat the Nets, 127-125, in Brooklyn on Nov. 24, 2017. Lillard led the way for Portland with 34 points (10-19 FG, 4-6 3-PT, 10-11 FT) and nine assists. Spencer Dinwiddie paced the Nets with 23 points (9-20 FG, 4-9 3-PT, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, six assists, one steal and one block.
• CRASHING THE GLASS: The Trail Blazers and Nets are tied for seventh in the NBA with 11.2 offensive rebounds per game. Portland is fifth in the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage (29.6%) while Brooklyn ranks sixth (28.9%).
• RECENT HISTORY: Portland has won three straight games against the Nets in Brooklyn and are 5-1 in their last six games against Brooklyn overall.
• In two games against the Nets in 2017-18, Damian Lillard averaged 26.5 points (48.6% FG, 45.5% 3-PT, 87.5% FT), 6.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Lillard has scored at least 33 points in three of his last four games at Brooklyn.
• In his last game against Brooklyn on Nov. 24, 2017, Jusuf Nurkic recorded 29 points (12-19 FG, 5-10 FT), 15 rebounds, three assists and four blocks. In his last four games against the Nets, Nurkic has averaged 19.5 points on 57.1% shooting from the field.
• CJ McCollum averaged 21.5 points (45.7% FG, 40.0% 3-PT, 87.5% FT), 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.00 steal in two games against the Nets during the 2017-18 season. McCollum has scored 30-plus points in three of his last five games against the Nets.
• In his lone game against the Trail Blazers last season, D’Angelo Russell recorded 21 points (8-19 FG, 3-9 3-PT, 2-5 FT), four rebounds and nine assists. Russell has scored 20-plus points in four of his last five games against the Trail Blazers.
• CONNECTION: Brooklyn guards Allen Crabbe (2013-17) and Shabazz Napier (2016-18) and Brooklyn center Ed Davis (2015-18) all spent multiple seasons with the Trail Blazers.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic and Nets guard Dzanan Musa played together for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team in 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification in September of 2018.
INJURY NOTES
Damian Lillard (left ankle sprain) is questionable and Rodney Hood (gastrointestinal) is probable for Thursday’s game.
As for the Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie (right thumb), Dzanan Musa (G League), Theo Pinson (G League) and Alan Williams (G League) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Thursday'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. NBA League Pass will also carry the game, though blackouts based on location apply.
Brian Wheeler will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations on the Trail Blazers Radio Network.