Trail Blazers And Timberwolves Run It Back Sunday Night

Once more, with feeling.

After the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves faced off Saturday night in Minneapolis, with Portland eventually emerging victorious, the two teams will meet once again less than 24 hours later at the Target Center to finish off the three-game season series.

"I think the challenge is in the second game," said Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. "The first game, it's the first game for both teams, the fact that you're able to analize the game film, make any changes or find something that you want to do going into Game Two, I think that's where the challenge is."

Tipoff is scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m.

ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 87-35PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 50-12MINNESOTA HOME: Timberwolves lead, 36-24LAST PORTLAND WIN: 125-121, 3/13/21 (Minnesota)LAST MINNESOTA WIN: 116-102, 1/9/20 (Minnesota)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Two (Portland)

• Portland's March 14 game against Minnesota will be the final matchup between the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves during the 2020- 21 season. Portland leads the season series 2-0, and on Sunday will look to secure the first season sweep of Minnesota since 2012-13.

• LAST MEETING: The Trail Blazers defeated the Timberwolves, 125-121, at Target Center on March 13. Carmelo Anthony led Portland with 26 points (8-14 FG, 2-5 3-PT, 8-8 FT), two rebounds, a season-high six assists and two steals, while Karl-Anthony Towns paced the Timberwolves with a season-high 34 points (12-21 FG, 2-4 3-PT, 8-8 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

• With 9:46 remaining in the fourth quarter of Saturday's contest, Carmelo Anthony made a 14-foot jump shot that gave him points 26,946 and 26,947 of his career. The basket moved him past Hakeem Olajuwon for 11th on the NBA all-time scoring list.

• Damian Lillard added 25 points (7-19 FG, 3-10 3-PT, 8-9 FT), five rebounds and 10 assists against Minnesota on March 13. Lillard has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games against the Timberwolves.

• Enes Kanter had 20 points (8-12 FG, 4-5 FT), 11 rebounds and two assists against Minnesota on March 13. It was his fifth game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, including the second in his last three outings.

• Anthony Edwards recorded 21 points (8-18 FG, 3-7 3-PT, 2-4 FT), eight rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes. Edwards has now scored 20+ against Portland twice, the only NBA team he has done so against multiple times.

• Jaylen Nowell finished with 17 points (7-14 FG, 3-6 3-PT), five rebounds and one assist. It was the third-highest scoring game of his career, and his five rebounds matched a career-high.

• MILESTONE WATCH: Damian Lillard (15,957 career points) is 43 points shy of 16,000 for his career. He will become the fourth player in NBA history to record at least 16,000 points and 4,000 assists in the first nine seasons of his career (Bird/James/Robertson).

• CONNECTION: Timberwolves forward Jake Layman spent the first three seasons of his career with the Trail Blazers after being traded to Portland on draft night in 2016. He averaged 4.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.5 assists over 141 total games.

Game #37 - Portland 125, Minnesota 121 — March 13, 2021, Target Center

Portland edged out Minnesota in the fourth, earning their 22nd victory on the season and defending the fifth seed in the West ... Portland made double-digit three-pointers for the 50th consecutive game, the third longest streak in NBA history ... Portland recorded at least 25 assists for the 10th time over the 2020-21 season, improving to 9-1 in those games ... Carmelo Anthony led Portland with 26 points (8-14 FG, 2-5 3-PT, 8-8 FT), two rebounds, six assists and two steals ... Anthony passed Olajuwon for 11th on the NBA list with his 18th point of the evening ... Damian Lillard added 25 points and 10 assists, recording his ninth double-double of the season ... Enes Kanter had 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting (4-5 FT), 11 rebounds and two assists ... Gary Trent Jr. scored 14 points and tied a career-high with four steals... Karl-AnthonyTowns led Minnesota with a season-high 34 points(12-21FG,2-43-PT,8-8FT),10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Game #36 - Phoenix 127, Portland 121 — March 11, 2021, Moda Center, Portland

Despite securing a four-point lead heading into the final period, the Trail Blazers weren't able to fend of the Suns, falling 127-121 Thursday in Portland ... Each team had at least six players score in double-figures ... Damian Lillard led Portland with 30 points (10-23 FG, 5-12 3-PT, 5-5 FT), seven rebounds and eight assists ... It was his 21st game this season with at least 30 points, the second-most in the NBA (Beal, 22) ... Enes Kanter had 16 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, recording his 21st double-double of the season ... Gary Trent Jr. had 17 points, two rebounds and two assists ... Robert Covington had 13 points (5-11 FG, 3-6 3-PT), six rebounds, two assists and two steals ... Carmelo Anthony recorded 13 points and five boards, moving to within 15 points of Hakeem Olajuwon ... Devin Booker led the Suns with 35 points (12-21 FG, 3-5 3-PT, 8-8 FT), five rebounds and eight assists ... Chris Paul added 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

Game #35 - Portland 123, Sacramento 119 — March 4, 2021, Moda Center, Portland

Damian Lillard once again carried the Trail Blazers over the finish line, delivering a 123-119 victory over the Kings at Moda Center... The Trail Blazers made at least 10 three-pointers for the 48th consecutive game, tying the fourth longest streak in NBA history... Damian Lillard tied a season-high with 44 points (13-26 FG, 8-15 3-PT, 10-10 FT), to go with one rebound and seven assists... Enes Kanter recorded his first 20/20 game of the season, finishing with 22 points (11-15 FG), 21 rebounds and two assists... Carmelo Anthony scored 16 points (6-11 FG, 1-4 3-PT, 3-4 FT) and had two rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes off the bench... Robert Covington recorded seven points, six rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 28 minutes... Nassir Little added nine points and three boards in 18 minutes off the bench... De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 32 points (12-26 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 6-10 FT), eight rebounds and 12 assists... Buddy Hield had 21 points.

Harry Giles (left calf strain), CJ McCollum (left midfoot fracture), Jusuf Nurkic (right wrist fracture) and Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture) are out for today’s game at Minnesota.

As for the Timberwolves, Jarrett Culver (left great toe; strain) is doubtful while D'Angelo Russell (left knee; surgery), Jordan McLaughlin (health and safety protocols) and Malik Beasley (league suspension) are out.

Sunday’s game can be seen locally on NBC Sports NW. The game can be heard on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.