Trail Blazers Face Kings For Second Straight Game

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (32-44) vs SACRAMENTO KINGS (46-30)
Mar. 31, 2023 — Moda Center — 7:00 pm PST
Regular Season Game #77 — Home Game #40
TV: ROOT SPORTS PLUS
RADIO: Rip City Radio 620 AM

ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 140-85
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 90-21
SACRAMENTO HOME: Kings lead, 64-50

TRIPLE THREAT: Portland has three players averaging 20 or more points this season: Damian Lillard (32.2), Anfernee Simons (21.1) and Jerami Grant (20.5). The Trail Blazers have never had a season in which three players were averaging 20-plus points.

THE DREAM TEEN: Shaedon Sharpe posted a career-high 30 points, seven assists and six 3PM on March 29 vs. Sacramento to go along with seven rebounds, becoming the fourth teenager in NBA history to record 30-plus points, seven-plus rebounds and seven-plus assists in a game (Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, LeBron James). Sharpe's 13 points in the third marked the highest scoring quarter of his career.

STAYING SHARPE: Shaedon Sharpe posted a career-high 29 points on March 26 vs. Oklahoma City, becoming only the second rookie in the NBA this season to record three consecutive games with 24 or more points (Banchero).

ELITE LITTLE: Nassir Little recorded a season-high 28 points on March 26 vs. Oklahoma City, marking the second-highest scoring output of his career and his sixth career game with 20-plus points.

WALK THE WALK: Jabari Walker posted a career-high 14 points (6-13 FG, 0-1 3P, 2-2 FT) on March 24 vs. Chicago, marking his fourth game this season he has scored in double digits.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Shaedon Sharpe recorded multiple career highs on March 22 at Utah, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds, four steals, four 3PM and 40 minutes.

20 FOR 32: Damian Lillard recorded his 24th straight game with 20-plus points on March 3 at Atlanta, marking the longest streak of his career. Lillard extended the streak to 32 games on March 22 at Utah when he posted 30 points, marking the longest current active streak of 20-plus point games in the NBA this season.

Lillard's Longest Streaks of 20-Plus Point Games:
32 Jan. 8-March 22, 2023
23 Jan. 3-March 6, 2020
21 Feb. 2-March 19, 2021

SHARPE SHOOTING: Shaedon Sharpe recorded his 66th 3PM on March 12 at New Orleans, breaking a tie with Martell Webster (65) for the third most 3PM by a Trail Blazers rookie. He currenty has 75 3PM this season.

Most 3PM by a Trail Blazers Rookie:
185…..Damian Lillard
159…..Rudy Fernandez
75…….Shaedon Sharpe
65…….Martell Webster
62…….Nicolas Batum

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Shaedon Sharpe recorded multiple career highs on March 22 at Utah, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds, four steals, four 3PM and 40 minutes.

DAME DIMES: On March 22 at Utah, Damian Lillard passed Andre Iguodala (5,147) and José Calderón (5,148) to move up to the No. 66 spot on the NBA’s all-time assists list.

He currently has 5,151 career assists.
NBA All-Time Leaders for Career Assists (Nos. 60-70):

MOVING ON UP: On March 14 vs. New York, Damian Lillard passed Bob Lanier (19,248) on the NBA’s all-time scoring list to move up to the No. 59 spot. He entered the season at No. 85 with 17,665 career points and currently has 19,346 career points.

NBA All-Time Scoring List (No. 50-60):

FEBRUARY FREE THROWS: Damian Lillard shot 96.3% (105-of-109) from the line in February. Lillard and Dirk Nowitzki are the only players in NBA history to make 100-plus free throws in a month while shooting at least 95% from the line.

OH, WHAT A NIGHT: Damian Lillard scored a career-high and franchise record 71 points (22-38 FG, 13-22 3P, 14-14 FT) on Feb. 26 vs. Houston, tying Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season.

• His 71 points are tied for the eighth-highest scoring game in NBA history.

• Became the first player in NBA history with 70- plus points, five-plus rebounds, five-plus assists and 10-plus 3PM in a game.

• Became the oldest player with a 70-point game in NBA history.

• Had an 80.4% true shooting percentage, the highest in a 70-point game in NBA history.

• Recorded 71 points in the fewest minutes played in a 70-point game in NBA history (39:11).

• Became the first player to have multiple 60-point games in a single season since himself in 2019-20.

• Scored 54 more points than anyone else in the game, the largest difference between the top scorers in a game since Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006.

• His 13 3PM set a new franchise record.

Trail Blazers 80, Pelicans 120 – March 29, 2023 – Moda Center – Game #76 (32-44, 17-22 Home)

Portland fell to Sacramento by a final score of 120-80 ... Shaedon Sharpe posted a career-high 30 points (10-27 FG, 6-13 3P, 4-4 FT) and seven assists to go along with seven rebounds and one block in 44 minutes, becoming the fourth teenager in NBA history to record 30-plus points, seven-plus rebounds and seven-plus assists in a game ... Kevin Knox II finished with 12 points (6-16 FG, 0-5 3P), 12 rebounds and one steal in 39 minutes in his first start as a Trail Blazer ... Jabari Walked recorded 12 points (5-9 FG, 1-3 3P, 1-1 FT) and five rebounds in 27 minutes ... Nassir Little tallied 10 points (4-17 FG, 0-8 3P, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and one block in 40 minutes ... De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 18 points in 27 minutes ... Domantas Sabonis put up a double-double for Sacramento with 15 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes.

Trail Blazers 90, Pelicans 124 – March 27, 2023 – Moda Center – Game #75 (32-43, 17-21 Home)

The Trail Blazers fell to the Pelicans by a final score of 124-90 ... Keon Johnson recorded a career-high tying 20 points (7-15 FG, 3-7 3P, 3-4 FT) to go along with three rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes ... Kevin Knox II tallied 15 points (6-15 FG, 1-7 3P, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 32 minutes ... Shaedon Sharpe posted 12 points (5-13 FG, 1-4 3P, 1-1 FT), eight rebounds and one steal in 35 minutes ... Drew Eubanks finished with 12 points (4-8 FG, 0-1 3P, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, one steal and one block in 23 minutes ... Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 29 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 31 minutes ... Jonas Valanciunas put up a double-double for the Pelicans with 10 points and 21 rebounds in 30 minutes.

Trail Blazers 112, Thunder 118 – March 26, 2023 – Moda Center – Game #74 (32-42, 17-20 Home)

Portland fell to Oklahoma City by a final score of 118-112 ... Shaedon Sharpe tallied a career-high 29 points (9-13 FG, 3-5 3P, 8-11 FT) to go along with five rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes, becoming only the second rookie in the NBA this season to record three consecutive games with 24 or more points (Banchero) ... Nassir Little recorded a season-high 28 points (11-21 FG, 3-6 3P, 3-3 FT) to go along with six rebounds in 31 minutes, marking the second highest scoring output of his career and his sixth career game with 20-plus points ... Keon Johnson posted 14 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3P, 4-6 FT) and five assists in 21 minutes ... Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points in 35 minutes ... Josh Giddey put up a double-double for Oklahoma City with 17 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes.

Trail Blazers 96, Bulls 124 – March 24, 2023 – Moda Center – Game #73 (32-41, 17-19 Home)

The Trail Blazers fell to the Bulls by a final score of 124-96 ... Shaedon Sharpe finished with a career-high tying 24 points (9-20 FG, 4-11 3P, 2-2 FT) to go along with four rebounds, two assists and one block in 38 minutes ... Trendon Watford posted 15 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 3P, 5-5 FT), six rebounds, three assists and one block in 28 minutes ... Jabari Walker recorded a career-high 14 points (6-13 FG, 0-1 3P, 2-2 FT) to go along with three rebounds and one steal in 23 minutes ... Zach LaVine led Chicago with a game-high 33 points to go along with eight assists and one block in 30 minutes ... Nikola Vucevic put up a double-double for the Bulls with 23 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes.

Trail Blazers 127, Jazz 115 – March 22, 2023 – Moda Center – Game #72 (32-40, 15-22 Away)

Portland defeated Utah by a final score of 127-115 ... Damian Lillard tallied a team-high 30 points (8-19 FG, 2-10 3P, 12-14 FT) and 12 assists in 34 minutes ... Shaedon Sharpe recorded a career-high 24 points (9-19 FG, 4-7 3P, 2-3 FT), nine rebounds and four steals in 40 minutes ... Trendon Watford posted 21 points (9-16 FG, 1-3 3P, 2-2 FT), nine rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks in 35 minutes ... Jusuf Nurkic finished with 20 points (7-12 FG, 2-5 3P, 4-6 FT), four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block in 31 minutes ... Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 40 points and 12 rebounds in 33 minutes.

Cam Reddish (Lumbar Soreness), and Ryan Arcidiacono (Lumbar Soreness) are DOUBTFUL, Trendon Watford (Right Ankle Sprain) is QUESTIONABLE and Damian Lillard (Right Calf Tightness), Jusuf Nurkic (Right Knee Soreness), Anfernee Simons (Right Foot Soreness), Jerami Grant (left quad contusion), Ibou Badji (left knee soreness) and Justise Winslow (left ankle sprain) are OUT for Friday's game.

For the Kings, Keon Ellis (G League Two-Way), Matthew Dellavedova (Right Finger Soreness) and Neemias Queta (G League Two-Way) are OUT.

Tip for Friday's game is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. All Portland Trail Blazers regular season and preseason games will be broadcast on the Trail Blazers Broadcasting flagship station, Rip City Radio 620 AM. Travis Demers begins his fourth full season providing play-by-play commentary for all home and away games, with Michael Holton adding commentary.

On television, ROOT SPORTS PLUS will air 81 Trail Blazers regular season games featuring Kevin Calabro calling play-by-play, Lamar Hurd providing analysis and Brooke Olzendam reporting from the sideline. Between ROOT SPORTS PLUS, TNT and ESPN, all 82 regular season games will be televised. For all viewing visit www.trailblazers.com/watch.