PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (27-45) VS HOUSTON ROCKETS (18-55)
Friday, March 25 • 7:00 p.m. (Pacific) • Moda Center
Portland, Oregon
SERIES HISTORY
ALL TIME: Rockets lead, 112-93
PORTLAND HOME: Trail Blazers lead, 56-46
HOUSTON HOME: Rockets lead, 66-37
LAST PORTLAND WIN: 125-110, 1/28/22 (Hou.)
LAST HOUSTON WIN: 104-101, 1/28/21 (Hou.)
CURRENT WIN STREAK: Three (Por.)
SERIES NOTES
• The season series between Portland and Houston will close out this weekend at Moda Center with games Friday and Saturday. The Trail Blazers took both games in Houston to hold a 2-0 edge in the season series.
• LAST MEETING: Portland defeated Houston 125-110 with six Trail Blazers scoring in double-figures including all five starters. Anfernee Simons led the way with 27 points, six assists and three boards while Jusuf Nurkic recorded a double-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds, one steal and one block. Christian Wood dropped a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead Houston.
• Portland and Houston rank in the Top 10 in the NBA in Free Throw Attempts, the Rockets lead the league with 24.5 attempts per game while the Trail Blazers rank 10th with 22.4. Portland holds the edge in percentage from the line, shooting 76.1% while Houston shoots 71%
• Both teams rank in the Top 10 in 3PM, Houston ranks seventh with 13.2 per game while Portland ranks 10th with 12.8
• In the month of March, Portland averages 15.2 second chance points per game, sixht-most in the NBA.
• Ben McLemore is averaging 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.80 assists in his last five games against the Rockets. He scored 12 points with one board and one assist in the January matchup but did not play in the November game.
• In his last five games against Portland, Eric Gordon has averaged 10.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He scored seven points with three rebounds, three assists and a steal in the January matchup.
• Dennis Schroder is averaging 20.2 points, 4.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in his last five matchups with Portland, scoring in double-figures in four of those games, including a 31-point performance on December 4 as a member of the Celtics.
• Christian Wood has recorded a double-double in three of his last five games against the Trail Blazers, averaging 21.6 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in that stretch.
NEWS AND NOTES
WATFORDS MONTH: Trendon Watford has scored in double-figures in 10 of 11 games (eight starts) in March while averaging 15.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.20 blocks and 0.80 steals. The undrafted rookie has set career highs in the month in points (27), rebounds (14), assists (6), blocks (4), steals (3), FGM (11) and 3PM (2). Among all undrafted players, Watford ranks in the Top 10 in March in points (4th), rebounds (4th) and blocks (3rd).
BEN OFF THE BENCH: Ben McLemore scored 23 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 6-6 FT) off the bench vs. San Antonio on March 23, marking his first time scoring 20+ points in back-to-back games as a Trail Blazer and his fifth game with 20+ on the season.
BRAND ON POINT: Brandon Williams scored a team-high 23 points at Detroit on March 21, making him the only rookie NOT selected in the first round of the draft to record five games of 20-plus points this season. In the month of March, Williams is averaging 16.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.30 steals in 29.7 minutes.
CHARITY STRIPE: Portland went 37-of-49 from the free throw line on March 21 at Detroit, marking season-highs for both makes and attempts in a single game. The 90 total free throws attempted by both teams in the game marks a single-game high in the league this season, surpassing Portland-Minnesota on March 7 (82).
BEN THERE, DONE THAT: Ben McLemore scored 21 points off the bench at Detroit on March 21, shooting 7-of-16 from the field and 5-of-12 from three. He added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 30 minutes of action. It marked the sixth time this season Ben has made five-plus three-pointers off the bench, ninth-most in the NBA. Only Gary Trent Jr. (7, 2019-20), has more in a single-season in franchise history.
LAST FIVE GAMES
Game #72 - San Antonio 133, Portland 96 — March 23, 2022, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Portland lost to San Antonio 133-96 at Moda Center ... Ben McLemore scored 23 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 6-6 FT) off the bench, his second consecutive game dropping 20 off the bench, with two boards in 20 in minutes ... Drew Eubanks tied his career-high with 20 points (8-13 FG, 2-3 3-PT, 2-2 FT) and set a new career-high with his two made threes, while grabbing nine rebounds with four assists and a steal ... Trendon Watford scored 10 points (4-10 FG, 0-2 3-PT, 2-2 FT) ... Kris Dunn made his first start as a Trail Blazer and tallied nine points (4-9 FG, 1-1 FT), five boards, three assists and two steals ... Elijah Hughes scored 10 points with one rebound, one assist and one block ... CJ Elleby scored two points with one rebound, one assist and one block ... Dejounte Murray led the Spurs with 28 points, six rebounds, seven assists and a steal ... Keldon Johnson contributed 26 points.
Game #71 - Portland 119, Detroit 115 — March 21, 2022, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Portland defeated Detroit 119-115 at Little Caesars Arena in the second leg of a road back-to-back ... All five Trail Blazers starters scored in double-figures and Ben McLemore added 23 off the bench (7-16 FG, 5-12 3-PT, 2-4 FT) ... Brandon Williams scored a game-high 23 points (6-17 FG, 0-3 3-PT, 11-11 FT) with six rebounds, three assists and three steals ... Drew Eubanks added 17 points (5-8 FG, 0-1 3-PT, 7-8 FT), eight rebounds and two assists ... CJ Elleby tallied a career-high 16 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3-PT, 4-7 FT) with eight rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block ... Justise Winslow added 10 points (3-12 FG, 0-2 3-PT, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block ... Trendon Watford contributed 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-6 FT), three rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks ... Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey both led the Pistons with 25 points while Marvin Bagley III added 15.
Game #70 - Indiana 129, Portland 98 — March 20, 2022, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Portland dropped a Sunday afternoon showdown with Indiana, 129-98 despite six Trail Blazers scoring in double-figures ... Josh Hart scored a game-high 26 points (11-13 FG, 3-5 3-PT, 1-1 FT) with three rebounds, four assists and two steals ... Trendon Watford scored 17 points (7-13 FG, 2-3 3-PT, 1-2 FT) with eight boards, three assists, two steals and one block ... Drew Eubanks dropped 12 points (5-9 FG, 0-1 3-PT, 2-2 FT) with eight rebounds and a steal ... Brandon Williams tallied 10 points and dished two assists ... Ben McLemore added 11 points, one rebound, one steal and one block off the bench ... Kris Dunn dished a team-high nine assists with 11 points, three steals and one rebound ... CJ Elleby scored two points and grabbed five rebounds ... Oshae Brissett led the Pacers with 24 points, nine rebounds, one assist and one steal ... Jalen Smith and Chris Duarte each added 17 points off the bench.
Game #69 - Brooklyn 128, Portland 123 — March 18, 2022, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Portland fell to Brooklyn 128-123 at Barclays Center ... Josh Hart led the Trail Blazers with 25 points (9-18 FG, 3-8 3-PT, 4-5 FT), five boards, seven assists and a steal in 40 minutes of action ... Brandon Williams dropped 24 points (10-19 FG, 3-7 3-PT, 1-3 FT) with six rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in 37 minutes ... Justise Winslow did a bit of everything, scoring 15 points (7-15 FG, 1-3 3-PT, 0-5 FT) with five rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in 28 minutes ... Drew Eubanks grabbed six rebounds along with 18 points and three assists ... Trendon Watford scored eight points (3-8 FG, 0-2 3-PT, 2-2 FT) with three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block ... Ben McLemore added 17 points (5-13 FG, 5-12 3-PT, 2-2 FT), three rebounds, two assists and a steal off the bench ... Kevin Durant led Brooklyn with 38 points, six boards, six assists and a block.
Game #68 - New York 128, Portland 98 — March 16, 2022, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
The Trail Blazers lost to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden 128-98 ... Josh Hart led Portland with 17 points (6-15 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 3-4 FT), five rebounds and three assists ... Brandon Williams added 14 points (6-15 FG, 2-6 3-PT, 0-2 FT), two boards, two assists and two blocks ... Trendon Watford scored 11 points (4-11 FG, 0-3 3-PT, 3-4 FT) with eight rebounds and five assists, his seventh straight game scoring in double-figures ... Drew Eubanks added 10 points (5-8 FG) with nine rebounds and five assists ... Justise Winslow returned from a brief injury absence and tallied seven points (3-10 FG, 1-6 3-PT), seven rebounds and two assists ... Kris Dunn dropped 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-1 3-PT), seven assists and a steal in 28 minutes off the bench ... RJ Barrett led New York with 31 points, four boards and five assists ... Julius Randle added 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
INJURY NOTES
For the Trail Blazers, Eric Bledsoe (left Achilles; tendinopathy), Josh Hart (left knee; patellar tendinopathy), Joe Ingles (left knee recovery), Damian Lillard (core muscle recovery), Nassir Little (left shoulder recovery), Didi Louzada (left knee recovery), Jusuf Nurkic (left foot; plantar fasciitis), Anfernee Simons (left knee; patellar tendinopathy) and Justise Winslow (left calf inflammation) are out for Friday’s game against Houston.
For the Rockets, Anthony Lamb (G League - two-way) and Trevelin Queen (G League - two-way) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Friday’s game can be seen locally on ROOT SPORTS with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam calling the action. On the radio side, Travis Demers, Michael Holton and Jay Allen will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.
ARENA NOTES
In alignment with the recent announcement from Oregon Governor Kate Brown, the Rose Quarter will remove the mask mandate for all events and venues beginning on Saturday, March 12. The Oregon Health Authority still recommends masking for people at higher risk from COVID-19, including unvaccinated people and immunocompromised people. Masks are encouraged while on the Rose Quarter campus and attending events.
In alignment with the lifting of the mask mandate on March 12, the Rose Quarter will also remove mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and testing requirements as a condition of entry into our venues. While vaccines do not prevent individuals from contracting COVID, they are proven to be effective in greatly reducing the risk of severe illness, speeding up recovery and reducing downtime.
The Rose Quarter strongly recommends our guests be vaccinated, stay up to date on boosters and evaluate their own health situation prior to attending an event on campus.
Click here for more information on Moda Center’s health and safety protocols.