After finishing 2018 off with a win at home, the Portland Trail Blazers (21-16) begin 2019 by visiting the Sacramento Kings (19-17) for the first tilt between the two teams this season. Tipoff is scheduled for New Years Day at 6 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 131-78IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 86-18AT THE KINGS: Kings lead, 60-45LAST PORTLAND WIN: 116-99, 2/27/18 (Portland)LAST KINGS WIN: 86-82, 11/17/17 (Sacramento)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Three (Portland)
GAME NOTES
• Tuesday’s game marks the first of three meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Kings during the 2018-19 season. Portland won the season series in 2017-18, 1-1.• LAST MEETING: The Trail Blazers shot 52.4% from the field and 44.1% from the three-point line in a 116-99 victory over the Kings at Moda Center on Feb. 27. Damian Lillard had a double-double of 26 points (11-19 FG, 4-8 3-PT) and 12 assists for the Trail Blazers while Willie-Cauley Stein had 17 points (8-13 FG, 1-1 FT), 10 rebounds, two steals and one block for Sacramento.• RECENT SUCCESS: The Trail Blazers are 11-2 in their last 13 games against the Kings. Both losses in that span have come in Sacramento.• In four games against the Kings last season, Damian Lillard averaged 31.8 points (50.6% FG, 42.9% 3-PT, 95.5% FT), 1.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.75 steals. In his last game at Sacramento on Feb. 9, Lillard scored 50 points (16-26 FG, 8-13 3-PT, 10-10 FT) in 29 minutes.• CJ McCollum averaged 16.5 points (42.9% FG, 25.0% 3-PT, 87.5% FT), 2.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.50 steals in four games against Sacramento in 2017-18. McCollum has scored 30-plus points three times in his six career games at Sacramento.• Jusuf Nurkic averaged 10.3 points (51.4% FG, 62.5%), 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.25 blocks in four games against the Kings last season. He had 17 points, nine rebounds and two steals against the Kings on Feb. 27.• In four games against Portland last season, Willie Cauley-Stein averaged 19.0 points (54.4% FG, 76.5%FT), 8.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.75 steals and 1.25 blocks. Cauley-Stein recorded two double-doubles against the Trail Blazers last season.• De’Aaron Fox averaged 11.5 points (41.5% FG, 28.6% 3-PT, 76.9% FT), 3.5 rebounds 5.6 assists and 1.75 steals in four games against Portland last season. He scored in double figures in each of his last three games against the Trail Blazers.• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers 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 Sacramento forwards Justin Jackson and Harry Giles.• CONNECTION: Portland guard Nik Stauskas was selected by Sacramento with the eighth pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. In his one season with the Kings, Stauskas averaged 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 73 games (one start).
INJURY NOTES
Neither team has yet to report any injuries for Tuesday's game.
BROADCAST NOTES
Tuesday'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. Travis Demers, filling in for Brian Wheeler, will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations of the stations of the Trail Blazers Radio Network.