The Portland Trail Blazers begin the stretch run of the 2019-20 season by hosting the New Orleans Pelicans in the fourth and final meeting between the two teams. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 33-28IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 21-9AT THE PELICANS: Trail Blazers lead, 17-14LAST PORTLAND WIN: 122-110, 3/15/19 (New Orleans)LAST PELICANS WIN: 138-117, 2/11/20 (New Orleans)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Three (New Orleans)
GAME NOTES
•Friday's game will be the fourth and final matchup between the Trail Blazers and the Pelicans during the 2019-20 season. New Orleans leads the season series, 3-0.
• LAST MEETING: New Orleans beat Portland, 138-117, in New Orleans on Feb. 11. CJ McCollum led Portland with 20 points (7-17 FG, 4-8 3-PT, 2-2 FT), one rebound and three assists, while Zion Williamson paced the Pelicans with a career-high 31 points (10-17 FG, 11-14 FT), nine rebounds, and a career-high five assists.
•Portland and New Orleans have split their last 10 meetings, 5-5. The Trail Blazers swept the 2018-19 season series, 3-0.
• CJ McCollum has scored at least 20 points in each of his last five outings against the Pelicans, going 14-of-35 (40.0%) from 3-PT range over that five-game span.
• Damian Lillard had 20 points (6-16 FG, 8-9 FT), five rebounds and six assists against New Orleans on Feb. 11. Lillard is averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists in two games against the Pelicans this season. Lillard has scored at least 20 points in seven of his last eight matchups with the Pelicans, including a 41-point outing on Mar. 27, 2018 in New Orleans.
• Hassan Whiteside recorded 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go with 14 rebounds, three assists and one block against the Pelicans on Feb. 11. Whiteside has recorded a double-double in each of his last four games against New Orleans.
• JJ Redick had 20 points (5-10 FG, 4-7 3-PT, 6-6 FT), two rebounds and two assists against Portland on Feb. 11. Redick is averaging 18.0 points (50.0% FG, 50.0% 3-PT, 91.7% FT) in three games against Portland this season.
• Brandon Ingram missed the Pelican's last game against the Trail Blazers with a right ankle sprain, but on Dec. 23 put up 19 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals against Portland. He is averaging 20.0 points (36.8% FG, 30.0% 3-PT, 100% FT), 9.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.00 steals in two games against the Trail Blazers this season.
• CONNECTION: Portland guard Gary Trent Jr. and New Orleans guard Frank Jackson were teammates at Duke during the 2017-18 season.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza played two seasons for New Orleans from 2010-12, averaging 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds.
INJURY NOTES
Damian Lillard (right groin strain), Mario Hezonja (left ankle sprain), Rodney Hood (left ruptured Achilles tendon), Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), and Jusuf Nurkic (left leg fracture) are out for Friday's game
As for the Pelicans, Darius Miller (right Achilles surgery), Kenrich Williams (lower back soreness), Josh Gray (Two-way) and Zylan Cheatham (Two-way) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Friday's game can be seen locally on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam calling the action. The game will also air on ESPN. Travis Demers and Michael Holton will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations on the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.