The Trail Blazers are just three games into their 2019-20 home schedule, but have yet to secure a win thus far this season at the Moda Center. They'll try to change their recent fortunes Sunday night by hosting the Atlanta Hawks. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Series tied, 57-57IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 36-21AT THE HAWKS: Hawks lead, 36-21LAST PORTLAND WIN: 118-98, 3/29/19 (Atlanta)LAST HAWKS WIN: 104-89, 12/30/17 (Atlanta)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Three (Portland)
GAME NOTES
• Sunday’s game marks the first of two meetings between the Trail Blazers and the Hawks during the 2019-20 season.
• LAST SEASON: Portland swept the season series against Atlanta in 2018-19, 2-0.
• MAKE OR MISS: The Trail Blazers rank fifth in the league in free throw shooting (82.7% FT) and eighth in the league in three-point ac-curacy (37.1% 3-PT) while the Hawks are 29th in the NBA in both categories (69.9% FT, 29.3% 3-PT).
• In his lone game against the Hawks last season on March 29, Damian Lillard finished with 36 points (13-25 FG, 4-10 3-PT, 6-6 FT), three rebounds, seven assists and one block. Lillard has averaged 25.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists in his last three outings against Atlanta, all of which have been Portland victories.
• CJ McCollum played in one game against the Hawks last season on Jan. 26 and recorded his first career triple-double, finishing with 28 points (10-23 FG, 2-8 3-PT, 6-7 FT), 10 rebounds, 10 assists and one steal. He has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games against Atlanta.
• In 13 career games against the Hawks, Hassan Whiteside has averaged 10.7 points, 13.1 rebounds and 2.00 blocks. • In two games against Portland last season, Trae Young averaged 28.0 points (52.5% FG, 28.6% 3-PT, 90.0% FT), 5.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.00 steal.
• Jabari Parker has averaged 15.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in three career games against the Trail Blazers.
• In 42 career games against the Trail Blazers, Vince Carter has averaged 14.1 points (42.8% FG, 37.9% 3-PT, 76.2% FT), 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists. His first career game against Portland came on Jan. 4, 2000 with the Toronto Raptors.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers guard/forward Kent Bazemore played five seasons in Atlanta from 2014-19, posting averages of 10.4 points and 3.8 rebounds.
• CONNECTION: Atlanta guard/forward Evan Turner played three seasons in Portland from 2016-19, averaging 8.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists
INJURY NOTES
Rodney Hood (back spasms), C Skal Labissiere (right ankle sprain) and C Hassan Whiteside (right foot sprain) are questionable for Sunday's game, while F Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), C Jusuf Nurkic (left lower leg fracture) and C Pau Gasol (left foot fracture) remain out.
Two-way players Jaylen Hoard and Moses Brown have been recalled from the Texas Legends of the G League and will be available Sunday night versus Atlanta.
BROADCAST NOTES
Sunday's game will be shown locally on NBC Sports Northwest with Kevin Calabro, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam calling the action. Travis Demers and Michael Holton will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations on the Trail Blazers Radio Network.