The Portland Trail Blazers (16-13, 9-7 Away) travel to face the Houston Rockets (9-19, 6-6 Home) Saturday at Toyota Center. Portland is playing on back-to-back days after getting dominated by the Dallas Mavericks 130-110 at American Airlines Center yesterday.
With 24 points, Damian Lillard was the leading scorer in the losing effort. Trendon Watford was another key contributor with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. The Trail Blazers are fourth in the Western Conference, 2.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies.
Houston lost a close one on Thursday at Toyota Center, falling to the Miami Heat 111-108. Jalen Green recorded 22 points to top the scoresheet in the losing effort. With 21 points and seven rebounds, Kevin Porter Jr. also played a part.
The Rockets are 15th in the Western Conference. This is the last meeting of the season between the teams. Portland will be aiming for a season sweep against Houston after taking the only earlier game 125-111 at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter on October 28. Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers with 30 points and seven assists.
Eric Gordon had 18 points in the losing effort. Simons and Jerami Grant, averaging 23.0 and 21.9 points per game, respectively, have led the Blazers in scoring this season. Both are among the league’s top scorers, as Simons is No. 1 and Grant is first.
Simons also has dished 4.4 assists per game, most in the league. Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic is grabbing 10.1 rebounds per game. Green and Porter Jr. have powered the Rockets on offense, averaging 21.8 and 18.8 points per game, respectively.
Green leads the NBA in scoring, while Porter Jr. is first. Porter Jr. also has doled out 5.7 assists per game, most in the league. Alperen Sengun has collected 8.8 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers are 4-6 in their last 10 games at Toyota Center.
Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers are 3-2 when playing two days in a row this season and 2-1 with a rest disadvantage. The Rockets are 2-2 with a rest advantage.
In the last 10 games, Portland is 5-5 with an average margin of +0.4 (116.5-116.1). Houston has also split the last 10 (5-5), allowing 113.6 points per game on average while scoring only 111.1 (-2.5 margin).
TRAIL BLAZERS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Justise Winslow: 11.0 | 15.7 | -4.7
Points per game:
Anfernee Simons: 15.8 | 23.0 | -7.2
Rebounds per game:
Justise Winslow: 3.8 | 5.2 | -1.4
SportsTips’ NBA Pick:
Portland Trail Blazers (-175)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
