Kings at Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings are both trying to make up ground in the Western Conference playoff race as they enter Saturday's contest in the Pacific Northwest. Both teams are 3 1/2 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth and final playoff spot with the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs just another a half-game behind.
Sacramento had been rapidly moving upward with six victories in seven games before taking a step backward with 18 turnovers in Thursday's 125-108 home loss against the Philadelphia 76ers. "It was kind of how we approached the game for some reason," Kings coach Luke Walton told reporters afterward of his club's play. "There's always going to be turnovers that the other team forces. But it seems like there were four or five that were completely uncharacteristic of us." Portland has won 12 consecutive home meetings against Sacramento but a possible 13th in a row doesn't seem like a sure thing after a ragged 127-117 road loss against the Phoenix Suns on Friday. The Trail Blazers have dropped eight of their past 12 games entering a make-or-break six-game homestand.
TIME: 10 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS California, NBCS Northwest, NBA TV Canada
ABOUT THE KINGS (27-35): Point guard D'Aaron Fox scored 23 points as the lone starter over 15 against Philadelphia and the defense gave up at least 29 points in every quarter. "We weren’t getting the job done out there," Walton told reporters. "The starters didn't start well ... All of a sudden we start turning the ball over and getting sloppy." Shooting guard Buddy Hield made six 3-pointers and scored 22 points off the bench to halt a streak of six straight games in which scored fewer than 20.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (28-36): All-Star Damian Lillard was just 6-of-16 shooting against Phoenix in his second game back after missing six with a groin injury. Lillard has averaged 23 points and made 7-of-14 from 3-point range in the two games while shooting guard CJ McCollum had 25 against Phoenix for his 10th straight game of 20 or more points. Center Hassan Whiteside recorded 23 points and 20 rebounds against the Suns and has collected 20 or more boards on eight occasions this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Trail Blazers are 2-1 against the Kings this season and have won seven of the past nine meetings.
2. Sacramento PF Richaun Holmes (shoulder) could return next week. He last played on Jan. 6.
3. Portland F Carmelo Anthony had just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting against Phoenix after scoring 25 against Washington two nights earlier.