Trail Blazers at Raptors
The Portland Trail Blazers do most of their damage on the home floor and will receive some opportunities to change that, beginning with Sunday’s contest at the Toronto Raptors. The contest is the first of a five-game road trip for the Trail Blazers, who are just 15-14 in away games as they attempt to catch the second-place Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference. Toronto is coming off a 102-92 win over Miami on Friday that was just its second victory in 11 games.
The Raptors were once solidly in second place in the Eastern Conference but their deep slump now has them battling the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls for that spot. Portland is still in adjustment mode from the loss of 3-point shooting guard Wesley Matthews, who suffered a season-ending Achilles’ tendon injury, but the Trail Blazers made 11 3-pointers in Friday’s 118-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons. “It was real important. This is one of those games where you start looking ahead to a trip and you’re facing a team that had been struggling a little bit,” guard Arron Afflalo told reporters. “You lose those sometimes. I thought for the most part we were locked in.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), Sportsnet (Toronto)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (43-20): Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has terrorized the Raptors and had 23 points and 13 rebounds in Portland’s 102-97 overtime victory on Dec. 30. The big outing marked Aldridge’s ninth consecutive double-double against Toronto – dating back to March 14, 2010 – and he is averaging 25.9 points and 12.9 rebounds during the stretch. Aldridge had 22 points and seven rebounds against the Pistons and is averaging 23 points and 9.7 rebounds over the last three contests.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (39-26): Point guard Kyle Lowry fueled the victory over Miami with a superb outing that included 19 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, a career-high seven steals and five 3-point baskets. The win ended a 16-game losing streak to the Heat and Lowry’s stellar showing came after he was recently given a three-game rest to help him get rejuvenated. “He was back to the old Kyle.” Toronto coach Dwane Casey told reporters. “He was moving the ball, he made his shots and his 3s, which were huge.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Portland has won 11 of the past 12 meetings.
2. Raptors C Jonas Valanciunas is expected back after missing one game for the birth of his child.
3. Trail Blazers C Joel Freeland is suspended for the contest due to a head-butting incident with Detroit F Shawne Williams on Friday.