Nuggets at Trail Blazers
Portland standout guard Damian Lillard could be on the sidelines for the
fifth consecutive game when the Trail Blazers host the Denver Nuggets
on Wednesday. Lillard has been sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his
left foot and a decision on his availability will come after he conducts
a pregame workout.
Lillard did some light work during Tuesday's practice and admits he isn't sure his left heel is ready for the pounding of a game. "It felt fine, a little bit stiff, but I felt good," Lillard told reporters. "I just don't know my status yet. Especially the way I play. I'm all over the place, so I want to do as much of that as I can and be comfortable with it." Portland defeated Cleveland and Sacramento in its last two games and is looking for its first three-game winning streak since Nov. 2-5. Denver dropped a 93-87 decision to the Cavaliers on Tuesday for its third straight loss and sixth in seven games.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, Altitude (Denver), CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (12-20): Leading scorer Danilo Gallinari (ankle) has missed the last five games and backup small forward Will Barton is taking advantage of receiving extra minutes. Barton scored 29 points in Tuesday's loss and is averaging 23 points during the past six games and has scored in double figures in 17 consecutive games. Gallinari is expected back for Saturday's against the Golden State Warriors and center Jusuf Nurkic (knee) could make his season debut in that game.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (13-20): Shooting guard C.J. McCollum picked up the scoring slack in the 98-94 win over the Kings on Monday and his standout all-around performance included 35 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals. The 24-year-old who was the star of the Lehigh squad that ousted Duke from the 2012 NCAA Tournament — he scored 30 points in the stunning upset — was a little-used reserve the past two campaigns before emerging as a standout scorer this season. "C.J. worked very hard his first two years here," Portland coach Terry Stotts told reporters. "But he learned the NBA game and put in a lot of time to have the type of success he is having right now."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nuggets defeated the Trail Blazers 108-104 on Nov. 9 to snap Portland's eight-game winning streak in the series.
2. Denver PG Jameer Nelson missed all six of his field-goal attempts against Cleveland and is 9-of-33 shooting during the past four games.
3. Portland backup PF Ed Davis (ankle) could sit out for the second straight game.