76ers at Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers are among four teams vying for the final
three Western Conference playoff spots and a friendly finishing schedule
should aid the task. Portland, which is in sixth place in the West,
plays seven of its final nine games at home, beginning with Saturday's
contest against the lowly Philadelphia 76ers.
The Trail Blazers are one game ahead of the seventh-place Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz are also lurking as the season winds down. Portland missed out on an opportunity to increase its lead on Thursday when J.J. Redick hit a jumper at the buzzer to give the Los Angeles Clippers a 96-94 victory. The 76ers have lost seven straight games and are also coming off a last-second loss, falling 104-103 on Wednesday when Denver rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay connected on a 35-foot off-balance heave at the buzzer. "As hurtful and cruel as (Denver) was, we move on," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown told reporters. "We come in, and we do our job. We believe that good days will add up."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, TCN Philadelphia, CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (9-63): Forward Jerami Grant scored only seven points against Denver to halt a streak of four double-digit outings and he continues to struggle with his shooting. Grant was 2-of-10 against the Nuggets and is 17-of-54 over the past five games, and Philadelphia wants him to take more mid-range shots and fewer 3-point attempts (21.1 percent for the season). "He practices it," Brown told reporters of Grant's mid-range shot. "We're at the final stages of our season, and it's just part of him learning how to take what the defense gives him."
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (37-36): Portland has lost eight of its last 12 games so it will be happy to have a favorable home stretch that begins with games against Philadelphia and Sacramento. The Trail Blazers play four straight at home, go on the road to Golden State and Sacramento, and return home for their final three games. Portland would like to see swingman Allen Crabbe rediscover his stroke as he is averaging 7.3 points over the last six games - 24 points coming in one contest compared to 20 in the other five.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Trail Blazers have won six of the past nine meetings but suffered a 114-89 road loss to the 76ers on Jan. 16.
2. Philadelphia C Nerlens Noel (knee) is questionable and could miss his second straight game.
3. Portland PF Meyers Leonard (shoulder) will undergo season-ending surgery on April 8.