Trail Blazers at Pelicans
Point guard Jrue Holiday has been dealing with a tough family situation but has returned to New Orleans and will make his season debut when the Pelicans host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Holiday has been away from the team while his wife, Lauren, underwent treatment for a brain tumor, which led to a complicated birth of their daughter prior to the surgery.
Holiday based his decision to return on the improved health of his wife, a former member of the United States national women's soccer team. "It was really just to see where my wife was in her recovery," Holiday said at a news conference. "Since she's doing so well and my daughter is getting bigger and since my family and her family are there to help out with whatever it is, I just feel comfortable being back. As hard as it is (to be away), I'm really excited." The Pelicans have badly missed Holiday's services and are hoping his presence will boost their sagging fortunes and a record that is tied for worst in the NBA. The Trail Blazers lost the opener of a five-game road trip Thursday when they dropped a 126-109 decision to the Houston Rockets.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (7-6): Star point guard Damian Lillard had just 18 points in the loss to Houston to mark his second straight outing of scoring fewer than 20 points. Lillard topped 30 points in seven of Portland's first 11 games but has attempted just nine free throws over the last two contests after having 10 or more attempts in six of the previous eight contests. Shooting guard C.J. McCollum scored 26 points for his eighth 20-point performance of the season.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (2-10): Standout power forward Anthony Davis (quadriceps) is hopeful of being back in the lineup after sitting out Wednesday's 89-82 loss to the Orlando Magic. Davis, who is averaging 30.5 points and 11.2 rebounds, suffered the injury during Monday's victory over the Boston Celtics and his presence was missed against the Magic. "Obviously, missing A.D. is a big part of what we do, everything that we do, so that's a tough thing to go into the game, but we did," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. "We played hard, we competed, we tried like crazy."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Trail Blazers went 3-1 against the Pelicans last season and have won eight of the past 10 meetings.
2. New Orleans PF Terrence Jones scored a season-high 26 points while starting in place of Davis to raise his season average to 10.1.
3. Portland SF Allen Crabbe had five points while starting against Houston and has reached double digits just three times in the past 10 games.