Bulls at Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have settled into a groove and look to notch their seventh victory in the past eight games when they host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Portland stands a season-best six games above .500 after registering a 104-96 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
All-Star point guard Damian Lillard scored 28 points in the latest victory and he considered the win against the Clippers - short-handed after trading Blake Griffin to Detroit - to be a big moment for the team. "This was a game that could be considered a trap game with the news happening with their team," Lillard said in a postgame television interview. "I had to come out and lead the charge." Chicago has lost four consecutive games after dropping a 110-96 decision to the Milwaukee Bucks and shooting guard Zach LaVine had six points on 2-of-11 shooting in the contest and is only 5-of-28 over the past two games. "I'm not going to react negatively," LaVine told reporters. "I'm going to go out and play my game and if it doesn't work out I have all the confidence in the world. I worked hard to get to this point and it's going to eventually come. You can't hang your head about that."
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, NBCS Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE BULLS (18-32): Point guard Kris Dunn (concussion) will miss his sixth consecutive game and the Chicago offense isn't running on all cylinders without him. "We're a much better team when we get the ball up the floor quickly and Kris Dunn is our best pace guard," Hoiberg told reporters. "He's our best player out of flow. We can create things early in possessions and we're missing that right now in a big way." Jerian Grant has received more playing time during Dunn's absence but his inconsistency (22 points, 13 assists against New Orleans, a combined 16 points and 11 assists over the following two contests) remains a problem.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (28-22): Lillard is on a big-time roll since returning from hamstring and calf injuries and has topped 20 points in each of the past 10 games while averaging 27.4 points during the stretch. He knocked down five 3-pointers against the Clippers and is 25-of-46 from long range over the past five contests. Backcourt mate CJ McCollum has enjoyed a productive month with 10 20-point outings but struggled with 16 points on 5-of-18 shooting against the Clippers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. McCollum scored 32 points as the Trail Blazers posted a 124-120 overtime victory in Chicago on Jan. 1.
2. Portland C Jusuf Nurkic matched his career high by collecting 20 rebounds against the Clippers.
3. Chicago F Nikola Mirotic - nearly traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday before the deal broke down - is questionable with a lower-leg injury.