Pelicans at Trail Blazers
The New Orleans Pelicans delivered a stunning blow by sweeping the favored Portland Trail Blazers right out of the playoffs last season. Portland will attempt to put up a better fight in this campaign's first meeting when it hosts the Pelicans on Thursday.
The Trail Blazers had no answers for New Orleans big man Anthony Davis or guard Jrue Holiday in the opening round of last season's playoffs, and standout guard Damian Lillard hasn't forgotten how badly his team was outplayed. "Obviously, we have this game circled," Lillard told reporters. "Obviously, we'll have (the playoffs) in our minds when we play against them. But it's only going to be the eighth game of the season and we can't get last year back. So, we'll see." The Pelicans have dropped three straight contests following a 4-0 start and couldn't contain Golden State in Wednesday's 131-121 road loss. Davis (elbow) returned to the lineup after a two-game absence and recorded 17 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes, and coach Alvin Gentry said after the game that he expects him to play against Portland.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE PELICANS (4-3): New Orleans, which allowed 43 points in the first quarter and 37 in the third against Golden State, has allowed an average of 126.3 points during the three-game skid. Holiday registered 28 points and nine assists and forward Nikola Mirotic added 26 points and 12 rebounds, but Davis was just 6-of-16 shooting while posting his lowest-scoring output in his five games played. "I thought he was a little winded," Gentry told reporters of Davis. "He just has to get his timing back. It takes you a game to get your rhythm back."
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (5-2): The Trail Blazers finished a 3-1 road trip with a 104-85 whipping of Houston and are now beginning a stretch of six straight home games. Portland's wins on the trek were by an average of 14.3 points, and the defense was tough in the last two games as it held Indiana to 93 points prior to the solid effort against Houston. "I thought we competed well," Lillard said. "Each game, I thought something different had to happen for us to be in position to win. If you would’ve told me, we would’ve come away from this trip 3-1, I’m sure everyone in here would’ve took it. I’m proud of the way we handled our first trip."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split their four regular-season matchups in 2017-18.
2. New Orleans PG Elfrid Payton (ankle) has missed the last two games and is questionable for Thursday's contest.
3. Portland C Jusuf Nurkic recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Rockets for his third double-double of the season.