Hawks at Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers attempt to win for the 11th time in their past 14 games when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The red-hot Trail Blazers are 30-20 for the franchise's best 50-game start since a 34-16 stretch to begin the 2014-15 campaign.
Star point guard Damian Lillard scored 24 points in Thursday's 120-106 road victory over the Phoenix Suns and is at 1311 on the season - the most in franchise history through the first 50 games. Lillard has knocked down 142 3-pointers and appears to be a sure bet to top 200 for the fifth time in his career and perhaps make a run at exceeding the career-high 229 he made during the 2015-16 campaign. Atlanta opened up a four-game road swing in style by thumping the Chicago Bulls 121-101 on Wednesday. The Hawks are a solid 9-9 over their last 18 games after beginning the season with a porous 6-23 stretch.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), NBCS Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (15-32): Second-year forward John Collins continues to play like a rising star and he scored a career-best 35 points on 14-of-16 shooting in the rout of the Bulls. Rookie point guard Trae Young had 15 points and 12 assists and his stellar passing set up Collins for various inside hoops that Chicago was powerless to defend as well as clearing the way for Collins to go 4-for-4 from 3-point range. "It's a big part of my game, moving without the basketball," Collins told reporters afterward. "And I have unselfish guys on my team that are able to find me."
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (30-20): Backup small forward Jake Layman scored 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting against the Suns for the third 20-point outing of his three-year career and he has reached double digits in six of the past seven games. "It was a game made for (Layman)," Portland coach Terry Stotts said of the 24-year-old. "It was up and down, they played a small lineup. It catered to his style of game." Shooting guard CJ McCollum scored 20 points against Phoenix and has tallied 20 or more in three of the past four contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams split last season's two meetings with the home team winning each time.
2. Portland reserve SG Nik Stauskas (knee) sat out against the Suns and could miss the contest against the Hawks.
3. Atlanta rookie SG Kevin Huerter (neck) is questionable after missing the previous two games.