Update: Jerami Grant (back) and Malcolm Brogdon (knee) are out.
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The Portland Trail Blazers play a second game in three days at the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
Denver won the first meeting 120-18 on Friday.
Here is a quick look at Sunday’s matchup:
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS AT DENVER NUGGETS
What: Trail Blazers (15-34) vs. Nuggets (34-16), 5:30 p.m., Sunday.
Where: Ball Arena, Denver.
BLAZERS’ RATINGS
Offense: 108.8, 29th. Defense: 117.0, 21st. Net: Minus-8.2, 26th.
NUGGETS’ RATINGS
Offense: 118.0, 7th. Defense: 113.6, 11th. Net: Plus-4.4, 8th.
PROJECTED STARTERS
Blazers: G Anfernee Simons (23.1 ppg., 5.1 apg., 3.5 rpg.), G Malcolm Brogdon (15.7 ppg., 5.5 apg., 3.8 rpg.), F Jerami Grant (21.3 ppg., 3.7 rpg., 2.6 apg.), F Jabari Walker (8.4 ppg., 6.4 rpg., 0.8 apg.), C Deandre Ayton (13.4 ppg., 10.2 rpg., 1.5 apg.).
Nuggets: G Jamal Murray (21.0 ppg., 6.5 apg., 3.9 rpg.), G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (10.2 ppg., 2.4 apg., 2.3 rpg.), F Aaron Gordon (13.7 ppg., 3.2 apg., 6.6 rpg.), F Michael Porter Jr. (15.8 ppg., 7.0 rpg., 1.3 apg.), C Nikola Jokic (26.3 ppg., 12.3 rpg., 9.1 apg..).
KEY MATCHUP
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton battle for a loose ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) APAP
Ayton vs. Jokic: Nobody expects Ayton to even break even in this matchup. But the lesser the disparity in production the better for the Blazers. During Friday’s loss, Ayton scored just eight points with three rebounds while Jokic produced 27 points, 22 rebounds and 12 assists. Ayton getting at least 15 points with 10 rebounds would go along way toward helping improve the Blazers’ chances of winning.
KEY STAT
The Nuggets shoot 49.4% per game helped by 28.8 assists per game. The Blazers shoot 44.0% per game while producing 22.5 assists per game.
PREDICTION
The Nuggets are so superior that it would likely take them delivering a dramatically poor shooting night in order for the Blazers to win. Realistically, merely keeping the score respectable is the most realistic outcome for the Blazers, especially if Grant does not play.
BROADCAST INFO, ODDS, INJURIES
Radio: Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM).
TV channel: Root Sports (in Portland: Comcast 734; DirecTV: 687) and Root Sports PLUS (in Portland: Comcast 1253; DirecTV: 688).
Watch the game live online: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial). You can also get this game on DirecTV Stream’s “CHOICE” package (promotional offers), if you are out of fuboTV trials, or simply prefer that platform and their pricing plans. If you already have a cable or satellite provider that carries Root Sports and want to watch online, you can watch this game live on Root Sports Live.
ODDS (Oregon Lottery/DraftKings)
Moneyline: POR +600 | DEN -900
Spread: POR +13.5 | Over/Under: 221
INJURIES
Blazers (updated): Malcolm Brogdon (right knee contusion), Jerami Grant (lower back tightness), Shaedon Sharpe (abdominal strain), Moses Brown (left wrist surgery) and Robert Williams III (season-ending right knee surgery) are out.
Nuggets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (right finger sprain) and Peyton Watson (left knee contusion) are probable. Vlatko Cancar (left knee surgery) is out.
NEXT UP
The Blazers host the Detroit Pistons at 7 p.m. Thursday.
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-- Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)
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