On Thursday, three teams tied for ninth place in the Western Conference standings were three and a half games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Sacramento Kings (25-25), who come to the Moda Center on Thursday night, are one of those clubs.
The Blazers, who have won nine straight games, cannot afford to lose to teams vying for a play-in spot, thus Thursday night’s matchup is crucial.
Zach LaVine, who was acquired from Chicago in a three-way trade that sent point guard De Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, will be playing the second game of a back-to-back for the Blazers, who are still getting used to him.
LaVine’s debut game with his new squad was a 130-111 loss against Orlando. He had 13 points. Fox was replaced at point guard by Malik Monk.
Without Fox, the King’s offensive should be fine, but LaVine’s presence didn’t help the defense, which was already in doubt.
Prediction: Over the previous few weeks, the Blazers have been the superior team, winning nine of their last ten games. They should cause issues for the Kings because they have played excellent defense during the winning run.
The Sacramento Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers
What: Thursday at 7 p.m., Trail Blazers (22-29) vs. Kings (25-25).
Where: Moda Center.
Series: The Kings defeated 115-106 in Portland on November 29 after winning 111-98 at home on October 28.
Rip City Radio (KPOJ 620 AM) is the radio station.
TV channel: KATU (Portland, antenna: 2.2). Xfinity: 1170 and 302. 688-1 is DirecTV.KUNP (antenna: 47.1). 16, 302, 1170 Xfinity. Spectrum: 184; DirecTV: 47.
Rip City TV Network is the way to watch. An HDTV antenna on your local ABC affiliate (Charge 2.2 in Portland) will allow you to watch this game live for free even if you don’t have cable. These antennas cost about $20 and are very simple to install. You may get one at your neighborhood Fred Meyer or Bi-Mart, or you can buy one online from Amazon or Walmart and have it delivered right to your house. Here are some guidelines for configuring an HDTV antenna on your TV or other display. Use the channel finder here to learn more about the channel that Rip City TV Network is available on in your area.
DraftKings/Oregon Lottery (ODDS)
Moneyline: SAC -130 | POR +110
POR +2 Spread | Over/Under: 230.5
INJURIES
Blazers: Matisse Thybulle is sidelined due to a sprained right ankle.
Kings: Not accessible.
UPCOMING
At 5 p.m. on Saturday, the Blazers begin a three-game journey to the Minnesota Timberwolves (28-23).
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Aaron J. Fentress | [email protected]|@AaronJFentress (Facebook), @AaronFentress (Instagram), and @AaronJFentress (Twitter)
