The Portland Trail Blazers are set to play the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Portland aims to secure a winning record on their five-game road trip and potentially their third consecutive victory over Houston.
Avdija’s Doubtful Status
All-Star forward Deni Avdija is listed as doubtful due to a lower back injury. Despite Avdija’s likely absence, the Trail Blazers are coming off a win against Memphis on Wednesday night, bringing their road trip record to 2-2.
Rockets’ Perspective
The Rockets will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back after an overtime loss to the Warriors. Houston currently holds second place in the Southwest Division, led by Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. They are aiming for a three seed if they can maintain consistent play.
Previous Matchups and Team Form
Portland has won the last two games against Houston. However, injuries have plagued Portland’s season. The Blazers have a losing record in the fifteen games Avdija has missed.
Injury Reports
The Trail Blazers have several players on the injury list. Damian Lillard and Shaedon Sharpe are out, Deni Avdija is doubtful, Kris Murray is questionable, and Caleb Love, Jayson Kent, and Yang Hansen are in the G League. The Rockets’ injury list includes Steven Adams, Fred VanVleet, and Jae’Sean Tate.
Team Stats and Leaders
Key statistics and leaders for both teams are as follows:
- Trail Blazers: Points, Avdija (24.4 per game); Rebounds, Clingan (11.5); Assists, Avdija (6.6).
- Rockets: Points, Durant (26.2 per game); Rebounds, Sengun (9.1); Assists, Sengun (6.3).
The Trail Blazers have an offensive rating of 112.6 (24th place) and a defensive rating of 115.6 (20th place). The Rockets have an offensive rating of 117 (7th place) and a defensive rating of 111.8 (5th place).
Blazers’ Recent Win in Memphis
Portland was missing Avdija in their recent game against Memphis, and Donovan Clingan was ejected. Jrue Holiday scored 35 points, with 11 assists and five rebounds, while Robert Williams III contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Despite signs of life from Vit Krejci, the Blazers continue to underwhelm offensively.
The game is scheduled for Friday, March 6 at 5pm Pacific.