The Golden State Warriors’ 132-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night dropped the Portland Trail Blazers to five games out of 10th place.
In the Western Conference, the two teams were tied for ninth place.
If the Blazers defeat the Charlotte Hornets at home on Saturday night, they will be within four games of tenth place. Sacramento and Golden State will both be off.
However, if the Blazers are unable to defeat Charlotte, it will not matter what happens with the Kings and Warriors (14-40). If the Blazers lose, they should cease acting as though they have a chance to qualify for the playoffs.
Since losing to the Blazers 102-97 at home on January 24, the Hornets have a 3-10 record. Five of the Hornets’ top six scorers, including Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, were not there that evening. On Saturday, Ball will play. Miller has left.
After defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 100-97 on Wednesday, Charlotte suffered a 129-115 loss against Denver on Thursday.
Chauncey Billups, the coach of the Blazers, has stated unequivocally that his club cannot afford to ignore any opponent. It’s accurate. However, they also can’t afford to lose to a team like Charlotte’s.
Jusuf Nurkic, a former center who was moved from Phoenix to the Hornets before the trade deadline, will play for the Blazers.
At Denver, Nurkic finished with nine points, ten rebounds, and seven assists.
Stick a fork in the Blazers if they lose this game, is my prediction. It would effectively be the end of their postseason run.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Portland Trail Blazers
What: Saturday, 7 p.m., Trail Blazers (23–33) vs. Hornets (14–40).
Where: Moda Center.
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: CHA +170 | POR -2-5
Over/Under: 219.5 | Spread: POR -5
INJURIES
Blazers: Matisse Thybulle (right ankle sprain) and Deandre Ayton (left calf strain) are sidelined.
Hornets: Grant Williams (R ACL), Josh Okogie (left hamstring), Brandon Miller (right wrist), Tre Mann (back), and DaQuan Jeffries (left knee) are all sidelined.
UPCOMING
On Monday, the Blazers begin a seven-game road trip against the Utah Jazz (13–42).
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Aaron J. Fentress | [email protected]|@AaronJFentress (Facebook), @AaronFentress (Instagram), and @AaronJFentress (Twitter)
