Portland faces Sacramento, looks to halt 4-game skid
Portland Trail Blazers (21-60, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (45-36, ninth in the Western Conference)
Sacramento, California; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Portland heads into the matchup with Sacramento as losers of four straight games.
The Kings are 29-22 in Western Conference games. Sacramento is 6-5 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Trail Blazers are 8-43 in Western Conference play. Portland has a 5-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Kings are shooting 47.6% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 49.1% the Trail Blazers allow to opponents. The Trail Blazers average 11.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 fewer made shots on average than the 13.2 per game the Kings give up.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Kings won 121-118 in overtime in the last meeting on Nov. 9. Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 27 points, and Jerami Grant led the Trail Blazers with 38 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: De’Aaron Fox is shooting 46.5% and averaging 26.6 points for the Kings. Keegan Murray is averaging 18.1 points over the last 10 games.
Deandre Ayton is scoring 16.4 points per game and averaging 11.0 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Dalano Banton is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 3-7, averaging 108.6 points, 45.3 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 43.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 2-8, averaging 98.6 points, 47.1 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Malik Monk: out (mcl sprain), Kevin Huerter: out for season (shoulder), Jordan Ford: day to day (hip).
Trail Blazers: Anfernee Simons: out (knee), Malcolm Brogdon: out (elbow), Matisse Thybulle: out (ankle), Jerami Grant: out (hamstring), Toumani Camara: out for season (rib), Shaedon Sharpe: out (abdomen), Robert Williams III: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
By The Associated Press
